The Power of The Shield

BigOrangeMichael and I have been bantering in comment systems and privately for weeks about the level of quality that The Shield is presenting this year, and folks - it is just so far above everything else out there that it is almost beyond description. I have two pieces of information in my post here - first a quick review of the pieces of the apparent power of what is pound-for-pound the best television series on the air currently, and then a grand announcement in regard to the review of that show, a new partnership and some great surprises for the Summer.

First up: The Review of The Pieces of Power of: The Shield:

I have been a devoted fan of "The Shield" since I stumbled over it, literally, while looking for an encore presentation of "24" now 6 years ago. It was something that I have been watching on and off for the first year, and during it's second year, I have the privilege of moving to my current new home, where I had a new satellite system installed, which availed the power of DVR (digital video recording, originally the "DISH" kind, then Tivo, and now with HD, DirecTV's version) which enabled me to record whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted and to be able to watch it anytime I wanted. Ahh, the power of technology.

Since then, the 10 season episodes of "The Shield" have done nothing but challenge every boundary, stretch every "hallmark hallway", stir the feelings of viewers of all kinds (including my wife, my father, my in-laws - hell, anyone that I can infect) with story tracks that challenge any modern-day rollercoaster, and simply bring the biggest, baddest and most curiously-talented and twisted actors into a light that simply cannot be matched.

While I talk about the infection of The Shield onto my family, it's strange, because the Strike Team that appears inside The Shield (led by series star and Emmy-award Winner, Michael Chiklis) also provides what is the foundation strings of a family that will do, not do, say, and not say anything so that the good of the many outweigh the good of the one (strange how all things good somehow stretch to that STAR TREK-inspired saying). The Team is the family, and like a gold-badge-emblazened family of mafia brothers, The Strike Team has dodged every bullet imaginable - literally.

When you mix in the stories of a twisted political councilman, the stories of cops and detectives that have been on and around the same people for so long they can almost have complete conversations for you solo, along with a completely-against-time/commercial break/formula show, it is hard to deny that The Shield holds the virtual television show championship belt, with no sign of being conquered.

Case in point: Lem, a longtime Strike Team family member, was killed -- by a grenade at the end of last season -- by one of the other family members because that member thought that Lem was going to snitch on The Team and send them all up the river, thereby destroying not only The Strike Team family, but also everyone's "other", real family. Shane has been dealing with that truth for the last 5 episodes and in this episode seems to have come to grips after confessing his true familial divorce to his wife who is 4 months pregnant. While this may seem the "most important" piece and storyline inside of this episode, it's not. The Shield is able to weave a vast, entertaining and character/series lore-laden pattern that is just so completely engaging, that I have often hoped that The Shield writers would have some tea & crumpets with the "24" writers in an effort to spill some of their talent and ideas on them for next year's Season Seven that simply needs to not suck.

While it would take much longer to detail other lines inside of tonite's episode, it's easier to fast-forward to the last 12 minutes of the episode. Here, we find that after reading a report that has finally been processed, Chiklis' character, The Strike Team's patriarch, Vic Mackey suddenly realizes that Shane, his career long partner in (often literal) crime KILLED/EVISCERATED/BLEW UP LEM WITH A GODDAMN GRENADE.

Fans of the show have been envisioning this confrontation for months, and NEVER in a million years would I have thought the scene would come to the satisfying, relationship-altering, crying but-not-sure why showcase of power, passion and verbal pugilism that is thrust forward from Vic and Shane. It is moving, it is haunting, and it IS one of the most powerful silent modern Shakespearean featurettes inside a series I have ever seen. If you have to see one series this season, and have to kill interest in another, The Shield is that series.

As I wipe a tear that stirs from the remainder of what I've just seen in tonite's episode, the corners of my mouth turn upward with thought of a grand announcement that I want to share with everyone.

Shane is innocent - I killed Lem with the grenade.

Just kidding - nothing nearly that dramatic, but very exciting!

Second: The Potential and Power of Overcasting - From Overcasting Media:

I'm happy to announce a future partnership beginning this summer with a company called "Overcasting Media" that will be offering an innovative software that will allow you to author your own podcasted DVD feature-like track and sync it with any of your favorite shows that you have downloaded from a variety of media centers.

With the support of the software, I will be formally reviewing this, the 6th Season of "The Shield" from start to finish this summer with high hopes of finishing the season in real-time for The Shield finale in late-June this year.

It's something that will be very special, and provide yet another very strong partnership for the 2GuysTalking Podcast Network, as well as make yet another services that we'll be able to showcase via our network.

Look for more details on that, and remember - there is one series that you cannot miss for the Summer of 2007, and that series is "The Shield".

The Shield appears Tuesdays at 8pm/Central, and is available from a variety of online sources (PERFECT to catch up, and get in line for the formal reviews coming up later this month!) including Amazon's Unbox, Apple's iTunes, and (unofficially) from your friends and family with digital video recorders!