So the money from the suitcase was stolen by Mara, I see that much. BUT was the point of that plot that we were supposed to assume Vic did it? There's a scene at the end of an episode where Vic needs money for his PI, and at one point he is kneeling over one of the suitcases of money train money.

It then cuts away and unless I missed something later, it seems to me like when the money is noticed as missing, Vic is then accusing everyone of stealing it, and until its revealed that Mara stole 7K, its almost like Vic is just trying to deflect attention from himself?

I'm sorry if this is wildly off base and I just didn't pay enough attention lol 💀

He saved Kavanaugh... the strike team would have ridden of into the sunset. What u think?

Edit- also lem likes Mexican girls lmao he could been in burritos and beer smh at that point id think the strike team would be doing small shit like they were doing with the comic book store and getting it to their boy down south.

I see lots of people talk about their favorite episodes and bring out a lot of the heavy hitters like Dragonchasers, Strays, Kavanaugh, Postpartum, or Family meeting which are all amazing episodes of television, but what do you think are the most fun episodes of the show? Like the ones that you just get the most raw enjoyment out of, that keep you entertained beginning to end. Personally I always enjoy Carte Blanche, the irony of Vic and Shane having to go undercover as corrupt cops is an inherently hilarious hook, and it's so fun watch how far they take their power when given carte blanche to behave as they see fit. It also of course kicked off the money train arc which is just legendary so it's memorable for that alone if the raw thrills didn't already do it for you. I wanna hear what your fun picks are and why.

When Vic confesses, wouldn’t he mention the blackmail photo of Acaveda and how Acaveda had Antwon take out Juan Lozano in prison? I don’t understand how Acaveda came out in the end looking good.

One more question: technically Vic didn’t deliver the “biggest drug bust in history” the first time and therefore ICE could have/should have canceled their deal with Vic, correct? Vic eventually did provide the big bust, but that was after. Why did Vic get a deal when it wasn’t iron-clad?

Thanks in advance for any clarification!

Were you surprised that Danny became romantic with Vic again? The Strike Team conspired to get Armadillo stabbed in the cage and Danny got fired over it. Claudette told her that she suspected the Strike Team was involved and Danny was upset with Vic, who wouldn't admit it or try to clear her name. She was brought back to the Barn shortly after, yet eventually became close to Vic again and then pregnant.

Vic did suggest her for that Gang & Ink detail in season 4, but did you find it surprising that she got over everything and got close to him again?

I've gone over The Shield music tracks, out of like 350 music tracks presented in the show my wild guess without any research is that only 2-4 bands are releasing music. The finest examples of survivors are :

Project 86, I still listen to them sometimes

Kinto Sol, I still listen to them too

Conejo . That bitch ass was a murderer and went to prison lol...

Tantric disbanded way back in 2014 or 2016, could be wrong about dates

Not sure if Mudhoney is doing something in present day.

I refinished the show (3rd time) Ronnie definitely got the worst of all the main characters in the show.

It is still one of the best shows, and best finishes ever.

To Vic Macky, Shane Vendrell, Curtis "Lem" Lemansky, Claudette Wyms I can go more but just really good names. Always was a standout to me well watching it I was like these some cool names.

ALSO DUTCH-BOY

how you blow up on the shield and blow up in the sons of anarchy 🤣🤣

I just finished Sons and never knew about The Shield. Just couldn’t get into the pilot.

When does it pick up?

The shield will be leaving Amazon Prime France in few days. Do we know where it will be going?

Which wife was more annoying?

I finished The Shield last night and I'm left feeling so empty lol. They just don't make em like that anymore. What an incredible 7 seasons of TV and what an absolutely perfect final two episodes. Any recommendations on what to watch next? My top 10 shows are now:

1. True Detective Season 1
2. Succession
3. The Shield
4. Mr. Inbetween
5. Scavenger's Reign
6. Breaking Bad
7. The Wire
8. Somebody Somwhere
9. Catastrophe
10. I May Destroy You

SPOILERS AHEAD

Just finished the final episode, which was stunning. What an incredible show, easily in my top 5. The last episode was perfect in so many ways but that last scene between Vic and Claudette in the interrogation room where she reads him Shane's letter is truly haunting. For as much as this show was about Vic, CCH Pounder stole every scene she was in throughout all seven seasons. What a masterful performance as Claudette. I feel like she doesn't get enough credit.

This show is just amazing. Only started watching it last week and I've just finished season 5 episode 1... and wow. First we got a whole season with Glenn Close and now we get FOREST FRICKING WHITAKER!!! Words can't describe how much I've been loving this show. I kind of get Dexter and Justified vibes a lot watching this show. Just awesome.

So I've read on this sub that Ronnie was originally just a glorified extra and the actor who played him was just doing the showrunner a favour and wasn't particularly good at acting, but I've only just now realised how cleverly the writers spun that into gold when he became a main cast member, without it seeming like a retcon.

Ronnie is a functioning psychopath, but he only realises this about himself near the end, at the start of season 7.

This simultaneously gave the show a solid excuse for why he was so quiet in the early seasons, why he never had any long-term relationships with women, why Vic didn't know if he could trust him with Terry's murder, and why the actor himself never showed much emotional range, mostly just calm and detached, occasionally angry, but never upset. On my first viewing I somehow missed the line that all-but confirms this: when Ronnie finally murders somebody in cold blood for the first time (the Armenian in the motel), his reaction is muted both during and after. Vic notices he's looking "distant" and it worries him, then later when he says he'll never forget what Ronnie did for him, Ronnie replies "I thought pulling the trigger would be the hard part, but after..." then Vic cuts him off and tells him not to "get sucked into the same black hole that Shane did".

But I noticed Ronnie was starting to smile when he said his line about how he felt after, Vic seems to have jumped the gun and totally misread this as remorse based on Shane's reaction to murder, if he had let Ronnie finish his sentence, he was likely going to clarify that there was no hard part. His distant look earlier was just him realising this about himself, he always thought he'd finally feel remorse if he crossed this last line but when he actually did it, he felt nothing. It was no different to the bribes and the beatings, he realised there is no line.

Reminds me a bit of when Lenny Montana played Luca Brasi in The Godfather and kept messing up his lines because he was nervous about doing a scene with Marlon Brando, so Francis Ford Coppolla just went with it and wrote it in that Luca was stuttering because he was nervous about making a speech to Brando's character, Don Corleone. Masterclass in working with what you've got.

I have no idea when Vic sleeps.

He’s definitely working in the daytime. But doesn’t he often do police work at night? For example, he was catching a killer (after dark) immediately before the money train.

There’s many nights where he’s also doing extracurricular activities, like threatening Aceveda, doing heists, or making a baby on a stakeout.

Apparently he frequently “has Cassidy on the weekends” off screen, so he’s got some time off.

But we only hear about him “taking time off” when he’s asking for more overtime, or it’s an excuse to evade arrest.

When he is hunting for Lem’s bail money, he even tells people he’s “just helping out on his day off”.

No, you hardcases, I’m NOT talking about Terry! 🙃

I’m talking about when Dani Sofer shoots the Arab guy. Was this a justifiable shooting? Or a mistaken overreaction by Officer Sofer? Or excessive use of force? Did she have some deep-seated prejudice or racism?

It’s been a while since I’ve seen it… My memory is not what it used to be.

Can someone please remind me the context of why Vic was torturing that guy out in the middle of nowhere? I think the dude was hanging with wrists/arms chained/tied over his head. And I think Shane was with Vic at the time, but Shane didn’t want to participate.

This scene really bothered me, if I remember correctly…

Is there another great show dark and gritty and realistic like The Shield?? I love Breaking Bad, seen it several times all the way through. Seen The Wire once, and it’s probably time to rewatch The Wire now. But The Shield is so amazing, one of the greatest ever.

But what is a NEW show on the same high level as The Shield?

At some point, “Dutch Boy” blossomed into “Dutch Man”.

… Well, his nickname around The Barn did, at least. Partway through the series, even Vic was referring to him as “Dutch Man”.

Did this new nickname represent an increased level of respect and social standing?

Did he get the new name after a specific event? My best guess was when he fought Billings in the parking lot.

Okay, so i only started the show a few days ago and I've just finished Season 3 episode 11. And what the hell!!! Dutch just killed a cat to see if he could feel what that predator felt. But why did the writers make him do that?!?! That Is actually insane. What does this mean going forward?? Are we gonna get predator/serial killer Dutch?!?! Damn. This show is wild. I love it. Haha. But seriously though. Why Dutch boy?? The writers really didn't want anyone to be rooted for did they. Ahaha. What's next?? Claudette Exposing herself to children?! WTAF. LOL. Also, Shane's girlfriend is really starting to piss me off. Tevon was the far more interesting character, but it looks like the show has just written him off.

I’m watching Homicide, and enjoying the way Reed Diamond carries himself. He feels like he could be the #2 to Vic that Shane thinks he is.

Not sure where the spoiler line is I am trying to be cool but feel ridiculous pulling my punch.

Anyway Reed has the right vibe