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Shield, The - Series 1 on DVD (2002)

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Average rating: 83%
11111249520
4.0
from 1,373 members
 
Starring: Michael Chiklis, Benito Martinez
Studio: COLUMBIA TRI-STAR HOME VIDEO
Run time: 575 mins
Certificate: 15
User collections: The Best Of US TV, Top TV, Dirty Frank's Gritty movies, Why I Love American TV..., Best American TV shows ever
Genres: Television
Languages: English
Hearing-impaired: English
Released: 21/07/2003

Brief synopsis of Shield, The - Series 1

Shawn Ryan, a regular writer for Angel and other programs, created this crime drama to challenge the mores of televised entertainment and to provide a heightened reality with increasingly complicated moral questions. Michael Chiklis stars as Vic Mackey, perhaps television's most no-nonsense detective. His violent, brutal methods bring results, but are often despised by his colleague Detective Wyms (CCH Pounder). Also included in a cast of layered characters including a homosexual cop (Michael Jace) and an officer who is also running for office (Benito Martinez). The show's popularity comes from its hardboiled delivery emphasized by unflinching portrayals of police brutality and unclean street language. Episodes have been helmed by first-rate directors including Nick Gomez (LAWS OF GRAVITY) and D.J. Caruso (THE SALTON SEA).

All DVDs in this series

Shield, The - Series 1 - Disc 1
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Shield, The - Series 1 - Disc 2
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Shield, The - Series 1 - Disc 3
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Shield, The - Series 1 - Disc 4
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Reviews Voted Most Helpful

Rated - 5 starsOriginality personified

winklepedia from Liverpool , 24/04/2005

Over the last 3-4 years American drama has swamped our TV screens West Wing, Law & Order, C.S.I and the Sopranos to name but a few, all have been quality entertainment. But for me the program that stood out above all the rest is this show. The Shield has it all, suspense, rivalries, humour, conspiracies and pure violence. The show revolves around a newly formed police prescient in inner-city L.A. and the Cops that operate out of there. There are brilliant performances from all actors in the show and the Cast really emphasises the multi-ethnic community that Las Angeles is famous for. brillian turns by Michael Chiklis as Det. Vic Mackey and Benito Martinez as Capt. David Aceveda light up the screen. But it is the sheer originality of this show that elevates it above all the rest, I can honestly say it is a show unlike anything else that can be seen on the small screen at the moment. This is one of only a few shows I can think of that can have 10 storylines running at once without then ever becoming confusing. Just pure Entertainment.

  30 out of 30 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 5 starshiding behind the shield

gothicHM from Herts , 20/05/2004

excelently scripted cop show with some of the best storylines to come out of LA. Each episode digs deep into the psyche of the cops and those they deal with. Along with the full on action, tight editing and strong camerawork we are taken through the grey areas so seldom revealed or even hinted at in US tv productions. Here 'good guys' are corrupted by their good intentions and equally the 'bad guys' regularly do the right thing.

Rent this now - you wont regret it!

  10 out of 11 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 5 starsTough as nails

deeveedee from Dorset , 23/11/2004

I hate soaps. Only 2 have ever held my attention beyond mild interest:

'West Wing' and 'The Shield'.

The Shield is a bit like Ferrara's Bad Leiutenant parcelled into manageable chunks. Or maybe "Training Day".

Warning: this material is highly addictive.

  10 out of 14 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 5 starsExcellent

24 & West Wing fan from Surrey , 29/01/2005

Took me one episode to get into the characters, now I'm hooked. Great stories and unpredictable twists, the star characters are human and regularly give into temptation. Great acting, great characterisation. Way exceeded my expectations ... cant wait for series 2 and more. Thank you to the previous reviewers who influenced me to give this a try ... if you like well acted drama with shades of the darker and lighter side of life, you'll love this.

  6 out of 6 people found this review helpful
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Most Recent Reviews

Rated - 5 starsStellar stuff

JonofFinsbury from London , 14/04/2008

Normally I 'm not a fan of cop/detective shows, but this raises the bar about a mile for the genre.

Both immediate and complex, The Wire mixes action with believable characters that are well-developed over the episodes and with which you'll empathise.

The show is also extremely finely-balanced morally: you'lll spend the whole series wondering whether or not you support the dirty cops that are bending the rules to put total dirtbags behind bars and that are taking bribes while doing a dirty, thankless job for low pay, or the straight-edge cops that want to put the others in jail with the scumbags.

A racy action series mixed with an emotional and insightful window into life in the (LA) police, this is a series you really have to give a try.

  1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
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Rated - 5 starsDEFINATLY DIFFERENT !!

JENNIFER DAVIES from HENGOED, SOUTH WALES. , 18/11/2005

I HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS SERIES. BUT ORDERED IT FROM THE RATINGS AND REVIEWS. I AM SO GLAD I DID. THIS SERIES IS EXCELLENT. EDGY, FAST PACED, NOT A SECOND WASTED ON UNNECESSARY DIALOGUE, THE CHARECTERS ARE WELL DRAWN, BUT I HOPE NOT REAL, AND THE SCRIPT AND ACTING EXCELLENT. TRY IT FOR YOUSELF.

  3 out of 4 people found this review helpful
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