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« The Shield
May 15, 2007: Shane Wises Up
All talk and no action. That's usually not our buddy Vic Mackey. But last week, I clearly heard him say to Shane: "If I see you again, I will kill you." Vic saw him again and Shane is still walkin' and talkin' as far as I can see. I mean, I hoped it would happen. I hoped Vic would pull up to Shane and pop him one, but I also knew it couldn't happen that easily. Shane's no dummy, we all knew that. I always considered Vic to be the more cunning of the two, but Shane has really upped his game this time.
It was hard to tell up front what Shane was going to do with his documentation. The episode started off with him writing all about Terry (and we saw later, it's Tavon, the money train and everything else they did). I wondered if Shane thought the only way he wouldn't get killed by Vic is if he implemented Vic for everything, so I figured Shane might take the offensive on this one. But that doesn't do much for him, since his name is all over those items as well. He's clearly smarter than I am, though, because he has a way out now: Draw up the documents, play defense and tell Vic that if he ever lays a hand on anyone he's close to, everything will be brought forth. The look on Vic's face at the end screamed that he didn't see this coming, which I'm surprised at. So now what? There are two ways this can end now. Vic and Shane ignore each other and go their own way and leave it all behind them. Or, one of them dies. And one of them makes for much better television! We've got another season coming, so if someone dies this season, you can bank on it not being Vic.
Not only would killing one of them off make good TV, but with Mara and Corinne involved now, you just know it won't stop. Mara really has got Corinne on edge about Vic, with her comments that Vic can get hurt too if something happens to her or Shane. Oh, hey, your husband better watch his back and thanks for the toys. It's quite a message. So you know Corinne is going to start quizzing Vic and going crazy on him, and Vic's going to have to do something to shut them all up. The question is what, though.
As far as the San Marcos murders go, I'm going to be honest with you, as I always am. I'm a little lost at this point. Bizlat, Salvadorans, Mexicans etc… they were tossed around so much in this episode that I lost track of who was doing what. I do know Hernan lied about it being Mexican on Mexican, which the Barn found out when the Mexican's killed some Salvadorans at a street fair for payback. And I think the case has been "solved" by Santi giving up three of the six possible shooters; this way Claudette can show that something has been closed. I might be wrong on that, though, since I'm not really understanding what Vic gave up in the deal with Santi. I have a hard time thinking that my favorite show muddled up something, so I'm blaming it on the cold that I currently have instead! Maybe my head isn't straight. (Or maybe it's actually possible that one episode just didn't strike a chord with me! Oh, the horror!) If it's me, forgive me for having an off-week and feel free to explain where we are with the case, if you understand.
And finally, there are the two comedic moments that I loved:
The first one being the strike team chasing down Santi as he ran out of the raid. Julian was like lightning running after this guy, and when he knocked him down, Vic says, "Godspeed."
Then there was the obligatory Dutch/Billings banter, which was awesome in this episode. Billings started talking about how he used to bring hotties up to the expensive neighborhoods, supposedly to his mother's house, but would notice the lights were on so they'd have to go back to the girl's place. Quite clever when you think about it. But then Steve says, "You know, Dutch, I could teach you a few things about women if you want."
Dutch responds with, "Why don't you write them down, and I can read them at my leisure." Classic.
Chat away, folks, and we'll see if you can help me put together any more of the puzzle in my head now.
Don't forget to check out our new Online Video Guide here, for videos from the show.
Until next week, friends.
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May 16, 2007 1:19 AM
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There's a good chance that Herrnan is dead now thanks to Vic as well. He let that guy use the cell phone that was untraceable, and Herrnan had called him on it earlier. And then he didn't show up at the end of the episode...
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May 16, 2007 10:39 AM
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Could be, SS, but I think Hernan was doomed from the moment Aceveda spilled the beans to his puppet master, the business developer whose name I can never remember. If he's not in with one of the gangs, my Shield-watching skills are rustier than I realized.
That said, this was a pretty disappointing episode for me, though that's less for its own merits than the fact that nothing could top last week. Shane's definitely elevated his game since season 4 when he tried to be Vic and failed miserably, but it was still telling when the people he tried to intimidate started asking to see warrants and such. I can't remember anyone asking Vic Mackey for his warrant.
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May 16, 2007 11:06 AM
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I think that Acevada's political buddy is responsible for the death of Hernan!
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May 16, 2007 11:40 AM
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I am glad that I was not the only one lost in this episode. I, too, have a terrible time keeping up with the gangs and who is who. I think the developer guy is the one behind the undercover agent. The producers pretty much spelled it out when they had Aceveda tell that about him.
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May 16, 2007 12:11 PM
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What was up with the gas station guy and his awful murder? I am so confused....... Vic should have offed Shane before all the details were written down I guess.
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May 16, 2007 12:18 PM
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I'm with you, David - - this entire San Marcos thing gives me tired-head. My eyes start to glaze over, and I long for a commercial!
I thought it was just me watching it too late at night, but it's nice to know that I'm not alone.
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May 16, 2007 12:21 PM
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The gang thing always has me confused so tonight wasn't any different in that manner. I was also confused by the gas station owner's grisly death. Who did that and why? I am lovin' Shane right now. He is smarter than people (including me) have given him credit for. I loved it when someone referred to him as the "hillbilly cop". He may be a hillbilly but I think he could give Vic a run for his money. I think something will happen that makes Vic and Shane have to work together. Maybe Mara and Corrine will be kidnapped together or something like that. Vic and Shane have been friends too long to let this end their friendship. Yes, Shane messed up and I hated that he killed Lem, BUT-as I have said before-he was set up by Cavanuagh and Acaveda. I want that little tidbit of information to come out.
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May 16, 2007 1:15 PM
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I think it was the undercover guy with the gang, not the gas station owner. They shouldn't have thrown the whole Shane/armanian (sorry for the spelling) gas thing in when they are gonna kill a guy and shove a gas pump down his throat. Unless, there is a connection between the illegal gas and the mexican gang.
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May 16, 2007 4:14 PM
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I agree, I had a really hard time following the story line this week. The gas station guy, the gangs, etc. I need someone to explain this week's episode to me!
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May 16, 2007 4:18 PM
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My thoughts - I agree this episode was a little hard to follow. During one scene I had no idea what anyone said because they were talking Bizlats, Mexicans and Salvadorians so fast it didnt make sense. Personally I think that Ronnie is going to be the one to off Shane. It would be too easy for Vic to do it. Corrine is going to shut Mara down but only after she grills Vic about what is going with him and Shane and Vic is going to lie to her again.
I was actually surprised when Shane went to see the Armeian's, he has stepped up his game since Season Four.
Hernan is as good as dead, too many people know that there is an undercover in with the Salvadoran's. It's not a secret anymore. And I am sure that Santi found Hernan's phone number on Vic's cell phone. They just left him alone way too long.
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May 16, 2007 4:28 PM
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David, why do you have such a ****-on for Vic and not Shane, maybe I should say why do you dislike Shane so much. I've always thought he was more like a 1A to Vic's 1, and as he put it to Vic, he was just "following your lead, running the play that I learned from you, coach." You actually wanted Vic to shoot Shane when they met last night? Are you serious? You are being as close-minded and as self-righteous as Vic is.
Vic (hey, I like him as much as the next guy) is the dirtiest, underhanded crook/cop on the show, and that's why we love him. But the second Shane takes a potential ugly situation into his own hands, Vic acts totally shocked and offended and well, like a complete little baby. What with his whole, "the case is still open and I hope they catch you, and I'm going to help them do so." He's basically acting like a bully with no short-term memory about all his ill deeds he's done the past 6 years.
Props to Shane for basically standing up to him both last week and this week, and not taking any crap from him. Shane is definitely a lot smarter than you or Vic gave him credit for, rather than panicing and fleeing town with his tail between his legs like Vic would have smugly preferred, he figuratively smacked him in the mouth and left self-righteous fatty to be slack-jaw stunned.
Here's hoping Shane convinces Ronny to see Vic for who he really is, a brooding bully who only likes you when you're under his thumb, but the second you think on your own, he resents you.
I'm just so disappointed (no, p***ed off is more like it) at Vic's actions these past two episodes once he found out the truth about Lem. I'm not saying he has to like it, not even saying he has to forgive and forget, but at least be a rational person about this, and actually think big picture. It should not have taken Shane to throw a bunch of copies at him to realize that he is in bed with Shane, for better or worse, until the bitter end.
Good television for Shance to get killed? With another season to go? Whatever. The Shield with Vic, Ronny, Hiatt and Julian as the Strike Team is not even remotely close to the show that I love. If that's what you want, what you are HOPING for, fine, it's all yours.
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May 16, 2007 6:56 PM
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I have to disagree with the last poster. I don't think Vic and his throwaway cell is responsible for Hernan's probable death. I think Acaveda is. He told a developer friend of his about the undercover. I'm a newspaper reporter and in my day I've met LOTS of these developers. Not one of them smells as rosey as this guy supposedly does. He has something deep and dark going on, and I believe he had Hernan killed. Anyone agree with me??
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May 16, 2007 7:09 PM
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David, why do you have such a ****-on for Vic and not Shane, maybe I should say why do you dislike Shane so much. You actually wanted Vic to shoot Shane when they met last night? Are you serious? You are being as close-minded and as self-righteous as Vic is.
Woodson - I think you might have answered your own question here. If I'm being just like Vic then maybe that's why I have the alleged ****-on for him. For the record, I don't dislike Shane at all. Shane is a great character and brings a lot to the story. I just wanted Vic to pull up next to him, stick to his guns and blow him away because that would have made this episode as good as or better than the last (in my opinion). Nothing to do with me hating Shane. But, everything you said was very valid as well and I completely understand why you didn't want it to happen. This is what's fun about the show to me. There are so many ways the producers can take story lines to affect the whole outcome of the show.
Keshia - the one I had the most problem following was Hernan. I didn't understand a lot of what was coming out of his mouth. I'm sure that made it harder to understand the line as well.
Tvfan - the gas station thing has to be going somewhere. I didn't quite get where they were going with that, but I'm assuming it will tie into something next week.
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May 16, 2007 7:32 PM
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I'm not 100 percent sure I have a handle on this episode, but here's my take.
Hernan was keeping his end of the bargain with Vic, but had to improvise. I do believe he's dead now, thanks to Acaveda's big mouth. I'm still intrigued by the theory that the new Strike Team leader (O'Loughlin) may be an INS undercover for the purpose of getting info on Vic. Maybe he was tied in closer to Hernan than we are being led to believe, and Hernan's death may cause a rift between O'Loughlin and Vic, Claudette, etc.
BTW, how is O'Loughlin suppose to star in a new network show with another season of The Shield in the works? Do the shooting schedules work out, or is this a sign that O'Loughlin won't be around long? Maybe a short appearance similar to Whitaker's this season?
I'm not sure why Shane went to the Armenians, unless to try to get in good with them to reveal that Vic robbed the money train. I can't figure out if Shane was a puppet for the Armenians as a way for them to kill the gas station owner. Maybe the Armenians got Shane to stop the guy from taking the gas delivery, knowing that the deliverees would kill the station owner.
Why have we never seen Julian run that fast before? And is it just me, or did they have a similar scene with Tevon way back when?
I think the thing with the gangs will work themselves out next week. Don't forget, Vic still promised to make a special delivery of the guys who are responsible for the house murders.
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May 17, 2007 12:08 AM
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