Reruns on Cable
Cancelled
Not Watching Anymore
The Shield
The beginning of the end???
The Big 5 - #5
News
Breakpoint & Dominoes Falling, 03/25/03 & 04/01/03
Inferno, 03/18/03
Coyotes, 03/10/03
Co-Pilot, 03/04/03
Scar Tissue, 02/25/03
Barnstormers, 02/18/03
Homewrecker, 02/11/03
Greenlit, 02/04/03
Carte Blanche, 01/28/03
Partners, 01/21/03
Dead Soliders, 01/14/03
The Quick Fix, 01/07/03
Matt's Awards
Circles (Air Date 6/4/02)
Two Days of Blood (Air Date 5/28/02)
Carnivores (Air Date 5/21/02)
Dragonchasers (Air Date 5/14/02)
Throwaway (Air Date 5/7/02)
Cupid and Psycho (Air Date 4/30/02)
Review & Training Day: Review
Pay in Pain (Air Date: 04/23/02)
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The Shield: The beginning of the end???
Friday 10.14.2005
MattM || 10:50 AM
That is how the commericals are playing the build up to season 5. Not only that FX announced that the Shield will have 21 episodes this year. Is this the end of the Shield???? I love this series but it so rare for a series to go out on a highest of high notes so maybe it is time for the Shield to end. I have to wonder though if they will run all 21 episodes consecutively or break it into two pieces like they do on Battlestar Galactica. Still this season is clearly is going to be huge. I would hate to see it end but if it has to go at least it gets to go on its own terms.
The Shield: The Big 5 - #5
Saturday 11.20.2004
MattM || 11:33 AM
Hands down this is the best cop drama on TV. Granted it is not very realistic but it is superbly written and superbly acted. That being said it has never quite fulfilled the promise it showed in the first season and seems to be on a somewhat downtrend but only very slightly. I think this season up coming is the make or break for the series as this will be the season it steps it up or falls down to a mediocre show.
The Shield: News
Tuesday 06.17.2003
MattM || 08:05 AM
Maybe its just FOX itself or maybe its just a rare moment of brains but FOX has finally done something right. They have inked the Shield for two more years and signed the creator Shawn Ryan as well. They have also given him latitude to make new shows for either FOX or FX. See now guys that wasn't so hard to think now was it. Now could you just do it a little more often?
The Shield: Breakpoint & Dominoes Falling, 03/25/03 & 04/01/03
Thursday 04.17.2003
MattM || 11:26 PM
Although I don't think these last two episodes carried the emotional impact of the prior season I do think it set us up for an awesome third season. Acevado moving up along with possibly Wyms too. Danni being fired. Lowe's blanket party. Vick's Marriage. And oh yea all that money which seems to have the impact that guys now realize they have really crossed a line. I really look forward to third season more then this season and I really like Tavon and the russian roullette scene. That was terrific palming the bullet which let us know that he's pretty much good but is probably starting to sense something is up with Mackey. A lot of quesitions and a long ways to wait for it. This show is clearly right now in the top three of all shows on TV.
The Shield: Inferno, 03/18/03
Thursday 04.03.2003
MattM || 06:28 AM
Not a real stand out episode but I think real key for several plot points. Including the resolution and the big coller. Also for Mackey's marriage and I am still unsure of the game this P.I. is playing on him but somehow the lawyer is involved I am guessing. Also interesting to see Julian lover return and somehow doubt we've seen the last of him. Its hard to comment on this too much because I think this episode just set a few things in motion for the for the final two episodes where all the plot lines get resolved.
The Shield: Coyotes, 03/10/03
Thursday 03.27.2003
MattM || 09:26 AM
I don't know about this episode it seemed sort of forced. Gilroy reappearing trying to entrap Vick to save himself was good but somehow just didn't come off right. The new strike member team will be interesting and I do get a good vibe off him and will be interesting to see how it plays out. I just wonder where Vick goes from here but I think we will see in the next few episodes.
The Shield: Co-Pilot, 03/04/03
Monday 03.24.2003
MattM || 04:18 AM
I am not sure why we are flashed back to day one at the barn but I hope there is a reason for it. However I get the bad feeling this just one of those publicity stunt type episodes. The one hope that it isn't is Det. Gannon. We don't what happened to him yet. I also noted with a lot of disgust Julian checking out the guys in the locker that was the first serious mistep that they have made. It plays right into the stereotypes that anti-gay bigots have of gay men. Overall it was an interesting but not a very good episode. It was nice to see Dutch and Wyms make that first connection as a team and the formation of the strike team and where they made their first steps down the twisted road they now lead. It was also interesting to see Terry and why he was on that team in the first place was not to spy on Mackey but to replace him.
The Shield: Scar Tissue, 02/25/03
Sunday 03.02.2003
MattM || 06:08 AM
I like this episode because it finally gave Mackey a criminal he used his weaknesses against him and almost had him. Most of all I liked it because it again showed that Mackey does have good in him because he was willing to take the fall and protect his team members. That being said I think Det Wyms way way way over crossed the line in trying to go after Mackey's wife. Her anger is blinding her now and you have to wonder where it leads to. The big catch to it all though is by having his team members bail him out they may have hurt Danni at a time when she can least afford it.
The Shield: Barnstormers, 02/18/03
Wednesday 02.26.2003
MattM || 10:25 PM
It was nice to see Dutch get his game back after being in such a slump and also see his character grow because of it. Standing up to the Captain was a great scene. I also like how we see Vick helping a battered woman while plotting to steal and laundry millions of dollars. Still the ending was quite a shock since this is the first member of the team they have lost that wasn't planned.
The Shield: Homewrecker, 02/11/03
Tuesday 02.18.2003
MattM || 11:33 PM
This episode had everything that is good about this show and shows why its one of the best hours of TV out there. There was humor in seeing Aceveda being forced to go out on patrol. There was Mackey showing his human side in dealing with Connie and how much that hurt him to lose her like that. The firefighter story was great especially because the cop used his knowledge of the law to get off scott free. There was so much to like but I do wonder exactly where and what is going with the drug plant on danny and if that woman is really behind it.
The Shield: Greenlit, 02/04/03
Tuesday 02.11.2003
MattM || 11:21 PM
A solid but really unspectular episode. Probably one of the worst ones they have done. That being said the worst they have done is probably better then 90% of all television out there. The one thing I like about this season is that Macky is coming up face to face with a criminal who isn't stupid and whos very smart and cagey. Also the fact that its clear Dutch is losing it since that case is very in line with his character and it will be interesting to see how that plays out. Then theres Julian and his battle which has been sidelined for most of the year and I can't wait to see how they developed that.
The Shield: Carte Blanche, 01/28/03
Thursday 02.06.2003
MattM || 12:27 AM
This was Vic Mackay at his best and the whole money train angle and him going for his big score was great as the line gets more and more blurred. It will be interesting to see how the new team member fits in as well funny seeing the civilian woman and the captain both spit out the same line about it. I did like the secondary case as Dutch struggles with his failure and him taking it so personally as well. Overall another very solid episode.
The Shield: Partners, 01/21/03
Monday 02.03.2003
MattM || 09:08 AM
A really solid episode that was stolen away by Dutch. First though less deal with the Mackey situation. Ok so his wife is moving back in on the assumpation he's moving out but still I get the feeling he is being set up by IAD or someone in all this and shes their pawn somehow. I liked him trying to do Charmic Justice for his old partner only to have him end up being shot. Its interesting to see him and his partner come back together while he is even more out of control then Vick. That will be sure to be seen later on. I liked how Det Wyms was looking through his records like he would be so stupid. Also why is Officer Lowe not backing her up after all shes done for him. That was just typical of him just because he didn't see everything that was happening he still should back her up but true to his character he goes literal and now she may be in a bit of a jam. Still what made this show work was Dutch's performance. After having a great victory he now suffers a horriffic defeat. I liked it being her that was just as bad if not worse then guy. That Daddie line at the end was great and chilling.
The Shield: Dead Soliders, 01/14/03
Saturday 01.25.2003
MattM || 04:11 PM
Well that sure was interesting. Macky's wife is working with IAD? Something is going on here especially with the PI thats helping Macky. Also I like seeing Det. Wyms going head to head with Mackey finally. There is a lot here that was set up even Mackey going beserk at the end there is alot we can't see just yet but its setting up to be a great season.
The Shield: The Quick Fix, 01/07/03
Friday 01.17.2003
MattM || 11:09 PM
A really great start to a second season and setting the tone for the rest season. I liked the citzen investagator they have brought in to sink the Captain since he is winning the election. I thought it was great he had to make a deal with his devil in order to get himself elected. The other story with the little girl was just chilling and probably one of the guttiest things I've seen a show do. I really hope they hang him by the balls. My sister commented on how the PI seems to be scamming Mackey and I tend to agree theres something there but we probably won't know fully until half way through figure the second half will be him getting his ass kicked.
24, Buffy, Dark Angel, Friends, Philly, Smallville, TV Awards, The Shield, Third Watch: Matt's Awards
Friday 06.07.2002
MattM || 01:05 AM
So here we are at the conclusion of a terrific television season with many, many highlights, something I don't have alot of hope for this coming season. So after watching all the shows (sorry, Witchblade, you're a summer series, see you next year), here are my own little Emmy awards. Personally, I think the Emmy judges wouldn't know good TV if it came up and bit them on the ass so, without further ado, here's my own categories and thoughts on this season.
Best New Show: This year this was hugely tough because of an influx of terrific new shows. Next year, I think, it will be tough to find one good one. This year, it came down to three shows: Alias, Smallville, and The Shield. I wrestled with this question in my mind for the last couple weeks, I feel so torn because I love each of those shows. However, in the end I give the award to The Shield, for the intrigue and characters and realism. This was a top notch show that reminds me of NYPD Blue in its first season. I think this show will grow into an elite show eventually. Honorable mention, though, I give to Alias for keeping us on the edge of our seats and guessing the whole way.
Best Season for a Returning Show: Another super tough decision that came down to two shows, Third Watch and Friends. In end, though I give it to Friends even if the last 5 minutes of the season finale killed me. Shows are not supposed to last 8 seasons and be this good yet Friends is a show that, with an unworkable formula, continues to defy the odds and norms. No show like this has ever worked before or since. Very few shows last 8 seasons without jumping the shark. Yet this was a steller season handling a pregancy that destroys all other shows and yet they made me laugh as hard as I did in the first few seasons. Honerable mention here goes to the most improved show Third Watch. The September 11th attack was horrible but may have actually given this show a new life. Always searching for its place, it finally did without overhyping or overdoing the attack. While Law and Order choose to ignore it, Third Watch played it just perfect and found itself.
Favorite New Lead: This one was pretty easy from start to finish. Jennifer Garner for her work as Sydney Bristow was fascinating to watch and terrific acting throughout a breakthrough season. Honorable Mention goes to Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer although the show sometimes lagged and his "longest day of my life" thing was overdone, his acting throughout was a consistently high level, his best work since the Lost Boys.
Favorite Returning Lead: If someone had told me I would have given this nod to Jennifer Aniston, I would have laughed. Yet despite her being my least favorite actor on the series her performance this year was truly nop notch. Through out Friends' history, it's always been a balance but this year she really made the show go. Never straying to far into baby stupidity, she played her character perfect and made me laugh more at her lines then anyone else's. "Horny bitch" and "Sluts R Us" are lines that will live forever in my head. Honorable mention here goes to Sarah Michelle Gellar for playing a lost and reluctantly brought back Buffy. Although the Spuffy love stuff made me recoil, the job she did was perfect and realistic of someone who just didn't want to be there.
Favorite New Supporting Role: This one was easy. No doubt at all that Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor wins here. At times, he stole the show. Still the season finale clinched this for him. Seeing the part of the good Lex die and the evil Lex grow and all done with no lines whatsoever was one of the best acting jobs of the season. He wins this one in a landslide. Honorable mention here goes to Sarah Lively as Nina Meyers who we all thought was so good and fooled us for the entire year.
Favorite Returning Supporting Role: This goes to one of my favorite characters on all of TV. Allison Janney gave yet another reason why I watch West Wing. Forget the men on this show, the women are fascinating to watch all by themselves. The press conferences and her job and then caring about a reporter who had ripped the Bartlett administration was absolutely awesome to watch. Honorable mention here goes to another Allison, this time Allison Hannigan on Buffy for the struggles of Willow and her dealing with addiction and loss and the dark side.
Lastly, before I wrap this up, I want to say farewell to series that should not have been cancelled. Fox once again shows just how truly stupid they are by canceling two great series in Titus and Dark Angel. Also, Philly should have been given more time although its last few shows were just average. Overall, a great season for TV but dark days are ahead.
[alicettlg adds] Wow, my brother can be amazingly detailed! :) Couple of thoughts to add, I'd have to give the award for best new show to Alias, The Shield just didn't do it for me like Alias, it had a good start tho, got some promising stuff and I look forward to the second season. Best returning show, I'd have to say Friends, too, Third Watch was very good and ER was right up there too but Friends did a great job all season. (and Matt, Seinfeld! Seinfeld! That's the other show like Friends that lasted a long time and was really about nothing, like Friends is about nothing.) I'd give honorable mention to favorite new supporting role to Michael Vartan for his role on Alias, with Nina a close third. But Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor was absolutely brilliant and that season finale! I'm more on pins and needles about what happens with Lex and his dad than I am about Clark saving Lana! And West Wing women being fascinating, you betcha! One of the few shows to write both male *and* female roles intelligently *and* to show women working alongside men, doing the same good job and wow, look at that, they're NOT all sleeping with each other! Ain't that amazing?!! :) (September 6, 2002 05:17 PM)
The Shield: Circles (Air Date 6/4/02)
Friday 06.07.2002
MattM || 12:12 AM
Despite my sister's completely wrong opinions about this show I think this episode concluded a fantasic season, with Mackey paying the ultimate price. I don't know what was up about that advertisment saying someone was going to die, that was just dumb. I liked how in the end Mackey had every reason to kill Gillmore and in the end he did the right thing and got him turned in and saved Acevedo. I truly believe this is one of the finest hours on television now belonging in the upper echelon of shows and well on its way to becoming an elite show. So much to say I love the duality of Mackey and Acevedo and the conflict of Officer Lowell. I thought Dutch was a little dumb at times but the serial killer story line was great. A top notch series and a top notch first year.
[alicettlg adds] What drove really batty about this ep was FX's constant hyping that someone was going to die. And no-one did, not any regular characters anyway, I hate false advertising! But overall the show was pretty good, I liked that Mackey did the right thing and arrested him, it's a good show. Dutch is my favorite character and his partner, too, I loved how they developed his character from this whiny nerdy guy to a real detective and then that scene in his car was just icing on the cake. (September 8, 2002 04:02 PM)
The Shield: Two Days of Blood (Air Date 5/28/02)
Wednesday 06.05.2002
MattM || 12:11 PM
A terrific episode that sets up the enemy of my enemy is my friend finale. Chief Gillory's corruption finally coming to bite Mackey in his ass and the sub plot of the cock fight and the Mexican bounty makes another A+ plus episode. The thing though that really stood out though was none of those things. It was the case of Bible abuse and sexual reorientation that I thought was absolutely perfect. Showing just how religion abuses its notion of God and love in a twisted way to make gays straight mentally. His reverend, his guidence, his mentor could have ended Julian's torment but instead has only deepened it by making him believe it's a disease that can be cured. This series should be moved to FOX and off FX to give it even more exposure. The stuff they get away with is not any worse then what NYPD Blue does. This series is establishing itself as an elite series that deserves much more credit then it's getting. As far as the controversy goes, well it's like Eminem says "A visionary full of scary". we all need controversy to stir things up and any show that can piss off the religious right this much must be hitting a nerve, after all, we wouldn't want to expose Bible abuse for what it is...narrow minded old men whose arrogance far surpasses their knowledge.
The Shield: Carnivores (Air Date 5/21/02)
Monday 06.03.2002
MattM || 11:20 PM
Not one of their best episodes but still had several fascinating points. Showing Mackey one second bartering to get his son into a private school and the next striking a deal with a new drug dealer. Showing the Captain coming face to face with what bragging gets you. Showing the Koreans' mistrust of blacks. Lowell's coming breakdown. Still it was missing an intangible but otherwise was another great episode. I really can't wait for the last two episodes as so many things have yet to be resolved.
The Shield: Dragonchasers (Air Date 5/14/02)
Thursday 05.23.2002
MattM || 04:41 AM
I was elated to hear this series got renewed but I have to wonder why only 13 episodes then it hit me. FX probably doesn't have the budget to sustain a series like this for a whole season. Makes you wish they could move it to FOX or some other channel that could. This was yet another great episode with so many story lines that were just fantastic. From the Captain and his black mark in his past coming to bite him on the ass to Dutch breaking down after a very intense interogation to Connie and her attempts to come clean to Mackey and his problems at home. There was so much greatness here and still there was Shane consistently screwing up and Officer Lowe showing more signs of serious problems. If you haven't watched this series by now, WATCH IT. This is everything a cop show should be the good the bad and the ugly. Even when you do something good like Mackey did with Connie it can still fail miserably. Another terrific episode in one of the best series on TV.
The Shield: Throwaway (Air Date 5/7/02)
Friday 05.17.2002
MattM || 04:40 AM
A very appropriate title for this episode. After a run of great episodes this was a pretty large let down. No real further plot developments. Mackey trying to hard to befriend his former accuser. Det. Wyms and her family. The whole thing about correcting the wrongs was a bit over the top. I did, however, like the subplot with Mackey's family. It's very real showing Mackey caught between his duties at home and his duties at work. Overall grade though is average which is a bad episode for this series.
The Shield: Cupid and Psycho (Air Date 4/30/02)
Tuesday 05.14.2002
MattM || 03:43 PM
This show gets better each passing week. Simply put another amazing episode. Even the back story of the girl and the two guys was great. That being said this show explemified why its so great. You had Mackey blackmailing a person one second and coming to grips with his son's disability the next. You had Captain Acevada thinking he had done right and then watching it slip away and then come back. All the while Officer Lowe, the one true decent man who's only fault is being gay slipping in to an abyss. This show if it keeps up for another season I believe will earn a spot as one of the elite shows on TV along with West Wing and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
The Shield: Review & Training Day: Review
Sunday 05.05.2002
alice ttlg || 04:17 PM
Training Day is like Schindler's List, harsh and starkly depressing in its portrayal of the cruelty and evil that human beings are capable of, not enjoyable or entertaining to watch...
Schindler's List was real, Training Day is fiction but still it captures something real. Maybe that cop that Denzel Washington portrays isn't real, maybe no cop is really like that, but the reality portrayed in the film does exist. Training Day is the kind of reality somewhere beyond the white middle class easy-to-live-in world. It's the kind of reality where blacks get stopped for DWB, where the cop is not necessarily the good guy and all people really want is some place safe to live and they don't care if it's the cops or the gangs or the drug dealer at the corner who gives them that safe place as long as they can get it. It's all the gangsta rap songs and videos and movies ever made but stripped of any glamour or glitz or harmonies, leaving a black and white snapshot of a day in the life of the real thing.
And so it's a depressing movie, worth watching like Schindler's List, the kind of movie we should all see, to open our eyes and be aware that reality is not the same for everyone. And as much as Denzel Washington deserved his Oscar, so did Ethan Hawke, for riding the line between naivety and looking stupid, for making the character three dimensional instead of the cardboard cutout of a gallant hero. I will add that there are some weak moments in the movie, mainly at the end, which disintegrates into a standard bad cop/gangster movie but the strength of the rest of the movie and the brilliant performances of Denzel and Ethan more than make up for that.
The Shield is the TV series version of Training Day...I hadn't seen Training Day when I first watched the pilot of The Shield so I didn't realize it till now, catching on the eps I've taped, watching the pilot again, and that's exactly what it is. Whether or not it can live up to the movie, I have yet to decide (haven't seen all the eps yet! :)). Training Day portrayed a flawed, corrupt and conflicted man who started out as a good guy, never quite sure how he ended up where he was, doing the things he did, knowing that it's wrong but believing that it's the only way he can do his job, the only way he can protect the people he's supposed to protect.
While Michael Chiklis has certainly done a complete 180 from his role in the Commish and is doing a great job at portraying Mackey, I'm waiting to see if the writers can give him the same kind of depth that Denzel's Alonzo Harris had in the movie, keep Mackey human, give us a reason to care about him, show that path from wanting to do the right thing to where he is now, give us a sense that he understands the conflict, being a cop but acting like a criminal and how he justifies that to himself...
So back to watching more episodes!
The Shield: Pay in Pain (Air Date: 04/23/02)
Saturday 05.04.2002
MattM || 04:43 AM
Ok if you haven't seen this episode STOP HERE READ NO FURTHER!!!!! This will be a spoiler. Ok first off I want to say this SHOW IS AWESOME. I love this show. I thought they had kind of hit their limit but this episode took it to another level. As I watching the love scene between two guys (why is it a striaght guy watches this and has to all but cover his eyes but two girls? yea buddy im there!!!) I was thinking they were just doing this to piss off the family council but WOW what a twist at the end of the episode. I can't wait to watch the April 30th episode. The writers and producers who are exploring this really know there stuff. A gay cop being forced out of the closet could ruin him because they face the same homophobic attitudes that is prevelent in professional sports as well. Plus his own conflict with religion about being gay makes it more complicated throw in the fact he was with a wanted criminal? Dang Vic got him by the short hairs. This is an excellent show all the way around and this episode was clearly as good as any they have done. And I haven't even gotten to the main crime story element in the actual episode which is another great case of nobody winning and everyone losing. This is how life nothing simple as venegence is ever as easy as it sounds. Did the shop owners have a right to be angry yes!! Should they have turned him over to the Toro's no way. And how about the cop thinking he could straddle the line only to find out in the end he couldn't. If you haven't watched this show yet WATCH IT!!! Right now I put it number 3 on my list behind Buffy and West Wing.
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