Season 3, Episode 6 "Posse Up"
Air date: 4-13-04

Vic's scene with Soren, the crack head who killed the cop's family, was interesting. Besides the fact that this jerk had killed a cop's ex-wife and child, he would co-incidentally screw the cop by being took in to tell his story.

Therefore, knowing that he's got TWO MINUTES where he's got the guy trapped in a shed before the backup arrives, Vic directly tries to talk the guy into suicide. His very first words to the guy- indeed ALL of his words- were about how absolutely unbearable prison life is. "Me, I'd eat a bullet right now." Vic spends every bit of his two minutes trying to talk the guy into taking himself out.

So there is where Vic drew his own line. He could have just shot the guy- who was said to have a gun, though I didn't see it in three viewings. Vic could have just shot him and claimed self-defense- but he wouldn't do that. Point-blank trying to convince the guy to blow his own brains out, however, was cool. I guess I'd give Vic this point.

Unfortunately, Vic is no Hannibal Lecter. Granted, Hannibal had all night to whisper suicidal encouragement to Migs versus Vic having just a couple of minutes, though.

More analysis of The Shield than any sane person could possibly want.