This week’s episode started a little slower than the last one, but I’m not sure they could have kept up the pace established in this season's second episode. For the first time in over a season, I was almost bored. Almost.
Dutch’s new partnership with Steve is off to a rocky start, though I have to say, I was cheering Steve on for calling Dutch on his shortcomings as a detective (see? I told you Dutch’s arrogance got in the way!). And Claudette is acting more and more like a Captain, asking for Lem’s locker to be cleared out and focusing on her body count to avoid more flak from headquarters. She pulls Ronny in on a string of drugstore murder/robberies, limiting Mackey’s back-up which slightly torques up the tension.
Keeping Salvadorian drug king pin Guardo’s girlfriend hostage, Mackey lures him in, determined to exact revenge for Lem’s murder. We’ve watched Shane squirm with guilt over the last three episodes, and it has been starting to get on my nerves. I thought that tonight he would finally fess up, at least to Vic. In the shudder-inducing manner of the early seasons, Vic drags Guardo to an abandoned building, and beats him with a chain while interrogating him about a murder he didn’t commit. For us to know Mackey’s got the wrong guy and then watch Shane struggle but not fess up for Lem’s murder, was so painful. I found myself yelling at the television set (which I used to make fun of my father for doing: “Oh great, Dad, like they can hear you!”) Just when you think Shane is going to confess, Mackey shoots Guardo. Is anything still at stake for Shane? Is there any reason for him to confess now?
Danny is back from maternity leave in her promoted position of Sergeant. Okay…so? Hopefully she will have a real storyline next week as this felt more like a meaningless cameo than a plot development.
Article comments
1 - Mat Brewster
Shane won't confess until late in the season. I suspect they'll be using that tension for a long time coming.
I liked seeing Ron doing something other than playing side kick to Vic. It would be interesting to see him leave the strike team and become a really great cop. Won't happen though.
Next week does look interesting.
2 - El Bicho
I see no reason to believe that Shane will have to confess. Why should he? Last night was the time to do it. No point now. I am so tired of the writers setting up great conflicts and then dropping them.
I have the same attitude to this show that I do The Sopranos: if it wasn't the final season and I hadn't invested so much time in it, I would just give up because I know I wouldn't be missing much.
"he misinterprets her desire to learn from his expertise as romantic interest"
but did he? he never got an answer from her as to whether she wanted it to be a date because the Fed interrupted them.
I have always liked Ronnie and this show confirms what a good character he is. The writers have wasted him.
3 - Mat Brewster
They're actually talking about adding yet another season to the Shield. So this wouldn't be the final one. I heard it on Wikipedia, so it must be true.
4 - Victor Lana
Look, Vic killed a cop in the first episode and I think that is the thing that will really be there with Shane. It's going to be huge when Vic finds out, but he's got his own demons.
Strangely enough, Kavanuagh gave Vic a sort of mirror image and that was very combustible stuff. That's why we miss him. I'd think there's no place for Vic Mackey to go but down, unless there's one more season. Like Tony Soprano, he might have more lives in him than even we imagined.
5 - Haraldo9
I agree that they wrapped up the Kavanaugh storyline too quickly and neatly.
"I'm at peace now, are you?"
It kind of felt like a soap-opera style killing of his character. The Kavanaugh that Forrest Whitaker and the writers created deserved a better end. He was definitely the most complex, interesting, and fun to watch character in all 6 seasons (except of course our shiny-headed protagonist, brother of Detective Scrotes.)
6 - Al Barger
This episode never really got going? Vic's hunting, torture and execution of Guardo a little slow going for you? Whaddya want, a rubber biscuit?
AN ALTERNATE VIEWPOINT
7 - El Bicho
"he misinterprets her desire to learn from his expertise as romantic interest"
turns out it was according to the finale.
8 - pablo flores
im a new watcher, and ive never seen season6 . im waiting for it to come out on dvd. i just spent 3 weeks watching the first 5 seasons and i need some closure.