The Shield: The Complete First Season: Amazon.ca: DVD: DVD

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Product Details

Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, NTSC
Language: English
Subtitles: English, Spanish
Region: (US and Canada This DVD will probably NOT be viewable in other countries. Read more about DVD formats.)
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number of discs: 4
MPAA Rating:
Studio: Fox Video
Release Date: May 13 2003
Run Time: 60 minutes

Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (90 customer reviews)

ASIN: B00006RCNW
Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #32,074 in DVD (See Top 100 in DVD)
- #13 in DVD > Action & Adventure > Television > The Shield

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Product Description

From Amazon.com

On March 12, 2002, The Shield burst onto the FX network like an incendiary grenade, and basic cable TV would never be the same. Creator Shawn Ryan's uncompromising police drama pushed the limits of basic-cable permissiveness, bridging the relative discretion of NYPD Blue and the HBO liberties of The Wire. Without exception, these 13 episodes justify their hype, focusing on pugnacious detective Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis), whose amoral Strike Team employs dubious tactics in the crime-ridden (and fictional) Farmington district of Los Angeles. Mackey and his maverick partners are at odds with seasoned detectives and beat cops, escalating tensions with precinct Capt. Aceveda (Benito Martinez), a Latino with flexible scruples and a political agenda.

The series invites viewers to form their own judgments regarding Mackey's volatile behavior, which includes killing an undercover cop in the electrifying pilot episode. While each episode stands alone as groundbreaking drama, the arc of the series incorporates Aceveda's campaign to end Mackey's career; the self-loathing of a homosexual rookie (Michael Jace) whose partner (Catherine Dent) is Mackey's occasional mistress; a straight-laced detective (Jay Karnes) yearning for respect; Mackey's compassionate attempt to rehabilitate a crack whore (Jamie Brown, giving the season's finest guest performance); the autism of Mackey's young son and the recklessness of his closest partner (Walton Goggins); and the vigilant stoicism of Det. Wyms (CCH Pounder), who's as sensibly upright as Mackey is corrupted.

Teeming with gang-bangers, perverts, rapists, and killers, The Shield is unabashedly adult; even liberal viewers may flinch at plots involving child pornography and serial murder. Chiklis deservedly won an Emmy for maintaining the series' delicate morality; Mackey's a hero squirming in his own ethical quicksand. This daring edginess makes The Shield unique, and generous DVD supplements explore Ryan's creative impulse. Two featurettes offer behind-the-scenes overviews, while the all-episode commentaries allow extensive insight from every member of the series' principal cast and crew. Audition tapes prove that the cast was primed for ensemble excellence, and deleted scenes further demonstrate the series' challenging ambiguity. The Shield is excellent TV for those who can grasp its complexities; all others beware. --Jeff Shannon

Video Details

The Road to Justice will blow you away! Detective Vic Mackey is the leader of an elite Strike Team unit, a group of cops effective at eliminating crime but also operating under Vic's own set of rules. But his rules sometimes cross the fine line between legal and illegal. Now the precinct has a new captain who doesn't like Vic's tactics and wants to bust him off the force-even as he finds himself going to Vic for help whenever the going gets rough. There's a reason this show is on cable. It "takes the grit and reality of a 'Homicide' or 'Sopranos' to a whole nother level" (Newsday). "The Shield" also made Emmy history by earning the most nominations ever for a basic cable drama series, with Michael Chiklis winning the coveted Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Now's your chance to experience all the action and excitement of television's most controversial show . . . from the beginning

Customer Reviews

Most helpful customer reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

Not Even On El Cinco De Mayo Dec 19 2002

By Douglas Hahner

Format:DVD

I must admit I was not blown away by this show. I watched about the first 3-4 episodes when they first aired, and pretty much thought this show was awful. To me the characters talked in nothing but cliches, and awful "tough guy talk." Here are some examples of what I remember (some quotes might not be exact):
"I won't listen to you and neither will my men. Not today. Not ever. Not even on El Cinco De Mayo."
"I'm not the good cop, and I'm not the bad cop. I'm a different kind of cop."
Granted both of those lines came from the same character in the same episode, but that is all I remember. If it wasn't for Clark Johnson's brilliant direction of the first episode, I would not have bothered watching any of the other episodes. For my money I'll stick with reruns of Homicide on CourtTV.

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Props to Michael Chiklis Jan 15 2003

By k

Format:DVD

You will not regret this DVD set because the show itself will not dissapoint you, but will keep you riveted to your seat until the end-- of every single episode... Michael Chiklis brings a raw intensity and a complicated morality to his cop character that you will never see anywhere else on television--even in the movies! After watching him, it's easy to see why he won an award for it.. The storylines are intriguing, almost shocking, but always fascinating because it will leave with many questions to ponder about in our law enforcement system.

Possible downsides for some: disturbing themes/plotlines, language

Advantages: unique cop show, writing, Chiklis' performance

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Totally Hypnotizing!!! Dec 13 2002

By S. Henkel

Format:DVD

I would give this program 10 stars if I could. I saw the previews before the first season started, but was not able to see the first few episodes so I did not watch any of them. I have this thing about watching episodes in order so I waited. Then they played each episode one day after another. Truely the most perfect casting. I loved The Commish and I cannot believe it is the same person. I was praying that it would be available on DVD soon and it will be. I was told by someone that it was too violent. Fighting drugs and crime cannot be dealt with any other way. this is not customer service where you have to wear a constant smile to prevent insulting someone killing people and selling dope. There is a big difference in a personal drug user and a dealer. If letting a personal user slide (within logical reason) to catch the ones dealing to kids and gangs, then it must be allowed. It is no different than every day life elsewhere. Just in a different form. If I was a cop and someone pulled out a carton of smokes, I would not hesitate to shoot. No time to say "you got me. Nice joke" Cops do not make that much money, but have to worry about how they defend themselves. If I pulled out a carton like a weapon, I would expect to get shot. Who wants to die for a criminal's rights over their own. This show will grow to be quite a great thing. I know someone that is a drug user and hates the show and it is because it does not promote drugs. So if it scares people that are trouble, then the show really works. People worry about cigarettes killing people. I worry more of someone on coke with a gun. Season two will be awesome I am sure!!!11

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