Just got back from a very cool visit to the set of "Mad Men," and I got approval from the bosses to post press tour-related columns as soon as they're done, as opposed to waiting until they run in the paper the next day, so go over to NJ.com to read my take on "The Shield" farewell press conference. I got to watch the final season premiere last night on the hotel closed-circuit, and it made me very, very happy, in that usual sick "Shield" way.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Sepinwall on TV: Looking ahead to 'The Shield' finale
Just got back from a very cool visit to the set of "Mad Men," and I got approval from the bosses to post press tour-related columns as soon as they're done, as opposed to waiting until they run in the paper the next day, so go over to NJ.com to read my take on "The Shield" farewell press conference. I got to watch the final season premiere last night on the hotel closed-circuit, and it made me very, very happy, in that usual sick "Shield" way.
Tavon! Yeah, that guy couldn't catch a break. He just wanted to be a good cop, but he got stuck with those bastards. Did they ever show him again after Vendrell's chick ironed his head? Well, it'll be good to see him. Maybe he'll get some payback.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of returnees, did Clark Johnson return to direct any episodes this season?
ReplyDeleteAnon
I believe Clark Johnson directed the finale as he made comments around the time of the final episode of The Wire (which he also directed) that he was turning into a series killer.
ReplyDeletejim, Tavon did appear in a couple of episodes later in season where he got hurt. Vic made Lem convince him that he hit Mara in an altercation to prevent him from talking.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Clark Johnson definitely directed the finale. He stated that when he was doing press for The Wire.
Very excited for the last season of THE SHIELD, which is the best series on TV (now that THE WIRE is over). Good to hear that Tavon will be back, even if just to say hello.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to this, but I hope that the finale is a little more complex than "Vic gets his comeuppance for being a bad guy finally."
ReplyDeleteI think that Vic is far too complex to be shoe-horned like that, and while I don't think he should get away with the murder he committed in the very first episode, I can't say that I'm looking forward to him eating a bullet or going to jail.
Based on C.C.H. Pounder's comment, however, I get a feeling that this might end up being a bit more black and white than, say, Made in America was. I liked the ambiguity of The Sopranos's ending, so I hate to see it being used as a counterpoint to what The Shield is planning.
The ending I'm hoping for is Vic arrested and thrown in jail for all the crimes he's done, but released to the streets on a technicality. Let the world know his true self and force him to live a lonely life without his badge or his respect.
ReplyDeleteHow many episodes willl there be in this final season?
ReplyDeleteI still insist that the people behind The Shield SEVERELY regret having Vic kill Terry in cold blood in the pilot. They worked hard to keep him much greyer after that and kept Lem & Ronnie's reactions much too understanding (moreso the latter, but Lem's reaction fizzled out). It's the show's one glaring fault.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I am really, really, REALLY looking forward to the new season and hope that French TV stays ahead of the US to a ridiculous degree like it did last season so I can digest the season quicker via the interweb.
Yeah, but it sure is a dark gray...
ReplyDelete