With the 3rd pick in the Calgarypuck.com TV draft I am proud to select in the category of Crime/Law, The Shield.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0286486/
http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/orig...ield/#Nav/Home
I have to take this here with M*A*S*H* gone because there is no way it lasts until my next pick. There was another option here, but I just can't justify that pick over The Shield and I am pretty sure it will be gone in Round 1.
The Shield had the advantage of being a late night cable series. They could push the violence, sex and language envelope further than most cop shows, and they did. It helped, but it is certainly not the reason I became addicted to the show.
Firstly, it is superbly cast with Michael Chiklis in the lead role of Strike Team leader Detective Vic Mackey, the awesome Walton Goggins as detective Shane Vendrell, Kenny Johnson as Detective Curtis Lemanski and David Rees Snell as Detective Ronnie Gardocki. Add to that the wonderful performances of Jay Karnes and CCH Pounder as Detectives Waggenbach and Wyms and you have a solid cast that delivers in every episode.
This series has no filler episodes. The story begins and moves forward through each and every episode, sometimes in shocking fashion. The dialogue and storylines are superb and, I believe, more realistic than any fictional cop show that's been on TV.
Speaking of realism, the show is shot with very few extras and usually with no public notice. When things happen on the street with the Strike Team it is being filmed with genuine public reactions. When the story calls for extras with speaking parts the producers use people on the street, not actors, as much as possible. All of this contributes to the realistic feel of the show.
I could talk about the show for days, it's that good. I recommend it to everyone, but don't start in the middle or start with this season. Rent the DVD's by season and watch them in as short a timespan as possible. It's the best way to experience the show and get into the story.
Ultimately, this show is about the line between right and wrong and how difficult it is to determine where that line is drawn. Where you draw it at episode 1 and where you draw it during season 7 might surprise you!
One of the best scenes of the series, IMO...from Season 4.
NSFW
A good example of filming without a set