Cinerant

Good TV

Now that’s what an episode of television should be like!

Tonight’s episode of The Shield, “Of Mice and Lem” was not only the best of the season so far for this show, but it easily has to be one of the best for any show.  Period.  

Intensely moving throughout, the show did something surprising, especially in comparison to other series.  When it wanted to be profound and emotional, it didn’t bring in new terrorists, malpractice lawyers, or special guest stars.  Instead, it simply focused on the characters and the odd brotherhood that is the Strike Team.  

All season, the show has been building to a High Noon showdown between Vic (Michael Chiklis) and Kavanaugh (Forest Whitaker).  Stuck in the middle is Lem (Kenneth Johnson), a pawn who got busted for intent to distribute heroin, but was intended to serve up Vic and his other partners on the Strike Team.  Tonight, he’d had enough and decided he wasn’t going to intensify his ulcer anymore.  He gave up.  He realized that the only way to win was to face up to what he’d done, go to jail, and live in peace with his conscience.  

Unfortunately, it’s never that easy.  That’s what made the episode so powerful—Johnson’s terrified mouse caught in a rat trap (so perfectly echoed in a subplot about rat traps and gloryholes), coupled with Kavanaugh’s rage and Vic’s refusal to see the answers in anybody else’s terms but his.

Plus, we got the beauty of finally seeing Claudette (CCH Pounder) recognized for her brilliance and dedication to the job.

This is what good television is about.  I can’t wait till the season finale next week!

posted by cinegod @ 11:31 PM