re: How is "The Shield"?

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How is The Shield? What does it compare to?

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Some folks scoff when I compare it to The Wire and The Shield (both of those HBO, of course), but it was an excellent effort by FX to make a similar series.

It has parallel stories - the Strike Team, a corrupt special operations unit that has convinced itself it does more good than harm, street cops dealing with the realities of early 21st century Los Angeles, detectives running relatively ordinary police procedural stories and a political opportunist captain who wants to springboard to the Mayor's office.

The acting is top tier, IMHO, and the writing borders on outstanding, throughout. Not perfect (even Sopranos and The Wire had dips and valleys), but worth watching for Chiklis' Vic Mackey character, alone, with everything else being lagniappe. I have it as a top tier show and GOAT candidate. The best series pilot/finale combo in television history, again, IMHO.