The Shield - The Complete Third Season Reviews

• "Looks like you're going to die a bad speller..."

  
  By A2ZLROGIL2V7GV on 2005-05-29
  "The Shield" seems to up it a notch with every season. I remember watching the very first season and thinking to myself that there was no way this show could get any darker, more intense or more outrageous. I was proven wrong when I saw the second season, but yet again I made the wrong assumption and thinking there was no way in the world that the next season would be more devastating and brutal.
  
  After seeing Season 3, I have finally learned my lesson and will no longer make that silly assumption. This is because "The Shield: Season 3" takes you even further down the rabbit hole that is this amazingly dark and take-no-prisoners cop drama that pretty much breaks all of the rules. You are given some deeply flawed characters... and yet, we still want to learn more about them and even care what happens to them.
  
  After successfully robbing the money train, the heat is on the Strike Team more than ever. Vic needs to keep his team in line until the dust settles, but that proves to be an impossible task as emotions and paranoia run high among the other participants. Captain Aceveda is still trying to maintain his political career while taking care of The Barn, but something horrific will happen to him that will leave him never being the same again. Claudette is still striving for the position of the "top dog" at The Barn and doesn't make things easier for Vic when she decides to include a Decoy Squad, while keeping a close eye on Vic and his team. Still, Vic has other problems to deal with, and I'm not even talking about his family issues. The Strike Team is in constant danger of being the latest victims of the Armenian Mob, who is willing to kill anyone involved with the whole money train robbery. This is only a small part of the fun that lurks in this explosive third season.
  
  The show is still extremely dark and brutal at times, but it still gets in a lot of the ironic humor in it as well. Fans of the first two seasons will most likely enjoy this new season, as each episode is engaging and addicting. The great writing and execution is still there and by the time you finish these 15 episodes, you'll want more. Michael Chiklis does an excellent job of playing "Vic," and even though there are times you really hate him, there are also times where you cannot help but root for him.
  
  This show is not for those who get offended easily or are extremely sensitive. Just like the other two seasons, these guys pretty much get away with ANYTHING (the only exception I've seen is the usage of the F-word). This is definitely something you'd think you would catch on HBO. There's a lot of violence, language, disturbing situations and content, and there is a pretty horrible rape scene... but it's not what you would think. Anyways, just be cautious. If you can handle the first two seasons, then you shouldn't have too many problems dealing with Season 3. Extras included are commentary on selected episodes, deleted scenes and a making-of documentary.
  
  "The Shield: Season 3" delivers the goods when it comes to addicting and mesmerizing TV. All of the episodes are highly entertaining and you will find yourself having a hard time putting the DVDs away. Once you start, it is VERY hard to stop watching. If you haven't seen the other seasons, then I'd recommend checking those out first, although it is possible to get the gist of what's going on without doing so. "The Shield" has definitely kept its edge, and Season 3 proves that big time. -Michael Crane
  
  

• Outstanding season

  
  By AQP1VPK16SVWM on 2005-02-16
  As the third season of The Shield unfolds Mackey's (Michael Chiklis) family falls apart and his team continues to face pressure regarding the stolen drug money earmarked for their "retirement" fund. Clashes abound between teammates, lovers and family members making tackling criminals even more complex than ususal. The "Armenian money train" case continues to worry the team forcing Lemon (Kenneth Johnson) to solve their problem and, in the process, creating more problems for the strike team. More bodies show up with their feet missing as the bad guys get closer to the discovering who took their money. Meanwhile Wyms (CCH Pounder) works undercover to bust a child porn film ring.
  
  The Shield continues to be one of the best written, directed and acted series on basic cable. The series' ultra realistic look with the use of handheld cameras, grainy film stock and gritty locations continues to create an environment full of powerful drama. Usually a series will begin to drop in quality over the course of its run but the fact that the series runs only fifteen episodes helps keep the writing and directing quality high. There's also a number of high profile guest star turns particularly in the David Mamet directed episode where Mamet's "regulars" Rebecca Pidgeon and Clark Gregg appear turning in outstanding performances. While the Mamet episode is definitely good it's not the best episode from the third season and that's saying quite a bit about this terrific show.
  
  In addition to a number of deleted scenes with optional commentary we also get a terrific documentary on the third season. Breaking Episode #315 gives us a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the production and collaborative method of writing the series. To access the documentary you have to select the episode On Tilt and select Special Features which is a bit odd for a boxed set. We're taken through all parts of the process for an episode of the series from pitching ideas for the multiple storylines to the actual shooting on location and the set. On the production side of things we see the difficulty in creating a stunt involving a wolf for a particular sequence. The 60 minute documentary spends the bulk of its time in the writer's room watching them come up with the various ideas that will might show up in a particular episode. Additionally, there's a preview of what's to come with Glenn Close playing Det. Ronnie Gardocki during the fourth season of the series. You do have the option of playing the episode without the recap of each episode which is a nice touch.
  
  The commentary tracks are all recorded with various cast and crew members together. It works much better doing it this way as the banter and synergy created by the "team" creates a much more interesting commentary track. There's few performers, writers or directors that can provide a commentary track that will keep your interest beyond 10 minutes so this team approach will keep viewers much more involved with interesting behind-the-scenes observations about performances, the writing and how it changes from page to screen and the production touches that continues to keep this show cutting edge.
  
  Once again Fox comes up with a winner with The Shield. 15 high quality episodes with strong performances, a great documentary on the creation of an episode and deleted scenes with optional commentaries makes this one of the best values out there. We also get deleted scenes with optional commentary. The packaging is nicely done with each disc housed in a Thinpak DVD case. I'm definitely looking forward to season four.
  
  
  

• Not as good as previous seasons, but still excellent

  
  By AJKWF4W7QD4NS on 2004-11-29
  As season three of FX's controversial cop drama The Sheild opens, Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis, soon starring as the Thing in the Fantastic Four movie) and his Strike Team have scored all the money they could have ever dreamed of after their hit on the money train. Now, Vic and co. have to keep their actions on the downlow, as they get a new member and Acevedo (Benito Martinez) struggles to maintain control over the precinct as Claudette (CCH Pounder) prepares for her new role. The precinct also tracks down a sexual predator for a majority of the season, which at times seems contrived and written to fill in time at some spots. With that fact in tow, it's practically unanimous among fans of the show that the thrid season of the Shield is a step down from the excellent and groundbreaking previous two seasons, but this is still the best drama on basic cable. By the time that someone's conscience catches up with them by the last couple episodes, the events that unfold in the season finale find Vic and co. sitting on a powder keg that will leave you salivating for the upcoming fourth season. All in all, the third season of the Shield may not be the best the series has offered thus far, but the show is still the best drama on basic cable TV today.
  
  

• Just gets better

  
  By ASFJPKR7FHOT5 on 2005-01-25
  The opening episode of Season 3 is a classic, showing the Strike Team
  on a stake out with the "Pina Colada Song" playing on the radio. It's a great
  opening to a much anticipated new season, and gives it much needed humor.
  
  Many people disagree with my opinion, but I think the third season of The Shield is the best one yet. It's much more plausible and realistic than the previous 2 seasons, and the adding of humor to the script really helps the show. It was starting to crush under the weight of it's seriousness.
  
  You can feel the clamps coming down on detective Vic Mackey, and he's not able to escape scrutiny as easily as he was in season's 1 and 2. The tension regarding the money train scam is almost unbearable to watch.
  
  This season contains some of the best episodes of the series, including one of the best fight scenes ever put on television. This episode, where the Strike Team wins the bet against the Decoy Squad, is my personal favorite.
  
  The most shocking events of the entire series involve Captain Aceveda,
  but you have to watch to find out...
  
  Although not as scary as Armadillo from Season 2, a new villain named Margos is lurking in the background, and you never know when he's going to surface. The money train scheme comes to a head on the last episode, with an unexpectedly shocking ending.
  
  One of the great things about this show is it's ability to avoid clichés and typical TV endings. Season 3 does not disappoint!
  
  

• A Third Season as Strong as the First Two (if not Stronger) (!)

  
  By A3RTMB76CJWY9U on 2006-08-04
  The Junior year of The Shield finds Mackey's Striketeam on high from having successfully robbed the Armenian mob of millions of dollars.
  
  Stealing from the mob is a risky proposition. Not only are the Armenians in hot pursuit of the culprits, but the Federal government is looking into it, too. Finally, there is the burden of the money itself, which is a double-edged sword, and like the gift of a crafty genie might prove more than the boys had bargained for. All of these pressures piled on top of the day to day stresses of being a cop in a high-crime district threaten to destroy their friendships with one another.
  
  This third season is about consequences.
  
  And, like the two seasons coming before it, it is wonderful. Indeed, I would place it above the second season (if still slightly behind the first) in terms of overall quality. It's great for all of the same reasons--acting, plots, etc. If for some strange reason, you're reading this review without having seen the first two seasons of The Shield, then you owe it to yourself to go out and try this series, one of the best television has ever produced. If you've seen the first two seasons, then you don't need me to tell you that. This third season doesn't lose anything from its predecessors. Rather, it gains.
  
  Five stars, easy.
  
  
• Season 3 Rocks!
  By A32SUZHWM9POKW on 2005-02-26
  whilst most other reviewers consider the 3rd season lacking I disagree, I think this season is building upon the events of the previous seasons and the suspense and tension is getting unbearable with the money train story arc-which is the underlying dominating theme this season-
  
  I really enjoyed the introduction of the decoy squad and in particular liked the charachter of Trish, and what happens to her on an undercover assignment gone wrong.I actually sensed in the beginning that her and Vic may have had the opportunity of getting closer?
  
  I'm on to the final disc now and the story is moving at breakneck speed towards an unkown conclusion, just how many times can Vic and his team survive their narrow escapes?
  
  All in all a terrific box set and at this price great value, you really can't go wrong purchasing this DVD it really leaves me salivating for the 4th season (you lucky Americans with basic cable will get to see the new season this March)
  
  
• The Shield Series 3 : The Greatest Show since the Sopranos
  By A1ICAMUB7PGI0U on 2006-03-21
  Quite simply the greatest show since the Sopranos, thats it.... its just fantastic, and if you don't watch it well then you're an idiot and should get back to American Idol, I think Simon Cowell just said some crap singer was crap...
  
  
• Just misses the highs of the past seasons...still extraordinary.
  By A25AXWGBGJ5KBS on 2005-09-21
  ...and still is one of the best things on TV.
  
  "The Shield's" third season centers more on the turmoil within The Barn (their precinct station) than in Farmington (the volatile fictional section of Los Angeles they serve).
  
  The "money train" plot thread from season two is a prominent but secondary issue for the majority of the season here, as other smaller arcs rise to the top. As you have come to expect, everything is related, and the season finale is wholly satisfying, tying up most threads, yet leaving a gaping vacuum of a cliffhanger.
  
  The shows that come in the middle of the season, the best of the year, are also amongst the best ever seen on 'The Shield'.
  
  One of those smaller arcs, the "cuddler rapist", is one of the best-handled stories of the series. The Dutch character shows more of his fangs here. He is a fascinating misfit, right in the center of the action.
  
  Another arc, involving Captain Aceveda, is also harrowing, and shows that this show goes where no other cop show even dares.
  
  CCH Pounder, again, is a marvel, and there is absolutely nothing more that can be said about the amazing Michael Chiklis. He has created a character for the ages.
  
  The Strike Team members get some development, although the fourth member, Ronnie, is still the least defined. Lem, with his perpetual, dyspeptic wince, and Shane, with his unhinged glare, really come into their own...
  
  The arc involving Vic's family is constantly surprising, and his older daughter (played by Chiklis' real daughter) has several nice turns...his estranged wife, played by the creator's (Shawn Ryan) wife remains one of the most true-to-life wife portrayals on TV.
  
  There are several other surprising plot twists during the season that I wouldn't dream of spoiling; just be happy you haven't seen this season yet.
  
  You have another fifteen hours of extraordinary television ahead of you...
  
  
• This show continues to deliver.
  By A1IWK4G8P2CWVE on 2004-12-20
  I've watched all three seasons and this show continues to improve on itself in ways that most shows simply can't do. The 3rd season is easily the most intense. This show is the epitome when it comes to good cop drama.
  
  Dominant storylines of this season:
  1.Aceveda, Dutch, and the Armenians are all looking for the men who knocked off the money train. The Armenians are taking no prisoners when it comes to finding information. An Armenian psycho from the first season returns to help in the search.
  2.Aceveda is on his way up to city council and Claudette is replacing him. This season covers the transition and the power struggle between Claudette and Aceveda as they both struggle to run the barn.
  3.Aceveda has a truly shocking experience when he is taken prisoner by a gang member. Much of the season deals with him tracking this gang member down. Will he seek personal revenge or will he bring the man to legal justice? This storyline is intense and incredible.
  4.Dutch questions a serial killer who gives him great insight into life, death, and killing. Dutch becomes very curious about taking life. This gets a little disturbing and pretty shocking.
  5.A new team is brought into the barn and rumors are circulating that they could replace the Strike team. This leads to fierce competition between Vic's team and the newbies.
  6.Shane's fear of Tayvon culminates to one of the most shocking moments in the show's history.
  7.The Strike Team struggles to maintain and not break down as the pressure comes down on them. Vic finds out that some of the money taken in the 2nd season may be marked by the Feds. Things get worse when some of their money goes missing and no one is willing to fess up to taking it.
  
  Overall this show keeps getting better and better. It deserved to win Best drama and best actor Emmy's and Golden Globes in its first season. Michael Chicklis is amazing and the cast overall is just incredible. CCH Pounder really needs to be nominated for best actress because she delivers some of the best acting seen on tv today. Don't jump right into this season. That would be a big mistake. Watch all the seasons in order and you will not be dissapointed in anyway. Everyone I've shown this show to has loved it. It's unbelievable how good it is. FX is amazing when it comes to delivering intense drama. The Shield, Nip/Tuck, and Rescue Me are 3 of the best shows on tv today.
  
  
• Holy crap, did that just happen?
  By A3SU2ML3NDJSNZ on 2005-02-22
  I had not watched this season on tv. So I was excited when I got wind of the release date. To say the least this season is just as good as any of the others. Its crazy, scary, funny. Its everything that made the shield wonderful turned up a notch. *possible spoiler*
  
  
  The fight between Shane and Tavon was unreal, my jaw was cleaning my floor for me.
  
  *end of spoiler*
  
  
  This show just keeps on giving. Its amazing.
  I think everyone on the cast deserves awards. They all bring the human emotions that make this the best show on cable tv. Better then the Sopranos!
  
  
• Superb and engrossig "guerilla" filmmaking - not to be missed!
  By A334S4G16JJ1SL on 2009-01-29
  The very best in edgy, dramatic tv that creates a "world" cast with utterly believable characters played by actors so damn good that you suspend disbelief virtually immediately and do so for the entire 6 seasons!
  I enjoyed this series more than any other (including "The Sopranos" and "The Wire"!)
  I watched all of the episodes from all 6 seasons over a period of about 3 months and this concentration without commercials undoubtedly added to my enjoyment - but make no mistake this is a series that takes edgy turns that challenge us constantly!
  It is a brilliant piece of work!
  
  
• Lull Between Seasons Two and Four
  By AYW3H5NJ56EYW on 2007-06-01
  Season two was superb, and season four picks the pace back up, but season three by comparison just wasn't that great.
  
  Don't get me wrong, it's still the Shield, and it's still great by any other standards, but by its own high benchmark it couldn't score any higher than a 3.
  
  The non-stop adrenaline rush that the Shield should be is hindered by the unwanted politics of certain subplots that take too long to work out. C'mon, this is the shield, it should have happened five minutes ago, with an explosion, cut to the chase already. Too many tails here but not enough stings.
  
  Twas a bad idea to have Mackey's hands tied by red-tape and commitments for half the season, and things in general suffer because of it.
  
  Maybe they were just setting us up for season 4? Season 4 gets back to where the Shield should be, but really you know season 4 means little without watching season 5.
  
  I'd argue that season 2 is the best stand-alone season.
  
  Season 3 - still entertaining and a necessary watch for Shield fans, but a definite drag in the proceedings.
  
  
• The Shield - Season 3 Review
  By A1XNQOWE4ATBP9 on 2007-01-11
  The series just keeps getting better. This time the team are feeling the pinch from their money train success. Shane has a new missus, there's a new guy on the team and they have some competition from a decoy squad.
  
  The detectives come up against some tough cases and Aceveda gets what he deserves.
  
  Perfectly scripted and the episode commentary is a treat.
  
  
• If you're looking for a letdown, look elsewhere
  By A3N5XIM9R2OQH0 on 2006-03-04
  While a great many shows start getting low on good ideas around their third season (if not sooner), that certainly wasn't a problem with The Shield. In fact, groundbreaking though the show's first season was, season two proved that it was just getting started, and there was no drop in quality in this third season either. Season three of The Shield may not have been quite as kinetic as the first two, but the basic formula remained unhchanged. The show's unique look and feel, characterized by frenetic direction and editing and blunt, unflinching depictions of violence remained intact, but this time around The Shield was even darker, more harrowing, and more committed to plumbing the depths of the human psyche. The Shield's plotting has long been notable for its blink-and-you're-lost complexity, and things only continue to get more complicated in the barn as characters struggle through all kinds of personal and professional turmoil.
  
  Season two's action centered largely around the Strike Team's plans to rip off a convoy of Armenian mob money, and Seaon Three picks up that plot thread and runs with it all the way to its characteristically messy resolution in the final two episodes. The Strike Team has gotten away with $4 million worth of dirty cash, but it quickly becomes apparent that stealing the money was the easiest part. As season three opens, vicious, Jesus-like Armenian mob boss Margos Dizarian (spelling may be off there) is creating a bloody trail around Farmington, leaving the dead, footless bodies of several of his underlings lying around for the cops to find as he tries to recover his ill-gotten loot. It's not long before Dutch, Aceveda, and the Treasury Department all wind up on the team's tail, forcing Vic, Shane, Lem, and Ronny to tread extremely carefully with their illicit fortune. At the same time, the Strike Team gets some competition when Aceveda brings in a decoy squad from a neighboring precinct and a not-so-friendly rivalry kicks in (however, the resolution of the two teams' first case together is brutally hilarious). For their part, the members of the decoy squad are more than just plot devices, as a couple members become memorable and convincing characters themselves, with Nicki Micheaux deserving special props for her incredible performance as Trish (the episode where Trish goes undercover with a street gang and nearly gets killed doing it is easily one of the show's strongest, thanks in no small part to her work).
  
  Largely owing to the Strike Team's financial dilemma, season three is even more of a triumph of pressure-cooker atmosphere than the first two, steadily building tension as it rockets toward the culmination of several of its most nagging conflicts. We get a good example of this tension early on, as the rivalry between Shane and Tavon builds throughout the first quarter of the season, culminating in their knock-down-drag-out brawl at Shane's apartment. And while the characters on the show don't evolve per se, we do get to see some new sides of them here in response to the season's traumatic events: Aceveda's air of iron-fisted authority is threatened by his, er, emasculation at the hands of a gap-toothed gang member; Claudette's near-perfect reputation takes a similar hit when a screwup in an undercover sting operation nearly proves deadly; Dutch is forced to question his understanding of the criminal mind by his meeting with the cuddler rapist; and even the previously inconsequential Lemonhead becomes a somewhat compelling character as his longstanding objections to the money-train scheme intensify over the course of these episodes.
  
  All in all, I found season three to be every bit the equal of the first two seasons, as it contains all of the gritty, low-budget intensity that makes The Shield one of the most distinctive shows (actually, probably one of the few distinctive shows) on TV right now. The emergence of reality TV as a viable force may have been the most dramatic trend in television so far this decade, but The Shield still manages to feel less contrived and more authentic than any reality show I've watched (admittedly, not many). Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but The Shield has proven to be all but inimitable, practically forcing you to watch every episode with eyes glued to the screen. Accept nothing less.
  
  
• THIS is supposed to be the "letdown" season?!?
  By A26XCS3QLDJJWN on 2006-02-07
  Much of what I'd read about "The Shield" Season 3 was that it was the 'let-down' season.
  
  I found that to be a bit off-base.
  
  Season 3 is just as entertaining as the first and second runs, if not more. This is a little generalistic, but to say that everyone hates and distrusts everyone else is not really that far off.
  
  The Strike Team members are eyeing one another over the safety of their money train haul, and ESPECIALLY after $7,000 disappears and no one owns up to it. Wyms no longer trusts Aceveda after he decides to stay on "a little longer" at The Barn. Officer Danny Sofer has her job back, but only in return for keeping Aceveda in the loop about "anyone crossing the line around here," and when Julien accompanies Mackey on a "deep blue run" to protect another cop, tension between she and Julien gets ratcheted up.
  
  Add to that Wyms' suggestion of bringing in a Decoy Squad to "work with" (read: compete with) the Strike Team, and you have another excellent 14 hours or so of television to watch.
  
  Of course, there's the usual sex-violence-cussing that we're all used to, and plenty of bad guys to take down.
  
  I think people's misgivings about Season 3 stem from its focus on action INSIDE The Barn, rather than outside. There isn't a major villain this time around, unless you count the Armenian mobster who's running around hacking people's feet off in his search to uncover who took their cash stash, and while gangsta-rapper (or is it now rapping-gangsta?) Kern Little shows up a bit, he doesn't play a huge role.
  
  The beauty of Season 3 is watching the million ways that the Strike Team could be caught, and seeing them wriggle out of each and every one, including the height of the conflict between Shane and new Strike Teamer, Tavon, that ends with... well, let's just say plenty of blood is spilled.
  
  I also really like the addition of Mara, Shane's girlfriend, as an outside element that endangers the Strike Team. With Mackey's ex-wife, even through the divorce, she doesn't really affect the Strike Team, through Mackey or otherwise, but the addition of a meddling girlfriend (who rightly sees Vic as a bit of an a**hole) allows you to see the dynamic between Mackey and Shane that Mara puts into perfect focus: "If you two are brothers, how come he's always treating you like the little brother?"
  
  To see these guys bend over backward for one another for two seasons, and then start turning on one another is riveting TV.
  
  If you loved Season 1 and wanted to marry Season 2, you'll be asking for a menage a trois with Season 3, my friend.
  
  
• No One Is Spared in the Third Season
  By A25E44CFFC4B7T on 2005-11-22
  If you have made it to the Third Season on The Shield, you will find it to be quite a mixed bag of episodes. The Money Train situation gets resolved, Dutch and Claudette have their moments, both memorable and not so, The Strike Team's future is in doubt as the series ends, Acevada's career goes through a harrowing experience and just about every personal relationship in the show is strained to the breaking point as the light fades and we wait for Season Four to begin.
  
  There are some aspects of the Third Season that are very hard to watch. However, there is none of it that do not display brilliant writing and a dedication to the style of the show that keep it one of the most intriguing shows on television.
  
  The Fourth Season becomes available on 12/20. My order will be in before then.
  
  
• Best of the 3
  By A2HS6HDTYJ44AH on 2005-04-05
  I like this season more than the previous 2. It had better stories and acting by the complete crew. I finished the season in 3 or 4 days. I was making time for 4 episodes a day because i was on my toes and I wanted to know would happen. I think it is a must see.
  
  
• Still the Best
  By A3EQJKFZNBOO8K on 2005-03-23
  The Shield is by far and away the best cop show on TV, if not the best overall show on TV. Tough, gritty, shocking and powerful, my only regret is that this is not a 22 episode show. 13 episodes a season just doesn't cut it.
  
  
• A fascinating series...
  By AY69ZK7G6CNYJ on 2005-07-19
  Nominated for 4 Emmys and 4 Golden Globes, including Best Television Series - Drama, The Shield is one of the top police dramas of the past decade. The brainchild of creator Shawn Ryan, writer for such hit shows as Nash Bridges (1996) and Angel (1999), The Shield made history in 2003 by becoming the first basic cable series to win a Golden Globe for Best Drama Series (in the past, only non-ad supported shows such as The Sopranos and Sex And The City have done so well). The hour-long drama boasts a strong, well-rounded cast who, along with the writers/producers, have managed to make The Shield the longest running series on the FX Network...
  
  The Shield centers around an inner-city Los Angeles police precinct where the lines between right and wrong are often blurred. An ongoing power struggle between a group of corrupt, yet effective, cops and their new boss, Capt. David Aceveda (Benito Martinez), remains the focal point of the show. Det. Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis, of The Commish) heads up an elite unit known as the Strike Team. An effective leader who bends the rules when they fit his aims, Mackey often butts heads with the by-the-book Aceveda who weighs his own political ambitions against the cost of bringing down Mackey and his associates. Veteran Det. Claudette Wyms (CCH Pounder, of ER) knows the ropes, admires Mackey, but also knows how to play sides of the game. For the 2005 season, Glenn Close - star of such films as The Natural (1984), Fatal Attraction (1987), and Air Force One (1997) - joined the cast as Capt. Monica Rawling. Together, this celebrated cast maintains an internal tension among themselves while carrying out a unified fight against the criminal element - a fight that keeps the streets of L.A. safe...
  
  The Shield (Season 3) DVD features a number of exciting episodes including the season premiere "Playing Tight" in which the Strike Team's efforts to end their corruption are put to an end when they discover that two gangs are attempting to acquire more deadly weaponry. Meanwhile, Dutch and Claudette investigate the murders of four men by the Armenian mob... Other notable episodes from Season 3 include "Safe" in which Mackey and the Strike Team go to great lengths to keep themselves from being linked to the money train heist, and "All In" in which the Strike Team anxiously sweeps the streets for a purported Armenian hit-man before he gets to them first...
  
  Below is a list of episodes included on The Shield (Season 3) DVD:
  
  Episode 27 (Playing Tight)
  Episode 28 (Blood and Water)
  Episode 29 (Bottom Bitch)
  Episode 30 (Streaks and Tips)
  Episode 31 (Mum)
  Episode 32 (Posse Up)
  Episode 33 (Safe)
  Episode 34 (Cracking Ice)
  Episode 35 (Slipknot)
  Episode 36 (What Power is...)
  Episode 37 (Strays)
  Episode 38 (Riceburner)
  Episode 39 (Fire in the Hole)
  Episode 40 (All In)
  Episode 41 (On Tilt)
  
  The DVD Report
  
  
• This is no ordinary police drama
  By A2CCEMUY8PZEZ6 on 2007-01-10
  'The Shield' is easily one of the best shows on TV. The characters are not polarized into good and bad, everyone seems to just be a different shade of gray. The plots have a clever way of putting you in the position where you ask yourself "what would I do?", with many complex moral questions and dilemmas for the characters. The only negative about this collection is that it has been presented in Full Screen aspect ratio and the picture quality on the region 1 is not a clean as my local region 4, which was in Wide Screen, but only seasons 1&2 have been released here in Australia on DVD. To my knowledge all the episodes have been filmed Wide Screen so I'm not sure why it's in Full Screen on this collection, but that is how they were originally aired by FX.
  
  
• The Shield Season 3
  By AHOLIHT1HLOG1 on 2006-05-11
  Possibly the best season in the entire series, Season 3 is an amazing tale of what the strike team is willing to do to keep their Money Train problems under wraps. Season 3 is really the one season in the series that defines who the characters really are, that's what really makes this season work.
  
  First off, Shane's character really shows his true colors in this season. His major conflict with Tavon shows what many suspected in the first few seasons, and much more. Lem's character in the show is really developed when he decides to take drastic measures to get rid of the Strike Team's problems, while Vic is just trying to keep his team together and his life on track. Meanwhile, Dutch slowly begins to suspect the Strike Team had something to do with the Money Train.
  
  The story really ties up some loose ends that I've wanted to figure out since the end of season 1. This makes the story very interesting throughout the entire season. The Money Train issues are finally resolved and the stike team begins to fall apart. Also, Michael Chiklis makes an amazing directorial debut in the episode Slipknot.
  
  A very excellent season.
  
  
• the best
  By A27R9YOM9265BO on 2006-03-15
  Without a doubt the best show on t.v. wish I would have started with season 1
  
  
• As usual, the show is intense and well told!
  By A3P9ELSIJOQGCZ on 2005-09-16
  I started watching this series when the very first show was on tv. I happened across it and watched it without getting bored or distracted, which is rare for me. The first show was heart wrenching. Made an impression on me I havent forgotten.
  
  This is a very cool series I think anyway. It blurs the line between who is good and bad and what defines that.
  
  "Dutch" who was squeaky clean becomes what he is intrigued by and hunts-a killer. "Dutch" pushes his own boundaries,so much so I became uneasy with what I saw.
  
  "Vic" is as usual himself... which is very very good but then goes back to blurring that fine line. All these actors do a wonderful job in protraying but staying true to the characters they play.
  
  My favorite on the show has always been "Lemonhead", he knows whats right and tries his best to do that, even when surrounded by corrupted people who outnumber him. He is a good guy and has a solid personality and is true to himself in the end.
  
  So if you want a rip roaring ride, get this series and watch it from the beginning, it will pull you in and keep your attention.
  
  
• The Shield - The Complete Third Season-Oh My........
  By A1OHTJ0M31XXQH on 2005-08-02
  For those of us employeed in the Middle East the Shield reminds us of a little "taste of home". That is being able to enjoy regular television without the censorship of the, um, host nation. That being said the 3rd season was well worth the wait!!! "Acevedo" demonstrated quite effectively the choices/consequences one is forced to make/accept between living and dying. For those of you who have yet to view this episode I'll not spoil it for you by giving away the plot; trust me though you'll not only be rivited by this episode but also the subsequent ones that follow it!!!
  But that one episode typifies the exceptional writing skills of all involved with this series. Okay, quick; someone point me to Season 4!!!!!
  
  
• Only Getting More Exciting &Intense With Every Episode!
  By A2TAV6XYP1UB4P on 2005-04-30
  The Shield kicks off the third season with more surprises and twists than in the first two seasons combined. There is jealousy, tension rising among the members of the strike team as they pull off massive heist of money from Armeinian mobsters who start killing people left and right and the strike team has become marked for death. As well Captain Acceveda gets the scare of his life when he IS trapped by two thugs in a house and forced at gunpoint to perform oral sex on one of the thugs. As well with the arrival of the decoy squad to stir up personal tensions and rivarlies. The shield takes the viewer on an incrdible journey with hard hitting and brutal realism that's impossibe to miss a single episode. And now with the arrival of Hollywood Heavyweight Glen Close to the "Barn" as the new police captain in season 4 should only prove that The Shield is one of the best cop dramas on T.V. If not the best ever.
  
  
• The Shield - The Complete Third Season
  By A1KGJN01R11KUO on 2005-04-06
  Absolutely fantastic. Best of all. Even this guys are brutal Cops. I'll like it how they kick asses. Hope they come toghether again in season four. Only one thing I would not approve their methods if I would be the criminal or suspect. But for others to be handled like this I think its very entertaining. Go guys go!
  
  
• Good.. but not great
  By A27RJ30RN5K9MX on 2004-11-22
  I have been a die hard fan of The Shield since the very first episode. With all of the different crime shows on television, I have always thought of The Shield as the best one out there, simply because it is a cop show with actual continuity and not a case by case format. The acting and writing on The Shield is top notch, and it offers a very controversial look at the cops of Los Angeles. The first two seasons of The Shield were both amazing and two of the best seasons that I have ever seen from any show period. Unfortunately, the third season of The Shield was like many shows last year - 24, Alias, etc.. It was just not as good as the previous seasons before it.
  
  One of the things that makes The Shield such a good show is that even though the main characters are on the right side of the law, they often act even worse than the criminals at times. They do what they want, when they want to do it. Due to the events of season two regarding the money train, the Strike Team scale back their actions and play it safe. We did not get to see the same type of "take no prisoners" attitude from the Strike Team, which really hurt the season. The other downside, is that the other side of the show that involves Dutch and Claudette taking down criminals, is spent chasing after a sexual predator for most of the season. Now despite the fantastic development in the storyline and the great build up to the finish, the closing of the case is kind of anti-climactic. On the bright side however, the reason this season still rates a solid four stars, is because of the brilliant development of Captain David Aceveda. Aceveda has to go through a lot this season, and there is one event in particular that deals with him being sexually assaulted on the job. It is quite disturbing, and it weighs on him throughout the whole season. My other favorite thing about the third season besides the direction they went with Aceveda, was the cliffhanger left in the season three finale. It really makes you want to tune in for the fourth season because the fate of the Strike Team is left up in the air.
  
  When shows like The Shield, do such a good job with their first seasons, and then somehow manage to do an even better with season number two, you get spoiled and expect good things from season three. If you compare the third season of The Shield, to the two previous ones, it fails to continue the tradition of each season being better than the last. Overall however, season three of The Shield is still entertaining and solid despite the fact that it was not quite as good. The writing is superb, the continuity is refreshing, and the acting is excellent.
  
  A solid 4 stars...
  
  
• The Shield Season 3
  By A2VEPA9OE6PD33 on 2008-11-12
  If you liked Seasons 1 & 2 season 3 is a must see! No doubt the best show on television!
  
  
• awesome
  By A3RUYZRLCW6GUR on 2006-08-29
  the shield is one of the best and most overlooked tv shows out there today. every episode is jammed packed with intensity. this season is no exception. with the team breaking up and all hell breaking loose the series is a non stop whirlwind of excitement. if you haven't seen it i highly recommend starting from the begining. this is a complicated, intertwining show that has even minor events come back to haunt the splendid cast.
  
  
• This show just gets better and better till the end!
  By A2QACF110GJL1S on 2010-08-28
  This is a must own series!! I recommend getting all 7 seasons in the complete box set...YESS! Amazing!
  
  

• The Shield - The Complete Fourth Season
• The Shield - The Complete Second Season
• The Shield: Season Five
• The Shield: Season One
• The Shield: Season Six