I’ve made no effort to downplay the fact that I, like many other TV critics, am passionate about the HBO series The Wire. I feel it’s not merely the greatest television show ever produced, it may be the finest example of contemporary American art that’s easily accessed by the general public. I frequently get suggestions of other shows to check out, and the series most commonly recommended has been FX’s The Shield, a show about inner-city crime and the LAPD’s efforts to stop it. Both shows utilize low-budget, handheld digital cameras, both take place in a world that is, at best, morally ambiguous, and both depict the harsh realities of life on the frontlines of the war on drugs. However, an in-depth analysis indicates that while The Wire tells the story of the death of the American inner city, The Shield focuses on the differences between good and evil, and whether such differences are even recognizable in complex societal conflicts.
To properly appreciate The Shield, it’s important to note creator Shawn Ryan’s stated inspiration for the show, which was corruption in the real-life LAPD, and even more specifically, the Rampart Scandal. In the 1980s the LAPD instituted a new “elite” anti-gang unit named “Community Resources against Street Hoodlums” (CRASH). The original name -- “Total Resources against Street Hoodlums” -- provides a better insight into the motivations of the group, however, activists objected to the police snidely calling street criminals TRASH, so “total” became “community”. In the end, the name change did nothing to alter the hostile style of many of those in the units. Because of the Rampart neighborhood’s propensity for gang activity, LAPD hierarchy allowed the division’s CRASH unit to operate with impunity until one of its longest-serving officers, Rafael Perez, was arrested for stealing six pounds of cocaine from an evidence locker. Perez was granted partial immunity by prosecutors in exchange for his testimony against other corrupt officers, and in total 58 CRASH members were brought before an internal investigation board. The resulting media backlash was even more severe, with lurid stories of officers stealing and selling drugs for their own profit, beating gang members, planting evidence and covering up unprovoked shootings. There was even a theory that members of CRASH were commissioned to kill the rapper Notorious B.I.G. (a theory the LAPD debunked after a wrongful death suit was brought by B.I.G.’s family). In 2000 LAPD was forced to dismantle the Rampart unit, though in reality it was actually just retooled and renamed, and CRASH-style units still exist in most LAPD divisions.
The Shield depicts the corrupt, yet effective dealings of Detective Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis) and his acclaimed yet controversial Strike Team that’s based in the fictional Farmington District of Los Angeles and operates out of ”The Barn,” a police station fashioned out of an abandoned church, which in itself is rife with symbolism. Mackey’s team is not only corrupt for their own personal gain, they firmly believe their tactics are the most effective manner to protect innocent civilians from the dangers of the criminal world. Vic and his team work with criminals to limit the violence to the right zip code (to borrow parlance from The Wire), and whether or not their critics agree, there’s no denying the Strike Team is an effective deterrent.
These two inner-city police dramas share some similarities, yet their differences make them both worthy of a marathon watch. The Wire is a slow-burning, methodical examination of the political, academic, social, and economic forces that led to the death of an American city. In sharp contrast, The Shield is an intense roller coaster ride through the inner-city with Vic and the boys knocking down doors and planting guns on unarmed gang members. While the Strike Team’s stated aim is to keep the streets safe for non-criminals, in the end they exploit the destitute neighborhoods for personal profit, something you almost never see on The Wire. Both shows uniquely depict real life tragedy on the small screen, and both shine a light on a dark corner of society that most viewers would be more comfortable leaving in the shadows, and it’s their intense detail that will forever link the two series in television criticism circles. I’ll outline in Part II why I believe The Shield is worthy of its comparisons to The Wireand why it should not be missed.
These two inner-city police dramas share some similarities, yet their differences make them both worthy of a marathon watch. The Wire is a slow-burning, methodical examination of the political, academic, social, and economic forces that led to the death of an American city. In sharp contrast, The Shield is an intense roller coaster ride through the inner-city with Vic and the boys knocking down doors and planting guns on unarmed gang members. While the Strike Team’s stated aim is to keep the streets safe for non-criminals, in the end they exploit the destitute neighborhoods for personal profit, something you almost never see on The Wire. Both shows uniquely depict real life tragedy on the small screen, and both shine a light on a dark corner of society that most viewers would be more comfortable leaving in the shadows, and it’s their intense detail that will forever link the two series in television criticism circles. I’ll outline in Part II why I believe The Shield is worthy of its comparisons to The Wireand why it should not be missed.
-Sean
