The Sheild - The Complete Fifth Season - DVD Review

In what is widely regarded as The Shield's best season, the show now works at it's very peak, building on what came before and making good on the promise of repercussion. On that note, why I think The Shield tends to be so highly regarded relates back to how the actions of Vic and the Strike Team have ripple effects. The series does have a strong procedural element, which is fine, but many fans place it among The Sopranos and The Wire and I finally realise why - even though I'm not sure if I myself would place it that highly, so far, anyway. It's the really intense shit that just builds and builds until it finally breaks. I also feel like maybe I understand Sons of Anarchy a little more after my Shield revelation. The shows work in the same way, much like, to give you some perspective, The Sopranos and Mad Men or Thirtysomething and My So-Called Life. I could have used comparisons that share the very same auteur-vision, but these examples are more helpful as they're about writers who aren't the key creative vision on a show, but who later create a show of their own that shares not superficial traits, but ones relating to tone, aesthetic, theme and style, with that of their old show. Both shows work on the idea of a group of folks that find themselves under threat while also trying to find their way out of whatever clusterfuck they've got themselves into. I didn't get the problem/solution thing in the first season of Sons, but now I think I do. After that long-winded and semi-off-topic rant, I'd like to formally welcome you to my review of The Shield season five.

After Monica Rawling's (Glenn Close) effective, but let's face it, essentially fruitless stint as captain drew to a close and gang leader, Antwon Mitchell (Anthony Anderson) gets thrown in prison, things started to look up for Vic and the team - not great, but there was a stability that they've been a stranger to lately. That gets shaken up very quickly when Jon Kavanaugh (Forrest Whitaker) shows up as an Internal Affairs agent tasked with the job of finding out the truth behind Terry Crowley's murder. That's really all the exposition you need as this story is the driving force of the season.

I won't go too deeply into the plot of the season, because, like last season it builds to a climax that really needs to be experienced. That said, there are many twists and turns not unlike last season. I keep comparing this season to the last and I'll talk a little about that. For my money, seasons four and five are the best of the show so far (I have yet to see six and seven). Season four had killer guest stars and an intense plot that combined bits of past events with truly shocking and suspenseful plot-developments. It was the best season the show could have done at that point. After doing that, Shawn Ryan and his writers smartly re-evaluated the show, knowing that it was an excellent season and that trying to repeat it would be a backwards step. They looked back to the pilot and devised a five-act tragedy, ala Shakespeare, combining the inciting incident in the pilot, the money train, Shane getting into bed with Antwon, and what each member of the strike team represented to the team on a whole. This reinvigorated the show and determined the rest of the series.

Unlike earlier seasons, the sub-plots running along Kavanaugh vs Strike Team are much weaker than the main story. Julian dealing with new recruit Tina's incompetency was neither inspiring or compelling. Then she was shuffled over to Dutch where he assists her in a matter of sexual harassment in the workplace. There are a few good Dutch moments to be had, but overall the story just didn't click with me. I hope Tina has a more solid arc in season six so this wasn't all for nothing.

The rift between Dutch and Claudette was the most involving of the supporting plots, half due to the strong performances from Jay Karnes and CCH Pounder and half owed to the backbone that's been created over the course of the series, having these two characters together in the majority of the episodes. The execution left a little to be desired, as I retread an old criticism, because the plot wasn't given enough screen time. Last time I made the criticism I noted that a supporting plot lacked weight as well as screen time - well, now it's just screen time.

Anyway, this season is really about Kavanaugh and the past actions of Vic and the Strike Team, and this is where its strength lies. Whitaker turns an exceptional performance as Kavanaugh, and you can really see him enjoying his craft. He has this very jazzy acting style which is complimented by a large dose of vigorous intensity.

The set houses 4 single-sided, dual-layer discs and clocks in at 524 minutes. There are english subtitles as well as descriptive English captions for the hearing impaired.

Video

In keeping with the previous releases, the video is 1:78:1 Anamorphic Widescreen. I watched it up-scaled on my HD television and Blu-Ray player and the transfer looked fantastic. Obviously there are flaws, but they're from the source footage and not the transfer.

Audio

Dolby Digital 2.0. Lacks the complexity of 5.1, but perfectly fine nonetheless.

Extras

Special Features:

• Audio commentary on every episode

• Deleted scenes with optional commentary

• 'Delivering the Baby' - a special feature-length behind-the-scenes making of episode 65

• 5 additional behind-the-scenes featurettes
  

• 'Wins and Losses' - a 'promosode' prequel to season 6

These Shield releases have always stepped it up when it came to extras and this set is no exception - in fact, it might be the best. While some of the featurettes have a little too much of the obligatory wanking of the show and the actors, they are still very interesting and absolutely worth a watch. 'Delivering the Baby' in particular is occasionally moving and offers insight into how the actors feel about working on the show. There are also good interviews with key creative staff. The promosode/webisode is an excellent addition to the extras and bridges the gap between seasons five and six well. Obviously it's not required viewing, but if you're a fan then you'd be missing out.

I don't want to spoil any developments of the arc, but I assure you it's very satisfying. The re-watch value of this season is perhaps a little less than the previous ones - but its still probably the best season yet. If you're a fan of good television drama, then you owe it to yourself to check out this very engaging season of television. If you've never seen the show then catch the earlier seasons because it's worth it.

Rescue Me - The Complete Second Season - DVD Review

After an odd yet compelling first season, FX returns with a second season of the testosterone-driven, post-911 firefighter drama. Though many agree this season is arguably stronger than the first, I was still left with the same strange aftertaste on the closing of nearly every episode. The writing was a little tighter but the show was still a big mess. My girlfriend told me that might be the point. Hey, maybe she's right.

Let's get the formalities out of the way. Tommy's actions catch up to him as his ex-wife skips town with the kids and his alcoholism lands him demoted to Staten Island after he puts a fellow firefighter in serious danger. He knocks up his dead cousin's wife. Oh, and he's hit the bottle again. Chief Reilly is still dealing with his wife's deteriorating mental state. It's another round of doom for the boys of Rescue Me - but again, with very little of the gloom. This leads me to my next topic.

The black comedy on Rescue Me is the main reason the show sometimes rubs me the wrong way. I'm all for it - and I love the stuff - but when the show goes from making laughs about something tragic to having the most overwrought dramatic moments and ending montages - I'm left a little confused. Let me assure you, this isn't my inability to 'get' the show or deal with a show of this nature - I'm extremely open-minded and can enjoy anything when I understand what the appeal is. It just feels so messy to me, like the show can't work out what it wants to be. Some of the comic situations and dialogue fall flat, while others work fantastically. Part of why all of this this may not work for me is we never get to the see the characters grounded, they are either in a firehouse lunchroom sitcom or an outlandish multi-episode plot. As I make these criticisms, I try to imagine what Tolan and Leary are going for. As per cable drama, all of the characters are hopelessly tortured and unfairly treated by the television gods - their one rule is that regular characters must be constantly punished. These tough men seem to be emasculated at every corner. If you look at nearly every plot-thread, you can see that it usually ends badly for the man, in general, and in the way his masculinity has been completely stripped. On a thematic level, Tolan and Leary could have this in mind. I have finally come to a more concrete criticism after all of this discussion. After every bleak conclusion to every plot and subplot, the character is basically left to hang in limbo until the next outlandish plot-thread begins. Perhaps I yearn for the show to be more delicate, restrained, and thoughtful with its characterisations, and in turn, that would allow me to feel the pain those ending montages so unforgivingly dish out.

On a more positive note, Chief Reilly's arc with his wife's deteriorating mental health was well-plotted and followed through to a satisfying conclusion. As was, to a lesser extent, the smaller plot dealing with him and his homosexual son. The comedic notes were pitch perfect, and the drama from Reilly's angst about his son's sexual preference was very well-played, the two arcs running alongside each other for some of the season was a smart plotting move, and allowed for a great deal of emotional resonance. Half the credit is due to Jack McGee who plays Chief Reilly - his naturalism and ability to slip right into the role must be commended. He delivered the best performance this season and the fact that he used to be a firefighter is just icing on the cake.

Video

1:78:1 Anamorphic Widescreen. No transfer issues I could see.

Audio

We were lucky enough to get this release in Dolby 5.1, which, when you think about how much dialogue comes from all over the place in this show, it was pretty much essential.

Extras

Special Features:

• Deleted scenes

• Blooper Reel

• 6 behind-the-scenes features on the making of the series cover shooting in New York, life on the set, a second season wrap, conversations with the real FDNY and more!

• Sneak peek at Season three

No audio commentary which is a bit of a bummer, and as with a lot of deleted scenes, you can see why they were cut. On the plus side the behind the scene features are very insightful and entertaining to watch. The sneak peek at Season three is a montage of scenes from season two - so as you can probably guess, it's completely worthless.

The season was frantic, crazy, weird, and occasionally moving. My problems with the show still remain, but if you're already a fan, then this is a slightly stronger outing than the first season. If your not, then go back and check the first as this is a heavily-serialized show. For me, the third season awaits, and I'm interested to see where this train wreck (I don't if I mean that in a good sense or bad) takes me. Will the show find its footing on solid ground or just keep leaping into oblivion?

The Shield - The Complete Fourth Season - DVD Review

Everybody steps it up a notch for The Shield's fourth season which has stronger direction than previous entries and is more satisfying than any other season before it, other than maybe season two. A large contributing factor to this is are the two new big players added; Glenn Close as Monica Rawling, the Barn's new captain, and Anthony Anderson as manipulative drug-lord Antwon Mitchell. Both of these actors bring their all, and in the case of Anthony Anderson it's a very pleasant surprise to discover his exceptional dramatic acting chops.

With Acevada taking a city council position Monica Rawling (Glenn Close, Damages, a role procured for her after her TV stint on The Shield) takes over as captain with a very different approach to David. She wants to implement a seizure plan that takes drugs and drug-bought items and places the money from them into an increased budget for The Barn and also funnel some of it through to the fledgling community. She's happy to please and as a first order of business fixes the male toilets at the Barn which is met with admiration. After the disintegration of the Strike Team Vic finds himself with no other option but to play it straight and get in the new captain's good graces. Surprisingly, he does this easily as she too plays it rough and fast at times in order to get a result. That said, she is a very different cat with a different approach to the morally-questionable political antics of Acevada. And she would never be like him, that's the point, that's her. Things seem to be going well, but with drug-lord Anthony Anderson wrapped up in dealings with Shane and his new junior partner Army (Michael Pena, Observe and Report), Vic trustingly invites them back into a new drug team at the Barn commissioned by Rawling. Before long, the ties that bind become very stretched and a tangled mess starts to grow, in which they are all involved.

Acevada's story continues from where it left off last season and is the other satisfying arc this season. He is understandably taken to another low-point and you just have to wonder what season five has in store for him. As opposed to Dutch's romance with Vic's ex-wife Corrine which was never given enough scenes to build up any weight and thus comes off a little silly.

This is a very strong season with a satisfying conclusion. But more than that, this is the first time I have been totally and completely on-board with the show. From the second or third episode of the season I was entranced and enthralled and this never let up until the end of the season. I cannot say that for the other seasons, although the second was fantastic. Perhaps, the weight of the characters and their stories have built up enough for me to just be along for it all and engrossed in the show. Not to detract from the season itself which was just well-constructed; the twisting and turning plotted carefully with the audience in mind, along with the dazzling acting performances all across the board.

Video

1.78:1 Anamorphic Widescreen just like the others, and for the show's visual style it looks just as good as the other seasons.

Audio

Dolby 2.0 like the other seasons. A more involving 5.1 would be great but what we have here is very sufficient with no problems to note.

Extras

Special Features:

• Audio commentary by the cast and crew on selected episodes

• Never-before-seen deleted scenes

• 'Under The Skin' behind-the-scenes documentary on the making of season four

Eight of the episodes have commentary and they feature a wide range of the cast and crew which should be very satisfying. There are about half an hours worth of deleted scenes which are a bonus if you're interested in an episode's sub-plot that may have been a little thinner than you would have liked. The hour-long documentary is the best extra any of these sets have had. The whole production of the season is discussed at length with a very broad range of the cast and crew.

4 single-sided dual-layer discs make up season four in a neat and minimal single DVD case like the other seasons. There are also English subtitles. This season clocks in at 593 minutes.

Yes, Dutch and Claudette got a little short-changed over the season, and some people believe it gave season four less focus on the other cast. But honestly, I didn't mind. A lot went on and I was excited to be along for the ride. A great season and a great example of one of the first successes in the now common cable channel move of grabbing big-name movie actors for single-season arcs in their dramas.

The Shield - The Complete Third Season - DVD Review

This third season is all about the aftermath of the Armenian money train, and of course, how Vic and the Strike Team continue to dig deeper holes for themselves. Honestly, this was probably the weakest season for me... It didn't take advantage of the extended season it procured (15 episodes instead of 13), and a lot of the storytelling was engaging on an immediate level but never following through in any gratifying way. No, The Shield is not a show that resets its characters at the start of every episode - but sometimes I feel like the procedural element of the show gets in the way of the huge potential for the character stories. This is a whine I seem to make about a lot of shows that don't live in the existential space that shows like The Sopranos and Mad Men do - so maybe just ignore it.

My main issue with the third season was Shane and his girlfriend. It was overblown and drawn out throughout the whole season and to make matters worse the writers probably realised this and tried to insert some plot in there. So we have her and Shane involved in the serious injury of the new guy on the strike team. Then, her mother shows up and tries to blackmail them. Neither of these plot-lines were given enough time to mature and develop, they just fell short and were generally unsatisfying. I wish the effect Shane having a girlfriend/partner would have on Vic was probed more deeply, instead of Vic simply making a catty and jealous comment every time it's called for.

Acevada had an interesting turn this season which, the arc is generated, didn't completely satisfy me - so I wait for season four in hopes that wasn't everything. I also feel the same about the controversial Dutch moment. However, that event was more of an afterthought than a game-changing plot-twist, as much as I would like it to be.

Overall, it was a good season, and my complaints with it were hard to pindown. Dutch's multi-episode hunt for a serial killer was great as well as his episodic stories with Claudia. I must also mention that I found Vic's domestic troubles this season a little dull, especially with the guy who is helping his autistic son. I feel like these scenes were rushed and there really weren't enough of them. A lot of these plots could have done with more detail - filled out better.

Video

If you've seen previous seasons then you know that the show has a visual style that uses a lot of grain and 'bad' lighting that adds to the gritty and morally grey world the characters inhabit. The image is fine on DVD and I have no problems with it.

Audio

The Dolby 2.0 audio sounds tight and well-mixed. The source music tracks sound great and the dialogue is always audible. Yes, 5.1 would have been great, but considering it's limitations it sounds very good.

Extras

Special Features:

• Audio commentary by select cast and crew on various episodes
• Deleted scenes with optional commentary
• Behind-the-scenes documentary on the making of the season finale

This release is consistent with the others that came before it - there is quite a bit here. Definitely no complaints, considering the current landscape for extras on TV on DVD releases.

If you've seen the previous seasons then I would definitely Recommend you check this one out, as the show makes some bold moves to bring on the next season. I just feel the show didn't gain anything from the extended season, where it could have. There is some fantastic acting here too, which is sometimes overlooked when discussing The Shield, outside of the notable film actors who take guest arcs on later seasons. Jay Karnes and CCH Pounder really shine as Dutch and Claudette this season.

Sons of Anarchy - S01E04: Patch Over

'Patch Over' is noticeably better than last weeks episode - if only for the fact that there is a bad-ass firefight. And it seems they have started to get a few of these long-term storylines in motion.

To my understanding, 'patch over' is where a smaller club merges with a larger and more established one. I think club symbols and labels being patched on the clothes of members and in their establishments is the meaning behind the term 'patch over'. Anyway, the club merges with a smaller club in Nevada and they celebrate with a party. But beforehand Jax and Bobby see a guy sitting on Jax's Harley. The guy admits to beating his girlfriend who is trying to take a picture of him and the Harley, so Jax beats his face and takes off with the girl - she happily obliges. The girl is given some sort of initiation by another girl from the club that recently merged with the Sons. When Jax's new girl sees the other girls being passed around like a bong, and the firefight between the rival gangs, she decides to leave with her old boyfriend - going back to her old life, and uncovering a harsh truth about a world she most likely fantasized about.

Jax searches out an old writing on a rock in Nevada where his father wrote something about his idea of the club, freedom, and the dream. Every episode seems to have a scene or two from this narrative thread, and will continue to challenge Jax - though I don't think we will see any big events happening from this at the moment, just little developments, gradual revelations, and after a while Jax might do something big with what he has learnt. So far it just seems like he is reading it, without adapting it - which he probably couldn't do yet even if he wanted to - maybe he has a little, but for the most part he is just living the life the other guys are.

The best part of this episode was the gunfight between the Sons and Mayans. Jax is being chased by the Mayans and leads them back to the others at the club. The Mayans waste no time and start shooting through the walls of the club, so the Sons quickly prepare and come out firing with pistols and shotguns. There are a lot of guns and a lot of gunfire, but only a few guys take hits.

The episode ends with Tara in the hospital looking upon Jax and Gemma with the baby, as she opens a letter containing a photo of Jax and his short-term Nevada girl having sex. I wonder how that happened? And who the hell did it?

Sons Of Anarchy - S01E01: Seeds

Hooray! "Sons Of Anarchy" turned out to be more than an amateur beat-off to "The Sopranos" - I'm afraid I can't say the same for "Brotherhood".

Creator Kurt Sutter (The Shield) pens the pilot episode which just premiered on FX. Allen Coulter (The Sopranos) directs the episode masterfully, already defining the shows own look. 'Seeds' drew in an impressive 1.5 million viewers - in comparison to The Shields season opener which pulled 1.1 million.

At first glance the biggest strength for the show seems to be the cast. We have Charlie Hunnam (Undeclared), Ron Perlman (Hellboy, The City Of Lost Children), Katey Sagal (Married With Children, Futurama), Maggie Stiff (Mad Men) and Mitch Pileggi (The X-Files) and Drea de Matteo (The Sopranos). I was always critical of Charlie Hunnam, especially in Undeclared, until this pilot where I think he matured as an actor and has become great. What we have seen of Ron Perlman has been good, but we will have to wait a little longer to see how he really plays the character - he was in the pilot a fair amount of the time, but wasn't given any really great scenes.

The motorcycle club basically own the town of Charming in California - they are desperate and will do anything to keep drugs and developers out of their town to keep their way of life in tact. A white supremacy group are trying to push their drug trade into Charming, but the club will not let that happen, and the white supremacy group The Nords, will not give up that easily - I see this power struggle being a prominent theme in the season. The club are also involved in various illegal operations, including selling guns to other gangs. Jax (Charlie Hunnam) is the vice-president of the club and son of the tough family matriarch Gemma (Katey Segal), who is with Clay (Ron Perlman), the club president, and is somewhat of a step-dad to Jax. Jax's father used to be the president of the club, but was killed. Jax finds some of his fathers old documents that describe a very different motorcycle club which was more about freedom and peace than the current club. When Jax speaks to his mother of them, she tells Clay and they decide they must not let him slip away from the club. Out on a job, Clay tries to make Jax finish off a rival who is on the ground, to help secure Jax to the club even more. Jax's junkie ex-wife played by Drea de Matteo is pregnant with his baby, she overdoses while pregnant and the baby needs to be pre-maturely taken out of the womb. When Jax finds out about this he is pissed and goes looking for whoever supplied her with the gear. When Gemma finds out, things get much nastier than expected, as she takes a visit to see ex-daughter in law. The doctor who is looking after Jax's ex-wife is his old high school sweetheart Tara, who left Charming and evidently her old lifestyle behind for something better, "I'm not the same girl I was ten years ago", Gemma replies with "I am", and lifts up Tara's shirt to find a tattoo on her lower back, "I guess there's some things you can't change". Tara is now back as a resident at the hospital. Perhaps it is no coincidence she is back - it will be fun to see how her, Jax, and Gemma interact. Katey Sagal is so great in this role, I'm glad she has found a way to break free once and for all from Peggy and Leela, not that there is anything wrong with those characters, or her performance of them - good shows.

There are so many Shakespeare allusions in this script, mainly Hamlet, if the series continues to go down a few of these we are going to get some hugely gratifying endings. The series is very character-driven, but the story with The Nords and keeping Charming the way it is, should be promising too. One of my only problems with Sons of Anarchy are the first 'Seeds' that have been planted for the storyline with the guy out of jail who wants to go legit, but needs the money, and can't leave his family again. I know it could be dealt with nicely, but I have seen it a lot in "The Sopranos" and other films. Pretty weak criticism, eh?

I look forward to next week's episode - oh, and did anybody notice Tommy Flanagan from Braveheart, his facial scar gave it away for my girlfriend, but I only knew once I heard the Scottish accent. Am I slipping in my old age? Tune in next week to find out.