When the sh*t was hitting the fan over the Kavanaugh investigation back in the day, Ronnie was one of the first people to suggest everyone get their own lawyers. I'm starting to see that same dynamic at work now.

He's planning on accepting a job offer in the LAPD's special investigations division, and putting some distance between not just himself and Shane, but now it seems, between him and Mackey. Vic has shown no intention of even acknowledging Ronnie's appointment by Claudette to new head of the Strike Team. He's doing what he wants, leaving Ronnie and Julian shorthanded (although we'll address Ronnie's stitches in the bullet points) and seemingly, favoring Shane. After Vic's [apparently]-fake speech and roundabout forgiving of Shane, Ronnie seemed to be looking to see if Vic was really serious.

I'm not sure what that little sneer meant, or if it was for Shane or Ronnie. Probably Shane, but it seems Vic is purposely leaving Ronnie hanging. What gives?

On to the quick points:

• What did Vic mean when he told Aceveda "I don't need the box; I have you." Would his word against Aceveda's really work with his impending termination just weeks away?

• "Sorry, we burned through the money." - HA. No doubt.

• Re: the gun bust... Mackey is master of the bait-and-switch/have-your-cake-and-eat-it maneuver: the Gurhani Bros. pharmacy buy where he tricked Kavanaugh AND busted the Russians, the gun buy where he played the One-Niners and Mexicans... although it's hard to believe he convinced Shane to go along with it, especially since Shane wasn't REALLY in on the plan. It's just another example of Mackey's tactical brilliance, even under pressure. The icing on the cake was letting Claudette in on it; covering all his bases AND keeping everyone in the clear.

• Danny knew Dutch was going to want to know more about the uncleared-room story, especially after hearing her argument with Tina last week. He's gonna look into it.

• WHY is Cassidy continually provoking Vic? I just don't get it. She blames him for ruining the family? Fair enough. Perhaps she's just really resenting not getting the attention that the two autistic siblings have gotten. I don't know. As for Corrine's arrest, to me it's a non-issue. Cassidy is old enough to be a responsible babysitter, and it's not like she was forcing alcohol down her friend's throat (her parents are pressing charges on the alcohol? What a couple of d*cks. How about disciplining YOUR daughter?).

• As mad as Ronnie might have been about being undermanned, it's not Mackey's fault he needed 19 stitches. SOMEONE was going to get attacked by that pit bull. He shouldn't have just let the coke dealer open the front door either.

And lastly, since it's 1:23 a.m.:

• Yo, WHAT THE F&^! KIND OF THERAPIST WOULD LET TWO BOYS TRY TO, IN DUTCH'S WORDS, 'RAPE THE LESBIAN' OUT OF POOR TEENAGE GIRL?

That one was reaching a little to me. I'm sure homosexuality is a seriously taboo thing in Asian culture, but c'mon.

I'm finding myself not nearly as analytical about these episodes as I've been in the past. I actually kind of feel as though there isn't all that much going on. Particularly the Armenian storyline; it just doesn't feel as threatening as it should. It's almost like I know Mackey's going to find SOME way to deal with it, so we can move on to Phase Two: Busting Pezuela.

We shall see.

Tonight was a good example of a 'Shield' episode that sort of stands on its own. There wasn't a whole lot of goings-on as far as the overarching plot line (the Mexican mob takeover), other than Mackey doing some more to convince and control Pezuela. Most of the episode shows just how effective Mackey can be when he's firing on all cylinders and juggling six different things at once.

Things ARE starting to unravel a bit for him, though. Hard as it is for me to believe, it's almost as if Mackey's out of his depth with Pezuela. He's not just some street-level banger; he's a well-connected international criminal. The old Mackey was always two steps ahead, too smart to let something like this happen. It may be a sign that his world is headed downhill fast.

Now for the rundown:

• Vic sure seems to take a perverse pleasure in making Shane as guilty and uncomfortable as possible vis á vis Lem's and Guardo's deaths ("Don't worry, I haven't seen his ghost around lately").

• Mackey is dead-on about the top 10 list: what a horrible, dumb-ass idea, particularly when you're talking about people (gangbangers) who aren't worried about going to jail... who are in fact MORE worried that they didn't make the list. (Great line: "This list is like the standings in the sports section, and all these bangers are making a playoff push.")

• I find it very interesting that Phillips, who not long ago told Mackey that the shot Capt. Rawling gave him way back in season 4 "might be the last one you've got in this department," actually seemed reassured that he was the one working the top-10-list murders. "On a day like this? I can live with him"... either that, or there's a file in Aramboles' box that Mackey missed.

• Cassidy is a real bitch all of a sudden. Ever since she ran that LexisNexis search on her dad, she's been more and more distant from him. I already read someone else's prediction that she's going to kill Mackey... I'm not sure about that one. But why would she try to have him arrested for assaulting Mara...?

• The al-Qaeda angle was hilarious - an off-the-cuff joke that a Spook Street lieutenant made while watching CNN ends up with homeland security involved.

• WHO is in the really short shot, sitting in a car when Ronnie and Mackey arrest the baby banger and walk him through the Spook Street parade? I SWEAR it's Antwon Mitchell. There's no way he could be out of jail, though, so who was it?

• Just when Billings seems to be at his most useless, he has a Rain-Man-like breakthrough and solves the case... AND, as much of a dick as he is, he's right about the whole respect thing. He and Dutch were basically in the same boat, though not for the same reasons. But Dutch still treated him like an inferior (then again, Billings was just as quick to have a laugh at the Dutchman's expense).

• Claudette is taking heat for saying the N-word? Another classic 'Shield' twist. Surely when they see this douchebag on tape calling her every slur under the sun, it'll go away.

• Wasn't a big fan of the weak ending tonight. Most 'Shield' endings have me going 'What the *&%! is gonna happen next?' Not so much on this one.

GREAT QUOTES:

• "You need to mind yo' mouth and get back to yo' MAMA!" - This lady is gonna get killed.
• "Yo we ain't down with them sand n*$&#s. I represent black man South side RIDIN'." / "Well you're gonna be the only sap at Guantanamo praying in that direction."
• "Haters talk hate - that's why I bang." - What the hell does that even MEAN?!?
• "There's al-Qaedas two and three; want me to call juvie, or do you wanna waterboard 'em?"

Okay, first off, it was awesome, it's been so long, etc., etc. Let me get my ONE slight complaint out of the way first, and then we can get into it.

The Vic Mackey I know and love is too smart to have started this gang war on purpose. Started it by accident and then made the best of a bad situation? Sure. To me, though, it's got the initial feel of a plot contrivance to ratchet up the action in the final season. Mackey, of all people, would know that, word on the street being what it is, as soon as Diro OR Pezuela starts hearing whispers about their supposed alliance, the jig is UP.

Then again, the only real way Mackey's family is going to be safe for sure is if all of the local Armenians are dead, and short of the Strike Team killing them all, fighting between the two is probably the most reliable way to accomplish their goal.

Okay, I think I'll just go with some bullet points and expand as the need arises:

• The only thing better then Mara bound and gagged is Mackey and Ronnie having been the ones to do it.

• WHOA! Wasn't expecting to see Aramboles (I've decided that's the proper spelling) hiding in Mackey's bushes. Classic 'Shield' misdirection, and one of the reasons I love the show so much. Another great moment was when Mackey took him to the same room where he killed Gujardo Lima; even though Aramboles doesn't know it, right away the viewer is on edge--is Mackey gonna kill him? I love it.

• Speaking of killing people, every surviving member of the original Strike Team has now committed murder. Ronnie popped his cherry tonight, capping Zadofian. To me, ever since Ronnie let Vic know that he knew about Terry, he's had this sort of Dutch-like fascination with that murder... maybe that's not the right way to put it... it was like Ronnie felt he'd been left out when it came to Terry.

And his behavior after shooting Zadofian was certainly a little unsettling--the 1,000-yard stare, his cold little response to Dutch, his little aside to Mackey about "I thought it would be pulling the trigger would be the hard part"... then again, when he's talking to Wyms, he seems to have his sh*t back together.

It's an interesting move on the writers' part, for sure. Ronnie was the last Strike Teamer that could garner at least a little bit of sympathy. He's never been anything but the loyal soldier, and has always been a good cop, certainly the best one of the remaining original team. I'll be interested to read the response to his storyline.

• Nice play by Dutch to trick Billings into letting his own ego screw up his lawsuit. Not to mention that they'll be partnered back up, so the Dutchman is really taking one for the team in terms of helping out the Barn's (and maybe even department's) budget situation.

• As I've written before, it's the little things about 'The Shield' that make me love it so much: the little smirk that crosses Mackey's face when Wyms tells him she's sending Shane to investigate Zadofian's murder.

• Greatest... "diversion"... EVER.

• There was a real look of weakness on Mackey's face when Wyms told him he's got "fewer and fewer friends these days."

• First impression: ICE Agt. Olivia Murray has all the hallmarks of a Pezuela spy. Maybe even a spy for Aceveda. I wouldn't put it past him to try and use Vic to solve the Pezuela case and then hang him out to dry as the icing on his mayoral cake.

NOTABLE (AND HILARIOUS) QUOTES:

• "I'm in the middle of an exam." "I'm in the middle of a lot more than that."

• "I might need to make a sushi run--protein helps my memory capabilities."

• "He knows I've always had trouble following orders; just tell him I made wrong turn." - That's straight-up Marx Bros. cornball, but still great

• "As long as you're here first thing in the morning, you can consult until your hair grows back."

I shouldn't have watched the season previews, but I can never resist. I won't discuss them, though.

It's been too long, hasn't it? Welcome back!

...alas, let's rumble on.

I saw a post somewhere online saying that 'The Shield' may not start up until summer, and I'd like to take this moment to implore any F/X official who happens to be trolling the Web for 'Sheild'-related posting and comes upon this one:

TO HELL WITH DIRT! SURE, COURTNEY COX WAS HOT ON THE FIRST SEASON OF 'FRIENDS,' BUT WHA... THA... FA...?

I just can't get into 'Dirt.' 'Damages?' Sure. The gypsy-family con show with Eddie Izzard - what was that called? - sure, I'm down. Not 'Dirt.'

ESPECIALLY NOT when it's been well-publicized that the whole of season seven is already in the can. I've read interviews with Chiklis, talking about directing the last episode, I've heard a few spoilers - nothing huge, but still - so LET'S GET THIS SHIZNIT ROLLIN'!

Now, I'll be honest: I don't know &$^! about &$&! when it comes to TV ratings, when the best time is to debut a new series, etc., etc., and I'm sure they want some time to package and release the sixth season on DVD and get some of those sales, but far as I know, 'The Shield' is F/X's highest-rated, most-critically-acclaimed show, sooooo OUT WITH IT!

I find myself sitting here wondering how Aceveda and Mackey are going to go after Pezuela and La Eme (the Mexican Mafia). First they have to get Mackey's job back; I can see that being the opening scene of the season... Mackey and Aceveda showing a state senator the CD marked 'The Campfire Boys' and then politely asking whether the Honorable Senator would mind intervening on Mackey's behalf in exchange for bringing this to his attention.

I've also seen YouTube videos someone took of the 'Shield' crew taping some scenes from the final season, where you see Mackey and Shane walking down the street and talking with some measure of civility. I'm very curious how the Armenian mob storyline is going to play out. Obviously, at some point, Shane's involvment in the money-train robbery will be revealed, but how? Will Mackey give him up? Is Dutch finally going to follow his original season-three instincts all the way through? (He was awful disappointed when Aceveda didn't seem to have spent too much effort looking into the Strike Team.)

And although I don't think he's coming back, I'd sure like to see a Kavanaugh update. He can't be doing too well in prison. In all honesty, I'd love to see him get sent to Longpoke--

Actually, hold on a second. I'd like to pose a question to the, uh, two or so fellow Blogstreamers that read these posts. Is is LONGPOKE or LOMPOC Prison? I've tried to look it up on Google, and I've seen both references. Is 'Longpoke' maybe a nickname for another facility? I digress.

Anyway, I'd love to see Kavanaugh get sent to Longpoke/Lompoc and cut a deal with Antwon for his life; something involving the Strike Team. But I've also heard that Anthony Anderson isn't on the new season, so no chance of that.

My top questions (and I apologize if I'm repeating myself, it's been a while since I've posted anything):

• How will they go after Pezuela?
• Will Dutch find out about the Strike Team re: the money train or Shane killing Lem or any of the other myriad of things they've done?

Actually, that brings up an interesting point. What if Dutch is investigating Shane, and finds "the document?" If Dutch stumbles upon his dumbass blackmail diary of all the Strike Team's dirt, he'll have them all by the balls. As a matter of fact, Dutch finding that document is the one thing that might be able to reunite the team behind a common goal: stop the Dutchman. Christ, what if Mackey started the series by murdering Terry Crowley and ended it by capping the Dutchman? That would be unbelievable!

Now I'm just fantasizing, ha ha. 

As we hurtle toward the final season of 'The Shield,' my favorite police drama of all time (props to my favorite SHOW of all time, 'The Wire,' but it's almost selling it short to call it a cop show... it's more about the Baltimore drug trade in general), I have high hopes... maybe too high.

Then again, the writers of 'The Shield' have been able to keep the series consistently exciting, still taking hairpin turns into its sixth season and leading The Faithful Viewer down roads he or she did not expect (although I have to say, my girl seems to have an uncanny ability to accurately guess what's going to happen next).

I still stand by my assessment that Vic will be the only member of the original Strike Team left standing at the end of the series. It's just such a fantastic image: Mackey all alone, gun in hand and no one to kill, his work with the LAPD done and his job gone, his family in ruins and no real friends to speak of. A lot of people seem to think Mackey's going to get his comeuppance at the end of the series, but I have my doubts.

To my eye, the whole point of the series is to show that, even in an extreme scenario of cops and criminals (at least to SOME degree) working together to maintain peace, it's just not possible. As Mackey has opined on One Niners, Byz Lats and bangers all over Farmington: "[They're] gonna be shitheads their whole lives." Someone's always waiting in the wings to play King of the Mountain. In the third season....

.... I'll have to write about that later... BACK TO WORK!