Of course, all good things must come to an end & that will happen for "The Shield" on November 25th. This will make me sad & happy all at once. It's good because the show is going to go out on a high without one weak season in the bunch. Television shows need to realize that getting out while on top of your game is a great way to go. I mean, "The X-Files" sucked those last two seasons.

I want this on my wall right away, how cool is it.  September 2nd cannot come quick enough, it's been too long for my Shield fix.

This remarkable and multi-layered show is set in a late-50s/early-60s New York advertising agency, and deals with the lives of the ad men, their wives, mistresses and their secretaries.

Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner was a producer and writer on The Sopranos, and as you'd expect he has populated his new project with authentic characters who deliver smart dialogue and the plotlines that thread their way through the series are entirely believable. Even a normally inconceivable stolen identity angle rings true, thanks to the brilliant scripting and top-notch performances.

As the series progresses, we see more and more of the main players, and dig underneath the phoniness and surface pretensions. Not only does this give everything more depth, but the people we're exposed to open up a whole realm of possibilities for the show if the writers choose to move away from the current leading role. Don Draper (Jon Hamm), is a war veteran with a shadowy past - one that even his wife (the luminescent January Jones) doesn't have access to.

A conflicted, complicated man, with one foot in the past and one in the fast-approaching, Don is an advertising genius shaping the way Americans think and act. Yes, he messes about with other women and keeps secrets from his nearest and dearest, but in Don Draper, Mad Men has introduced another love-hate leading man in the mould of Tony Soprano or Vic Mackey. The guy's a first class shit, but he's just so damn cool with it.

Something else which is almost unassailably cool is the intro and theme music. Seriously, check it out:

The research and detail that has gone into recreating mid-20th century New York is astonishing, and it all contributes to making the end result so very slick and gripping.

Funny, without needing obvious jokes, Mad Men exists in a world before political correctness. Sexual banter isn't harrassment yet. Jews do their thing. Gays keep their heads down. Racial divides are something that just are. You might not like it, but it is commendable that Mad Men doesn't downplay this side of life.

Commendably subtle, utterly gripping, gorgeous to look at, insanely well scripted and impeccably acted - Mad Men is a must-see for anyone who takes their TV drama seriously.

Buy it here.

Die hard fans of FX’s magnificent opus The Shield may have to wait until September to see the final season, but can indulge their Vic Mackey sweet tooth with 22 scenes from the upcoming season. 

FX’s official Shield website has been promoting the new season with cast members interviewing each other, and posted the new scenes on Tuesday.

Season six left us with Vic and Shane severing ties after finding out it was Shane who killed fellow strike team member Lem.  Shane got in over his head with the Armenians by pointing the finger at Vic for the money train robbery, and Vic hijacked a car full of Mexican blackmail intel from one of Cruz Penzuelas people.

Its pretty clear from the new scenes where season seven is taking us and it looks awesome!!!   The Shield returns to FX September 2^nd and the new scenes are posted below.  ENJOY!!!

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On se laisse sur des images :

Parallelgesellschaften zeichnen sich durch Ihre Absetzung vom offiziellen bürgerlichen Kontext aus. Sie können enklavisch strukturiert sein, ohne nach außen abzufärben, oder auf eigene Faust gezielte Systemkorrekturen vornehmen. Zum letzteren Typus gehört Ad Vice, eine Spezialeinheit des LAPD, die sich ihrer ganz eigenen Methoden der Gewaltenteilung bedient und dabei vor allem auf die Ökonomie der Mittel Wert legt. Denn wo die Polizei selber zur Judikative wird, spart man sich ebenso kostspielige wie langfristige Justizverfahren – von sinnlos milden Urteilen ganz zu schweigen. Zu den besonders konsequenten Anhängern dieser Vorgehensweise gehört der sichtlich aus der Spur geratene Detective Tom Ludlow (ein direkter Seelenverwandter von Vic Mackey), für den ein notwendiger Schusswechsel schon einmal zur aktiven Hinrichtung werden kann. In solchen Fällen bedürfen seine Fahndungserfolge für die Öffentlichkeit und die internen Überwachungsorgane zwar nachträglicher Tatort- und Beweismanipulationen, doch da ist er sich der schützenden und machtvollen Hand seines Captains sicher, der alle Spuren verwischen kann und so der Funktionsweise der Truppe den Rücken freihält. Dass ein solches System, das sich auf der Logik der Selbstjustiz gründet, irgendwann kannibalistische Züge entwickelt, liegt in der Natur der Sache. Wer überlebt, entscheiden andere.

„Street Kings“ entstammt der Feder von James Ellroy, und daran lässt der Film auch keinen Zweifel. Überhaupt ist der Topos des Polizeiapparates als korrupter Parallelgesellschaft mit mafiösen Zügen eine der zentralen Koordinaten im Kosmos dieses Autors, der gerne von sich selber behauptet, mit seinen Geschichten in erster Linie Entertainment für die Manson-Familie zu liefern (Charles, nicht Marilyn wohlgemerkt). Mit einer Vita, die sich liest wie einer seiner Romane, und einem Image, das so egoman und hardboiled auftritt wie Norman Mailer in den 70ern, steht Ellroy für eine Sicht auf die Mechanismen von Recht und Ordnung, die in einem solchen Maße korruptionsgetränkt und machtbesessen ist, dass sie alle zivilgesellschaftlichen Bemühungen wie hoffnungslose Anachronismen aussehen lässt. Vieles davon ist vermutlich ebenso Methode wie die mit wilder Drogen-, Alkohol- und Muttermord-Vergangenheit ausgestattete öffentliche Figur des Autors, der sein Publikum gerne schon mal mit einem schnoddrigen „Hey motherfuckers“ begrüßt und auch literarisch eher auf Stakkato als Legato setzt, in der Gesamtheit allerdings stimmig genug erscheint, um seinen Ruf als bedeutendstem Sex-and-Crime-Chronisten der Gegenwart nachhaltig zu zementieren.

Bis heute sind die Versuche, die bemerkenswerte Sonderstellung seiner Romane auf die Leinwand zu übersetzen, eher lauwarm als heißgekocht ausgefallen. Ellroy selber hält sowieso nicht allzu viel vom Medium selber, was ihn aber nicht davon abhält, seine Verfilmungsrechte teuer zu verkaufen und sich durchaus auch zur Bereitstellung von Originalstoffen hinreißen zu lassen (und zwar 2003 für „The Plague Season“ / „Dark Blue“, Ellroys erster Zusammenarbeit mit Autor und Regisseur David Ayer). Neben den weniger bekannten Filmversionen von „Blood on the moon“ (1988 unter dem Titel „Cop“ mit James Woods) und „Brown´s Requiem“ ist vor allem „L.A. Confidential“ mit seinem Namen verbunden und bisher die meistbeachtete Kinofassung einer Ellroy-Vorlage (auch wenn der Autor selber nach anfänglichen Zufriedenheitsbekundungen später wieder zurückruderte und John Boormans „The General“ im Vergleich deutlich besser wegkommen ließ). Eher ernüchternd fiel Brian De Palmas mit ziemlich großer Erwartungshaltung und fatalen Finanzierungsschwierigkeiten begleitete Verfilmung der „Black Dahlia“ aus, deren einziges Highlight der kurze aber einprägsame Auftritt von Rose McGowan als Starlet mit unerfüllbaren Ambitionen blieb (und so in einer einzigen Sequenz mehr über Psychologie und Funktionsweise der Industrie aussagen konnte als der ganze Film).

„Black Dahlia“, Ellroys populärster und archetypischster Roman, war eine ganze Weile im Fokus von David Fincher, bevor dieser sich dem Zodiac-Killer verschrieb, und das Gleiche gilt auch für „Street Kings“ (damals noch unter dem Titel „The Night Watchmen“). Beide Filme hätten sicherlich von Finchers Faible für Stufenmodelle der Barbarei profitiert, und sein Konzept einer Schwarzweiss-Version des berühmtesten aller Hollywood-Verbrechen klingt so reizvoll, dass De Palmas Fassung in Relation noch bedauerlicher erscheint. Nicht ganz so düster sieht es für David Ayers Film aus, zumal die Vorlage keinerlei Erwartungshaltung mit sich bringt und so ein vergleichsweise unvoreingenommener Blick möglich ist. Überhaupt steht vor allem Hauptdarsteller Keanu Reeves im Vordergrund der Wahrnehmung, und die Verlegung der Handlung in die Gegenwart zielt eher auf das Publikum von „Training Day“ und „The Shield“ als von „L.A. Confidential“.

Dies im Hinterkopf erweist sich „Street Kings“ als straff erzählter Copthriller, dessen Spirale aus Gegengewalt und Korruption seine Hauptfigur fest im Griff hält. Glauben darf man hier niemandem, denn die Chancen, dass der erste Eindruck früher oder später kippt und sich als gefährlicher Trugschluss offenbart, sind in den meisten Fällen ziemlich groß. Sieht man von einigen allzu aufdringlichen Besetzungsentscheidungen ab (bei denen die unvermeidlichen Hip-Hop-Cameos immer noch akzeptabler sind als der assoziativ allzu vorbelastete Hugh Laurie), harmonieren die Darsteller schlüssig, und Keanu Reeves fügt sich nicht nur besser in die Rolle des kompromisslosen Detectives als man vielleicht erwarten würde, sondern bietet auch einen interessanten, da trotz aller forcierten Gewalt desillusionierten Gegenentwurf zu Forest Whitakers machtvoller Ziehvaterfigur mit einnehmender Präsenz, die trotz nur weniger Auftritte den gesamten Film überschattet.

Dass übrigens im schwarzen Ghetto von L.A. offensichtlich nichts ohne großformatige Flachbildschirme geht, deren Programme am liebsten popkulturellen Rassismus verbreiten, ist eine Erkenntnis, die anhand von Symptomen aufzeigen kann, wieso die Straßenjustiz des Films eine logische Konsequenz aus struktureller Ohnmacht darstellt, die sich nach oben wie nach unten haltlos fortsetzt und letztlich Recht und Ordnung zwangsweise und langfristig durch Bruderschaften, Gangs und interne Ermittlungsbehörden ersetzt. Umkehr ausgeschlossen.

(Was, nebenbei bemerkt, den deutschen Verleih wohl dazu bewogen haben mag, ein Plakat in Umlauf zu bringen, das offensichtlich versucht, die Geschmacksnote einer fragwürdigen DVD-Premiere zu reproduzieren, bleibt vermutlich ein besser gehütetes Geheimnis als alle Korruptionsnetze des Films selber.)

Artikel © 2008 Thomas Lenz. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.
Filmplakat: Twentieth Century Fox of Germany GmbH

5 TV Characters and Their Comic Book Equivalents

1. Buffy Summers (Buffy The Vampire Slayer) & Kitty Pryde (X-Men)

Yes, it's very easy to compare these two. Buffy's creator Joss Whedon himself confessed his love to the X-Men and Kitty particularly and her big influence on the creation of Buffy. Readers of his Astonishing X-Men can see his love to her (though her future doesn't seem so bright with the upcoming finale of his run) and Whedon's fans know his love for powerful, young women.

Both are strong female characters, having prominent and leading roles in their respective franchises, very wise and emotional, have both a natural abilities and experienced martial arts knowledge. But above all, they are strong females that with their fan-favorite status helped developing the place of leading females in modern fiction. If not for Kitty there would be no Buffy, and without her pop culture wouldn't have been in the same place today.

2. Dr. Gregory House (House, M.D.) & Dr. Stephen Strange (Doctor Strange, Strange Tales)

Some of you may think: "Big deal, they are both doctors, duh!" Yes, they are. In my opinion the House we know is almost the same as Dr. Strange between his accident and becoming the Sorcerer Supreme.

For these of you that don't know, Dr. Stephen Strange was a known surgeon, the best in his field; but he was the biggest asshole in the world. After a car accident he lost control over his hand and his gift. This led to a journey of soul-searching that resulted in him becoming a magician and later the Sorcerer Supreme, the highest authority in Earth's magics. He's also became a noble man and involved in almost everything that happens in the Marvel Universe.

Dr. Gregory House was a diagnostic expert. He still his. Years ago he lost the ability to walk with one of his lags due to a mistreatment and became addicted to painkillers. He's a jerk, mistreats his co-workers and patients although in the end of the day gets the job done and considered the best in his field.

They have many points that bind them (experts in their professions, an accident that changed their lives) but above all to me House is the Dr. Strange of the post-accident (only that he still can do his job) without the new way he took upon himself, the loathed gifted doctor who shows no remorse, at least not on the outside.

3. Det. Vic Mackey (The Shield) & Frank Castle (The Punisher)

They don't share the same background (though it was clued in the past that Vic may have served in the army) and their morals are a bit different, but in the end of the day both Vic and Frank does the same thing: Taking down criminals. One is a corrupted policeman with allegedly black heart who fights both crime and the law he serves in order to keep his family intact and careless. The other is a Vietnam War veteran who lost his whole family to mob hitmen and became a vigilante with one mission: killing criminals and bad people.

With all the dirty work they both have done, be it killing people in cold blood or sacrificing fellow men of the law to achieve their targets, Vic and Frank are motivated by the will to clean the streets of criminals. More than once they've showed their kinder side, both by helping kids or exploited prostitutes, or any other people in need. Despite all the crap that sticks to them, everyone knows (or just suspects) about their methods and actions, no one has yet took them down. Not New-York's fine superheroes or LAPD's Internal Affairs and the Chief of Police. Does it make us bad people if we want these men to protect us?

4. Det. Charlie Crews and Det. Dani Reese (Life) & Charlie "Vic Sage" Szasz and Renee Montoya (The Question, 52)

I remember reading this (half) comparison couple of months ago when Life aired on NBC. Can't find the original article at the moment, but the writer said that the character of Dani Reese has a "Renee Montoya vibe". Both police detectives who's partner was killed in duty, they became alcoholic (Dani was also became drug addict while undercover} and been removed/suspended from the force. Then after a couple of episodes I was starting to thinking: If Dani is Renee, then Charlie is The Question!

Crews was a cop who was wronged and framed for a murder he didn't commit. He spent 12 years in jail, his wife divorced him and he was treated as a criminal. When a new evidence came up, he was released and after a lawsuit against the authorities gained a huge amount of money, but also wanted to get back to the force. Not just because he was cleared of all charges, but so he can catch the real killer. In the 12 years of being in jail he became a Zenist and speaks in what seems like ambiguous quotes.

Sage was a reporter who delivered the news of corrupted figures and organizations while in his other identity as the vigilante The Question fought the same people. Years ago he was thought to be killed but actually saved by his "killer" and spent a year with a Zen and martial arts expert, Richard Dragon. After a time of finding a new meaning, eventually he returned home and continued his fight for justice. Last year Charlie teamed up with Montoya and taught her everything he knows. He later died of cancer and Renee took his role as the new Question.

Other than the first name, both Charlies are enthusiast Zenists, vague speakers and teams with a young detective who's trying to rebuild her life after recent rough experiences (so far nothing to imply that Dani is lesbian - except for very small connections and occurrences - while Renee is gay). So for me they're the TV Question and Renee. At least here he's not dead.

5. Colonel Jack O'Neill (Stargate SG-1) & Steve Rogers (Captain America, Avengers)

When Jack O'Neill was promoted to General and took position as the head of the Stargate command base, the series lost it for me. The main team of SG-1 was in its whole the center of the show with Jack as the heart. Taking him out, that killed the show for me.

The same can be said about Steve Rogers. In the past he quit his role as the symbol of America and the others who replaced couldn't bring the same heart and characteristics to it. Not to bash any of them, but if Captain America is the symbol, Rogers was what made it in his years as Captain America. Last year he was assassinated and recently replaced, but he'll be back sooner or later. Death in temporary in the land of superheroics.

These two old soldiers, veterans who sometimes seems out of place in their respective worlds (O'Neill with all that technology and space researches, Rogers being frozen for decades after WW2 and waking up to a new world of superheroes and supervillains), coming out of a personal tragedy (O'Neill's son accidentaly shot himself to death, Steve's sidekick Bucky was supposedly killed in an explosion) and despite everything led their teams into battles and new adventures with no fear and served as the heart and anchor of these surrounding them. The only things that stopped them - for now - were death and promotion.

Please let me know what you're thinking, agree or disapprove. I'll also like to hear suggestions for future lists.

Edit: Edited for the sake of grammar. Thanks to Janson Olson for the help!

-T.

FX was somewhat sneaky during the writers strike claiming they had all 13 episodes shot and in the can.  Show creator and Executive Producer, Shawn Ryan, quickly dispelled those rumors as false saying the last 6 or 7 episodes still needed to be edited, and he would not participate in the editing process until after the writers strike was over.FX has released an official teaser trailer for the final season, and cast is being very tightlipped about plotlines, but here is what we know.

  ·        Michael Chiklis confirmed in an article last month that Glenn Close, Forest Whitaker, nor Anthony Anderson will return for any cameos.

 ·        Andre "3000" Benjamin will reprise his guest role he played in season 2 on the very last episode.  He is running for Mayor. 

·        Shawn Ryan did pen the final episode himself.   

Maybe not all the information in the world, but more than you had, and more to come.  One thing I assume for sure is that Vic (Michael Chiklis) will finally put Shane (Walton Goggins) out to pasture after killing Strike Team Member Lem (Kenny Johnson).

	The Shield - The Complete Fifth Season Price: $17.34 List Price: $59.98
	The Shield - The Complete First Season Price: $17.23 List Price: $59.98
	The Shield - The Complete Third Season Price: $23.00 List Price: $59.98
	The Shield - The Complete Fourth Season Price: $27.50 List Price: $59.98

According to Hollywood Insider, Fans of The Shield will have to wait a little longer to see whether Vic Mackey self-destructs in the show's last season, its seventh. Though the final 13 episodes were shot before the writers' strike, FX doesn't appear to be in any hurry to air them before fall -- at the earliest. Running the show opposite the Summer Olympics seems to be FX's biggest concern.

And in case you're thinking it, just know right now that I agree: I can't believe I made a post out of this either!

With the unbelievable success of The Shield (Vic, you'll always be able to kick Jack Bauer's ass, not matter what anyone says), the network first grabbed my attention. Watching the ongoing saga of Vic Mackey's strike team, tearing through Los Angelos, handling things in ethical...and not so ethical ways...I became obsessed. In fact, my fiancee and I watched four seasons of The Shield in a little more than 3 months.

When one show runs out of DVDs, what do you do? Find another one to sink your teeth into. On the recommendation of several friends, the fiancee and I decided to give Rescue Me a try. I had always been a Dennis Leary fan, but had trouble getting into this show at first. After 4-5 episodes, I was hooked. Mark FX down for another brilliant victory in the cable TV battle.

Then came the lull following February sweeps, the only shows playing new episodes were 24 and LOST...hardly enough to keep a TV junky at bay. Three weeks ago today, in a desperate search to find a show worth my time, I saw a banner ad for FX's The Riches. The typically annoying banner ad flashed "SEASON PREMIERE"...I was intrigued...but even more so when I read that the show was starring Eddie Izzard, a tremendously brilliant comedian of whom I am a big fan.

DING DING went the dinner, the DVR light glared red and the fiancee and I sat down to watch the premiere...hardly aware of what we were getting into. This is a brief synopsis of The Riches:

"FX's new series The Riches (Mondays at 10 pm/ET) stars comic Eddie Izzard as Wayne Malloy, the silver-tongued patriarch of itinerant grifters who appropriate the identity of a dead couple, always living one step away from getting caught."

Funny, clever and addictive! The Riches is yet another indication of FX's relentless drive to capture viewers and keep them tuned in. Now only three episodes in, my fiancee and I have made it part of our Monday night ritual and eagerly await each episode. For those of you yearning to see and learn more, have a quick peak at a preview below:

Congrats to FX for another success and we look forward to the rest of this season, as well as the season premiere of The Shield in only a short time!