Now that The Shield has kicked off its seventh and final season, fans have only one question on their minds: How will it end?  While details on how Vic Mackey's story ends aren't being disclosed, series creator Shawn Ryan promises that crime drama will go out with a bang.

The Shield has won praise for its realism and controversial portrayal of corrupt police officers as well as gang violence in some of Los Angeles' roughest neighborhoods.  Season 1 gave an introduction to the Strike Team and the other characters of the Barn, season 2 mostly revolved around a brutal new drug-lord Armadillo and the Strike Team's plan to rip off the money train of the Armenian Mob, while season 3 mainly focused around the aftermath of the money train heist and its effects on the Strike Team.  The action continued in the fourth season with the he fallout from the Strike Team disbandment and Internal Affairs' investigation into the Strike Team in season 5.

Last season, Vic and Detective Ronnie Gardocki (David Rees Snell) learned that Shane (Walton Goggins) killed Lem, which ultimately destroyed Shane's relationship with the rest of the Strike Team.  This has ultimately led to a lot of loose ends but Ryan says he has paid close attention to how other programs have concluded and was determined to give The Shield the ending that fans deserved.

"I've been more concerned about being able to end it properly," Ryan said.  "I've paid a lot of attention the past couple years of the finales of shows I've really admired ... the one thing I learned is the shows that stayed true to themselves, those were the finales that succeeded more ... if and when you watch the finale it will feel like The Shield universe and it will feel completely appropriate.”

As for lead star Michael Chiklis, who plays the corrupt but effective police officer Vic Mackey, he considers The Shield as one big movie.

"What thrills me about the finale is you will not see it coming. You will not know what will happen until it happens.  But later, when you look back on it, you'll go, 'Holy cow, yeah, that's exactly right,'" Chiklis said.

The Shield's seventh and final season airs every Tuesday at 10 pm on FX.


-Kris De Leon, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: Washingtonpost.com
(Image courtesy of FX)