The Shield: The Complete Series Collection

With its 2002 debut on the FX channel, The Shield almost immediately shook up television by pushing the boundaries of violence and sexual content on commercial cable and blurring the line between good cop and bad cop with one of the most morally spellbinding characters on TV. Michael Chiklis took home a well-deserved Emmy Award for his fearless performance as Vic Mackey, a maverick Los Angeles police officer at once corrupt and dedicated, violent and protective, and utterly passionate in his job even while he's skimming the evidence. The seven-season run ended with brilliant episodes in 2008 and one of the greatest series finales ever broadcast. In between, creator Shawn Ryan and his crew kept the audience off balance with dramatic turns, dynamic characters (including excellent appearances by Laurie Holden, Anthony Anderson, Forest Whitaker, and Glenn Close), and a riveting portrait of the ecosystem of urban crime and local cops. Reveling in the contradictions and compromises of its characters, The Shield understood that everyone draws moral lines—and that each person draws them in a different place. This handsome collection features all 88 episodes on 28 discs in a hefty scrapbook album–style case. DVD extras include all of the supplements from earlier season set releases (audio commentaries, featurettes, deleted scenes, interviews, and more), as well as two new behind-the-scenes featurettes. Highly recommended. (S. Axmaker)