(S07E10) "You should run too, man." - Ronnie
It's arguable that smarter words have never been uttered by anyone on The Shield before. Run? Um... yeah! The word "duh" comes to mind. How else can Vic possibly protect himself other than just disappearing? With all the pieces to this puzzle, there's just too much chance that something doesn't fit. It's a testament to Vic's ego and hubris that he's still willing to hang on for the remainder of the ride, but longtime fans have to be wondering how this can possibly come out clean for him.
At least Ronnie is getting cold feet. But no sooner was he ready to run for the Mexican countryside before Vic was able to assuage his fears and reel him right back into this mess. The puppet master and his puppet, or as Shane called Ronnie, "little Vic." Talk about a transition for Ronnie over seven seasons though, huh? He's pivotal to this story and yet, here's a character who was simply background fodder with no lines in the pilot episode. Gardocki has come a long way... depending on how you define "long way" of course.
Desperation seemed to be the theme in this episode as everyone nears the end of their personal tolerances. Vic and Ronnie actually went to Santi and the Byz Lats to put a hit out on Shane and Corinne finally cracked under the pressure of Vic's manipulation and signed a deal with Dutch and Claudette. You know it's bad when your own ex-wife is working against you. Not that I blame Corinne. However, the highlight of this episode was by far just watching Shane and Mara play house while the rest of Los Angeles runs around like mad. Despite the fact that the whole empty house/empty life metaphor was being shoved down our throats, it was still mesmerizing to see these two act normal for a moment -- grilling, singing and dancing. It took unspeakable tragedy to make them act like a family for the first time. It's sad really.
But I think it just shows how they're breaking down. The family act, something that is completely unlike them, is just a front for the fear of it all ending. Take that scene where Mara and Shane were in the pool. "Close you eyes" she said. All they can do is daydream now. Wyms grabbing the phone from Corinne at the end was perfect too. After Mara got off the phone with her, she actually look relieved as if to say, "we have an out."
Moving on to Aceveda, I personally think this is some of the best acting Benito Martinez has displayed in the entire run of the series. Seeing him step up to Vic, then Cruz, and finally Beltran was amazing. I never knew he had that side to him. Ever since "the incident," he's been such a passive individual and David is finally letting it all out. Of course, it's all in vain because Vic always comes out on top in those battles.
More thoughts on "Party Line" --
- I think I may have mentioned this before, but Vic's gun is HUGE.
- Ronnie is a fool if he thinks Vic is going to be able to somehow fold him into his demands with I.C.E. and Olivia. Vic may have some sway, but it still seems like big risk for Ronnie. Even Vic has to realize that it's just an empty promise at this point.
- Pezuela must be an idiot. Doesn't he realize that Vic asking him to stall is simply so Vic has more time to nail Beltran himself? Does Pezuela actually think that this will somehow help get him off with no charge? Fool.
- The look on Cruz's face when David had him in the corner was priceless. He knew it was over and his eyes said it all.
With only three episodes to go, we can expect things to start picking up speed. There was a lot of foreshadowing in this episode and with the end of the line coming, it's all answers from here on out.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
11-05-2008 @ 10:22AM
DavidM said...
Aceveda whooped Cruz's ass, reminds me of the David who killed those guys who raped him. This Acevada is one that Vic has never seen, it is an Aceveda what would have no problem letting Vic die.
I hope Shane, Vic, and Ronnie get their just deserts. I have a feeling Ronnie is going to kill himself, Shane is going to prison, and Vic is going to get dealt with by the Mexicans.
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11-05-2008 @ 10:42AM
Katie said...
I keep hoping for Vic to go down via "White Heat"/James Cagney style in the series finale. I have watched him get out of every mess ever thrown his way for seven seasons but things are now getting completely out of his control. I don't want him to go to prison or to go down by a snake like Shane. I want it to be with guns blazing, the Vic Mackey way.
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11-05-2008 @ 1:32PM
Bickah said...
I believe that Vic is going to get Federal immunity in the end. Shane will get killed, his wife dies in the cross fire, the Mexican mobster goes down and Acevado gets the credit but aknowledges Vic. When they arrest Vic for trying to kill Shane, he will end up in jail, but ICE will bail him out on federal immunity and give him and Ronnie a job working undercover. I have seen every episode of this awesome show, and what I have learned is that Vic always gets his way I don't see how that is going to change now. Too many people like his character and killing him off would leave a bad taste in the the mouth of fans. We all want Vic to win even if he is an evil mastermind of some really bad crimes. I have truely come to hate the Shane character and I hope they kill him off.
11-05-2008 @ 11:23AM
Jimmy said...
It's too bad there are only three episodes left! First, NYPD Blue; now, The Shield. I need me a good cop show fix!
Changing topics: Was anyone bothered by the stylized Damages promo? I hope that show doesn't go the way of Nip/Tuck.
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11-05-2008 @ 11:54AM
DavidM said...
I don't watch damages, but it does look like they are taking the show in another direction. Personally, I think Close should have stayed on the Shield.
11-11-2008 @ 1:54PM
Kirk Lohse said...
Jimmy,
Check out LIFE ON MARS, it's no SHIELD, but about as gritty as network gets these days and the period stuff (1973) is just too cool.
11-05-2008 @ 12:12PM
Katie said...
I just finished watching "Blowback" from the first season and it is incredible to go back and watch it now, knowing everything that we now know happens. It was almost overwhelming. My stomach is in knots thinking about how everything is going to end.
I do not watch "Damages" either but that promo did remind me of the types of ones they do for "Nip/Tuck".
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11-05-2008 @ 5:14PM
miketrippiedi said...
The last time we saw Dani, she was packing her belongings. I think it will be revealed at the end that she moved into Dutch's house.
Possible things that could happen.
Vic and Shane will realize that they need each other and escape together.
Vic's daughter will kill him.
Corrine gets cold feet and tells Vic what's going on.
Shane and Mara will die like Bonnie and Clyde.
I can't help but think that Shane's son Jackson is going to get killed.
Dutch will tell Billings false information in which Billings will then tell Ronnie which will lead to the end for Vic.
The only thing I know for sure, is that Season 7 of The Shield is some of the best television I have ever seen.
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11-06-2008 @ 9:43AM
T.M. said...
It was sad watching Shane and Mara attempt to act normal. And while I hate the Mara character, she is ride or die and you've got to give her credit. She told Shane about Corrine working with the police in contrast to Corrine lying to Vic last episode.
And.....Walton Goggins God Bless You for the visuals!!
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11-06-2008 @ 9:43AM
Andrew said...
Ronnie definitely made the wrong decision by not leaving the country. He has nothing to tie him down like Vic does, but the only way I see an out for him now would be by turning in Vic. It looks like Mara is making the incorrect decision in the end there, as well.
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12-01-2008 @ 9:45AM
Gabriel said...
vic either gets it from his daughter or the feds save him in witness protection ..ronnie gets off scott free..dutch gets killed by the kid and cludette dies of what ever she is sick from never seeing vic get what she thinks he should get and that is jail time...david is mayor ,but i keep wondering about how is this drug cartel thing going to play out ?..shane and his wife can only go one way and that is die or & what ever happened to the armenian girl poof gone any one else notice ?? at least we will have nip/tuck and rescue me to look forward to..i will miss this show with out a doubt it has been one of the best hours on tv.
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11-06-2008 @ 9:44AM
Gabriel said...
Seriously, you guys are underestimating Sir Victor Mackey.
Ronnie should NOT run.
Vic is an Einstein who went to the wrong direction. Nobody else can manage all the shit that goes on in The Shield like he does. He's the center of everything and yet he makes few mistakes.
The way he plays Olivia, Beltran, Aceveda, Pezuela is enough to get him a Nobel Prize for intelligence.
Don't forget he's in the bottom of the food chain.
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11-06-2008 @ 9:44AM
pvarine said...
A few quick notes:
• I love that while Billings does so many idiotic things and is considered to indeed BE an idiot by Dutch and Wyms, he has no difficulty seeing right through Dutch's lies about Corrine ("Dutch and Claudette are playin' I-Got-A-Secret...")
• For a second, I thought Aceveda might actually cap Mackey. But how could they possibly do the last three episodes with no Vic?
• Even with all of the walls closing in on him, all Vic has to do is get to Shane and Mara and he's in the clear. Corinne's word doesn't mean much without corroboration from the Vendrells, and it's hard to see them getting very near The Barn without Vic or Ronnie finding out.
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11-06-2008 @ 9:44AM
Ben said...
I keep hearing how this season is going to "blow the viewers' minds." With that being the only info we're given I have a sneaking suspicion Forest Whitaker's character Det. Kavanaugh is going to show up in the end. My idea is all of this stuff with Pezuela and Beltran is a made up act to let Vic fall into. What I mean is this is all made up by kavanaugh and in the final episode when Vic thinks he got away with another crime Kavanaugh walks out and puts him behind bars. And in the final scene, Vics walks into his cell which he finds out is sharing with Antwone Mitchell. Something/someone has to come back from the past to bite him in the ass, and Kavanaugh and Mitchell are his two biggest enemies who are still alive.
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11-06-2008 @ 12:40AM
Ben said...
I keep hearing how this season is going to "blow the viewers' minds." With that being the only info we're given I have a sneaking suspicion Forest Whitaker's character Det. Kavanaugh is going to show up in the end. My idea is all of this stuff with Pezuela and Beltran is a made up act to let Vic fall into. What I mean is this is all made up by kavanaugh and in the final episode when Vic thinks he got away with another crime Kavanaugh walks out and puts him behind bars. And in the final scene, Vics walks into his cell which he finds out is sharing with Antwone Mitchell. Something/someone has to come back from the past to bite him in the ass, and Kavanaugh and Mitchell are his two biggest enemies who are still alive.
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11-06-2008 @ 9:44AM
Rudebwoy381 said...
I really, really like that shocker ending, but there's been too much bloodshed for the whole Mexican Mafia angle to have been a police-engineered ruse... unless, for some reason, an agency flipped Beltran or Pezuela and they're using him... but that would mean ICE is in on a massive, resource-draining sting whose ultimate purpose is to catch Vic Mackey... doesn't figure.
I keep coming back to the Dutchman's quote in, uh, I believe, season three: "I'm tired of people getting away with murder." It was the episode where he almost planted evidence on a suspect. I'd really like to see an episode with a sort of recreation of the Antwon-Vic-Rawling interrogation, only with Dutch and Wyms, with Mackey playing the role of Antwon.
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11-06-2008 @ 9:44AM
Ben said...
I feel ya, but I feel there is no way Olivia is being completely truthful with Vic and for us fans who have seen every episode, we know Feds are NEVER a good thing when it comes to Vic Mackey. Plus, there has to be a reason Danny hasn't been around. Has anyone noticed how Claudette hasn't said a word about her right-hand-woman hasn't been there in days?? Danny is far too big of a character to just disappear in the storyline like Tina has. And what about the serial killer Dutch is trying to get? And what about Tavon? So many questions to be answered...
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11-06-2008 @ 9:44AM
Rudebwoy381 said...
I hope Tavon ends up killing Shane and unknowingly taking care of Vic and Ronnie's problem. 'Cause as soon as they put their mugshots on the news, Tavon's gonna find out they're on the run. At first I thought his "So now we know who you are" comment to Shane was just moral superiority, but now I'm kinda hoping it was a threat!
Re: the massive conspiracy to net Vic... given Claudette's moral superiority complex, I just can't see her taking part in a sting that would get "innocents" killed, even if those innocents are gang members.
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11-06-2008 @ 9:45AM
John in Dallas said...
I think it's interesting how desperation has made everyone so delusional - Shane thinking he can buy a house in California for $100 grand?
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11-06-2008 @ 9:45AM
Jimmy said...
They were planning to run to Colombia, bro. I guess their money will go a lot further down there.