April 10, 2007: I Framed a Guilty Man
So the fact that Forest Whitaker wasn't going to be around after this episode was not a well-kept secret at all, but I wasn't expecting the situation between him and Vic to go down like this. I think I was somehow expecting Kavanaugh to get a surprise beating or take a bullet, although then again, he's too smart for that. But it seems like he wasn't smart enough to realize that no one plays both sides quite like Vic Mackey. Jon's downfall of course was when he started planting evidence. (You could say his downfall was taking this case in the first place, and I might agree.) But seriously, when you think about it, Vic has done so many things wrong, from killing a cop through the money train, that if Kavanaugh couldn't take him down based on the true facts, then maybe he's just not as good as he thinks he is. Vic was in his head so much that as a last-ditch effort he tried becoming him but even Dutch Boy saw through the load of crap that Kavanaugh was shoveling. Claudette was the true great manipulator in this one, though. She ripped into Emolia and broke her down while she forced Kavanaugh to watch from the outside. As you could see by the look of shock on her face, I don't think she was expecting Jon to bust in and confess everything, but she was playing him, too, so she knew something was up. As crazy as the whole situation with the two of them went down, Jon seemed very at peace with himself after confessing, when he stated to Claudette, "At least I have Mackey out of my life. He's not my problem anymore, he's yours," and when he told Vic that it just wasn't his time and that "the universe will take out its trash when it's ready." Big props to Corinne as well, who established she had big cojones by outing Jon's advances in front of the whole barn. Family comes first, even when family is Vic Mackey.
Speaking of a big set of family jewels, it takes ones the size of boulders to go into the middle of a gang house, alone, with just one bullet. But Vic is determined to do anything to find Guardo Lima. So he goes in alone and tells the leader, "You and I are going to leave this basement together, or you and I are going to leave this life together." It must be nice having a friend who will go to this length to avenge your death, but Vic's pushing it so far that he's going to get himself killed. And really, what good would that be in finding Lem's murderer? Now Vic's going to kidnap Guardo's girlfriend Nadia, knowing he'll come back from Mexico to keep her safe. Shane keeps trying to get Vic to stop the madness, but he knows there's only one way and that's to tell Vic the truth. I just don't know how Shane can keep this in. It's still clearly bothering him and yet all he keeps telling Vic is to stop. Clearly, Vic is not going to stop until he gets Guardo, so if Shane or Ronnie are going to get him to back down, something else needs to happen, and quickly.
Not a mess of violence tonight, which is semi-unusual for
The Shield, but there
was so much drama. I for one am really going to miss the dialogue between Vic and Jon. I love the blood and guts, but the drama between the two of them is what made Season 5 so good and what's making Season 6 the best yet. Let's hope the loss of Forest Whitaker won't also mean the lost of quality. The promo for next week makes it looks like there'll be quite a scene with Vic, Shane and Guardo, so I'll cross my fingers that it delivers some violence and that the drama continues. And maybe "soon enough" Vic will be at peace again.
Until next week, friends.
