Could The Shield make a comeback? Recently, creator Shawn Ryan spoke with Entertainment Weekly about possibly revisiting the FX series.
The cop drama starred Michael Chiklis as Detective Vic Mackey, the leader of a corrupt LAPD unit dubbed the “Strike Team.” The cast also included Catherine Dent, Walton Goggins, Michael Jace, Jay Karnes, Benito Martinez, CCH Pounder, Cathy Cahlin Ryan, and David Rees Snell. The series ran on FX for seven seasons before ending in 2008.
In honor of the show’s 15th anniversary, Ryan spoke with EW about the origin and legacy of The Shield. When asked if he’d be interested in a reboot, Ryan said it was “tricky”:
It’s interesting, Jay Karnes and Michael Chiklis were over at our house [Ryan’s wife Cathy Cahlin Ryan played Vic’s ex-wife Corrine] a week ago, so it turned into a lot of reminiscing. We’ve all sort of worked and we’ve all enjoyed things we’ve done, but The Shield was a singular pleasure to do. To me, it’s hard not to want to recapture that feeling we all had when we were making the show. But nostalgia is a tricky thing. You’d also like the feel the nostalgia of being back in college or when you first feel in love with your wife.
I was reading an interview with Joss Whedon about the 20th anniversary of Buffy, and he addressed this a little bit and I agree — you can’t recreate the time and experience of first seeing it. I’m of two minds: Something that would bring me back to all those friends, feelings, and the freedom we had making the show — I would love. I do think the ending is such a high bar and I would only come back if I thought we could beat that or exceed that, and I honestly don’t know if we could. Artistically, I’m in the camp of leaving it there.”
However, Ryan did say that there is always the possibility of more:
There was a time a few years after The Shield ended, where I was having some talks with Fox’s movie division about something Shield-related. I had a pitch and what intrigued me about that pitch is that for the first 30 to 40 minutes of the movie, you wouldn’t meet anyone from The Shield universe. Then, at a certain point, Vic Mackey comes in to the main character’s world. That to me at least felt like I wasn’t just trying to make two more episodes of The Shield, it felt like something new and different that could stand on its own and wouldn’t detract from the show’s legacy. For various reasons, that never happened and now, any momentum for that is probably gone. I never want to close the door to it continuing in some way, but I never want to give unnecessary hope to the fans. I don’t know what the future holds. I’ve never definitively decided what Vic Mackey is doing now. As a fan of The Shield, I am interested in seeing that.”
What do you think? Did you watch The Shield? Would you watch a reboot or revival?
I would love to see a movie follow-up yo tie up some loose ends.
I’m rewatching the entire series right now.
I was the admin of a fan site (The Shieldrap.com) and was lucky enough to visit the set during filming–three times. Everyone involved with the show was so friendly and so down to earth, from the actors to the production crew, I couldn’t believe it! Great people!!
In all my 48 years of TV watching, The Shield is still the GREATEST show I’ve ever seen. Screw The Soprano or Game of Thrones. This show was gritty and realistic. I remember when watching the preview for the next week’s episode: “I can’t wait for next Tuesday”. That doesn’t happen for a lot of shows. It was phenomenal. Shane is dead, so obviously he can’t return. And Michael Jace “probably” can’t make it…ya know, seeing as how he’s locked up for murder and all. Everyone else could return though.
I would watch a reboot.. I was floored when Shane took his and his families lives.
How about a reboot of Commish? 🙂 Kidding. Chiklis and the rest of the cast are so good, rebooting would be so difficult without those whose characters are gone. I think a prequel would be great, seeing how things came to be, but the technical issues of doing it for a show already 10 years past the finale would be significant. The Shield Finale is such a work of art, I think it would be a crime to retouch it. Shawn says he hasn’t definitively decided what Vic Mackey is doing now, but in my mind, I have, and it’s… Read more »
Season 6 disk 4 @ 0340 hrs on a Sunday night with 5 kids to get up for school in the am, working my way to the suit and tie prison once again for the 5th time or so. SMH LOL Hell yes I’d like to see a comeback! I’m sure it would be hard to push it above and beyond this amazing series but, its obvious this genius is more than capable! Just like anything in life, always leave them wanting more!
I’d be thrilled to see The Shield make a come back!
I loved the Shield and would definitely watch a remake. Chiklis was great to watch.
I watched The Shield and would love a comeback. Please make it happen.zk3D
No! Police have a bad enough image
So what!? Fictional cops are the best kind because they can’t arrest you and you get a closer look at their private lives. Cops have ALWAYS had a bad image to anyone who has been arrested or victimized. Most people think all Police are superheroes because they have flown under the radar or had a pampered life…or they are just softer than baby ****. We saw last night (Detroit) what happens to real life Vic Mackies. Can’t wait to see the comeback, not a f*cking remake