The Shield creator and executive producer Shawn Ryan had announced in May that he was unsure if he would be doing another season of the show that stars Michael Chiklis as tough cop Vic Mackey. After weeks of wondering, fans can now rest easy. There will actually be two new seasons of the gritty FX show. Well, sort of.
Ryan has confessed, “The writers and I weren’t quite ready to step away from these characters just yet. We asked FX for an additional 13 episodes to conclude the show properly and, as always, the network graciously let us do what we thought was best for the show.”
As a result, the ten Shield episodes that are currently in production, which many expected to be part of the current season (season five), will now be delayed until 2007 and called season six. Season five guest Forest Whitaker (as Internal Affairs detective Jon Kavanaugh) will appear in some of the season six episodes.
Then, production will begin on the final 13 Shield episodes (season seven) in the summer of 2007 and will be released presumably in late 2007/early 2008. The two final seasons will bring the episode count of the FX original and award-winning series to a total of 88.
Said FX president John Landgraf, “It has been the privilege of everyone at FX to work with Shawn Ryan, Michael Chiklis and their colleagues on The Shield. It has always been our intent to have the show exit television as it entered, as one of the best drama series ever. We’re thrilled Shawn has come up with a great way to end the series and that it will require one final season for his vision to reach completion.”
So, will that be the end of Mackey’s rule-breaking exploits? Could there be TV-movies? Hard to say. The series is FX’s first original series and has proven to be very popular, attracting a high-viewership (especially considering it’s only available to cable and satellite subscribers) as well as multiple award nominations and wins. With that in mind, I can’t help wondering if we might see Shield stories, in some form, for a long time to come.
Side note: For an interesting story on how Michael Chiklis got the role of Vic Mackey, click here. 
I heard in june of 07 i can’t wait.
I believe it starts on April 3rd. If I hear any differently, I’ll post it.
When does season 6 start?
When does the new episode begin in 2007?
Please advise
It’s been way to long since the Sheild has aired. Now I find out it’s going to be over in the next year or so. The greatest police/detective drama show of all time bar none. To be a fan is heartbreaking at least. Great when the show is on, but it makes you wonder why you are loyal to a television channel when they take away the essance of the television show you are preparing to watch each and ever weeek. The sacrifices I have made for this great show and network now seem to be in vein. Leading you… Read more »
IMO better finish a TV show after great 7 seasons, rather than make 20 crappy seasons. It is a fact that TV shows get silly and quite idiotiq when they make too many episodes, like MacGyver that was a good show for a few years (atleast in my opinion) but after that it got strange.
This is an incredible show. One of the best written, directed, and acted in recent years. Kudos to FX Network for having the balls to create this.
More Please!!
From a U.K. fan. The best TV Drama ever. Equal in quality, characters, acting etc to the God Father. Usually it is the actors who walk away to start afresh somewhere else, maybe cash in on their reputation? Lets hope something can save it beyond season 6 or 7 which will be shorter seasons anyway.
When does season 6 start?
Well I’m from Estonia and there are many fans of this great show here too and I can’t wait to see season 6!
I LOVE TO ALWAYS WATCH “THE SHIELD ALL THE TIME. I HAVE THE FRIST FOUR SEASONS ON D.V.D. DOES ANYONE KNOW WHEN THE FIFTH SEASON IS COMEING OUT? i ALSO THINK THAT MICHEAL CHIKLIS IS A VERY GOOD LOOKING MAN. I ALSO AGREE WITH RANDY, THIS WOULD BE A VERY BAD MOVE TO TAKE THIS SHOW OFF THE AIR. IT IS THE BEST SHOW ON. I LOOK FORWARD THE WATCHING IT ALL THE TIME. PLEASE DON’T MAKE A BAD MOVE AND TAKE THIS SHOW OKK THER AIR. WHEN THE SHIELD IS ON BREAK I WATCH ALLMY D.V.D’S OVER AND OVER.… Read more »
Rebel… you are an idiot. How the hell would a fan of a TV show be better prepared for terrorism? A strong dose of reality from a fictional TV show? You are probably retarded. Maybe you’re high… I hope thats the case. Is the looming threat of terrorsism really freaking you out that much? Get a life… The Shield is awesome but all good things must come to an end, and no half-wit with a retarded arguement is going to change that.
DO NOT DISCONTINUE ‘THE SHIELD’!!! America needs a dose of reality with the looming threat of terrorism. I believe a devout viewer of The Shield would have a better chance of dealing with terrorism in real time. Why you ask??? ‘Cause you can’t negotiate with the baddies and you ‘gotta be as bad as the baddies.
This is a bad move for FX.THIS IS THE BEST COP SHOW THAT HAS EVER BEEN ON TV.THE RATINGS ARE GOOD,SO WHY TAKE A GOOD SHOW OFF THE AIR?EVERY BODY I TALK TO CAN’T WAIT FOR THE NEXT SEASON.THERE AT LEAST SHOULD BE MORE EPISODES LIKE THE MAJOR NETWORKS DO.THIS SHOW IS AS GOD OR BETTER THAN 24, AND THEY ARE STILL GOING STRONG.THERE RATING ARE ALMOST IDENTICAL.SO WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?SOME ONE PLEASE REPLY????????