And The Shield ends

Tonight was the end of The Shield. There are a lot of things that can be said about the episode, far too many, but it’s too soon to say many of them I think. It would be unfair to comment as I think those that missed the episode will be looking forward to Tivo or a rerun that is sure to happen this weekend.

What I will say is the ending is unlike what you might expect, and far more conclusive than say the end of the Sopranos.

Beyond that I want to reflect on the series in general. It has been a tour de force in drama and an example of what can be done on cable television. It has expanded the formerly rote cop drama into something far more powerful and watchable. And that has to do with the reality the program brought to us.

For once we got a cop show that had a precinct that reflected the neighborhood in which it was situated. Unlike even Law & Order, which is diverse, but isolated as well with its focus on a handful of stars. Because this show had several major characters that were of color, police officers and not just primarily the criminals, and at levels of authority.

Perhaps for the first time, if ever on television, we were introduced to police officers that were White and corrupt. We saw a side of the police force that was real, if only a small portion in the real world. And I would bet that there are some in the nation that never bothered to watch the show just because they could not believe in a dishonest police, especially when they are White.

But honestly it wasn’t the race of any person on the show that mattered. It’s important because before this program there was the constant quota system of Hollywood, 1 person of color – normally a secondary character – and 1 woman. But after this show started there seemed to be a plethora of shows on cable that recognized that the world is populated by more than an overabundance of White men. So that is one thing that kept me coming back.

And the show hit on issues that no one touched before in a meaningful way. A gay Black cop, an Hispanic cop that has ambitions for political gain, a Black woman detective seeking the recognition of her years of work, a female cop that wanted to be taken seriously just for her abilities. And that was just in the first season. And only scratching the complexities of the characters at that.

That’s why we all tuned in week after week. Because the raw and honest interaction made sense. There was no quick answers, no ultimate resolutions at the end of a weekly hour-long episode. There were no absolute lines of right and wrong. And only in a place so real could a guy like Mackey thrive.

Well maybe not thrive. Because he is never off his guard. Never safe and happy. Never without a need to look over his back, or to make sure that he has everyone fearing for their private secrets he might expose. And all of that ate away at the man who had the plan.

Vic Mackey is real. He exists in police departments across the nation. And he is a hero, at times. Mostly because it serves his need. Mostly because it give him the freedom to move in the shadows and cracks that always exist in a job that deals with the worst of any society.

I liked this show because it was never safe. Cops got killed. People were betrayed. Tragedies happened at horrible times. And Near perfect plans blew up in people’s faces. It was more of a reality program than American Idol or Survivor, or any of those silly shows ever could be in their best moments.

Am I sad to see the program end? Yes. Do I think Vic Mackey needs to be in jail? It depends on the day and what he has just done. Because he is as much a cure as a poison to the community. Though his need to survive his own machinations makes him ever so much more lethal.

I will miss the honesty, and complexity of this program. I will miss seeing Michael Chiklis weave his emotions and intensity. I will miss the gray that seems to fail to be reflected in all the shows about the legal system supposedly based in reality. But if you missed the season end of the show I suggest you get a copy. Because it’s worth every minute. And the ending is just what I would expect, though I never expected it beforehand.

Tiger Woods: knee beats season

The announcement has been made – Tiger Woods will be out for the rest of the golf season. The PGA and multiple events are popping pills, knocking back drinks, and calling shrinks as I write.


After the amazing rally and win at the U.S. Open against Rocco Mediate, in sudden death on Monday, concerns over Tiger’s knee were rampant. And with good reason. The man was feeling pain at virtually every drive. In my opinion the only reason there was a playoff and a close event at the US Open was because of the recovering knee. A healthy Tiger Woods beats everyone when he wants to, by as much as he would like.

How big is this loss?

“The Tiger Effect has been with us so long now that it takes jolting events like Monday's U.S. Open playoff victory and Woods' relapsing knee to remind everyone of all the numerical impacts the man has. Besides booming TV numbers for NBC and ESPN, Woods also drove record-setting hits all over the Internet.”

Tiger Woods is perhaps the most capable athlete in the world at helping to move the U.S. economy. From ticket sales at events he appears at (influencing additionally airline tickets, hotels, restaurants, and various knick-knacks and impulse purchases at the events), advertising prices for coverage of golfing events on television and the internet, to sales of anything related to golf (clubs, clothing, golf balls, ect.) Tiger has an impact that does not have a real comparison.

And I have to wonder what happens if Tiger gets beat.

I don’t mean by another player. As uncommon as that may be, statistically it has to happen occasionally, we have seen it. I mean by his knee or any other potential injury while he is still young and early in his career. While I would hope this would never happen, injuries may be the only real opponent that Tiger has to face. And it’s the only opponent that realistically can prevent him from breaking every record the game has in place.

That would seriously hurt golf worldwide. Prize money at every event has increased since the first pro win by Tiger. Without his presence, other players might run higher in world ratings, but likely will make less money as interest wanes. Sales can decrease as the dream of competing with or playing with the living legend becomes fixed as just dreams. While perhaps a generation of kids will likely still stay involved with golf, the potential reach to new generations might end.

And millions lose a role model of poise under pressure, education, success, self-discipline, and moderation. Think about it, Tiger is the single most successful athlete in the world. No one makes his kind of money and has so little negative press. He is a good family man, without drug addictions or alcohol abuse, without scandals for fighting or paternity lawsuits. Hell, even the opponents he plays are grateful for the chance to compete with him – except for Fuzzy Zoeller – noting that he is the best around. Name another athlete, celebrity, or entertainer you hear competitors say that about.

So I’m not surprised that media sellers and the PGA are fearful. I can see how economists will have to make a (minor) adjustment to economic projections. And I can see that a whole sports industry is nervous about their futures.

Tiger is out for another season, and I hope it means he will be back healthy soon after. Because a world without Tiger Woods in the headlines detracts from everyone’s life in more ways than most ever imagine.

Where are the complaints, drugs and smoking - 3.6.2007.1

Well here is something I’d never thought I’d say, it may be a good thing most actors are White. Why in the world would I say that? Because of a recent study that has found that White teens are more likely to become smokers than African American teens. Let me get into the details of this a bit.

Given parameters of the study being equal, the more White teens watch R-rated movies and/or unsupervised television shows the more likely they were to smoke. The key cause of this is that there are almost as many scenes of smoking today as in the 1950’s. That’s important because, like any time since movies or television have existed, virtually all the characters are White. Thus impressionable teens take the lead from these characters and begin smoking as well, because they feel a deeper connection to the characters on-screen. [Mind you that any teen so weak willed as to do something because a character on TV does it has problems, in my opinion.]

I’ve commented several times in previous posts [Minorities, Television and 27 percent, German police and television programing - 10.05.2006.2] that the lack of diversity in television programming and theatrical movies is appalling. My own efforts to gauge the failure of diversity came up with roughly 2% of main characters in television being African American, Latino, Hispanic or any other minority. More official estimates claim that the diversity is a whopping 5% (though that value includes the number of minorities behind the scenes and not on-screen). I feel that movies are similar, though the behind the scenes crew-members are slightly higher (roughly 1-2% more). These ridiculous numbers have only one benefit, the fact that there are less Black, Hispanic, and minority teens starting smoking because of the visual images they are watching. [And an interesting aside is that I must conclude that they are far less impressionable and weak-willed.]

Now before anyone starts to freak out, whether in agreement of dissent, there is a problem that has far too readily featured African Americans recently – teens and parents teaching children to smoke pot. What is wrong with these people?

I have no doubt that there are White Americans that give their kids drugs (in fact I’m aware of a case out in this area where a mother was arrested for doing so, claiming it helped calm the kids down – idiot) but the media has made no bones about highlighting the YouTube video of the Black teens. The fact that this happens is insane. I’d rather see the teens smoking cigarettes. [But not sharing them with toddlers.]

What is happening to our society when people of any age think its ok to provide near babies with drugs. Because they can share this on the internet? Like this is a positive thing to do. As if it were ok for the teens to have the drugs in the first place. Where is the outrage from the NAACP and Rev. Al Sharpton or Rev. Jesse Jackson? Why hasn’t YouTube said that this is not condoned? Yes they were arrested but it shouldn’t have been possible in the first place.

I’m scared by the thought that if White teens can start smoking because of watching movies and television and identifying with the characters, what videos like this and others may cause in the Black community. Especially without the justified outrage they should inspire. Does it take a video of some teen doping a baby with heroin to get some reaction? And I’m not suggestion that this be done. If someone does that’s worth the death penalty in my opinion.

Neither of these things is good. There is no higher ground in either of these things. Everyone should be upset at all the aspects these 2 items display. And something should be done to prevent this from happening again. Not just editing or censoring the offenses, but active action to prevent this behavior.

[I feel I must mention that I am a smoker. I started in college and it had nothing to do with television or movies. I try to never smoke in front of children, or my mother for that matter. I do not recommend anyone to start smoking. I do not do drugs and wish that on no one.]

This is what I think, what do you think?