Astonishing. ... The Shield did what network cop shows have lately abandoned: it created a richly imagined world with continuing story lines, driven by L.A.'s roiling racial politics--achieving a payoff far bigger than solving the murder of the week.

Wallops don't get more walloping than the one that arrives at the end of the premiere of FX's adult cop show The Shield. Won't tell you what it is, and don't you dare read other reviews in case they blab it. This is one of those punch-in-the-stomach moments of TV you'll want to remember being stunned by. Although The Shield looks pretty dang good to that point - or pretty %@$#! good, as its characters would swear - the show suddenly becomes flat-out brilliant. [12 Mar 2002, p.B27]

Everything goes (nudity, language, violence), but that's just the beginning; one-upping any overhyped "NYPD Blue"-like controversy over whether or not it's kosher to show someone's backside on TV, it's also a tour de force of assorted emotions, layered relationships and raw dialogue. [12 Mar 2002, p.4]

The best cop show of any recent season...It's not for everyone, but it is for anyone who still misses "Homicide" and thinks "NYPD Blue" long ago devolved into soap opera. [10 Mar 2002, p.F2]

Gritty, tough, no-holds barred television that feels more real than any other police drama on the air. It makes "NYPD Blue" look like a children's show. [10 Mar 2002, p.TV-5]

If you look past the sometimes strained pushing of the basic cable envelope (including a completely gratuitous breast shot), The Shield offers an interesting take on a familiar subject, one that boasts a great supporting turn from CCH Pounder as a smart cop who has seen it all.[12 Mar 2002, p.10D]

The Shield gives viewers so much Chiklis, it should be called "The Commish 2." The pilot opens with the unlikely scenario of the portly Chiklis chasing down a teenage drug dealer. It only gets worse...There may be rogue cops out there, but do they really announce to their precinct captains that they can't be controlled? It's hard to watch a show that stars such an unlikable character. [12 Mar 2002, p.41]

The Shield is simply astounding television. The writing, directing and acting are all sublime. Most of the time you forget you're watching a tv show. A cop show has never been so realistic especially in it's portrayal of inner city gangs and the influence they have on the police department. For many people, The Wire holds this crown but The Shield is far, far more personal. With one continuous story-line from the first episode to the last, the main protagonist being the antagonist, and the unfolding of an absolute breathtaking (and heartbreaking) finale, The Shield has it all. And with it now being on Netflix, you don't have an excuse to miss it. If you do, you will regret it.

Absolutely phenomenal! The Shield is the best show i have watched since the end of season one of True Detective! Everything is perfectly executed whether it be the characters, the stories, or the cliff hanger endings! It's all absolutely flawless! This is without a doubt what will hold me over until season two of True Detective arrives! Do yourself a favor, if didn't catch this show while it was running, go buy the series! I promise you won't regret it!

Just got done watching all 7 seasons of this show, and to me it was the most compelling tv I've ever watched. My biggest problem was the last 10 mins (of the last show)... it literally destroyed my whole opinion of 7 seasons. The characterization was so crisp and expertly wound, that you almost 'felt' for the characters, rooted for the bad guys, and thought strongly about the things that you'd seen. What they did in the end... the choices that they made... were so upsetting to me, that I was almost 'heart broken' that I was was roped into the show for so long. Very upsetting...

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

this is an amazing **** was my favorite show until breaking bad came **** all of the people who love this show, i highly recommend breaking bad.