The Shield Forums

We already have the poll of Vic vs Jack, but which is the better television show?  To me, 24 is nothing more than a gimmick show.  How many times is this guy gonna have EXACTLY 24 hours to save the world?  I mean c'mon!  It is so freaking unrealistic!  One man constantly saving the world from a nuclear apocolypse.  Very few tv shows are realistic (even all those sitcoms where fat guys have incredibly hot wives).  Maybe it is unrealistic that Vic gets away with all his misdeeds.  You can qestion the fact that other characters would know this or catch on to that, but they don't try to make you believe that Vic travels from point A to point B in six minutes, when it take at least thirty!!!  The Shield actually does research on things they do.  The episode when Dutch wants to higher Mueller to help find the cuddler rapist, THAT DUDE ACTUALLY EXISTS!!!  I studied his books in my Police Studies classes in college.  Besides that, 24 has to kill of a character almost every episode to keep people interested.  The Shield hardly ever kills of main characters, but when they do...  HOLY F@&%ING SH*T DOES IT MAKE AN IMPACT!!  You don't tune in ever week wondering "who's gonna die tonight?" like with 24.  24 hours is a VERY short time span, when the hell does this guy take a dump, or just eat a freakin sandwich?!  I think the show would have been a lot better if not for the gimmick attachment.  That's something they did to grab viewers attention to something cool and new.  They could have done that the first season, then gave the others a chance to flourish with time, but they screwed up and named the show 24!!  Saving the world (or LA or whatever) takes more than twenty four hours.  The Shield can have one murder last like three or four episodes with a time span of weeks within the show, and still keep you engaged.  And THAT is realistic.  Giant problems aren't solved in a d*mn hour.

I like both shows but 24 is definitely running out of steam. Both shows have that edge of the seat quality but The Shield is far less contrived and melodramaic. The characters in The Shield are also far more human and believable so as far as The Shield Vs 24 goes, The shield wins it by a country mile.

I've only seen a few episodes of 24, but I think I pieced together enough info to know that Its highly unrealistic (some miht say the Shield is, but nuts to them). I fell asleep watching the second episode of the first season, and that was right after waking up on a saturday morning.

24 has always seemed like the most boring and annoying show ever to me. I never really watched anything past a couple of episodes. That said, that show has an enormous following, bigger than the Shield I think. Doubt it would have a huge following like that if it sucked.

I love 24, but this season has let me down a bit. The Shield, in my opinion is excellence in television. Kiefer is great as Jack, but Chiklis as Vic is to me a greater reach. I worked at ABC with Sales & Development in the years that The Commish was on and Michael Chiklis is a class act and nothing like Vic Mackey. What do you think about a cross-over situation with 24 and The Shield?

I love 24 (although this season has been a huge letdown) but The Shield has always been head and shoulders above. There's never been any doubt in my mind since the first episode - 24 is good, but The Shield is (and will always be) better. No doubt about it.

24 was a great show, now I feel that they are just throwing twists in there just so they can keep their reputation of having a lot of twists. Well, after 6 seasons of twists it's getting really old and they kill off characters for no reason at all (WHY TONY, WHY???). Plus the latest twist (Audrey) seemed so obvious I was hoping they wouldn't do it when Jack first found out she was "dead," well.. big surprise.. SHOCK... gasp... she's not dead.

On the other hand, The Shield is getting better and better. This season is definitely the best yet, and it's only 3 eps in!

It's a bit hard to compare because they really are not similar at all.  I think Sopranos VS Shield is better.  I personally like the Shield better than both 24 and Sopranos, but I watch those shows as well.  So far, The Shield has never let me down.  24 has become too predictable, and the Sopranos have some serious lag times in action.  The Shield is well balanced and right now the most intense show.

the shield is realistic in the way that, you think that this stuff doesnt happen, but then you question it for a second and think, maybe this kind of stuff does? like it questions what you know.. which is **** great.. 24 you always know will end with jack winning.. predictible

Yeah.  I'm sure 24 would win hands down in their forum.  But if people are true fans of both shows, as I am, and they are really honest with themselves, it's obvious The Shield is a better show.  Most people know 24 from the DVD's and apparently if you rent them you're so enthralled that you may stay up 24 hours.  However, The Shield is a better show.  Each season it gets better and better.  Now that I look back, Season One was my least favorite, but that's because each season after keeps blowing me away!!!  As the saying goes, slow and steady wins the race.  So, now that people are used to the gimmick of 24 and the forced plot twists and turns (anyone remember Kim!) The Shield has proven to be consistently good.  And consistency in tv is important, if you don't think so - watch The Sopranos.   

24 is a better show by a little. I only reason I love 24 is the action and real time. Shield is definitely better than the Sopranos.

The answer to this question is pretty self explanatory ofcourse.

Dharma & Gregg by miles.

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24 was great for the first 2 seasons. Now it's just the same thing over and over again.

We can all agree that Shield is a better show. Even though both shows are from Fox, 24 has a lot more money behind it. Its unfortunate because I would really love to see a couple of spin offs ala CSI. I would definitely see a feature film based on the Shield.