The Shield

Kavanaugh

Season 5, Episode 8, Aired 2/28/06

Episode Summary

Kavanaugh seeks the help of Antwon Mitchell in his ongoing quest to take down the Strike Team. In the midst of this, Kavanaugh has a lot on his mind as his ex-wife reenters the picture, and he reluctantly agrees to let Vic send Emolia undercover to infiltrate a Salvadoran gang that is stockpiling grenades.moreless

9.5

EPISODE RATING: Superb

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Cast & Crew

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Walton Goggins

Detective Shane Vendrell
Michael Jace

Officer Julien Lowe
Michael Chiklis

Detective Vic Mackey

Fan Episode Reviews (11)

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A real surprise

9.9

"Superb"

By Ishmaelbbc, Dec 26, 2010 Report Abuse

After I have been following season 5 with interest but most of the time without the greatest enthusiasm, this episode really caught me by surprise. What a great episode it was, extremly well written, acted and directed, certainly the best episode of this season and one of the best episodes of the whole show.

Forest Withaker finally got to show what he is really capable of, which I think is great, after the somewhat odd performance he delivered up to now. Now, in this episode, he finally gets to go beyond his (till now) slightly underwritten character. To center the episode around him was a great idea all by itself and it was that kind of innovative narrative that I have been missing in "The Shield" during the last episodes and probably even last season.

This episode, finally, delivered everything I expect from "The Shield", interesting, if somewhat cruel, cases, surprises and twists, great acting from all the actors, refreshing storytelling with thought-out plot development and a huge amount of tension.

Finally, my hopes are up again.moreless

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6 0
Beware of the rage of Kavanaugh

9.9

"Superb"

By ncmendes, Dec 26, 2010 Report Abuse

Man, this episode was awesome!!!
Forest Whitaker finally makes a breath-taking performance...
The scene after he finds out that Mackey and Lem were watching his conversation.....WOW!!!
But also during the episode, the fact that he constant duels with dealing with his ex ans with the strike team is awesome....
And what the hell did Mackey said to Emolia?
I\'m gonna watch now the next episode, but I had to write the review to this great episode...moreless

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3 0
I don't think I've given any episode a perfect score of 10- yet. But if they keep this up, I'll have no choice. This is as close to perfection as it gets.moreless

9.7

"Superb"

By rockin01, Sep 23, 2007 Report Abuse

An explosive entry, in every sense of the word. Vic and the Team go into action to get a shipment of grenades off the street, and Kavanaugh is along for the ride because Emolia is working undercover assembling the grenades. In a crazy turn of events, Lem ends up saving Kavanaugh's life as the bust goes down- and Vic gets a few seconds of quality time with Emolia, who I.A.D. has been keeping sequestered, apparently trying to persuade her not to testify against Lem.
So, do you think Kavanaugh lightens up on the investigation? Not our boy- he continues to turn the screws, and he even gets Dutch to share his suspicions about the Team's involvement in the money train heist. But, as Vic finds out, Kavanaugh has a weakness- his mentally ill ex-wife, who lands in trouble for making a false report of a rape. So, do you think Kavanaugh lets her off the hook? Not our boy- he sends her to the looney bin. What a wonderful guy. But wait- it gets worse. Enraged when he finds out that Mackey overheard his embarassing confrontation with his ex, Kavanaugh finally arrests Lem- and even worse, he makes a fateful deal with Antwon that places Vic and the Team in mortal danger if they are convicted. World-class acting, writing and direction. This may be the best season of The Shield yet.moreless

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2 0
One of the best episodes of ANY tv series EVER!

9.9

"Superb"

By NotAmerican, Apr 11, 2007 Report Abuse

This episode, with the writing of Kavanaugh and his wife's dialouge, the direction of the scene between them in the interrogation room, coupled with the complete reversal of Kavanaugh's personality when he finds out Mac & Lem are watching him and his wife. Kavanaugh goes from a guy who's buying birthday gifts and doing (in his mind) everything he can for Lem after Lem saved his life, to humiliating and destroying Lem to the extent of his abilities. Like I said in the summary, this is one of the best episodes of ANY tv show EVER. I'm so glad I saw it on DVD, because commercials would of ruined it. There's only a few others like this - the episode of Homicide where the guy who played Terry on the Shield is going to kill himself; on Sopranos when they confront Big P***y about being a rat; Ren & Stimpy's Space Madness; the final episode of Twin Peaks...probably a few others I can't think of right now. TV at its best.

-akmoreless

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5 0
Kavanaugh agrees to allow an informant to work with Mackey and his strike team. At the same time Kavanaugh makes a deal with Antwon Mitchell in order to get the information he needs to put Mackey and his team behind bars.moreless

8.5

"Great"

By meathead704, Apr 19, 2006 Report Abuse

I said in a review of a previous episode that there really isn't much difference at all between Mackey and Kavanaugh. This episode futher supports my opinion. Kavanaugh has made a deal with a criminal as Mackey and his team has done in the past. Kavanaugh knows that he will send Mackey and his team to their deaths when they go to the prison cell block occupied by Mitchell. Mackey has set up a police officer to be killed. Neither man is different from the other, so nobody can claim to be the good cop.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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Trivia
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Notes
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- International Airdates: Australia: January 21, 2008 on Network 10 The Netherlands: January 30, 2008 on Veronica Finland: August 4, 2008 on Nelonen Edit
- Actress, Gina Torres is best known for her role as Zoe Washburne in the series, Firefly which she reprised in the 2005 movie, Serenity. She also had a recurring role as Jasmine, the main villain (the big bad) in Season 4 of Angel where Shawn Ryan, the creator/exec. producer of The Shield was a writer and producer. Edit
- Benito Martinez (David Aceveda) and CCH Pounder (Claudette Wyms) do not appear in this episode. Edit
Quotes
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- Kavanaugh: There are rules. Sadie: Then break one. Kavanaugh: What I do is stop cops from breaking the rules. I can't stop them if I can't stop myself. Sadie: Then try bending one just once. Kavanaugh: I'm an Internal Affairs Lieutenant. That's, that's who I am. Edit
- Kavanaugh: No wonder these guys get away with murder, the Captain's more concerned with the sandwich machine than he is with personnel. Edit
- Kavanaugh: I never authorized the use of a wire. Vic: Well I know how much you love them. Figured I try one for a change. Edit
Allusions
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