The Shield/Pilot

Pilot
Season 1, Episode 1
Airdate	March 12, 2002
Production Number	5012-01-179
Written by	Shawn Ryan
Directed by	Clark Johnson
— N/A	1x02 → Our Gang
The Shield — Season One

Pilot is the first episode of the first season of The Shield.

Starring: Michael Chiklis (Detective Vic Mackey), Catherine Dent (Officer Danielle "Danny" Sofer), Reed Diamond (Detective Terry Crowley), Walton Goggins (Detective Shane Vendrell), Michael Jace (Officer Julien Lowe), Jay Karnes (Detective Holland "Dutch" Wagenbach), Benito Martinez (Captain David Aceveda)

and CCH Pounder (Detective Claudette Wyms)

Guest Starring: Kenneth Johnson (Detective Curtis "Lemonhead" Lemansky), Tamlyn Tomita (Wanda Higoshi), Jim Ortlieb (Dr. Benard Grady), Max Perlich ("Ponyboy" Harris), Ricki Lopez (Miguel Michael), Michael Reid MacKay (Monty), Jamie Brown (Connie Riesler)

Co-Starring: Denis Forest (Lonnie Reborg), Brian Boone (George Sawyer)

Co-Starring (end credits): Cathy Cahlin Ryan (Corrine Mackey), Jodie L. Gullett (Booty), Jeremiah W. Birkett (Hooper), Michael Auteri (Sergeant Peterson), Page Kennedy (Lamar Tilton), Amy Bollenbacher (Fran), Juan Garcia (Moses Hernandez), Andrea Marcellus (Janet), Yancey Arias (Jose Garcia), Brooklyn McLinn (Dmitri), Chelsey Cole (Jenny)

Uncredited: David Rees Snell (Detective Ronnie Gardocki), Jay Lynch (Two-Time)

Plot Overview

An anti-gang unit named the Strike Team ready to take down a big drug dealer and decide to bring their newest member along, unaware that he is an informant for new Captain Aceveda who is looking to take down the alleged crooked team and pave a way for his political career.

Detectives Dutch and Wyms try to find the daughter of a murdered woman who was sold by father for drugs.

Notes

Music

• Moby - "Graciosa"

• Los Lobos - "Maricela"

• Monster Magnet - "God Says No"

• Stephen Edwards - "Alleluia Melisma"

• The Mexakinz - "La Plaga"

• Megatrax - "Ponle Cadera"

• Nick Pantell - "Something's Coming"

• Stevie Wonder - "Higher Ground"

• Kid Rock - "Bawitdaba"

Trivia

The Show

• During its airing, the intensity was preserved by not having a commercial break until the 30 minute mark.

• The only episode in which Kenneth Johnson is credited as a guest star and Reed Diamond as a main cast member.

Memorable Moments

• In a defining moment of both the show and of the character, Vic takes Two-Time's gun and uses it shoot and kill new Strike Team member Terry Crowley.

Goofs

• The body of Nancy Reborg is completely nude in the first shot we see of her, but in a couple of shots, the first following Danny coming into the room and then after Dutch leaves, there is a visible white cloth on her.

Quotes

• Aceveda: It doesn't bother you, the things he does?

Wyms: I don't judge other cops.

Aceveda: Mackey's not a cop. He's Al Capone with a badge.

Wyms: Al Capone made money by giving people what they wanted. What people want these days is to make it to their cars without getting mugged. Come home from work, see their stereo is still there. Hear about some murder in the barrio find out the next day the police caught the guy. If having all those things means some cop roughs up some nigger or some spic in the ghetto, well, as far as most people are concerned, it's don't ask, don't tell.

• Dr. Bernard Grady: Your turn to play bad cop?

Vic: No. Good cop and bad cop left for the day. I'm a different kind of cop.