The Shield/Postpartum

Postpartum
Season 5, Episode 11
Airdate	March 21, 2006
Production Number	5012-05-511
Written by	Adam E. Fierro & Shawn Ryan
Directed by	Stephen Kay
← 5x10 Of Mice and Lem	SP → Wins and Losses
The Shield — Season Five

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Postpartum is the eleventh episode of the fifth season of The Shield, and the sixty-fifth episode overall.

Starring: Michael Chiklis (Detective Vic Mackey), Catherine Dent (Officer Danielle "Danny" Sofer), Walton Goggins (Detective Shane Vendrell), Michael Jace (Officer Julien Lowe), Kenneth Johnson (Detective Curtis "Lemonhead" Lemansky), Jay Karnes (Detective Holland "Dutch" Wagenbach), Benito Martinez (Councilman David Aceveda), Cathy Cahlin Ryan (Corrine Mackey), David Rees Snell (Detective Ronnie Gardocki)

and CCH Pounder (Captain Claudette Wyms)

Guest Starring: Forest Whitaker (Lieutenant Jon Kavanaugh), Ally Walker (Tori Burke), David Marciano (Detective Steve Billings), Paula Garces (Officer Tina Hanlon), Onahoua Rodriguez (Emolia Melendez), Ammar Daraiseh (Gilbos Arkelian), Jordi Caballero (Aldo Melchor)

and Laura Harring (Rebecca Doyle)

Co-Starring: Melanie Myers (Paula), Yul Spencer (Spank), Lance Irwin (Agent Gallagher), David Batiste (Kyle), James Molina (Julio), Autumn Chiklis (Cassidy), Bon Ogle (George), Leeah D. Jackson (Haley), Kwesi Boakye (Wendell)

Uncredited: Matthew Polino (Tejado), Mike Cochrane (Perp in Cage)

Plot Overview

The Strike Team use Emolia's intel to try to find the Salvadorian importing grenades, all while trying to secure Lem a new life in Mexico. However, when he approaches Rebecca about a new deal, it threatens to creates a new snare for the Strike Team.

Dutch is paired up with Billings to follow up on a woman who was attacked, but soon discover she's actually a prostitute.

Arc Advancement

Happenings

• Dutch files for a transfer, but Claudette denies it so he can work on investigating Lem's murder.

Characters

• Claudette officially takes over as Captain.

• Billings is demoted back to detective and paired up with Dutch.

• Shane tells Lem that Mara is pregnant again.

• Shane kills Lem with one of the Salvadorian grenades, but tells no one.

• Dutch attempts to use the teachings of the pimp on Tina.

• When Danny and Vic are alone, their exchange implies that he's the baby's father.

Trivia

Memorable Moments

• Shane drops a grenade into Lem's car. However, it doesn't immediately kill him and Shane sobs as he tells Lem he's sorry and that he had to do it.

• At the site of Lem's body, Kavanaugh asks Vic if he's happy, leading to the two to have a fight that sends on the ground before it's broken up.