Long gone are the days when television shows presented slices of life in simple black and white. In watching the television programs of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s – indeed, into the 80s and 90s as well – there tended to be a clear divide between the honorable and dishonorable characters ... between the good buys and the bad guys. When The Shield hit the airwaves, it was clear that a transformation in television had occurred. From The Shield season one it became clear that ambiguity was the order of the day and the lines between right and wrong, good and bad were not always particularly clear cut. Indeed, within individual characters in the show itself – as can be easily illustrated in The Shield box set of DVDs – there can be good and bad blended together in a believable and sometimes alarming manner.

The Shield actually became controversial in its portrayal of corrupt law enforcement officers. On some level it was this controversy that both drove more viewers to the program but that perhaps also contributed to what some industry observers believe was a premature death of the show as far as original episodes and broadcasts were concerned.

Thanks to The Shield box set, fans of the show are able to relive the exciting, dramatic and compelling episodes that made the show famous in a rather short period of time. Moreover, with The Shield complete set of DVDs, those people who did not have the occasion or opportunity to watch the show it is first run can enjoy all episodes from The Shield season one until its last season of original shows.

Recognizing that The Shield engendered controversy, this did not dissuade some of the best known actors in Hollywood from joining the cast of the show. For example, both Glenn Close and Forest Whittaker – Oscar winners both – played major roles on The Shield.

The premise of The Shield is that the LAPD established an experimental division which operated out of an old church. The officers in this division were designate the Strike Team. In the final analysis, these police officers literally would stop an nothing to bring what has been described at their “own brand of justice” to the streets of Los Angeles. Any of the episodes on any individual The Shield DVD illustrates many times illegal and certainly unethical conduct of the characters that populate this fictional police department division. Indeed, more than a few people viewing any of The Shield DVD selections very well may find themselves with jaws dropping.