Television Review: Chasing Ghosts (The Shield, S6X06, 2007)

Chasing Ghosts (S06E06)

Airdate: 8 May 2007

Written by: Shawn Ryan & Adam E. Fierro
Directed by: Frank Darabont

Running Time: 49 minutes

In the unforgiving and claustrophobic landscape of Shawn Ryan’s Farmington, no secret remains buried for long. This is a universe where information is the ultimate currency and revelation is a constant threat, yet the fallout of these revelations rarely results in the apocalyptic upheaval that more conventional television dramas typically employ. Instead, the consequences are often mundane, lingering, and painfully real, creating a sense of grounded despair that defines the series. Chasing Ghosts, the sixth episode of the sixth season and a script co-written by Shawn Ryan and Adam E. Fierro, serves as a quintessential example of this unique brand of storytelling. It is a tight, character-driven piece that prioritises psychological erosion over dramatic explosions, delivering a narrative that is as much about the ghosts of the past as it is about the crimes of the present.

The narrative weight of this episode is carried by the lingering trauma of the last season’s closing event. The season concluded with Shane ending the life of his partner, a veteran Strike Team member and one of his closest friends. This was a betrayal that has since tortured Shane. The revelation that he was manipulated by paranoia, misunderstandings, and his own deteriorating mental state has turned him into a nervous wreck, a dysfunctional shell of the man he once was. The narrative tension builds slowly, with the dam threatening to break. Less than half a season later, and in the previous episode, Lem finally broke down, confessing his crime to his wife, Mara. With one person privy to the secret, the inevitability of the truth spreading to the wider community becomes a foregone conclusion.

One of the first casualties of this inevitable truth is Vic Mackey, the show’s central figure. For weeks, Vic has been driven by a desperate, single-minded need for revenge. He tortured and executed Salvadoran drug king Guardo, believing he had finally found Lem’s killer. However, new information from federal sources reveals that Guardo was innocent, a tragic mistake that Vic refuses to let derail him. Undeterred, he launches his own investigation, a course of action that proves fruitless and increasingly desperate. He even resorts to visiting Antwon Mitchell, his gang lord archnemesis, to fish for information from inside prison. The encounter is tense, but it yields nothing. Just as Vic begins to accept that the killer might never be caught, Ronnie, with no other alternatives left, casually mentions Shane’s name.

Vic pursues this line of investigation reluctantly, clinging to the hope that he is wrong. However, the cold logic he applies as a detective leaves him with no choice but to accept the devastating truth. After informing Ronnie that Shane is innocent, Vic arranges a private meeting to confront his former partner. Shane, having already established a precedent of confession with Mara, admits his deed with surprising ease. What follows is not a moment of remorse, but one of defiance. Shane accuses Vic of hypocrisy, dragging up the killing of fellow officer Terry Crowley to remind Vic that he is no saint. Vic, who has already contemplated killing Shane in a previous confrontation, cannot bring himself to do it. He simply leaves the meeting in disgust, the silence between them speaking louder than any shout.

While the Strike Team’s internal dynamics unravel, the fallout of these revelations begins to erode what little is left of Vic’s family life. Cassidy, who has been his most loyal daughter until this point, begins to act out with hostility after learning that Vic fathered a son with Danny Sofer. The betrayal cuts deep, as it threatens to replace her with a new sibling she never asked for. In a desperate attempt to salvage his family unit, Vic tries to come clean, arranging a meeting between Cassidy and Danny and allowing his daughter to see her new baby stepbrother for the first time. It is a noble, if somewhat naive, attempt to paper over the cracks in his personal life.

Meanwhile, the Strike Team is tasked with a case that, under normal circumstances, would be a routine murder investigation suitable for Dutch and Billings. A young woman named Emily Martin is found stabbed to death in a "problematic" part of Farmington. What makes this case particularly delicate is that she is the daughter of Robert Martin (Michael Bofshever), the city controller responsible for LAPD finances. Aceveda wants the case solved quickly and quietly to avoid embarrassment for the bereaved family. This leads to the discovery that Emily was a heroin addict who prostituted herself and was killed by her boyfriend and pimp, Snail (Kyle Davis). The investigation reveals the gritty reality of Emily’s life, contrasting sharply with the high-stakes political maneuvering of her father.

The episode also features a return to the fold in the form of Officer Tina Hanlon. Despite her status as the poster girl for the LAPD due to her striking looks, it becomes clear that she loves the actual work of policing too much to be just a pretty face. She is partnered with Sergeant Danny Sofer as a mentor, a dynamic that allows Dutch another opportunity to pursue his romantic interests, further highlighting the diverse motivations and personalities within the precinct.

The episode was directed by Frank Darabont, one of the most renowned filmmakers to have ever worked on the series. While the episode has its moments—routinely efficient scenes of raiding and shooting, and Vic’s graphic and efficient discovery of a suburban mom's drug abuse—the true highlight is undoubtedly the acting. The episode culminates in an end scene that features another intense confrontation, showcasing Michael Chiklis and Walton Goggins at their absolute best. The chemistry between the two actors is palpable, conveying years of history, resentment, and a grudging respect that words alone cannot express.

This confrontation is the crux of the episode's critical value. On most other shows, such a devastating secret being revealed would result in a dramatic shootout, with Vic or Shane, or perhaps even both, dead or in jail. However, Shawn Ryan, despite his formulaic tendencies, insists on proving that The Shield is his own series with his own rules. Therefore, despite the terrible secret being revealed, the aftermath is prolonged, anticlimactic, and messy. It mimics real life all too well, where trauma does not resolve itself in a single, satisfying act of vengeance but lingers in the silence of a car ride or the cold stare of an ex-partner.

Finally, the episode offers a moment of meta-commentary through the casting of Autumn Chiklis, the daughter of Michael Chiklis. Now grown up and playing her fictional counterpart, she is given an expanded role that allows her to demonstrate some acting skills. While many fans of The Shield had previously complained about her abilities, this episode gives her a platform to prove her worth, adding a personal layer to the show's legacy. Chasing Ghosts is a great example of understated drama, proving that sometimes the quietest moments are the most devastating.

RATING: 7/10 (+++)

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