Television Review: Recoil (The Shield, S6X09, 2007)

Recoil (S06E09)

Airdate: 29 May 2007

Written by: Sarah Fain, Elizabeth Craft and Adam E. Fierro
Directed by: Guy Ferland

Running Time: 45 minutes

The sixth season of The Shield is defined by a singular, corrosive motif: the catastrophic failure to maintain confidentiality. In Recoil, the ninth and penultimate instalment of the season, this motif reaches its zenith. While television convention dictates that the season finale serves primarily as a narrative mop-up, the penultimate episode is traditionally reserved for the most jarring revelations. Recoil adheres to this structure, stripping away the narrative fat to deliver the hard blows that define the season's arc.

The central conflict of the episode revolves around Vic Mackey and the inexorable march of his retirement. With exactly five days remaining before he is forced off the force, Vic is operating with the desperation of a cornered animal. His Strike Team successor, Detective Hiatt, views this transition as an opportunity to ascend to the mantle of leadership, a shift Vic is desperately attempting to sabotage through sheer force of will. Vic believes that solving the San Marcos murders will serve as his golden ticket, a demonstration of competence that might persuade Captain Claudette Wyms and City Controller Robert Marin to intervene. However, both remain unmoved by his pleas. Marin, despite the leverage of his own daughter's shady past, refuses to use his political capital to save Vic's job. He recognises that Vic has cultivated a vast network of enemies, extending far beyond the precinct walls, making his survival a matter of political calculus rather than merit. The system has turned against him, and no amount of tactical brilliance can reverse the bureaucracy's inevitable decision.

The investigation into the San Marcos murders, initially intended as a lifeline for Vic, instead becomes the noose that tightens around his neck. The arrest of Rincon (Vinicius Machado), a Salvadoran implicated in the killings, opens a Pandora's box involving wealthy businessmen and politicians on both sides of the border. Cruz Pezuela, a construction entrepreneur, emerges as a pivotal figure. His sudden interest in the case and willingness to facilitate the investigation betray a deeper anxiety: he fears the exposure of his own corrupt associates. Pezuela attempts to curry favour with Aceveda, suggesting that keeping Vic in the LAPD would be a mutually beneficial arrangement. When Aceveda, currently positioning himself for a mayoral run, rebuffs this overture, Pezuela deploys his nuclear option. He produces a damning photograph of Aceveda fellating Juan Lozano at gunpoint. This image is not merely a piece of evidence; it is a perfect weapon of blackmail, capable of derailing Aceveda's political aspirations instantly.

Simultaneously, Shane Vendrell is orchestrating a complex power play within the Armenian community. His goal is to secure an alliance with Diro Kesakhian, ensuring her succession to the mob leadership. The primary obstacle is Ellis Rezian (Ludwig Manukian), a gang boss controlling the lucrative port smuggling operations. Shane brings Diro to Barn, posing her as an unwitting accountant who stumbled upon financial irregularities. This ruse brings Ronnie Gardocki into the fold, though reluctantly, as he reunites with his former partner to dismantle Rezian. The dynamic shifts when Shane, in a moment of candour, admits his role in the Armenian money train heist. Diro’s reaction—neither shock nor disgust—signals a shift in the power balance. The two begin to plot, contemplating whether to eliminate Vic as the next step in their ascent.

Recoil is a product of the writing team Sarah Fain, Elizabeth Craft, and Adam E. Fierro. They manage to weave together these disparate threads into a cohesive tapestry of revelation. The episode establishes plot strands that suggest a potential continuation of the series or, conversely, a resolution so intricate that it demands exceptional writing to satisfy. Vic now possesses the blackmail leverage to remain in the LAPD, yet his life is simultaneously imperilled by the exposure of his involvement in the Armenian affair. Director Guy Ferland handles these momentous developments with a restrained, business-like efficiency. He eschews the sensationalist violence that characterised previous seasons, allowing the actors to convey the tension through performance rather than action choreography. The result is a tense, dialogue-heavy episode that relies on subtext and the calculated movements of power brokers.

Despite its strengths, the episode is not without its flaws. The subplot involving Dutch Wagenbach and Steve Billings, while technically proficient, feels increasingly strained. Billings has consistently demonstrated that he possesses a level of intelligence and sociopathic cunning that rivals the show's most formidable villains. In this episode, he exploits Dutch's unrequited feelings for Tina Hanlon. Hanlon herself is portrayed as easily swayed by attractive men, her infatuation with the hunky Detective Hiatt serving as a convenient distraction. Billings' scheme—stealing Hanlon's phone to type a false text message that lures Dutch to her house—is diabolically simple and cruel. He watches from the shadows, delighting in Dutch’s heartbreak as he stumbles upon the scene of Hanlon and Hiatt having sex. While the acting is commendable, the narrative beats feel too juvenile and petty. This sort of high school melodrama clashes with the ultra-realistic, gritty atmosphere of The Shield, making it feel like an intrusion from a different genre. It is a well-acted scene, but one that ultimately feels out of place in such a mature and darkly complex drama.

RATING: 6/10 (++)

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