Television Review: Snitch (The Shield, S7X02, 2008)

Snitch (S07E02)

Airdate: 9 September 2008

Written by: Gary Lennon
Directed by: Gwyneth Horder-Payton

Running Time: 45 minutes

Throughout the seven seasons of The Shield, viewers have been treated to a visceral display of bloodshed and mayhem orchestrated primarily by Vic Mackey and Shane Vendrell. While their internal machinations are the engine of the show, Snitch, the second episode of the final season, serves as a stark reminder that much of the tragedy and dysfunction plaguing Farmington—and Los Angeles in general—are often the result of forces beyond the control of the Strike Team or the LAPD. It is a narrative device that effectively punctures the series' bubble of pure corruption, reminding us that the city is a living, breathing ecosystem of external pressures. This episode is a nice reminder of that, shifting the focus from the characters' agency to the systemic chaos surrounding them.

However, the central narrative thread of this episode, focusing on Vic’s desperate attempt to cling to the remnants of his Farmington fiefdom by orchestrating a gang war between Armenians and Mexicans, is one of the weaker and less memorable aspects of the instalment. The stakes are raised when Vic learns that the Mexicans have "greenlit" hit on Rezakian, the Armenian boss currently incarcerated. The situation becomes precarious when Rezakian reveals a chilling "life insurance policy," detailing execution orders against both policemen’s families should he be harmed while in custody. Vic attempts to neutralize this threat by leveraging Moses, the leader of the One-Niners, to station their incarcerated gang members as Rezakian’s bodyguards within the prison. Simultaneously, Shane reaches out to Grubman (William Carlton), the manager of Rezakian’s lucrative port smuggling operation, and communicates, in a convoluted and unmistakable manner, the suggestion for Grubman to recant his testimony, thereby facilitating Rezakian’s release. Despite the initial assassination attempt failing, Rezakian survives. Vic then makes the strategic decision to release Aramboles, a former Mexican cartel operative and keeper of the blackmail box, allowing him to slip back into Mexico. Following this, Vic contacts Pezuela and demands extra compensation, stipulating that his service be paid in the form of tenure instead of the postponement of his retirement, while also securing a promise that the Mexicans will restrain themselves while waging war on the Armenians. While the plot is intricate, it feels like a weak continuation of the main story arc, lacking the visceral punch of other seasons.

This convoluted strategy feels like a weak continuation of the main story arc, whereas the episode truly shines in its side storylines. The standout narrative involves the Los Angeles mayor’s ill-conceived initiative to publicly name and shame the city's leading street gangs. Initially intended to intimidate, the gangbangers instead view the exposure as a means to boost their street cred, escalating violence to secure their positions on the chart. When three white men become victims, Captain Claudette Wyms must deploy every resource at her disposal to prevent further bloodshed. The investigation is surprisingly aided by an elderly Black woman, who, despite being warned by a street observer not to be a "snitch," points the authorities toward two "babies on bicycles"—teenagers—who are later identified as the culprits. In a parallel development, the federal government becomes engrossed in an investigation based on hearsay that al-Qaeda has recruited local gangs for terrorist activities. This leads to a comedic yet frustrating denouement when the perpetrators are identified as a pair of unrepenant, aspiring teen gangbangers connected to the Spookestret gang, who are simply proud of killing white men. During an interrogation, one boy admits to the crime, leaving Wyms aghast. Later, she attempts to guide the boy back to his ways, but in a moment of frustration, she uses the n-word. She is subsequently reported for racism—an absurd accusation given that she is also Black.

Another compelling subplot involves a woman, an aspiring singer, who is killed by a cinder block deliberately dropped from a roof. The motive appears to be the persistent noise and cigarette smoke from band members, which made life unbearable for the neighbors. Despite the presence of numerous witnesses, no one comes forward. In desperation, Dutch Wagenbach brings every tenant to the Barn to extract a lead. With the aid of Billings, they ultimately confront Nacio (Mike Gomez), the building manager. Nacio had attempted to intimidate the annoying musicians to help the tenants and, being a kind and efficient manager, had secured their loyalty.

The episode is rife with irony. Instead of the corrupt police and ruthless gangsters usually responsible for the violence, a new round of chaos is triggered by a poorly thought-out policy initiative by the local government. Furthermore, the federal government, all-too-eager to maintain its War on Terror, may have inadvertently worsened the situation by chasing false leads. Additionally, the perpetrator of the killing is revealed to be a good and decent man who did not want to hurt anyone, yet his actions ultimately deprive the tenants of a quality service.

For six years, the audience has watched Autumn Chiklis, Michael Chiklis' daughter, mature on screen. What began as a small role for Cassidy has evolved into something larger and more demanding. However, this growth has exposed the limitations of her acting talent. A particularly poorly thought-out scene, where she acts out as a teenager reporting her father of Mara's abduction, stands as one of the weaker points of the episode and the series in general. It breaks the immersion in a way that the gritty realism of the rest of the show could not afford.

RATING: 6/10 (++)

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