Jay Karnes Movies

Season Six of The Shield opens as Detective Vic Mackey (Michael Chilkis) and the rest of the Farmington District Strike Force mourn the death of their colleague Curtis Lemensky (Kenneth Johnson), who was killed by a hand grenade just before he was to be shipped out of the country to prevent his revealing all of the Force's past peccadilloes to relentless Internal Affairs investigator Lt. Jon Kanvanagh (Forest Whitaker). Upon discovering that he is slated to be forcibly retired from the force, the embittered Mackey embarks upon a personal vendetta, bent upon killing the man responsible for "Lem"'s demise--never suspecting that the person he seeks is his own best friend and colleague, Det. Shane Vendrell (Waylon Goggins). . .who may well beat Vic to the punch by committing suicide. His one best chance of destroying the Strike Force gone, Kavanagh becomes more obsessively unhinged than ever, resorting to strongarming witnesses and tampering with evidence to bring Mackey down. This puts Kavanagh on the outs with his two most fervent supporters (and the only thoroughly honest members of the Force), Dutch Wagenbach (Jay Karnes) and newly promoted Claudette Wyms (CCH Pounder). Wyms in fact is so disillusioned by Kavanagh's tactics that she puts her animosity toward Mackey on the shelf and affords Vic an opportunity to save his job. Other developments this season include the ever-growing (and ever-threatenng) political ambitions of Mackey's old adversary, Councilman Aceveda (Benito Martinez); and Off. Danielle Sofer's (Catherine Dent) revelation of the identity of her child's father (to no one's surprise, the man in question is her erstwhile lover Vic Mackey). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Although the gritty cop drama The Shield would become the FX's network longest-running dramatic series during its fourth season, a serious drop in ratings at the end of season three could well have precipitated the show's cancellation. Giving the program a major shot in the arm was the addition of two new regulars, Glenn Close and Anthony Anderson. Close is introduced as Monica Rawling, the new captain of the Farmington District Strike Force and the new (nominal) boss of tough, brutal, and borderline-corrupt Detective Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis). Rawlings has been appointed to her post after Mackey's former captain and longtime enemy David Aceveda (Benito Martinez) is elected to the city council. Though certainly not enamored of Vic's strong-arm tactics and questionable ethics, Rawling is willing to give the detective a relatively free hand in dealing with the district's most vicious drug dealers. Even so, both Aceveda and Rawling intend to closely monitor Vic's movements, forcing him to play it "straight" (or as straight as he's capable of being) throughout the season. The promotion of Rawlings has a profound effect not only on Vic but also on his fellow detective Claudette Wyms (CCH Pounder), who is bitter over not being promoted to captain herself.

Anthony Anderson is cast as Antwon Mitchell, at once the most formidable and most frustrating adversary that Mackey and his team have ever come up against. Once a powerful drug lord, Mitchell has managed to win release from prison, and is now regarded by many of the power elite as a reformed man, a dedicated community activist. Of course, Vic (and the viewers) known that Mitchell hasn't changed a bit, and in fact is a more dangerous mob leader and drug pusher than he'd been before his arrest thanks to strong ties with the Russian mafia. But to the public at large, Mitchell is virtually a saint, and thus above suspicion when the you-know-what hits the fan. Even when Vic and Rawlings have Mitchell dead to rights, he manages to wriggle out of their clutches, leading Vic to suspect that there's a mole in the ranks of the strike force -- a mole who may or may not be his longtime colleague Shane Vendrell (Walton Goggins). Vic's determination to expose Mitchell heats up after several cops are murdered in a well-planned ambush. In giving Vic a tacit carte blanche to blast Mitchell's operation apart, Rawling puts her own job on the line. Ironically, what ultimately seals Rawling's doom is not her war against drugs, but her fierce determination to bring the city's most heinous child abusers to justice. Bringing Glenn Close and Anthony Anderson to the fold turned out be the best thing that had happened to The Shield in years. The series ended its four season posting its best-ever ratings -- indeed, some of the best ratings in the entire realm of cable television. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The president's in town, so The Barn is operating with a skeleton crew, which gives Vic (Michael Chiklis) and the Strike Team a window of opportunity. They somehow have to get the documents denoting the marked bills from the "Money Train" heist, which Aceveda (Benito Martinez) got from the treasury department, out of Aceveda's safe. Vic also has to deal with the mother of a teenaged girl who disappeared. The mom says a local street singer has written a narcocorrido detailing the girl's murder and burial. When Vic goes to search for the girl's body, he finds eight other corpses, all young illegals who died from exposure to methane. Vic also arranges an assignation with Lauren (Natalie Zea) of the canine unit, despite the fact that she's involved in a relationship. Aceveda gets rough with a suspect, and confides in a friend about his traumatic recent encounter with the two gang members. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide

Corrine (Cathy Cahlin Ryan) is attacked at the hospital by an Asian man (Xuyen Tu Valdivia) she's trying to patch up. Vic (Michael Chiklis) argues with Owen (Vincent Angell) over whether or not she should go to the station and file a report. Vic plans to hunt down the perp regardless. Called away on other police business, he asks Julien (Michael Jace) to alert him when they catch the guy. Vic learns that the feds have traced some of the marked bills from the "Money Train" job to a bank in Indio. A talented young black graffiti artist is found lynched, and despite the fact that the victim had no gang affiliation, gang involvement is suspected. When a local Hispanic priest affiliated with Los Profetas is stabbed to death soon afterward, with the signature of the One-Niners, Aceveda (Benito Martinez) fears, rightly, that a gang war could erupt at any moment, and puts all of his available manpower on the case. Claudette (CCH Pounder) comes into conflict with Waylon (Gareth Williams) again over an assignment, and Vic continues to play both sides against the middle, offering to help Waylon get his Decoy Squad transferred out of the division, while appearing to support Claudette. When Vic puts his trust in the wrong gang leader, he tells Aceveda that it's because he's no longer in touch with the streets, and he needs to have the Strike Team turned loose again. Aceveda finally tells Aurora (Camilia Sanes) that he was sexually assaulted, and she is not as understanding as one might hope. This episode marked the directorial debut of star Michael Chiklis. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide

Armadillo Quintero (Danny Pino), a Mexican drug dealer, is in L.A. and is making his presence felt, brutally murdering two captains from rival gangs. Mackey (Michael Chiklis) has hired Gordie Liman (Mark Rolston), a private detective, to track down his missing wife, but he's not having much luck. While Mackey's been preoccupied with his domestic situation, Shane (Walton Goggins) has been increasing the Strike Team's involvement in the drug trade, and using their "retirement fund" to do it. When Mackey tries to take some of the money out to pay Liman, he finds out it's all tied up in a huge cocaine shipment. Things get worse when the shipment turns out to be tainted, nearly killing one of Tio's (Cedric Pendleton) men. Mackey soon learns that Armadillo and his brother, Navaro (Emilio Rivera), based in Mexico, are responsible for both the gang killings and the tainted drug shipment. Lanie Kellis (Lucinda Jenney), a civilian auditor, is investigating "The Barn," so Aceveda (Benito Martinez) asks Mackey to keep his act together, but Mackey decides to bring the Strike Team to Mexico to get their drug money back. The team takes Navaro hostage to get the money. Back in L.A., no one is willing to come forward against Armadillo except Mayda (Chelsea Rendon), a little girl whose brother Armadillo murdered. Dutch (Jay Karnes) wants to let her testify, but Claudette (CCH Pounder) is frightened for the child's safety. They bring Armadillo in for questioning, but don't have enough to hold him. Julien (Michael Jace) asks a struggling single mother out on a date. Lanie lets Aceveda know that his enemies on the city council want her to find dirt on him. He tells Mackey that he'll watch his back if Mackey gets his head back in the game. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide

Aceveda (Benito Martinez) finds a minority candidate for the Strike Team, but Mackey (Michael Chiklis) manages to scare the guy off. Danny (Catherine Dent) tells Julien (Michael Jace) she won't let his fiancée know about his "former" homosexuality, but she warns him that his secret could come back to haunt him. Worried about the threat from Armadillo, Mackey has a high tech security system installed in his home, and asks a PI friend to secretly keep an eye on his wife and kids. Danny is forced to apologize to Yahssira Al-Thani (Veena Bidasha) after the woman complains that she made threatening phone calls. As part of a new program for captains, Aceveda goes out on patrol with Julien, and bungles the investigation of a kid's stolen bike. Mackey, Claudette (CCH Pounder), and Dutch (Jay Karnes) investigate a massacre at a battered women's shelter, from which a young boy was kidnapped. The trail leads to the boy's father, who is holed up with a prostitute, so Mackey asks Connie (Jamie Brown) to use her connections to help him. While Dutch and Claudette clash over how to interrogate a uniform cop who's a friend of the firefighter suspect, Connie, thinking of a financial reward, takes her informant work a dangerous step further. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide

Mackey (Michael Chiklis) and the Strike Team bust some thugs that recently joined Armadillo's (Danny Pino) gang, and leave the team's calling card as a message. Armadillo responds by torching Tio's (Cedric Pendleton) drug crib, and leaves a dead pig at the scene with Mackey's card. Mackey tries to bully Claudette (C.C.H. Pounder) off the arson case, but Aceveda (Benito Martinez) tells them to work together. Claudette soon finds out that Tio is registered as one of Mackey's informants. She also finds a safe in the burned-out building, which contains Tio's cash and coded ledgers. Danny (Catherine Dent) and Julien (Michael Jace) investigate a complaint that a woman makes against her Syrian neighbor (Veena Bidasha), whom she accuses of being a terrorist. Dutch (Jay Karnes) takes Lanie (Lucinda Jenney) along as he investigates the shooting of a meter maid. Claudette finds the ledgers and questions Tio about who the person listed as "landlord" is. Tio's been coached, but Claudette starts to suspect what Mackey's up to. Mackey has Tio's boys burn down one of Armadillo's gangs buildings. While Claudette goes to investigate that arson, Mackey and Aceveda cut Tio loose. The dispute with the Arab neighbor turns violent, and Armadillo commits another murder, pushing Mackey over the edge. This episode was directed by John Badham (Saturday Night Fever). ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide

Aceveda (Benito Martinez) gives Mackey (Michael Chiklis) a medal after the Fleetwood Walker bust. It turns out it was Lanie's (Lucinda Jenney) idea. The cops at "The Barn" also add a new twist to their annual "Toys for Guns" drive -- a raffle, which also gets them the address of everyone who turns in a gun, so they can trace back the guns that have been used to commit crimes. One is linked to an old unsolved murder case of Claudette's (CCH Pounder), and the trail eventually leads to Manny Sandoval (Jonathan Neil Schneider), a lowlife loan shark Claudette's been after for years. But Dutch (Jay Karnes) is having doubts about his own investigative instincts. Someone steals a bunch of diamonds using Shane's (Walton Goggins) badge, which was stolen in Tijuana. Mackey finds out they belonged to the Armenian mob, and convinces Aceveda to let him and Shane "pretend" to be corrupt cops and run a sting operation. But Aceveda wants Shane transferred off the Strike Team to make room for a minority applicant, in order to help the team's public image. Mackey and Shane find out that the "money train" of urban legend, through which the Armenian mob launders all the money they make in the western United States, actually exists, and Mackey decides to start planning the Strike Team's robbery. The Arab woman, Yahssira Al-Thani (Veena Bidasha), whose husband Danny (Catherine Dent) shot, claims that she has another witness to Danny's alleged racial insensitivity, but Aceveda continues to support Danny. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide

Lannie's (Lucinda Jenney) scalding report on the Barn is leaked to the local newspapers, causing major embarrassment for Aceveda (Benito Martinez) and the Strike Team. Gilroy (John Diehl) calls Mackey (Michael Chiklis) to tell him that he's escaped house arrest, and that the DA wants him to rat Mackey out, so it would be in Mackey's best interest to help him get out of the country. Mackey is forced to deal with Gilroy, who may be setting him up, while a new officer, Aceveda's minority candidate, Tavon (Brian White), tries out for the Strike Team. The new police chief, Bankston (Ron Canada) lets Aceveda know that he plans to clean house, and Aceveda will have to resign after the city council election -- win or lose. While Claudette (CCH Pounder) works on a case -- involving an old woman who died of a heart attack around the time her home was broken into -- Lannie asks her for assistance in cleaning up the Barn. Danny (Catherine Dent), who's been tipped off by Claudette, angrily confronts Mackey about the murder in the holding pen that she's being blamed for. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide

After seeing the auditor's report on the Barn, Chief Bankston (Ron Canada) tells Aceveda (Benito Martinez) he wants the unit cut by 20 percent, and he wants Aceveda to give him a list of names by the end of the day, so Aceveda is forced to neglect his city council campaign with the primary looming. Julien (Michael Jace) unwisely takes his "sexual reorientation" sponsor to see Tomas (Brent Roam), which results in an assault, Tomas' arrest, and his outing of Julien in front of some unsympathetic uniforms. Danny (Catherine Dent) tries to defend Julien, but the homophobic cops start to harass him. Mackey (Michael Chiklis) is getting skittish about the money train because the Armenians are changing their routine. Mackey pays a visit to Corrine (Cathy Cahlin Ryan) that ends badly when he learns she's changed the locks on the house. He and Shane (Walton Goggins) help Dutch (Jay Karnes) and Claudette (CCH Pounder) investigate the disappearance of a teenage boy, which Dutch links to the kidnappings, rapes, and murders of two other local teens. Mackey works closely with the boy's father (Roy Fegan), who turns out to know much less about his son's life than he thinks he does. Claudette gets into another fracas with Mackey as she ponders Bankston's offer to let her run the Barn after Aceveda resigns. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide

As Captain David Aceveda (Benito Martinez) gives a press conference, touting impressive crime statistics and community outreach in Farmington (L.A.) under his watch, Detective Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis) and his Strike Team chase down a drug dealer, and Mackey impolitely exposes the perp's intimately concealed stash. Detectives Dutch Wagenbach (Jay Karnes) and Claudette Wyms (CCH Pounder) discover a murdered woman whose young daughter is nowhere to be found. Captain Aceveda chews out Mackey when the insolent detective registers his fourth excessive force complaint since the captain's appointment. The captain also convinces Detective Terry Crowley (Reed Diamond) to help him uncover dirt on Mackey, including his connection to a local drug dealer. In exchange for helping Aceveda make a federal case, Crowley wants a job with the Justice Department. Looking for the missing girl, Dutch and Claudette interrogate her distraught crackhead father (the late Denis Forest). He eventually admits to murdering his wife and selling his daughter to a pedophile. They then bring in George Sawyer (Brian Boone), and Dutch manages to trick him into confessing that he bought the girl and traded her to another pedophile, Dr. Bernard Grady (Jim Ortlieb). The two detectives have little luck cracking Grady. In desperation, Aceveda has Mackey conduct his own form of interrogation. "Good cop and bad cop have gone home," Mackey tells Grady, "I'm a whole new kind of cop." Dutch is trying to get to know Officer Danny Sofer (Catherine Dent), but is repeatedly interrupted and humiliated by the married Mackey, who has already slept with her. Crowley joins the Strike Team as they execute a daring raid on a big-time dealer. The pilot for The Shield was directed by Clark Johnson, who co-starred with Diamond on Homicide: Life on the Street. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide

Aceveda (Benito Martinez) announces a Farmington-wide sweep of all outstanding warrants. Connie (Jamie Brown) goes to see Mackey (Michael Chiklis) to complain that a john slashed her when she tried to put a condom on him. He's busy serving warrants, so he asks Dutch (Jay Karnes) to take her to the hospital and find the john. On their raid, Mackey's squad finds East-Coast NBA star Derrick Tripp (Elimu Nelson) in a drug dealer's shoddy hotel room with an unlicensed gun. Knowing how Tripp manhandles the Lakers, Mackey and Shane (Walton Goggins) decide to keep the hoopster occupied for the day so he misses the game, while Shane lays down a big bet on the home team. Tomas (Brent Roam), one of the men busted by Danny (Catherine Dent) and Julien (Michael Jace) mentions that he's seen Julien outside a gay club, the Abbey. Julien, a devout Christian, denies it. Connie identifies her john, Richard Greeley (Kirk Baltz), a schizophrenic with an inoperable brain tumor who saves his semen in his locked refrigerator. Dutch, off on a crazy tangent, questions Greeley about a series of seemingly unrelated prostitute murders, but Claudette (CCH Pounder) turns out to have the key to cracking the case. Mackey goes off to tend to Connie, leaving Shane and Lemonhead (Kenneth Johnson) to babysit Tripp. Shane, jealous of the athlete's money and fame, gets into a serious confrontation with Tripp. Danny and Julien uncover an arsenal, and Mackey and his wife Corrine (Cathy Cahlin Ryan) learn that their son Matthew (Joel Rosenthal) may have a developmental disorder. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide

Mackey (Michael Chiklis) busts a cockfighting ring. One of the suspects offers to help the Strike Team nab a major gun dealer, so Shane (Walton Goggins) goes undercover as a trainer to catch him. But Shane is more interested in the bounty that the Mexican government is offering for the gunrunner than in making the bust. Gilroy (John Diehl) is involved in a hit-and-run, and he goes to Mackey for help in covering up the crime, while Dutch (Jay Karnes) conducts an investigation. In an underserved black neighborhood, a white man brutally murders his girlfriend's mother and her friend 47 minutes after the women had called 911. While Claudette (CCH Pounder) investigates the crime, Gilroy publicly shifts the blame to Aceveda (Benito Martinez) for the neighborhood's lack of police manpower. But in the course of investigating the hit-and-run, Dutch and Mackey discover that there's more to the case than meets the eye, and Dutch's friendship with Gilroy is severely tested. Meanwhile, Julien (Michael Jace) gets advice from Reverend Cook (Dick Anthony Williams) about how to "overcome" his homosexuality. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide