Dude, I was just about to make a thread about that episode!
I'd suggest we just go ahead and mark this thread as containing spoilers up through the latest episode (aired Tuesday 2/7) to be safe and leave it at that. West Coast isn't an issue any longer obviously, although people that Tivo/tape may be FUBARed. All I ask is that no one post spoilers for epis that have yet to be aired.
Anyway my post will contain spoilers below this point
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The scene the episode before last where Vic confronted his turned informant was freaking amazing. Some of The Shield's best scenes are where Vic gets really visceral especially when he's one on one.
After the first 2 or so epis this season I was thinking they were going to keep Vic and Kavanaugh apart until late in the season when they'd have some sort of explosive confontration as their first shared scene. But obviously that is not how they played it out.
And yes this latest episode was great. I sat there with my jaw dropped while FFing (Tivo) through the commercial break after Vic shot the dude. I was thinking WTF? Where's the show going from here? But Vic is always one step ahead.
Anyway The Shield is definitely my favorite show currently on TV. Glenn Close last season and Forest Whitaker this season? Unreal. Too bad Close didn't want to stay on for this season, but the new captain is playing well IMO.
I also loved Over There (another FX series) that unfortunately got canned after 1 season. Rescue Me doesn't do it for me though. Watched a snip of one episode and the dialog was so bad I flipped it off. I think it was the premiere of S2, I figured the show had so much critical acclaim I needed to give it a shot, but meh. Hoping Thief (starts in March) will be another winner for them.
As for if this is the best season or not... I don't know. I just watched S3 on DVD and it was outstanding. (Major S3 spoilers follow...) The scene with Shane and his girlfriend nearly killing Tevon was one of the best of the entire series. And then the scene in the final episode where Vic and Shane confront each other one on one is just a classic example of what makes this show the best thing on television IMO.