The Shield on F/X. Some people like it.
The Darkness Behind "The Shield": To simply call "The Shield" a great drama series damns it with faint praise. Week in, week out, it sets the bar for steadfast excellence that everything -- not just other TV shows -- should reach for.
Some people don’t.
Sadistic Violence: "The Shield" is one of television's most troubling successes. … But the focus of the series is Mackey and his corruption, and there are very worrisome aspects to the approach taken by the writers, producers and directors. Viewers are likely to find themselves rooting for the "bad guy," Mackey, who for all his contemptible traits often seems sympathetic.
Forced to choose, I’ll take “The Shield” over “24”. Vic Mackey has a bit more verisimilitude than Jack Bauer.
