It may not have the same cultural cache that it does today, but The Shield is easily one of the best drama shows of all time, and certainly one of the most influential. While HBO had begun to dominate the prestige television landscape at the beginning of the 21st century thanks to acclaimed programs like Oz and The Sopranos, The Shield instantly proved that FX was a network worth taking seriously, as the series took on challenging hot button issues and routinely pulled in exciting guest stars. While highly celebrated actors like Glenn Close, Forest Whitaker, Anthony Anderson, and Laura Harring all popped up in supporting roles, the final season of The Shield featured a breakout role for Kyle Gallner.
Set in modern day Los Angeles, The Shield centers on corrupt cop Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis), who leads a strike team with fellow officers Shane Vendrell (Walton Goggins) and Ronnie Gardocki (David Rees Snell). Although Vic is often involved in illicit activities that catch the attention of other law enforcement offices in the greater California area, there are still honorable cops in his station, including Dutch Wagenbach (Jay Karnes) and Claudette Wyms (CCH Pounder). The series became known for introducing some of the most ruthless villains on television, and Gallner played a complex, creepy character who helped The Shield reach a startling conclusion.
Who Does Kyle Gallner Play on ‘The Shield?’
Gallner appears as teenage boy Lloyd Denton, who is called in for questioning by the police after he shoots a high school classmate that had attempted to break into his house. Although Lloyd claims that he acted in self-defense, Dutch begins to suspect that the attack was orchestrated, as it does not seem plausible that a robbery would turn violent in the manner that was described. Lloyd is defended by his mother, Rita (Frances Fisher), who claims that he has always been a troubled boy, and has a hard time connecting socially with others. While Dutch understands the pressures that Rita is under, every interview he conducts with Lloyd seems to suggest that he is hiding more sinister intentions. After being put under pressure by his superiors to let Lloyd go with no charges, Dutch remarks to his fellow Detective Steve Billings (David Marciano) that he could be a serial killer in the making.
Gallner does a great job at digging into the ambiguity of the role, as he is only seen in scenes in the interrogation room and moments in his everyday life, none of which provide any direct evidence that he committed any crimes. Lloyd appears to be nervous whenever he is speaking with Dutch, but the reasons for his hesitation could be a multitude of factors. Lloyd does not have a father figure in his life, and may have built up some sense of animosity towards any strong male figure who questions his relationship with his mother. While there are many villains introduced throughout The Shield who crack under pressure, the calm and collected manner in which Lloyd talks about his alibi is perhaps even more unnerving. His confidence is enough to make even the most loyal viewers of The Shield question whether Dutch may have been in the wrong, even though he has been established as one of the show’s most morally upstanding characters since the pilot episode.
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This show seriously pushed the envelope.
‘The Shield’ Had a Pitch-Perfect Series Finale
The Shield is one of the rare television shows that had a perfect finale, as it forced every character to cope with the consequences of the actions that they had committed over the course of the previous seasons. Lloyd seems introduced specifically as a means of challenging Dutch, a talented detective who is constantly caught between being a by-the-book professional and a more aggressive anti-hero like Vic. Initially, Dutch’s interest in Lloyd is understandable, as he possesses a unique ability to get suspected criminals to spill their secrets without any violence. However, Lloyd’s resistance to traditional persuasion techniques catches Dutch off guard, as it is evident that the young suspect has begun to enjoy toying with him. This sleight ends up inspiring a rage within Dutch that drives him to become obsessed with Lloyd over the course of the final episodes. There’s also a fear within Dutch that suggests he is more fearful of what Lloyd could do in the future if he was able to get away with something so malicious at such a young age.
The Shield ends with the fate of Lloyd left ambiguous, as it does not offer any concrete proof as to whether or not he was actually guilty. The situation grows even more complicated when Dutch and Rita begin to see each other romantically, which inspires Lloyd to plant evidence of a conspiracy that could send shock waves throughout the entire Los Angeles Police Department. The Shield stood out compared to other drama shows because it avoided clichés at every turn, and was more interested in examining the reality of the situation. The sad truth of law enforcement is that there are many cases that are left unsolved, and many guilty people end up walking free. The final episode of The Shield indicates that while he may never be able to gain the traction he needs to implicate Lloyd, Dutch is burdened by his knowledge of the situation, and it will continue to haunt him for as long as he wears the badge.
Kyle Gallner Is Our Modern Scream King
The Shield proved that Kyle Gallner could bring a sense of menace to his roles, which makes sense considering that he has dominated the horror genre throughout the past few years. Between the remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street, the 2022 sequel to Scream, Smile, Strange Darling, and The Passenger, Gallner has been able to both revitalize classic franchises and help spotlight interesting new voices in the horror genre. The Shield offered a glimpse of what he was capable of, and laid the groundwork for the even more intense roles that would dominate Gallner’s career.
The Shield
- Release Date
- March 12, 2002
- Main Genre
- Drama
- Seasons
- 7
- Studio
- FX
The Shield is streaming on Hulu in the United States.
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