The last act of “The Shield” premieres next month and I’m still two seasons behind!

I know this may be sorta sacrilegious for a supposed television revivalist, but my favorite television anti-hero is Vic Mackey on “The Shield” . Most people say Tony Soprano (HBO’s “The Sopranos”), but Tony S. just doesn’t do it for me. Obviously I recognize that “The Sopranos” is an excellent drama that I love to watch, but if we’re talking comparisons here, I’m simply more entertained and impressed with FX network’s cop drama.

I love “The Shield’s” gritty realism, with its handheld camcorder style and episode writing that repeatedly pushes the envelope. To me, “The Sopranos” focuses more on its own microcosm of mob and familial issues. “The Shield” does all of that AND raises issues of society. It jumps into that dark realm of ambiguity and examines the effectiveness of politicians and the entire criminal system.

Plus, Vic Mackey is such an amazing character to watch evolve over these last 6 seasons. At times, he scares the crap out me when he so willfully crosses the line. While other times, I end up rooting for him to do just that in the name of justice. I seriously need to finish those last few season 5 dvds and buy “The Shield” season 6, since it came out today! There’s no way I can jump into the final act without being prepared.

A&E’s “The Cleaner” premiered a few weeks ago, and I finally watched the first episode this week on my TiVo.

The tv show is based on real life interventionist, William Banks, played by Benjamin Bratt. Banks has a team full of former addicts who help him locate the person they’ve been hired to essentially kidnap and force into rehab. The cops give them a pass on these extreme tactics, so as long as Banks throws a drug bust their way. Grace Park (”Battlestar Galactica”) plays Akani, the street smart temptress that loves working for Banks but refuses to follow all his rules. Gil Bellows (”Ally McBeal”) plays Banks’ best friend Mickey, a body builder/trainer who used to be addicted to heroin but has since cleaned up for his family. I barely recognized him in character, almost the exact opposite of his bumbling lawyer character on Ally. Last but not least, newcomer Esteban Powell plays Arnie the resident slacker and complainer of the bunch.

By the end of the pilot episode, some pretty serious stuff goes down as they try to locate a 15 year old kid named Zach who’s hooked on oxycontin. This television show is gritty, engaging, and doesn’t soften up the predicament of drug abusers. Think of it as a dramatization of “Intervention” crossed with the crime melodrama of “The Shield”. Banks is a more sympathetic character than Vic Mackey by far. But he still is a former addict, and thus, he still has demons that he struggles with each day. Not to mention, chasing addicts doesn’t leave a lot of time for your family. I think Banks balancing his time between work and home will become a huge story arc in the show.

Watch new episodes on A&E at 10pm on Tuesdays. “The Cleaner” may just have washed away that bad taste in my mouth from Benjamin Bratt’s previous tv show, “E-ring”.