'The Shield' Complete Series Blu-Ray Hitting Shelves In November
The Shield, Shawn Ryan's extremely dark police drama, is coming to Blu-ray for the very first time. Mill Creek Entertainment will release a Shield Blu-ray box set, with the series restored in widescreen high-definition. Full details on The Shield complete series Blu-ray release below.
Maybe I'm wrong, but I get the impression that The Shield isn't talked about as much as it should be. The show arrived in the midst of the Peak TV boom, but I never see it mentioned along the likes of highly-regarded shows like The Wire and The Sopranos. Which is a shame, because The Shield was a fantastic show. It was incredibly unpleasant to watch, and almost every character was reprehensible. And yet the series had life and energy other cop shows couldn't match. The Shield centered around a group of rogue cops that are part of an experimental division of the LAPD. The team is lead by Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis), the type of cop willing to break the law – and even commit murder – if he thinks it's right. The series ran for 7 seasons on FX. While it's been available on DVD, and is currently streaming on Hulu, there has surprisingly never been a Blu-ray set for The Shield. Until now.
Creator Shawn Ryan took to Twitter to announce the impending Blu-ray release, which will arrive just in time for the 10th anniversary of the series finale.
1. Our three year journey to upgrade The Shield for 4K streaming and Blu-Ray DVD is coming to a completion this winter, just in time for the 10 Year Anniversary of our Series Finale episode. Couldn't be more proud to reintroduce the show to a new digital audience. #ShieldOnBlu https://t.co/Ul1GAd98Zj
— Shawn Ryan (@ShawnRyanTV) July 27, 2018
Ryan also added that streaming sites will start airing 4K restorations of the series, and that the finale – which has only been available in an alternate cut since air date – will be restored to its original form.
4. Not related to the Blu-Ray release, but am also thrilled that on streaming sites, The Shield series finale episode will now be aired as it originally aired on FX and not the extended foreign version that we were forced to cut together afterwards. https://t.co/Ul1GAd98Zj
— Shawn Ryan (@ShawnRyanTV) July 27, 2018
"We are thrilled to be able to present 'The Shield' in its entirety, available for the first time on Blu-ray having been masterfully restored in widescreen, high definition," said Barrett Evans, VP of Marketing and Product Development for Mill Creek Entertainment. "The series had a monumental impact on television when it debuted, and its themes and subject matter are still poignant and relevant today."
In addition to the release, Mill Creek is orchestrating "reunion with the principal cast and crew including Shawn Ryan, Michael Chiklis, Catherine Dent, Walton Goggins, Jay Karnes, Benito Martinez, CCH Pounder, Cathy Cahlin Ryan, Kenny Johnson, David Rees Snell, Paula Garcés, and David Marciano."
Special features for the box set are still pending, but one feature has been confirmed: "a writers panel from the ATX Festival featuring Ryan, Kurt Sutter, and Glen Mazzara plus interviews with the executives and critics who framed and followed the show as it changed the television landscape."
The Shield Blu-ray set will be available November 8, 2018.