Show ' J j The Herald Journal Logan Utah Monday January 6 2003 — B3 SHERMANS LAGOON Chiklis and ‘The Shield’ come on like gangbusfers oan wamn HatnatfumBM RaanuL itrt SRooKBmen i NEW YORK (AP) — When it premiered last March “The Shield” caught viewer by surr prise i'i Here it seemed was another fxriice drama star of Starring Michael Chiklis roly-po“The Commish” a decade ago Ailing on FX a cable network best known for identity crisis after it bowed in 1994 with live talk for women and the slogan ‘Television Made Fresh Daily” then switched its focus to young men and ” pledged Now “The Shield” easily the best new series on television last year returns for its sophomore season Tuesday at 9 pm only months after knocking critics and viewers for a loop with its raw power — and finally putting FX on the map “The Shield” also vaulted its star to a surprise Best Actor Emmy for his performance as LAPD Detective Vic Mackey the ferocious g strike team And last leader of an month Chiklis also landed a Golden Globe nomination (those awards will be presented Jan 19) An actor once typed as a middle-age- d joe is at 39 reborn on “The Shield” It's as obvious as the 60 pounds he chiseled off for Mackey’s ly CATHY froT HMTHQWEKA rI SEE THE LAST Of THE I PDA MI6RAME! NEUWEAI& I NEED DELIRIUM (u 0PT10M5! 1 TOO SOUMO LAPTOP MAU6EA tWNMUERjJI ( MARCIA'-NEV-t MMW CORtoT) REVELERS IS BACK A H0T9MC CRADLE! “anti-tude- anti-gan- BEETLE BAILEY pitbull physique This is what Chiklis was dreaming about and working toward just a year ago But who could fail to be surprised that it happened according to plan? “I’m driving by a ‘Shield’ bus" he was crowing from his car phone last week He had spied himself in the next lane in his chilling pose as Mackey But Chiklis wasn’t talking about “Shield” posters sighted on an LA freeway when he added “This has been a magic caipet ride” HAGAR THE HORRIBLE Some ride all right! And it’s just getting started In season two “The Shield" looks to he as unrelenting unabashed and irresistible as mrtiA6Aft before PLA&N& BfERY OlU&Z Sort of like Mackey who is up to his shaved pate in trouble For instance a drug czar from Mexico seems bent on uniting two rival LA gangs to move his wares — which would not only present a headache but also jeopnew ardize the kickbacks Mackey and his boys get from the traffickers already in place Meanwhile Captain Aceveda (Benito Mar cfoeiMze POCKET IN tinez) who spent the first season trying to nail his vigilante cop is ready to form an alliance with Mackey Their common foe is a civilihn watchdog sniffing for corruption that could doom Aceveda’s political ambitions Suddenly they see the sense in watching each other’s back What “The Shield” retains this season is what set it apart from the beginning: It’s an action show thatjs character-drive- n with every character richly drawn and all of them compromised if only by blindness to the villainy per-vading the force It’s a murky moral climate that qualifies Mackey as the precinct’s best lawman while he breaks the law to carry out his job An ACLU nightmare Mackey lends over his informants tampers with evidence and bullies suspects to crooks He has leverage access to high-leveven committed the ultimate sin: He killed a fellow cop pinning the murder on a dead drug dealer ' Never at rest Mackey has the arrogance )' cunning and charm to sustain his renegade style For Chiklis it’s a dream role — but also the sort of role that after a long shooting day leaves him physically and mentally spent “I come home to my wife and I’m completely placid” he says with a laugh “I’m all ’Yes dear! Yes dear!’” Besides Chiklis and Martinez the splendid squad of actors includes CCH Pounder Catherine Dent Michael Jace Jay Karnes and as Mackey’s strike team sidekicks Kenneth Johnson and Walton Goggins With seven of the season’s 1 3 episodes completed Chiklis admits there was worry when production resumed last October: Might the ' acclaim heaped on the show since its flrstsea-so- n wrapped prove a burden as much as a blessing on the cast and crew as they got back to work? “It's cool that we made some noise early on” says Chiklis “But our biggest fear with all the attention and then winning the Emmy was that we would try to outdo ourselves just for the sake of it “But we didn't want to make the other mistake: after all the buildup to have nothing hap-pe1 el n” On “The Shield” that’s not about to happen PEANUTS HOU) can holding Sons a A STUPIP BLANKET MAKE YOU FEEL SECURE? MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM MOM SI6M6P MB BACK Up WlflH THAT SN00TV GROUP SHESM5IM SAftCOUMJUBt&IPUP eemN&TDo MffCHe&IDTHISTWeP CAZ9CAMV00 BeUBETHAT owe WORE MG tmptomrl 7HATCA5T OUT- - n 1' fOaoa FOX TROT REAL LIFE ADVENTURES CLOSE TO HOME off Boor Lake novel by Douglas ust a mile from here up Jacob's Canyon was the site of their first kiss Tethering their horses- - they had left the stream and climbed a treeless bluff to the lookout There they had a view of the entire lake — twenty miles long half as wide With his arm around her waist he had drawn her to him She had responded warmly to that embrace They had been courting in public for two months at the Friday night dances The elders had made sure there were only two slower waltzes in among the square dances and polkas — none of this fox trot stuff with body contact for the youth of St Charles Sitting on the back row at Sunday meetings they had held hands secretly hut not outside of the church where the whole congregation might see seemed as long as the The wanted to leave All No ones one preaching the talking the sizing up the plans for the week they happened in the foyer or in good weather out on the lawn It was hard standing around when you knew you were getting powerfully interested in each other But waiting for the right moment was Everett's way Often he had talked to three or four girls together when Harriet was nearby That could make it look safe without drawing attention But the other girls were canny They knew what was happening between Everett and Harriet so they slipped away Soon there were just the two of them again trying to look casual Up on that bluff it had happened surrounded after-meetin- VJin at bridge By Phillip Alder D Alder only by the dear blue of the big sky No longer could they be coy She wanted the kiss and he did too The kiss was long It sealed them for eternity The next Sunday they held hands in the foyer a public declaration In private there were more kisses more hikes but that was all He had earned her trust It would just be a matter of time — not even much time To legitimize their informal engagement Everett drove to Ovid to ask Olie Nielson for his daughter's hand Harriet had warned her dad (hat Everett was coming to visit but Olic made no special preparations for it in any way When Everett Proctor arrived the next Sunday evening dressed in his missionary suit Olie had changed hack into his overalls and was headed out to milk their four cows He took Everett along gave him a milking stool but told him just to sit But Everett was not one to sit by and watch people work “I can milk in my suit I've done it before'' he said “No what I've got to say will probably last four cows" Olie pronounced Everett wasn't really suiprised “Then you know why I'm here?” He hesitated Olie grinned “Harriet's not one to keep secrets" he said “Well do you approve?” For a moment Olie was quiet “1 have great respect for Harriet's judgment” he said Everett caught the inference Obviously her dad was going to brag her up and well lie should But Olie had more to say “I need to help you be successful in living with Harriet" See tomorrow's 1 low thinking South had the g doublcton Best now is a heart to the ace and another heart (not that that makes the contract) However South led a trump to his queen West won with the king cashed the spade ace and gave his partner a spade niff East “knew” his partner had led a singleton diamond And after giving West his ruff East wanted a second ruff So as a signal for spades East led the highest diamond he could find — the queen! Declarer’s ace collect- ed West’s king the heart ace ace-kin- and In the dummy is South holds A-- 5 Playing in four hearts how did the declarer score three — yes three — diamond tricks? (There were no penalty cards or revokes) The deal arose during the New Zealand NationalCon-gres- s last July What should West lead against the pushy four hearts? There is a case for the spade ace hoping partner is short The club ace is possible perhaps seeing the dummy would Howta the wrong skte unwttBngtyjyrte upon help The diamond kirig high from a doubleton in partner’s suit is conceivable — and successful But West chose the imaginative diamond six! After declarer covered with dummy’s jack East played Herald Journal for the next install- ment of this story ce spade ni South into the dmmy and the club three disappeared on the diamond 10 — contract made! What was the flaw in East’s analysis? If West had led a singleton he had overcalled with 10 black-suone no-tru- cards North A Q V' H J A West A A K K A K J 7 5 10 Q Ea 44 5 10 8 V 4 6 Q 9 H 7 4 A J 8 7 2 South A K 9 7 6 3 V A Q A 5 A 3 Dealer: South Vulnerable: Neither it |