The Shield and its portrayal of Rockford

December 2nd, 2008 at 11:39am Georgette Braun

Just returning to blogging after a few days off around Thanksgiving.

My editor posted the story below to rrstar.com after last Tuesday’s finale of “The Shield.”

I watched the episode on TV that night and thought Cathy Cahlin Ryan’s facial expressions spoke volumes. She is the real-life wife of the show’s creator, Rockford native Shawn Ryan, who wrote the finale. And she’s visited Rockford.

What I read into her expressions as an actress, the ex-wife of rogue cop Vic Mackey, and mom to their three kids:

that she wasn’t impressed with the modest-by-L.A.-standards house their family would be relocating to. The house that was filmed did look like an average Rockford home.

But that judging by the smile on the face of her youngest TV child as a kid rode by on his bike, that she had resigned herself to living here and was putting on a good face for her family with her “it’s perfect” comment.

Hmm. I wonder how many other folks who have moved to Rockford have felt similar feelings. … Do tell.

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RRSTAR.COM STAFF REPORTS

Posted Nov 25, 2008 @ 11:44 PM

Ryan told GO Columnist Georgette Braun last month that Rockford would be mentioned in the one-hour-45-minute finale, and he was true to his word.

(SPOILER ALERT — do not read on if you don’t want to know how the show or series ends.)
In one of the final scenes, Corrine Mackey — ex-wife of “Shield” main character Vic Mackey — and her children are relocated from L.A. through the Witness Protection Program to Rockford.

The town isn’t mentioned by name, but as the family is introduced to their new house, a federal agent tells them about the “quiet” town where the “schools are getting better, there’s an ice rink a couple of miles away” and a “museum here with an actual dinosaur. The largest and finest juvenile T. rex in the world is right here at the fabulous Burpee Museum. Her name’s Jane.” To which Corrine — played by Ryan’s real-life wife Cathy Cahlin Ryan — says, “It’s perfect.”

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