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Shield's Grit: Kid Rock Fueled Pilot's Dark Twist
30 Mar
Summary
- Kid Rock's 'Bawitdaba' inspired a pivotal scene in 'The Shield' pilot.
- Writers drew inspiration from crime dramas 'Nash Bridges' and 'Donnie Brasco'.
- The pilot concludes with Vic Mackey fatally shooting a colleague.
The pilot episode of the gritty crime drama "The Shield" owes its intense climax to an unlikely source: Kid Rock's hit song "Bawitdaba." Writers Shawn Ryan and Glen Mazzara, who had previously worked on the show "Nash Bridges," found inspiration for the series' dark tone in the musical choices made for their prior work.
Mazzara recalled how a Kid Rock song in "Nash Bridges" energized a scene, a moment that resonated with a "Miami Vice"-esque feeling. This musical spark remained with Ryan as he began writing "The Shield."
Furthermore, Ryan's viewing of the crime film "Donnie Brasco" was crucial in conceiving the pilot's narrative. The series' debut episode culminates in a shocking drug raid where Vic Mackey, a corrupt detective played by Michael Chiklis, fatally shoots his colleague Terry Crowley.
