One of my buddies at TV Squad, Jonathan Toomey, wrote up an excellent piece about his experience getting to see the final two episodes of The Shield in a private screening a few weeks ago or so. Unfortunately, since I’m not in New York, I couldn’t make it. Thankfully Jon didn’t rub it in.
Jonathan didn’t go into any spoilers, but did leave one little tidbit that had me thinking:
“Without saying what, you’ll find out one thing about Vic in the penultimate episode … Something so basic that you’ll be amazed when you realize that you didn’t know it already.”
I’ve got a theory, but Jonathan will neither confirm nor deny it: Vic’s a recovering alcoholic or drug addict.
There’s no denying that Vic’s job (well, the one he used to have) is stressful as hell, not to mention the dispicable things he’s had to live with all these years. Just watching Vic’s life and the way he lives it is enough to cause you to reach for a bottle.
On the alcoholic angle, remember that last week Vic said he doesn’t drink. It could be just that he doesn’t and never got into it, though would he have instead mention that he doesn’t drink because he’s in AA?
If Vic’s not an alcoholic, maybe drugs are a vice he’s recovering from. He’s been mingling with dealers throughout his career, and with Vic’s shady doings all this time, would it be a stretch to think he’s indulged more than a little bit in all this time?
If I’m completely wrong here, what would that “basic thing” about Vic be? Got any other ideas? Maybe it’s just something to do with his bald head?
(I’m live-blogging/chatting the episode tonight, so check back here around 10 PM EST to join in!)
Clacked by Keith McDuffee 
on Nov 18, 2008 @ 16:00 EST5EDT
Abandoned as a child.
*POST AUTHOR*
That makes a lot of sense, but didn’t he already say something to that affect regarding his child with Dani? Maybe that’s Jon’s point, that it’s shocking we didn’t already know that. I’d been assuming that all along.