MovieChat Forums > The Shield (2002) Discussion > Ronnie should've been the Strike Team le...

Ronnie should've been the Strike Team leader

posted 11 years ago by shivalrous
53 replies | jump to latest

In my parallel universe Ronnie Gardocki and not Vic Mackey is the Strike Team leader.

Ronnie would have known better than to piss off Captain Aceveda just because you think you have some old drunk (Gilroy) downtown who's got your back. So no Terry Crowley snitch to deal with.

Ronnie had the book smarts of Dutch as well as the street smarts of Vic. All relevant paperwork would've been done on time in the station as well as keeping the gangbangers in line on the street.

Ronnie knew when to stop. Unlike Vic who was always looking for the next big score.

This may sound a bit cruel but Ronnie wasn't a family man (as far as I can tell from the show) so no wife and kids to distract him. I would imagine he would have no problem telling Vic and Shane to either get their sh!t together or get desk jobs if they wanted more time with their families.

I'm not trying to say the Strike Team wouldn't still be kickass rogue cops but I believe they would've got away with at least 80% of the stunts they pulled under Ronnie's leadership rather than Vic who was without doubt clever and wily but not half as clever as he thought he was.

Agree or disagree?

[–] TheManInOil 10 years ago

Ronnie was all those things, but he was also a follower, not a leader. Maybe because he was smart enough to harbour doubts that a more stupid man wouldn't let worry him.

"I'll book you. I'll book you on something. I'll find something in the book to book you on."

[–] shivalrous 10 years ago

Ronnie was all those things, but he was also a follower, not a leader. Maybe because he was smart enough to harbour doubts that a more stupid man wouldn't let worry him.

COMPLETELY DISAGREE that Ronnie was a follower...for many reasons that I've stated up and down the board. The only real follower on the team was Shane. It was Shane who almost cracks (and does eventually crack)in his first interview with Aceveda post shooting Terry.

Contrast that with Vic's confession to Ronnie when he finally admits he killed Terry. Ronnie coolly rationalizes that Terry was a threat to the team and therefore had to go (please understand I am not saying this an admirable decision...in fact it really pissed me off about him)...and he would have helped him had Vic confided in him. Vic had undoubtedly had better charisma and swagger but Ronnie always struck me as the better leader.

[–] maria_maneva 10 years ago

I think Ronnie had more potential as a character but he wasn't given enough to do. I wish they had developed him more since season 1 - more screen time, more dialogue, some storylines of his own etc.
From what I've seen of him in seasons 6 and 7 he definitely has some good qualities - he's intelligent, analytical, not led by his emotions like Vic and Shane but the truth is in the end he always chose to follow Vic and the team. I felt really bad for him at the end when he wanted to run and then he easily let Vic convince him to stay, believing that Vic was looking out for his interests as well.

If a white cat crosses your path, do you get lucky?

[–] keyvenx 10 years ago

Vic's actions has always been in the best interest of his family and the team - in that order.

He has proven throughout the series to be willing to take the rap for various offences if that would take the heat off the team.

Obviously, Ronnie could not possibly have anticipated the twisted circumstances that led Vic to confess everything in exchange for immunity for himself, and by extension, Corrine. Honestly, who would?

Vic never wanted to betray Ronnie - but he'd do it to save his family, a family who ran away from him after he betrayed the one guy who stuck by him throughout. It's a fitting end to a guy (Vic) who finally got entangled in his own web of lies.

[–] shivalrous 10 years ago

Let's hear for the 'tache

[–] shivalrous 10 years ago

Again for the 'tache

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] shivalrous 9 years ago

I concede that Ronnie did not have Vic's charisma..."socially awkward" I dunno....I think that was more Dutch's schtick. If you can imagine the Strike Team as the Beatles then Ronnie is "The Quiet One" but very much one of the guys. And being quiet-as I've always maintained-is exactly why he wouldn't have got into a pissing match with Aceveda as Vic did.

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] PreachCaleb 9 years ago

Ronnie may have been socially awkward, but really only in that first season. But after that, we see he's pretty smooth with the ladies and even a really good leader when put in charge.

Can't stop the signal.

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] shivalrous 9 years ago

I still think he wasn't awkward at all. I think Rees Snell only got the part of Ronnie because he was pals with writer therefore had the least lines in at least the first 2 series, he wasn't even in the publicity shots for the show. Ronnie as far as I can tell from the show was footloose and fancy free....his one onscreen girlfriend is almost murdered by Shane's inept hitman...and Vic makes a remark about Ronnie warning "whoever you're banging this week" to be on her guard because they had the Armenians after them

[–] bishop-69757 9 years ago

Early Ronnie? No. He didn't speak up enough

Later Seasons? Yes. He was the most level headed and he came out of his shell.
He didn't have this massive ego and this addiction to power like Vic. Also Ronnie was loyal probably to a fault because he would never rat out a team member for any deal. The end proved Vic with all his big talk was nothing but a coward.

[–] kprp 8 years ago

Awww, you just have a man crush on Ronnie,, justblike Billings. Haha.
Kidding.

I am re-watching the Shield for the ? 3rd time, or at last a thorough 2nd time, and it is always a surprise how much we hear from .Ronnie as the series progresses so that he is front and center in season 6 and 7.