Ep 3. Partners

Detective Vic Mackey and his Strike Team are still battling to keep the streets of Farmington safe, using whatever means necessary. In "Partners," the third episode of the show's second season, Vic teams up with a new partner, Assistant Chief Ben Gilroy, on a gang-related case.

Gilroy pushes Vic to take down a notorious drug kingpin, but Vic is reluctant to put all of his resources into the case, especially since the kingpin is a big fish who has managed to stay one step ahead of the law for years. Meanwhile, Vic's old partner, Terry, is struggling to keep his cool when he witnesses an injustice against a friend.

As the case heats up and tensions rise, Vic begins to see that he may have underestimated Gilroy's tenacity and smarts. And when they finally get their man, they realize that their partnership may have consequences they didn't anticipate.

But "Partners" isn't only about the case. The episode also delves deeper into the characters' personal lives. Vic's relationship with his wife is tested when she begins to investigate his actions on the job, while Dutch and Claudette continue to butt heads over their different approaches to policing.

"Partners" is a riveting episode that doesn't disappoint. The action is intense, the dialogue is sharp, and the characters are as complex as ever. If you're a fan of The Shield, you won't want to miss this one.