(S07E07) "Ehh... another Mexican donkey show and Aceveda had me playing the reluctant virgin." - Vic

Even though this whole season is really "the beginning of the end," I think it's safe to say that this episode was the true turning point. Yeah, Vic and Ronnie tried to kill Shane but now he's going to retaliate. Bad move. You'd think that by now, Shane would have learned his lesson. Why stick around and add fuel to the fire? He's got Rezian's 100K. Take Mara and the kids and jet - for good. If the little plan he's setting up goes south, then he'll be running anyway. Say what you will - I still think he's stupid. Even Vic understands what it means to quit while you're ahead... well, sometimes. Not in this episode.

It's not often that The Shield latches on to one theme and really pounds at it for the whole hour, but it did this week. Second chances all around - for Vic (via Lee), for Shane, for Farrah, for I.C.E., and for Lester.

The whole situation with Lee is odd to me. I really don't get why Vic cares so much, although I think "cares" is the wrong word. Corinne hit it on the head when she asked Vic if he's fighting simply because he's a fighter. I think so. Cassidy's string of recent bad behavior has him worried that he screwed up and Lee is his chance to do it over, but how much involvement is he really going to have? Well... none, now that Danny packed her things her up. Where do you think she'll run to?

That being said, I don't blame her. Vic was a total ass by setting up that court ordered DNA test, all in an effort to scare Danny into submission from all the mounting court fees. That really screams, "I want to be a good dad."

Moving on to Shane, he's heading down an all too familiar path at this point. The only difference is that Two-Man will be pulling the trigger instead of him. If you caught the line about "How's your jaw," then you know he's sending TM after Ronnie. So that leaves Vic. All I'll say is that Shane has definitely not forgotten about Vic. Pretty ironic too, that this was the same episode that Vic admitted to Ronnie that he's mostly to blame for Shane being the way he is now. Unfortunately, Vic is a little too late at this point. No time for friendship rehab now.

As for I.C.E., I love how Vic and Olivia are working together to make things happen for them both. Vic blew Chaffee's shot at nailing Pezuela (with Olivia's help) and now Mackey can dive right in and offer them a second shot. You'd think Chaffee would have said something after how conveniently it played out for Vic. Even if Vic does help them to get a big win, is that really going to be enough for them to offer him a job? A paycheck is clearly the end game, but c'mon - who would want to hire him?

That leaves Farrah and Lester. The second both of these fools re-appeared, you knew they weren't any better than they used to be. I'm not surprised Vic caved and helped out Farrah and I'm certainly not surprised that she played him again just like she did in in the season three episode "Bottom Bitch." She's a manipulative woman and Vic's whole crusade for Lee has his judgment cloudy I think. People can change... but not crank addicted alley whores who've already taken advantage of you once before. Those people stay the same.

Lester too. Remember him? He's the overly aggressive ex-cop who helped bust that drug den with Vic and his old partner Joe (Carl Weathers) last season in "Haunts." Like Vic said to Dutch - if you think he did something shitty, then he probably did. And speaking of Dutch, it looks like his little pep talk with Billings worked because those two made a good team this time around.

A few more thoughts on "Bitches Brew" --

• I'm really starting to worry about Claudette's ending in the series. It's not looking good. I'm glad Dutch got her the cleaning lady, but her place was a total mess. And now, with Danny bolting, her extra set of hands at the office is gone too. I'm worried.
• Aceveda is such a sleaze, keeping Olivia's file before he turned over the box. He acts like he's so much better, but he's just like everyone else.
• Now that Pezuela is getting his box back, don't you think he's going to be a little suspicious of how Vic came up with it all of a sudden? I would be.

While all of that still plays a role, it takes a back seat next week. Buckle up because Vic's world is about to change drastically. The episode is called "Parricide" and you should look it up if that doesn't sound right to you... it didn't to me anyway. Apparently, it can mean more than just killing your father. Chaos equals change equals opportunity - but opportunity for who?