Posted on: Tuesday, June 4, 2002

Tube Notes

Tonight's Must-See

• "The Shield," 7 and 8 p.m., FX. Here is a powerhouse season finale. It's tough, taut and sometimes repulsive; however, it keeps a thin, redeeming string of humanity. At the core is detective Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis), a tough cop who often goes too far. Now he's learned that assistant chief Gilroy has concocted an elaborate scheme to get rich while destroying a neighborhood. Mackey is carrying too much personal baggage to fight this alone. Tonight, he makes a hesitant alliance with Captain Aceveda.

• "Spy TV," 7 and 7:30 p.m., NBC. New episodes filled with elaborate hidden-camera tricks, including one in which a fake funeral seems to go very badly, with one mourner falling into the grave.

— Mike Hughes, Gannett News Service