3.6
/10
Background Detective is a fictional character portrayed by Ruben Avitia in the TV series The Shield.
They appear in 35 episodes out of a total of 88 aired

Background Detective

by Ruben Avitia

character

Episodes35

  • 8
    /10

    Barnstormers
    episode S2.E7 february 2003
    As a new murder investigation exposes Dutch's crisis of confidence, Vic sets out to stop the abuse of a neighbor by her violent boyfriend.
  • 7.4
    /10

    Co-Pilot
    episode S2.E9 march 2003
    In a look back at the Barn's early days, Vic struggles to secure his hold on the Strike Team command, while Dutch is faced with choosing between a veteran detective and Claudette.
  • 7.7
    /10

    Bottom Bitch
    episode S3.E3 march 2004
    A hooker wants to Vic to punish her former pimp, Dutch arrests a sex offender in an elderly woman's rape.
  • 8.4
    /10

    Fire in the Hole
    episode S3.E13 june 2004
    As Vic tries to sidetrack the money train investigation, Claudette goes undercover to crack a child porn ring.
  • 7.3
    /10

    Grave
    episode S4.E2 march 2005
    Vic agrees to quietly bring in a teenaged drug user before learning of his role in a deadly armed robbery.
  • 7.4
    /10

    Bang
    episode S4.E3 march 2005
    When her official arrival at the Barn is greeted by the outbreak of a deadly gang war, Monica assigns Vic the task of ending it.
  • 8.1
    /10

    Tar Baby
    episode S4.E5 april 2005
    As Monica is forced to defend her crime-fighting tactics, Vic's pursuit of a killer creates problems for Antwon, while Dutch's secret deal with the D.A.'s office gets him and Claudette assigned to a murder investigation.
  • 7.8
    /10

    Hurt
    episode S4.E7 april 2005
    As Aceveda uses a cleverly-edited videotape to force her to sideline Vic, Monica goes toe-to-toe with a social worker whose negligence led to the hospitalization of a seven-year-old foster child.
  • 7.8
    /10

    String Theory
    episode S4.E9 may 2005
    As Shane enlists Vic and his men in the search for the body of a teenaged informant, the disappearance of two cops on patrol begins to look like payback for Monica's tough new policies.
  • 7.7
    /10

    A Thousand Deaths
    episode S4.E11 may 2005
    Vic pits Antwon's henchmen against each other in an effort to find the cop killers; Dutch and Claudette suspect Detective Billings of failing to stop a deadly carjacking.
  • 8.1
    /10

    Judas Priest
    episode S4.E12 june 2005
    Vic and Monica work to link Antwon to the cop killings, only to have Aceveda sell them out in an effort to keep the truth about his sexual assault from being made public.
  • 8.2
    /10

    Ain't That a Shame
    episode S4.E13 june 2005
    Monica asks Vic to find a way to hold Antwon Mitchell responsible for the murder of two Farmington cops.
  • 8
    /10

    Enemy of Good
    episode S5.E2 january 2006
    Lem's loyalty to Vic is tested when he's interrogated by Lt. Kavanaugh and Aceveda about the Strike Team's corrupt past.
  • 7.8
    /10

    Jailbait
    episode S5.E3 january 2006
    While the Strike Team figures out their next step concerning IAD's investigation into Lem, they put Tina undercover to help bust a sex trafficking operation.
  • 8.1
    /10

    Tapa Boca
    episode S5.E4 january 2006
    As Becca contemplates whether or not to represent the Strike Team, Vic discovers the truth about Emolia.
  • 8.7
    /10

    Trophy
    episode S5.E5 february 2006
    Kavanaugh bugs the Strike Team's clubhouse to get his stalled investigation back on track as Vic and the guys try to end a deadly prescription drug ring.
  • 7.9
    /10

    Rap Payback
    episode S5.E6 february 2006
    The walls close in on Vic when Kavanaugh invades the Barn and sets up office.
  • 8.3
    /10

    Man Inside
    episode S5.E7 february 2006
    The Strike Team's solidarity begins to crack under Kavanaugh's constant scrutiny.
  • 8.8
    /10

    Kavanaugh
    episode S5.E8 february 2006
    As Kavanaugh deals with the emotional circumstances surrounding the return of his ex-wife, his obsession to take down the Strike Team comes to a head.
  • 8.1
    /10

    Smoked
    episode S5.E9 march 2006
    With their finances frozen, Vic and his guys are forced to find other means to bail Lem out of jail.
  • 8.6
    /10

    Of Mice and Lem
    episode S5.E10 march 2006
    While Lem prepares to plead guilty to the heroin charges, Vic strikes a deal with Antwon Mitchell that will guarantee Lem's safety in prison.
  • 9.3
    /10

    Postpartum
    episode S5.E11 march 2006
    Vic arranges to get Lem safely out of the country and set up a new life for him in Mexico.
  • 8.4
    /10

    On the Jones
    episode S6.E1 april 2007
    Shane's guilt for killing Lem intensifies after the Strike Team learns that he didn't make a deal with the authorities, and Kavanaugh resorts to threatening informants and planting evidence to pin Lem's murder on Vic.
  • 8.8
    /10

    Chasing Ghosts
    episode S6.E6 may 2007
    After Vic learns that Guardo wasn't Lem's killer, he begins to suspect that Shane could have been responsible. Meanwhile, Vic does a favor for a city official, hoping it will give him an ally in his quest to avoid early retirement.
  • 7.8
    /10

    Exiled
    episode S6.E7 may 2007
    Shane contacts the Armenian mob and collects information against the Strike Team, in order to protect himself from Vic. Meanwhile, Vic learns that Hernan lied about the San Marcos massacre when the Byz Lats retaliate against the Salvadorans.
  • 7.7
    /10

    The Math of the Wrath
    episode S6.E8 may 2007
    Shane offers his services to Kesakhian's daughter, who is running the Armenian mob for her sick father. Meanwhile, Hiatt tells Vic that Claudette has made sure that Vic's "retirement" from the Strike Team is a done deal.
  • 8.7
    /10

    Spanish Practices
    episode S6.E10 june 2007
    Vic and Aceveda form an unlikely alliance to expose a mutual enemy.
  • 8.5
    /10

    Coefficient of Drag
    episode S7.E1 september 2008
    Vic and Shane's relationship continues to deteriorate as they work against each other to track down the Armenian hit man. The war between the Mexicans and Salvadorans continues, and Vic gets a temporary reprieve from early retirement.
  • 7.8
    /10

    Snitch
    episode S7.E2 september 2008
    Vic's plan to play the Armenians against the Mexicans could backfire when the wrong man is targeted. Dutch plays hardball to get a witness to a homicide to step forward, and the mayor's new initiative to stop gang violence backfires.
  • 7.9
    /10

    Money Shot
    episode S7.E3 september 2008
    Vic sets up a plan behind Shane's back to get the Armenians on their side. Meanwhile, Gardocki starts getting fed up about Vic continuing to work with Shane, and Dutch tries to get Danni a desk job to protect her.
  • 7.9
    /10

    Game Face
    episode S7.E5 september 2008
    Vic learns that the federal agent helping them out is in the "blackmail box" and has ties to Cruz Pezuela. Dutch tries to find out if he has a future serial killer on his hands, and Claudette's health is brought into question.
  • 8.7
    /10

    Animal Control
    episode S7.E6 october 2008
    Vic launches his latest plan to get rid of the Armenian threat. However, the main difference in this plan is that, if successful, it will get rid of Shane too. Meanwhile for Shane, a ghost from his past reemerges.
  • 8.3
    /10

    Moving Day
    episode S7.E9 october 2008
    Vic turns in his badge a week early and sets out to find and kill Shane and his wife. However, Ronnie is benched after Claudette shuts down the Strike Team. Meanwhile, Aceveda finds out more disturbing information about Cruz Pezuela.
  • 9.4
    /10

    Possible Kill Screen
    episode S7.E12 november 2008
    Mara breaks her collarbone and accidentally shoots and kills an innocent person when Shane's plan to get more money goes sideways. Meanwhile, Vic contemplates leaving Ronnie out to dry and taking a deal with the Feds without him.
  • 9.7
    /10

    Family Meeting
    episode S7.E13 november 2008
    As Vic hopes his immunity deal will help keep his family together, and Shane takes extreme measures to keep his pregnant wife from being charged with murder, Dutch finds he's a suspect in the disappearance of a teenage serial killer's mother.