l star

This episode was slow but I liked it. I pretty much always like Maura eps though. The bullshit with Edward's mother was extreme but I thought he and Maura had an easy, sexy chemistry. I get why Maura would go for him. Not going to lie, I got a romance novel thrill when he saw her then sent his mother away. Same for the way they held hands. Even though I knew the divorce thing was coming, I was half hoping she'd give him a shot. Maybe she still will. I'm apparently easier than I thought. All I need is Maura to be into it and really smile like that and I'm in. As long as she's doing it with that gorgeous updo and in something other than that awful red skirt and patterned pants. What the hell, wardrobe? I'm a bit surprised that Maura is so supportive to Jane but it's a short plane ride and it's not like she hasn't been going through the same thing. So maybe she's feeling a little 'follow your path'. I was really hoping she would at some point get more from Jane about why she is even considering doing this though. It's like all of a sudden Jane's job doesn't feel right anymore so she's randomly changing. I get feeling unsettled and not knowing why, but I'm not even getting enough from the show to assume that's what the deal actually is. The marriage as one night of crazy was not exactly a character swerve. This is the same Maura who rode nude to protest budget cuts. She and Garrett broke up at 20 so I'm guessing Edward came after. I really, truly didn't need that kind of last minute in the series character twist but I've seen worse *Alice*. I bet Tilly shit herself when she found out Maura had a key and that really makes it worth it. I totally felt for Nina when her mother walked off with Frankie. Overbearing mothers seemed to be the theme this ep. I'm glad they talked for so long because they were having fun, rather than an endless interrogation. They were cute this ep. YES!! Exactly. Then again, Frankie doesn't almost die quite as often as Jane. Still, remember Frankie, Angela! Maybe Ron will distract her from her nosiness.

Here is the article I was thinking about- Movie Romance Gone Real: Eduardo Ponti and Sasha Alexander. They met at USC's Film School. BTW, the picture of them with that article is wonderful.

Of course he has dark hair and is classically gorgeous. That is definitely Maura's type. I'm still holding out hope that this was a drunken night in Vegas that was quickly annulled later. It's not like Maura has the best taste in men, and she's always along for the ride from the first date on. Is it too much to hope for a Garrett Fairfield mention? College and majorly on the rebound would be a great time for this kind of bullshit to occur. And of course it's never been mentioned because of the shame! She got married in a Vegas wedding chapel in a tacky veil under neon lights. She could never tell anyone about something like that. I'm curious to see how Sasha does directing this ep. I still think it's weird that the actresses are directing episodes that their characters are heavily involved in. Still, Sasha has a film degree and has never directed that I can find, so I'm really curious. Isn't her husband a director?

I agree. While I may gripe about Jane, the core of this show for me has always been Maura and Jane's friendship. I love seeing an adult friendship where they have gone in a few years from friends to, essentially, sisters. They just clicked and everyone around them has had to either roll with it or fall by the wayside. That kind of bond is special. I don't ship them, but it is as special and important as any romantic or blood family bond to me. So I do not get why they are so separate now. Part of it I think is that we spend so much more time on the police end of things. That has always been the focus but in the past, I remember Korsak spending a fair amount of time in autopsy and even Frankie. It was a stronger part of the show so the time Jane spent down there felt more natural. Most of it though is just series ending stupidity. I've wondered that myself so much. To be fair, while I enjoyed it very much the picture scene last ep was a pretty cold. Still, I wonder if it would feel as one-sided if Maura had family for Jane to be in the middle of all the time? Family that Jane and Maura both liked I mean. I'm going to say probably just because of "the snarky bordering on outright mean" that you mentioned. I am too. She graduated from a pretty prestigious film school, if I remember correctly, and not in acting. I'm pretty sure everyone was getting super pissed about the duck being at The Dirty Robber. At the lab, I assumed that if Maura wasn't freaking out about it, then everyone else minded their own. Yes, please!! They can even keep Frankie if they want. He was a doctor in the military, and served in combat. He switched to pathology because he couldn't handle the deaths. While he is pretty much goofy squared, I think his interest in Maura's illness showed that serious backstory well. Once his doctor instincts kick in, he has trouble backing up. And he can't deal with the aftermath. At one point, I think Maura had to help him because he couldn't talk to a family about their loved one's death. That had to do with his time in combat as well. Even though Maura is fine now, he's having trouble taking that step back again. Which is why Maura needs to drag him to one of the clinics she's volunteering at until he figures out that M.E. is not his calling.

Yes to all of this. I do have some positives though- Kent's nationalism continues to amuse me though his historical ignorance pushed the bounds of common knowledge; thank you hair people for giving Maura a side part! She looked better than she has all season (if I ignore the choker-like scarf). Korsak can liven up a scene so easily. His face when Jane realized he'd eaten the shrimp and the expressions on his and Kent's faces when Maura compared them were great. Kent needs to smile more- his smile is hot. And finally, I must be cheap. My first thought was that the stone was an aquamarine. Maura has her own wardrobe bar in her cabinet! Her wardrobe deserves it. I laughed at Jane's reaction to the shirt. While I personally liked it, citrine is an unusual color for a blouse. Though it could have been black and Jane would have griped because cops don't wear silk or it cost more than her rent. Does Maura have a large statue of fighting cherubs in the corner of her office now? I'm not sure how I feel about that. I love Maura's tolerance for her people's eccentricities. It's very different from the squad room where any little thing is the impetus for (good natured) ribbing. I'm not sure if it's supposed to represent a contrast between Maura and Jane, scientists and cops, or the work spaces, but I like it. And in that vein, the duck story was stupid, but I'll take it. Kent was super protective of Maura while she was sick, as both a friend and a doctor. With his lack of relationships outside of work, I'm not surprised he's adrift now that she both pushed him away and got better without him. I'm glad Maura caught on. His interest in her was sincere, and she appreciated it right up until he said something she didn't want to hear. Now she just needs to give him a kick towards the real issue here. He may not belong in a war zone, but he is not a medical examiner either. The magic plot was cute. And yes, Frankie holding his arm out to lead her out! I doubt he ever actually touched her, but the gesture is just the natural intimacy I was looking for. I didn't need the rest of his family in it though. This show is all or nothing. Still, while they frequently annoy me, I will miss the warmth of the Rizzoli family. The case was boring. Nothing about that court charade seemed legit. What exactly did they think the guy was going to do when Jane stood up behind the car? Pointless. The writer's room really should have just tossed this one out.

Maura still has her motorcycle! And the sidecar which is awesome. The delivery on the Tinkerbell line was really great too. By the time it hit the pixie dust line though, it was stretched a little thin. There were several instances of that for me. Angie did a decent job, but I get why most shows give their cast episodes they aren't in as much to direct. There were some shots and moments (the slow closing of the doors to talk to Angela, the theatrical way Jane went into the prison and the swoop in on her face) that probably seemed like a good idea on paper, but came across as just unnecessary. The flow was off. I know Jane was realizing how much she's missing out on with the pictures, but my takeaway was just a yay that Maura has fun doing things with others who want to do them too. They may have said that Jane was too busy working, but my story is that Jane wasn't there because they were Maura's interests, and everyone agreed they would all be happier if Jane did something else. Angela's freakout was annoying as hell but I did get it. This wasn't Jane doing her job. This was Jane volunteering to go above and beyond her job to do something arguably stupid with negligible necessity. I'd have been pissed too. I was surprised that Maura went along with it so easily. But then I never understood how we got from normal case suspect in jail to Jane needs to go undercover. Likewise how we got from stupid criminal trying to arrange a hit to really she's just trying to do the right thing for her sister. So maybe I'm not the best judge. I liked Nina and Frankie's story line. I was right there with her when she hit back at Frankie telling her she was overreacting, even if I agreed. Still it was something that needed to come up at some point, and this was much less dramatic than it could have been while still having some emotional impact. Too bad it meant that Frankie apparently couldn't even have two lines about his sister's stupid undercover plan. I don't get Jane's sudden interest in a career change. They seem to be equating it with Maura writing a novel, but Maura has been writing for like three seasons now. Progressing to a novel is hardly shocking for someone like Maura. Same for Maura volunteering some at the clinics, exploring another what if she's mentioned in the past. Now Jane is thinking of leaving Boston to become a teacher, albeit one at Quantico. The hell? That is not the same and is not a left turn that is working for me.

If we saw Frankie and Nina as a couple outside of work, I don't think it would bother me. I also respect and very much appreciate couples who are able to keep the personal away from the professional. But here, we only see them at work. What's the point of hooking them up if we never see them together and they never act like they are together? For example, that line to Korsak about the coffee was ridiculously obvious. With a few more hints between Frankie and Nina, that kind of thing wouldn't be needed. Just to be clear- I am not advocating making out and holding hands at work. I'm thinking more like the two of them walking into the station together in the morning or adopting some of the more intimate body language and speech patterns that people who know each other well pick up. They don't have to finish each other's sentences but picking up on the other's thought processes a little quicker than the others would be normal. A bit of flirting when it's just the two of them in BRIC. Or even stealing a drink from the other's water bottle, which is a pretty common tv trope. Now it's like they have to remind us when really, if they didn't want them to be a couple, why did they make them a couple?

I loved watching Jane teaching! She may have been justifiably nervous, but she was in her element there. That interrogation lesson was really fun to watch. I didn't need the asshole trainee though. Since it was basically a collection of five throwaway lines and it led to Jane's great reaction to the cute agent offering to delay the plane, I can ignore it. I really, really, really hope that his mention here does not mean we have to see Agent Dean again. Either let Jane end the series single or flirting with cute men in between kicking ass professionally. No flashes from boyfriends past needed. This episode had a lot of humor. I was cracking up at the fat bomb scene. It was hilarious and just juvenile enough to make me giggle. Jane's annoyance at missing all the cool stuff was funny too. Frankie's hope for spontaneous combustion was cute, though I'm surprised Maura's head didn't explode when he referenced Wikipedia. I kept expecting something when Korsak walked into Maura's office but nothing. I think the one-liners and his awesome side eye earlier had built up my expectations. When Nina brought up the rascals again, I cracked up. While the obvious 'Frankie brought over coffee last night' and obvious couple name teasing were obvious, I really liked seeing the inside joke. Now if they would just adjust the body language or tone or something, to create a bit of couple-like rhythm and intimacy between them. I kept trying to figure out if Kent was being weirder than normal but I think it was Maura throwing off the dynamic. Is she still pissed about him suggesting surgery three episodes ago? Normally her weirdness and general acceptance of his weirdness balances Kent out but this ep, she she was treating him like she could barely stand him. Did I miss something? I actually watched this on TV tonight, with other people, so it is very possible. For once I liked an Angela storyline. Her line about becoming independent was too obviously scripted, but I can appreciate her point. Maura handed her a gift when she needed it, but Angela has never stepped up since. Thank god Maura finally suggested the obvious solution. I liked the last scene from Maura revealing that she's known for a while what Angela had in mind to the teasing at the end. It's really sweet that Maura was so discrete and let Angela do what she needed, even though since it's her house Maura's concern would be reasonable. Does anyone remember when Angela actually moved in with Maura? Was there a conversation, an agreement, or even a moving scene at some point? I just remember her with Frank, then with Maura without any transition.

Of course Maura loves storms. She would get a rush where others just get annoyed. While I give Jane kudos for consistently showing up, I will not miss watching her cringe her way through every event. Or just generally cringe over Maura's every interest like she's being forced to endure. Thankfully Jane's bitch face at Samantha at the end made up for it this ep. Woman had it coming. This case was awful. The killer was killing people daily. Where was the urgency? Needing to protect the other people at the hospital? There was so little actual focus on it that I couldn't even follow how they got the killer. And I don't care. That's just bad for a detective show. Everything about Frankie's story line was ridiculous. Which is too bad because that throwaway bit about Frankie having to deal with his father's messes and the way it rolls from father to son really had potential. So Kent is weird. And? Everyone has known that since he got there. He can nerd-out with Maura on her level for goodness' sake. Or even surpass her. Yet Frankie was acting like he just discovered this shocking information that should bring them all to his side. I loved that no one was willing to indulge his bullshit. They all very correctly called him out as being childish. I am torn though. I have a strong aversion to taxidermy (creepy!) but the thought of a mouse dressed in leaf raking gear as seasonal clothing is awesome. I will let the end scene sway me back to the positive. I was seriously cracking up. Angela as the third was perfect! As was Maura's open-mouthed shock at Kent. I don't remember when she was last that thrown by something. Plus they brought friends! That would have been the logical way. Except she had to sign a NDA, so maybe she also wasn't allowed to bring her phone or any recording devices in? Regardless, I think hacking it out with a pocket knife was just more of her crazy coming out. While Samantha was definitely eccentric and opportunistic, I am glad that she was also genuinely impressed by Maura. I like the exploration of the fruits of Maura's creative writing class more than this move to Maura working at Hope's clinic. Though I suppose I can live with her doing both. I wonder if we will see Maura volunteering next week. I really liked the Tess Gerritsen appearance. It had to be such a thrill to be introduced to the characters she created, played by the actresses who have brought them to life so completely. Maybe it's because this ep so closely followed the zombie one, but I was also glad to see Korsak knock Jane back a bit. I agree as well on liking the Frost mention. With the tragic loss of the actor as well, I think he must always be in the thoughts of the cast and crew. Remembering Frost is remembering Lee.

Jane was focused on Hope to the exclusion of Constance. For once even Angela took a backseat to Jane's meddling. Maura didn't appear to have any want or need for Hope's presence, and was the only one to point out that she already had a mom. Plus she has Angela whenever she wants to be s-mothered. If I remember right though, Jane doesn't like Constance at all. I remember her confronting her about being a bad mother to Maura. Maura and Jane's diverging views on Maura and her family have created varying degrees of conflict since Paddy Doyle though. That at least is one degree of conflict that hasn't been dropped or brushed aside. I caught that then too and got totally thrown out of the story trying to figure out if they'd already mentioned it and did it matter.

I'm not feeling this episode. Part of that is the presence of Hope, a character I have never warmed to, but it seemed to be a lot of storylines thrown together that weren't clicking for me. I don't care about Jane figuring out Nina/Frankie. The case was obvious though really, it could have gone either way by the end and I wouldn't have cared. This is two eps already this season where another ME made a case breaking mistake that only Maura could find. There were a few good things- that sweater Maura had on at her house and the bun to show off the neckline, her dress at the end, Kent smashing cantaloupes and Maura's complete obliviousness to how odd it sounded to Jane, the fact that he had drawn faces on the cantaloupes, and Kent calling Maura was grumpy and her grumpy denial. Maura's fixation on bagels. There are no cravings like the things you could have but can't for whatever reason. Nina telling Frankie to plead the fifth was cute. Unfortunately all of that didn't add up to five minutes of the episode. Even the lack of Kiki and minimal Angela couldn't save it. I was waiting for Kent to say something personal to Maura but I guess since she pushed him back so hard last week, he took the hint. The fact that she's taken all of his medical suggestions and run with them is its own kind of hint though. Maura has a good relationship with her mom, it's just very different from what Jane and Angela prefer. Her parents are wealthy, with highly accomplished international careers. Constance loved Maura but did not 'mother' like the Rizzolis use the word. I'm guessing a nanny helped. Then Maura went to French boarding schools, and as an adult she only sees her parents occasionally. So apparently Jane thinks she needs to learn Rizzoli 'mothering' and how to be a daughter to that kind of mothering. I don't get why Jane wanted Maura to call Hope. I don't remember them leaving their relationship at that kind of place. Maura certainly didn't seem happy to see her. 'She's your Mom'- no Jane, she's really not. Jane's behavior in this ep reminded me of her pushing when Arthur showed up last season. Angela is there, and I think that is all the mothering Maura wants. Leave it be. If at any point Maura had looked happy to be left with Hope I don't think I would feel as strongly, but she didn't. Two really telling moments were when Hope said she had to ask Angela to step aside and when Maura said they didn't know each other and laid the family relationships out. I don't remember Hope wanting this much from her before. Maybe Cailin is gone now? It's only been a few eps since Maura told Kent she'd wondered what kind of doctor she would be so I'm not surprised she wanted the tour. I just didn't like the pushiness when Maura was already so vulnerable. I kept wondering what she really wanted. I'm pretty sure she'd been out of surgery awhile. At first I thought they were making her walk to the bathroom, but Hope said they'd brought her up. So she went for the memory tests perhaps? My only issue was the lack of a noticeable bandage. In the final scene she had a little white bandage on her neck. Otherwise, nothing to be seen. That's just nuts.

That interview was done to promote the premiere of last season. He was brand new and only a recurring guest star. He's was upped to regular this season. I'm not saying they've changed their minds, but I am saying that I'm not going to hold them to something they said before the guy's first episode had even aired. Because she sucks. Without the bitterness, I'm going to say because they wanted Maura to have more of a professional peer than Susie, as a lab tech, was. I adored Susie and her friendship with Maura, but I can't see her confiding in Susie about her medical issue or letting her help her through it. And I absolutely cannot imagine her having let Susie correct her work. I can't imagine her even letting Susie see enough chinks in her armor to know a mistake could be possible. I think that's the big difference in Maura's relationship with Kent. Maybe it's because he's not supposed to be a permanent lab employee, but instead is in training to take over his own lab, but she doesn't seem to always see him as someone who works for her. I think she frequently sees him as someone who works with her instead.

Fencing! Yes! Fencing is awesome, as was 'I didn't know rich people had their own Storm Troopers'. And for once, Jane's mocking and annoyance at the snobbishness was funny. It helps that it was so deserved. For once, a guest star had a personality and it was entertaining, not infuriating. 'Passionate' as she may have been, Frankie and Korsak were dicks. CJ may have been nuts but she was good at her job. I am now sad this is the last season though. I want to see Maura and CJ at the convention! The Kiki/Angela stuff was stupid, but I can't put this one all off on Angela. Angela made the best of the gift until it was clear that Kiki wasn't feeling it. This stupidity was all on Kiki in my view. He's known her well enough to discuss this with her several other times since she got hurt, not to mention take care of her. She almost passed out on him this ep. I think she trusts him and he cares about her. If not, why would she be okay with him double checking her work and why would he bother? Why would she take his medical advice seriously and why would he go to the trouble to do the research? I agree that she knows and trusts Jane more, but that doesn't mean she doesn't also need Kent's support right now too. I think the two conversations about surgery were perfect examples of that. I know I'm shipper biased, but I think his opinion is coming from a place of medical experience pushed by a lot of caring. And she accepts it because she knows and appreciates that. Which is also why I think Maura pushing back with his job was a cop out. He clearly thinks that surgery is her best option. She knows that too, but is avoiding because she doesn't want to face it. That's what the people who care about you are for IMO, to push but also respect the lines you set. So for me, she should have stuck with 'if I'd have wanted the information I'd have said so, so leave' instead of throwing the boss card. The situation was past that, and has been since she got hurt. They are at best colleagues working through this issue together. Except since when do colleagues respond to a bell? Or develop new zombie makeup and test it out on the other? Or cover for professional screwups? They are friends at this point, and in my hopes, headed to more. At first I was like, Sasha can sing? Though it quickly became clear that it was Nina's chance to show off her gorgeous voice, it was the two of them together that made the moment for me. That whole scene was a lot of fun. The Natural Woman choice was an overly obvious call back to twenty minutes before though.

Who would have thought that Rizzoli & Isles would have the hardest episode for me in a while? A bit of background: I was always the smartest kid in school. By graduation, it was as written in high school stone as the Popular Girl, the Pretty Girl, the Funny Girl, etc. I hit every academic goal I reached for. A couple of years into college I had a medical issue that damaged my brain, in particular my short term memory and ability to express and connect my thoughts. It took more than two years to get mostly back to myself. So watching Maura cry in her office hit me hard. Knowing that what you are most secure in is failing (or as anger makes it feel- turning against you) is terrifying. I wanted Kent to give her a hug for me. So even if this story line goes down in flames in the next ep, they got it here. I do like zombies okay but what really sold them to me here was Frankie and Maura's enthusiasm. Frankie was clearing having a blast with it all and that's hard for me to hate on. Maura's admiration for the talent and care in the makeup was awesome. Of course Kent decided he could make better makeup so she let him experiment on her. Maura couldn't have kept her nose out. I am all in at this point for Maura and Kent but I also liked that she talked the medical with him but gave Jane her resignation letter. That took an incredible amount of trust for Maura so even if she was romantically involved with someone, I can't imagine her giving it to anyone but Jane. By the same token, I like that she lets Kent see how scared and upset she is while she tries to be stronger with Jane. That shows an intimacy between her and Kent that I think they've earned. This is clearly killing him too, and he can understand the medical side in a way that Jane can't. I'm not sure how much longer he can keep from hugging her. While with Jane, Maura lets her know she's scared but from another direction. The medical jargon won't mean much to Jane but her concern over her career does. And until Maura has new facts to give, she'd just be worrying Jane with something she can't change. I'd be willing to bet we see Hope again and I don't want it. I'm not sure why, but I've never warmed to Hope. Bring back Maura's real family please. I don't know if Angela was already pregnant or not, but they definitely got married in high school. The idea seemed to be that since she was married and having babies, there was no need for a career so no need for a degree. I really wasn't feeling Frankie and Nina this ep either. Which is surprising because I was into them, or at least okay with them, before. Maybe because while they talked about everyone and their relationship, they didn't have any of the moments between the two of them that were always so cute. Besides, as someone else pointed out, Angela and everyone else in the full bar watched them make-out in the last ep. The idea that no one knows but Angela is just ridiculous.

Angela dumped Ron because stupid is stupid. This is something else.

If Jane and Maura have to have breakfast together every morning I like Maura's place better. It's not dark and dreary. It's a pretty place but I just want to turn on a light. Or five. It's like Jane is just hanging out in the professor's house though. There's nothing personal or lived in about her stay there. I hope she magically can still get the stadium adjacent apartment she was looking at before. Two episodes back to back of the Alice Sands case was way too much. The best part was actually seeing Alice Sands. She was a lot more compelling than the investigation. At least the ep had an interesting case too. The car crash was sad. I have mixed feelings about Frankie's decision at the end but it was involving throughout. I also liked seeing him in lead role and handling it well. Did the prosecutor just flat out lie to the judge about having ample evidence against Alice or were the cops leading her to believe that they might have more than they were saying? I think Jane had to kill Alice at the end. Holding the kid hostage would have gotten her trouble but they had absolutely no evidence that she actually committed any other crime. For the story to end, she had to do something stupid that would justify Jane shooting her. So, ridiculous hostage moment. I just wanted it to end too so I'm not mad. I'm finding Maura's injury a lot more interesting than I expected to. Having it affect her brain and memory is scary for a brilliant, expert in her field like Maura. I'm glad she told Kent. Now that Jane has a little less going on I'm expecting more time spent between the two of them focused on it but it was also nice to hear the back and forth between doctors. Frankie/Nina is super cute but from here on out, I could be happy with a lot less of them than we got in these two eps. It was like they took something lurking in the background and blew it up by 20. As far as the romance hints where Jane and Maura are concerned, I was fine with it. They have both had boyfriends before. My only objection would be if they both got one in the next two eps. But if Maura gets involved with Kent and Jane starts something casual here and there with Martinez that after the series ends, I can imagine building to something more or flaming out I'm good. Even possibly happy.

Angela dumping Ron was such a thoroughly Angela thing to do that I couldn't even be mad. I wouldn't mind if they wrapped her story up by him showing up again in the next couple of eps for a reunion. I liked him and his daughter needs to take her passive aggressive bullshit elsewhere. Angela doing it for her children is ridiculous. Doing it for his daughter and grandchildren is more understandable so he could easily come around. Then they can go back to Paris for half the season. I thought Frankie checked on Nina first but it was Kent. Given his history as a battlefield doctor, the little detail that instead of running, as soon as the shooting stopped he went to the most wounded was nice. Though there is a bit of a continuity issue there- when it started he covered Maura. Then all of a sudden she's bleeding up against building while he's on the other side of the crowd. The jump from the crowd fighting for cover to Jane running while Maura, Nina and Kent are left on the sidewalk and Frankie goes in and closes the door (which I'm not knocking- those are solid cop instincts) was jarring. My biggest issue with Jane's dress was that it's ugly. And inappropriate. Seriously, she's the best man at her friend's wedding in a bar. The bride has on a high necked, knee length dress. Can we have like half as much boobage here? Then again Maura's dress would have benefited from an extra inch of fabric on either side too so maybe the costumers were just having a boob day. I have trouble seeing Jane as the runaway best of the best in cop school so my faith in this story line was always on rocky ground.Top of her class sure, but so far ahead that she didn't even notice those around her fighting to keep up? No way. Besides the fact that Alice coming from a big deal cop family would have been common knowledge. Being nuts can account for a lot of character issues for Alice but not for Jane's role in it all. And since when does a hair in an alley prove someone shot up a wedding? Or even reasonably suggest that they did? I like Kent. I liked him before, I like him now, I like him with Maura, and I like the idea of him with Maura. The line 'she should bring down a heap of hellish goodwill on your head' is awesome. The bell was hilarious. Maura's little smile when she said it was Kent's idea was cute. I never thought being coddled would be a turn on for her considering how incredibly self-sufficient she is but maybe that's why it is. It helps that he's a doctor too, and she knows she actually does need it. And I mean the dude literally came running when she called. It's hard not to feel a little sweet at that. He certainly was.

I read the recap before I watched this ep. That was definitely a mistake since I actually liked it. I am surprised they never mentioned the baby's name. Combined with Annalise calling him 'it' to Eve last week, and they kept the vein of unease around the palpable grief wonderfully. Me too. I think that's a combination of missing the bit of goofy sweetness and genuine connection they brought to this group and being totally unnerved by Asher and Mikayla. I like Frank and Laurel more apart and Wes/Laurel are a shrug, but Mikayla actively dislikes Asher and for real reasons. And while I know Asher sees a girl and his eyes cross, he doesn't exactly have a lot he likes about Mikayla either. If this was supposed to be just a drunken fun time they could cringe about later, okay. But the preview suggests otherwise unfortunately. Then again, maybe this and Wes/Laurel are finally going to send Frank and Bonnie off the hellfire deep end. That could be fun. My favorite part was Connor's big wide eyes. Considering the flip flops she was doing on them I would be scared too. Same for not wanting Annalise to find out about Sam. In her current mindset, that's just selfpreservation. I would also add Bonnie's quote about being bad people to this list. I loved it not only because she kind of slapped them in the face with it, but also because of the ending with that is all we have in common. That is really so very true. If Wes had not drug them all into Rebecca's case followed by the four killing Sam, things would be so different. That's a huge reason why Asher's apology stuck out so sharply to me, and I think pissed Bonnie off so much. Thank you's and acknowledgement for being protected from him are so far beyond the point at this stage. Yet he seems to honestly believe that he is the guilty problem at the center of all this. I honestly think he would walk in and take the blame for all this if Annalise or Bonnie told him it would help. And I think the rest of them would let him which is probably why I still don't feel much for any of them. I'm surprised the k5 haven't paid more attention to what Bonnie knows. She also figured out who killed Sam and that Annalise wasn't favoring Wes, she was protecting him. And she's the only one who knows that Annalise was hallucinating her dead baby. Now if only she wasn't so easy for Annalise to shut down, she'd really be a volatile component to all this. I miss the family vibe from a couple of episodes ago. I don't understand why that all of a sudden disappeared. Frank cooking and playing house, Bonnie handling everybody including Annalise, Laurel babysitting Wes while Connor babysat Asher. I feel like something semi functional turned into these forced sleepovers in hell for no reason. Though I was really surprised Frank went straight to threats with Bonnie. He had to know there was a better way, and she didn't even seem that phased by it. I think the point of the bar pickup in the flashback was to show how reckless he is so maybe all this with Laurel and his handling of it is supposed to echo that. I think most of the K5 are caught up in knowing they did something bad, but excusing their guilt under the twin guises of I only did it because of them and it would be better for me to protect them than send everyone to jail. After this, it makes me think she was dead the minute she refused the abortion. I was more annoyed by all the k5 in the interrogations. I kept waiting for one of them to slip up just enough for Denver to call them out and remind them they are first year law students, not lawyers. They were just so cocky and aggressive. Though it also seemed like Bonnie was intervening just enough to say she did. She would let them hang in a second, even if she had to go down too. Two final things: Nate and Eve's endless love for Annalise is disturbing and wow, I thought Bonnie had low self esteem now. I'm guessing she's their favorite and in trying to comfort them now, things get twisted.

I think Mahoney is probably Wes's dad too, but I don't think all the individual character beats matter all that much here. Wes's dad and the fact that Annalise knew and was there when his mother killed herself are the big ones. I was more amazed by the way Rose killed herself than anything else. Literally sticking a knife in your throat just seems incredibly painful. I thought her reasons basically boiled down to 'without me here keeping all this drama around him, at least he'll have a chance'. That's just very sad to me. I loved the warrant scene, from beginning to end. Annalise and Bonnie were perfect there. As was Asher being the only one to pick up a box to shred and how pleased Bonnie was with herself when she confirmed in front of the officer that there wasn't a warrant. Though if Nate hadn't called, that could have been ugly. I continue to like Annalise and Eve. I think the disconnect with Annalise and her baby is shown when she calls the baby 'it'. I think she wants to be a mother, but I don't think she really wants a child. Much like she can't get over Eve even when she's playing happy family with Sam. My question is if we are supposed to think she's figured any of her shit out now, because I'm not seeing it. So example #97 Sam is a creeper- Annalise went to him because of confusion over her sexuality. So he slept with her, breaking both his oath as a doctor and his vows as a husband. I really want to know even more now how it started with Bonnie, particularly since I don't think it ever hit the point of actually turning sexual. I just went back and watched again- Laurel accuses Frank of killing Rebecca but neither ever mentions Lila by name. The closest Laurel gets is 'you killed an innocent girl, strangled her on her roof', then says it was for Annalise. Which is a cop-out but I think if Bonnie really does find out for sure that Frank killed Lila, not Rebecca, she would shatter. I don't see how she could handle that. So maybe the ambiguity is to avoid the full mic drop and consequences there of. This way Bonnie can still deny it to herself. I think Bonnie was listening to Frank and Laurel to find out what was going on. Frank wouldn't tell her, she wanted to know, so enter the recording device. Every time they show a little of Frank and Bonnie, I want more. At times, they seem more ride or die for each other than they even are for Annalise. It's weird given all the individual dynamics. And at any moment, I think they'd toss the K5 off a cliff with glee. I'm not always sure they'd even save Laurel and Asher. It depends. When Frank said maybe not way better lives before the K5 and she said not covered in blood at least, my first reaction was that if only more of these characters valued that. Maybe then more than just Connor would be looking to transfer. Honestly I never had much use for Laurel before but I am really liking her now. That scene in the last ep of her buying plane tickets for her and Wes to go to Ohio and find out what happened was one of my favorite scenes in this series. She kept up that streak this ep. I loved her telling Frank that telling her he loves her via murder reveal is not what she wants. Even more, she doesn't want the kind of person who would do that. I really like that there have now been two couples who have broken up for real reasons, Frank/Laurel because of Lila and Bonnie/Asher because of his past. Neither was just a horror reaction either. Both women made that decision because of what they could and couldn't stomach based on their own lives. While I would like Bonnie and Asher to get back together if neither couple can, I'm okay with that too. That would make perfect sense for Bonnie and I can't see Laurel coming around on Frank again. Not with what I've seen of her. The sleepover didn't really work for me. Asher's antics didn't bother me, even when he's really upset he's only a half second away from that kind of bullshit, but it did bother me that he wasn't concerned in the least about Bonnie. Not one of them mentioned Bonnie or Frank, even though two of them have or had personal relationships with them and the others all know that. And of course the concern that the general humanity of them all working together could inspire. That is just one example of a few points in this ep that I really felt like I missed a few scenes. Every time they moan about Phillip being a serial killer it takes me a minute to remember what they're talking about. I'm so tired of the Hapstall case. Phillip needs to just kidnap the pretty robot and disappear.

I won't say I didn't like these two eps but they were far from my favorites. The first one was just boring. The scenes with Maura were interesting so of course there were only about three. I have much less patience for Jane angst than this show apparently believes in a good ep, so this one was just boring. It felt like every two seconds they went back to Jane when literally every other main character was more interesting. Kent really is weird squared but I like him a lot. I liked that he was willing to do whatever they would let him do as long as he got to help. He seems like a decent guy who cares about Maura. My Nina love continues to grow. I still want her and Frankie to be secretly dating. The tone was off for me with the second ep. Everyone telling Jane to stop worrying was just stupid. I wouldn't be okay with her sneaking into my house at night to sleep on my couch or putting cameras all over without telling me either. But those should have been addressed as the boundary issues they were, not by saying Jane should just stop worrying. I was disappointed that Maura handled it so badly. At least she went to a therapist immediately. It would have been very OOC for not to IMO. Otherwise, my lack of patience with Jane's angst is severely undercutting my sympathy with her, even when I know I should be on her side. I don't know if Angie Harmon's portrayal is just not connecting with me or if there are just too many scenes and shots of Jane Being Worried, but I'm over it. I did like Jane's therapist though, and she really should give Martinez a call. Dude is hot and the way he was with her this ep? Jump on that Jane. Everything about the marijuana scene was gold. I could not stop giggling with them and the stupid jokes were awesome. I was already laughing at Kent's serious shhh gesture then Maura said whatever it was about MJ on the street, and I had to rewind to watch it again. I laughed when Jane told her sarcastically she'd been the picture of decorum because yes, slapping Kent on the butt and swaying around on your high heels while you giggle is absolutely the picture of professional, composed behavior. More humor please, even if it is the random weirdness of Kent's 'Kent from Kent' rambling.

I loved Ravi and Annelise's advice- just lose with as little pain as possible. Remember- pass out as fast as you can. Media made up a new category of shows a few years ago- dramedies. I know those are technically dramas but the term comes to mind for this show. It's not particularly funny. It's not quick or sharp. It's like a cut from a family drama with the drama scaled way back. I still like it though. I like the characters- even Vanessa is growing on me. Stamos is as charming as ever, Edie is still the center of every scene she's in, and I like Paget Brewster a lot. I think its diversity is severely underrated as is it consistently passing the Bedchel test. I can't remember the last time I saw a Santeria plot like this one. They could have been dealing with any devout grandparent, and for me, the language barrier just made it hit home all the more. And the whole point seemed to be shut up in her house and be respectful, which Sara finally got when she just agreed to Vanessa's request to put a plate of water under the bed. Even though I understood Sarah (I was getting annoyed with Vanessa on her behalf) I also liked her realization that she was that crazy single mom trying to handle everything once too. So she should help because she needed it back then. And hopefully she brings up how long Beethoven has actually been dead at some point. The flashbacks were interesting. I liked that little edge of Sara trying so hard to make it okay and Gerald almost being okay. It's just that little divide in the middle, and that could have been any single parent and their child. I think the whole point of the magazine plot was to show Jimmy's old safe spot of superficiality and seeing how it was working its way down the ranks of importance for him. I loved how happy Gerald was about Jimmy being proud of him. I also liked that Jimmy said he liked to think that he would have raised Gerald the same way. I said before that the drama wouldn't really break until Jimmy truly wishes he was there for something when Gerald was little and has to remember that he could have been. This ep was closer but he was just imagining that he would have done what Sara did. That's not the same at all and I don't know that it ever will, or should, be for him.

Thanks for the response, Chicago Redshirt. Exonerated was very much the wrong word. I meant something that means more like 'makes this all go away'. I know a real life word for that doesn't exist, but a TV word for it. I feel like the show is going to have to resolve this in a way where it doesn't matter if Mike did it or not. I know they are working hard to ignore the evidence but the fraud is just too easy to prove. Since they brought up Gibbs' sister this ep then never went anywhere with it, I think they are going to try to prove that the case should never have been filed to start with or that Gibbs is so corrupt/whatever they choose that the case has to be thrown out without a verdict. Which doesn't solve all the problems but that's the direction this ep pointed me in. The only reasoning I have for Pearson Specter Litt keeping clients is that corporate clients are primarily self interested. As soon as all this starts costing the clients money, cases or attention, or brings unwelcome outside attention to the clients, there will likely be a mass exodus. Until then, I can see enough staying to keep the firm afloat. Like you said, this firm has constant drama. At this point I'm betting clients just roll their eyes and wait it out again. Thank you for the background on Scottie. I've seen all of season 5 and most of season 4 but my viewing of the earlier seasons is very sporadic. Since all I've seen her do is teary eyed whining I'm not a fan but it sounds like she does have the history with Harvey to support the drama surrounding her presence. Though girl, they are trying to drag you farther into something that cost you your career. Don't help them by showing up in Harvey's office. Twice. The anxiety attacks over Donna going to work for Louis are what I remembered as the final straw prompting therapy too. I thought it was compounded by her doubting him and whatever the bullshit their I love yous that mean something but don't were (so has Harvey ever told a girlfriend he loved them? I didn't realize he was that messed up). Plus the general distance between what he thinks he is doing in his life and what his life and actions actually are and his past drama. I completely missed past romantic drama in the equation though it does make sense it would be there.

For an episode that seemed to work so hard at being intense, this was really boring. I didn't know about Sheila's existence until the last ep but now I really like her. Louis is right- Harvey would destroy her and he wouldn't care at all that it wasn't right or that Louis loved her. And of course if Louis didn't give him everything he had, Louis would be the one destroyed. I'm kind of hating Harvey right now. I was also hating Harvey when he totally blew off Jessica's request to get him to do his job. I mean his real job, not just his personal crusade he's calling doing his real job. Heads up Harvey- the firm is going down and winning Mike's case is not going to fix it. As Jessica and Louis are finding out, this kind of damage is a lot bigger and harder to fight than that. Though Jack's plan for pro bono to build good will with their clients didn't sound like such an awful idea. At a minimum it could keep them from losing clients. Though since Mike's trial is so public, are we just ignoring that Harvey coming back to the firm is supposed to be a secret? I disagree. It absolutely trickles down to the whole firm but if Mike is exonerated, the firm is safe. Mike is the lynchpin here. And while Harvey may be the best lawyer, that doesn't mean he's the best in the lead here. He's got way too much ego tied up in this, and that all ties back to Mike being his guy. If Mike is guilty, Harvey didn't just lose the case he screwed up from the beginning. Not to mention all the other people involved here that Harvey has riding on this case. IMO the best thing they could do is get someone like Louis to lead the defense and get more of a buffer between them and Gibbs but of the available stupid moves, this is not the worst one IMO. I really liked the Donna/Rachel scene. I appreciate when someone can recognize that their friend was in a bad place and let it go. Not to mention the I love yous which unlike in my life, are usually reserved for romantic couples on TV. I actually liked Rachel for what might be the first time ever this ep though. She was right- she can't talk to Mike right now without him going off on her and if crying is how she deals, then give her her alone time in peace to put it away again. It may be totally unrealistic but it amuses me that Donna has never gone through discovery files before. That kind of bullshit does sound like Harvey. I liked that she was making a list of what she was supposed to do too. Asking what to do, writing it down, doing it- such a novel solution for this show. Finally Scottie, I thought she was Harvey's ex from a while ago? Can someone please fill me in here? I googled it since I didn't see those eps. I get the basics of she and Harvey broke up and he told her Mike's secret, so I get why she's involved in these eps from that stand point. But Harvey saying Mike went after someone he loves came out of nowhere for me. Not to mention their last scene. So not being able to make it work with her is what pushed him into therapy, and he's still holding on?

Everything released for the next ep so far is here- sneak peek, promo pics, press release, and promo. I was surprised no one mentioned Bonnie staying to take care of her. That many meds plus not being allowed to drink looks like an overdose waiting to happen for Annalise. I first noticed it in the promo but Bonnie looks awesome in this clip. I hope this new look sticks. I care that Asher is fine (and she had better have intimate knowledge). I'm glad to hear all the kids are. I DO NOT care if Wes is fine.

This episode left me repeatedly thinking 'really? You really thought that would go over well?' What the hell did Harvey expect Donna's reaction to be? I can't imagine anyone being happy that their boss/friend/whatever the hell they are went behind their back to threaten their father into not letting them help him. I don't carry how obviously skeezy Donna's father is, he's her father. You combine Donna's apparent blind spot to her father, her expectation that Harvey would just give the money because she asked him to, Harvey's inability to stay out of anything when it involves Donna, and his idiotic view that he could somehow get out of telling her, and they were just feeding Gibbs the extra drama. Second example- Rachel honestly thought that even vaguely hinting about Mike turning on Harvey would go over well with Donna. I feel like Donna has already figured it out but Rachel seems to have no comprehension of the fact that they can easily into opposing sides. They are all in this together but if push comes to shove, it's Rachel/Mike and Donna/Harvey. Sometimes that sweetness can be sympathetic for a character whose world is in crisis but here it was just annoying and tone deaf. No one seems to recognize that Mike feels guilty, both emotionally and legally. Plus he's scared and trapped. He still has enough fight and survival instinct in him to be a dick to get what he wants out of the professor but everyone seems oblivious to how much he's really wavering. Then again if he isn't willing to cover his own ass, how is he going to help them cover theirs. Or make it all better by tossing it all off in Harvey's lap. Rachel's an idiot if she thinks him turning on Harvey is anything more than a fantasy. He's too arrogant and devoted for that. She needs to lay down the law about his paranoia though. His behavior with her these last two eps is concerning. I will give Gibbs credit for zeroing in so quickly and intently on Harvey's weak point. I know she's going to switch to hitting at Mike next week with Rachel but if she's smart, she'll come right back to Donna. There are limits to how much she can leverage Mike but Harvey's a much bigger fish. I didn't have a clue who Sheila was so I don't have any comment there other than it's nice to see that Louis had a big love once. I hate that they had Gretchen recognize the racket going on and tell Louis she was on his team. I see no need for that to have been articulated. I think most people who had already survived Harvey would have kept their head down and tried to stay out of the line of fire. Jessica's boyfriend needs to disappear. He's pretty enough for her but that's the only thing. I wish Mike had told him that it really wasn't his fault that Jessica lied to him, ending their relationship. His loss in that equation is on him.