Dowel Jones

I think Russell Jackson is behind all the shenanigans to get some revenge on Elizabeth for stepping on him all those times. Professor Doctor BlackOps is reduced to spinning in circles because he can't do anything. Worse, he's relegated to putting the shams on the pillows. Nice. The President must have had a rocket ride through the USMC ranks. Enlisting at age 18, going through basic and infantry training over the next year, and commissioned as a lieutenant at 20.

I'm just curious as to what military base keeps a nuclear weapon in a shed with only a padlock on a chain for security. And, as has been pointed out, plutonium is heavy, and that sphere would weigh about 15 pounds. Not the easiest thing to hold in one hand for any length of time. Regarding the testing in Nevada during the 50's-60s, if you have access to Google Earth, type in Nevada National Security Site, and zoom in a bit. It's 75 miles NW of Las Vegas, (and one ridge SW of Area 51), and the amount of craters there is astounding. They might not all be from nuclear weapons, but it's very obvious that large things went boom in that area, and would likely be visible for a long distance.

I think that was the undercurrent of the entire episode; how people view the world through the lens of their own life. Which, of course, leads to miscommunications and misjudgements.

Culinary Institute of America. Make way, please.

That's been rather glossed over in the first few episodes, to be sure. If she's 23, and has spent 5 years in the minors, then she would have been drafted by a major league team right out of high school, and sent either to A or AA ball. That in itself would have initially created huge media interest, at least for her first few seasons, and, locally at least, she would have been in the paper constantly. Yet, the show implies that she labored rather anonymously in the minors until being called up midway through the season. More backstory, please, if only a little at a time.

First off, what about Dembe's mole? I will not be happy if they allow him to get skin cancer. I was actually cynically pleased to see Red get caught in a trap just for once. Sucks to be the limo driver, though. You know, wouldn't word get out among the trained assassin on call groups that certain employers have a terrible track record in retaining their henchpeople? I mean, working for Kirk is not especially geared for the long haul. From his point of view, I guess, he never has to pay anyone off. I seem to remember a side plot involving some patent law malfeasance. Oh, yeah, that's right, some guy was stealing inventions from ordinary inventors, and killing them in the process because somehow they were the root of all evil, and he was going to fix that by breaking into a high security room and uploading all the information to the world. But the FBI, at the behest of the NSA, saved all that secret stuff, like how to make fresh water out of seawater and other possible lifesavers, because somehow it was critical to the security of the US that no one should know. Or maybe I missed something.

I realize it's a plot contrivance, but what public school would put pictures of their minor children on their website for anyone to view?

I am curious about one thing (well, several things about this show confuse me, but for the purposes of this post...), Suppose Reade retrieved the tape as planned, and puts it back on the rack, as planned. Cops eventually work their way down to the basement, where they notice a large supply of tapes with names on them. Review of any tape reveals that they are child abuse tapes. Cops write down all the names from the tapes, and one of them says, "Hey, this one says Reade. Wasn't that the name of the FBI guy who was just here? And this kid looks like him. Hmmm." I think he should be glad that he took it with him.

It must be working, because there's damn little of it around the place.

On the other hand, I, for one, will give props to the TJ Maxx commercial at the first break every episode. Very understated and no product sales pitch. Also a tip of the hat to Randall for his sendoff to Miguel and Rebecca: "Thanks for dropping by unexpectedly! (Oops, rewind) Thanks for dropping by!" Nothing like dropping an anvil.

Another way of getting to the passcode might be this: Henry sits down with Jason and the phone and starts typing out passcodes. He gets to #10 and looks at Jason. "One more try and you lose your phone completely. Forever. If you want a new one, you buy it out of your own money, and pay the service fee yourself. Your choice, but the clock is ticking." I could just hear the al Fayed brothers calling the general in the distance: "You need to be the President. You can lead the country. The people will love you."

Since she pinned a note to the dead terrorist that said "2 Down", I have to think she's channeling John McLain, and will now take them out one by one. Unless, of course, the FBI cuts the power to the entire grid.

I counted 13 or 14 KIA, plus the two knocked back from the Molotov and the one Jane clobbered with the case. I guess the Irish mob is having trouble finding good help these days. Good idea on the FBI's part; leave the three remaining gunmen unattended while you're getting out of the building. Remember all those attorney types that you told to shelter in place? Can you say hostage situation? And what was the point of having Jane holster her weapon in the middle of a gunfight, and get to fisticuffing with a bad guy? Did you have a problem shooting that particular one, or was is just the usual contractual "Jane kicks ass" obligation? I can hardly wait to see the remodel bill for the office. Weller's boss: "You shot up a lawyer's offices? Are you nuts?" And, while we're in Die Hard mode, the ex-mob guy should have got his John McLain on and drilled all three of the mob guys. Obviously he wanted to go out boots on, but don't waste a second bullet on one guy. Go big. You're going home anyway. They should market that video camera. Good for weddings, family reunions...

But, but, but, these are really attractive firefighters/paramedics in peril. That takes priority over almost everything, with the possible exception of really attractive nurses/doctors in peril.

Especially if he gets an, "Oh, what do you call it? An ordinary trunk call, yes, that's it. How much will that be? Hold on, operator." Muffled conversation, followed by gunfire...

Because, Hey, he ran right through the police roadblock. Oh, well, kind of pointless to start the pursuit again, or maybe call for more backup. Who's going to argue with him? Mr. Kaplan is definitely going to need some cosmetic surgery. And what was up with her webbed foot? She didn't injure that in the shoot, and besides, it would take months, if not years, for skin to fuse over toes.

It's totally possible. All you need is a grasp on a few fundamentals: 1. The FBI is incompetent. The CIA is also incompetent, but apparently pays better. 2. Dress codes are optional, particularly with uniforms. 3. There is always an overarching conspiracy, which will be solved at season's end to no one's content. 4. What saoirse said. 5. Characters will be having sex with superiors, subordinates, and possibly random walk-ons before, during, and after work hours. They will also drink with impunity. 6. Lots of people will die, except when they really don't.

Now that's funny. My guess is that in real life he would order the Attorney General (I think he has one at this point) to arrest the governor. Failing that, the lead US Marshall at scene. They did it this way to give Kirkman some spine in the show. What I find most unreasonable is the apparent fact that the Michigan legislature is 100% behind Royce. He's not a dictator either, regardless of what he thinks. Somebody should be speaking up. And all the police forces fall in line because, apparently their commanders told them to and that makes it legal. After declaring a state of emergency in Michigan, Kirkman should have been right there on television stating (to such effect), that all federal funding in the state is preempted indefinitely, all federally charted banks are to be closed immediately "for review". Once the NG commander defected, all NG equipment, being now owned by the federal government, will be locked in place by federal troops. How many room 105s are there in DC? I just had this weird thought about an army of aliants gathering in an obscure office building in DC, and communally saying "Damn. What are we gonna do now?"

I'm taking the opposite tack with regards to Jimmy's suspension. Boden gave him a direct order to see him in the office, as a Battalion Chief has a right to do. Jimmy was outright insubordinate when he refused first that order, and then stated "I don't take orders from you" in a very confrontational tone. That in itself merits an immediate suspension, the course of which should be documented in detail by Boden, with supporting statements from every witness in the dining hall at the time. But of course, the upper brass see fit to restore Jimmy to the job he wanted on the truck, thereby cutting Boden off at the knees.

"The Good Place" might be on shaky foundations if there are at least 55 categories of emergencies.

Is she intended to be a series regular on either show? Both series are out of CBS, so maybe they made a deal with her to avoid some future scheduling issue. Who knows. Maybe it was a checkoff list thing for the writers.

And Elizabeth will become Mascha! Mascha! Mascha!

Well, here's my totally preposterous guess at the first body under the sheet. It's Annalise, and that's ghostAnna working around the crowd, which is why she can move in and around a crime scene. Everything we see her do is her nightmare, which is why she can let out a ferocious scream that no pays any attention to. I don't think this will hold up to scrutiny, but I like the wide range of possibilities.

They glossed over the fact that she arrived in her own car, and left in his, thereby leaving her car there, for at least awhile. Cop runs the plate, finds out it belongs to a junk news lady, and relays that information on to the resident (because the rich do get special privilege). Plus they have to come back and get it, the the neighborhood Gladys sees them there again. More problems.

And, coming up in a future episode, (wait for it...), Amelia, who desperately wants a baby, tells Lawson she's pregnant. Because it's tv. I had a good laugh at the sportscaster saying Ginny was "0 for the entire summer". A little sharp, there. Yet next week she is at least nominated to the All-Star Team. I always understood a beanball to be a pitch aimed specifically at the head. Very dangerous, and likely cause for immediate ejection. I saw a player get hit by a headstrike pitch (not sure if it was intentional) in Single A ball, and he went down and didn't move. It took at least 10 minutes to get him revived and his game was over. And that's Single A. Hitting the other batter, on the other hand, would normally get a first warning, right? As they showed on the field. Although someone who keeps risque photos on a hackable data base, while not sleazy, is mighty careless. I hope they keep up a good mix of personal story arcs, without getting to soapy, and baseball action. If I wanted pure baseball, I'd watch baseball (at least til the end of the month), or any one of a selection of classic movies. "Anything that goes that far should have a stewardess on it."