Danielg342

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It would make sense. They both have health problems and they're up there in age. I see that as more of a storyline for later in the series or as a series finale kind of thing where Vince passes the torch on to Bode as Battalion Chief. Or Vince hands the reigns to Jake and Bode becomes captain...either way, it would need a kind of a slow build and the proper setup. Which means this will all happen by the fall finale because these writers have no idea how to pace- or well, do- anything properly. 😕

I believe Gen was talking about her mother's relatives. I know Rick threatened Jake to tell Gen on his own that he was her biological father but the threat made Jake agree to be there when Rick spills the beans and we have not had that scene yet. Maybe they shot the scene but cut it and forgot to edit the writing but it doesn't make sense. That scene should be a big scene for the show's narrative- there's no way it wouldn't get broadcast.

OK, so Vincent Leone and his one-liners gets: Man was Vince at his visceral best tonight, especially with the overwhelmed building operator. Billy Burke seemed have a lot of fun with this episode. It was also great to see Vince realize that maybe he pushed things too far and that maybe the building operator was just in over his head and not just incompetent. Vince going to bat for his son was also great to see. As for the rest of the episode: Ho-hum. Drama, drama...and more drama...and some more drama on top of that. This was more tiresome than an actual heatwave. "Drill Sergeant Jake" really got on my nerves. Maybe that was the point because Vince had to step in and calm Jake down but I felt a sense of relief when "Laid Back Jake" showed up again. I mean, I got the whole drill sergeant bit worked when Jake felt betrayed by Bode stealing the medic alert necklace, but after that it felt forced and counter-productive. Bode is your friend...give him a chance to rebound and show his remorse. As for Bode, I'm glad to see that he's growing as a character. We also had another edition of hot steamy "Bodella" sex. I'm pretty sure the heat wave premise was merely an excuse to have scenes where Bode and Gabriella shed their clothes. Not that I think many will complain about that...I'm not anyway. We also saw the reappearance of Cole who became the episode's designated heat exhaustion victim. Seeing Eve arrange for Cole to see his family in person was great, but I found the pacing of Cole's plot to be too slow, which sapped the tension from the scenes. Speaking of family, you could say it was a bit of a theme in the episode, with the divorced couple, Bode/Jake, Bode and Vince, Gabriella and Manny, the building operator and his deceased dad (and Vince becoming a surrogate), then there was Eve and her biological family and Eve and her de facto mom, Sharon. Genevieve also adorably made the case to rejoin her biological family in Idaho, a case that was sadly snuffed out by Jake's hubris. Quite a bit of stuff and maybe the writer focused too much attention to it, because the pacing was off in a big way in this episode, and that killed quite a bit of the tension needed to make this kind of episode work. Oh, and there was also a bit where Sharon's kidney transplant might be rejecting her. I guess we'll see where that goes. Lastly, S.W.A.T. just before this episode had an episode themselves with a heatwave. Considering the similarities of the setting, are we close to a crossover episode between the two? I think it could be a lot of fun if for no other reason that Vince's wisecracking could give some levity the other show kind of lacks.

This episode had potential...it just failed to live up to it. Truth is, this was an episode that could have easily been a two-parter, and had stories that could have been multiple episodes. The plot against the Mayor could have been one episode Another episode could have explored the challenges with the LAPD having to patrol the streets during a power outage The attack on the Hollywood Reservoir could have also been another episode Yes, there was also a subplot involving SWAT chess, but that was more of a background thing. I also think the writer spent too much time with it. We were beaten over the head over how bad the SWAT curse was and perhaps the writer made the curse a bit too "real". Considering this isn't Supernatural, there's no reason to make that storyline anything more than something to lighten the episode. Still, it was good to see Cabrera back. There were some good character moments with Alfaro Miko admitting that he lost his head and Tan admitting that Miko had a good reason to lose his head. Hondo pumping up Gamble was nice too. The only problem is that I'm tired of Hicks' skepticism of her. Rob, Devin Gamble has been on SWAT for over a month now, likely longer, and you've already said once you didn't like Gamble. We don't need to hear it again. Lastly, with Fire Country also doing an episode centred around a heatwave, I have to wonder if we'll eventually get a FC-SWAT crossover. After tonight, I think it could be a lot of fun, if for no other reason FC's Vince Leone and his wisecracking could loosen up the stoic, brooding figures like Hondo and Hicks.

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I agree the Fire Country writers' execution is not very good, but I think that issue isn't relevant to my point. It's about the plan and the framework- a storyline where Bode instead goes through the State Marshal program doesn't seem any different from the writers' current plan of putting Bode through a fictional Cadet program. I'd think that way even if the writers had executed on delivering a good storyline with Bode in the Cadets. As far as the long term storytelling goes, the writers already dropped the ball there when they didn't decide that Bode was going to be at Three Rock long term. The "inmates seeking redemption" aspect was FC's most interesting part, and they glossed over it after half a season. It seems like, somewhere along the line, the decision was made to make FC a "fire show in the back country" and the writers have had to compensate for that ever since- which shows in the amount of corners they cut in the writing. Corners they don't need to cut. Like with this fictitious Cadet program. Bode could still be a participant putting out fires for Station 42 by being a volunteer. Maybe he wouldn't be on the front lines but he could still be on the scene. Further, if he volunteered at Three Rock, we could keep that dynamic of the show and perhaps see Bode assume a new role, that of a mentor, helping other inmates with their issues. The reason I like the volunteer aspect (absent my more ideal version of this show) is that it slows Bode's story down and it allows it to grow at a bit more organic of a pace. It also doesn't have to gloss over the fact that he's got a criminal record (which would disqualify him from applying to Cal Fire). In real life, getting rid of a criminal record would be a lengthy process, and a storyline centred around that (even if it's more of a "in the background" kind of story) could take a whole season to resolve. More importantly, Bode hasn't really faced any real challenges or hurdles on this show, because the writers gloss over or correct them too quickly. Bode having to work to clear his name would be a significant hurdle that can have numerous pitfalls and it wouldn't compromise the character. Plus it would give the writers a chance to explore how difficult it is for Bode to get used to civilian life, which is a major hurdle all ex-inmates face upon release. Further, it would allow Bode to rekindle his friendship with Freddy, who- in a table turning scenario- would be the one who'd offer Bode guidance because Freddy has been out of prison longer than Bode has. Of course, all this would still be predicated on the writers executing, which they have shown they're not always capable of doing. However, it also points out one of the show's many frustrations in that it tends to leave far more interesting stories on the table in favour of poorly thought out lesser narratives.

Thanks. Makes me wonder, considering there are a few new faces, why the show didn't just opt for Bode to enter a California State Marshal's training program. Maybe they were worried Jake wouldn't have anything substantive to do, but he does have that storyline with Genevieve and the show could make him a State Marshal educator if they needed to. Sounds like the show- as is usual in Hollywood- cut corners for expediency and drama but I don't think they needed to. Having Bode apply for and enter a Marshal program wouldn't be substantially different from what we're seeing right now.

Thanks @Dowel Jones. The question I would have now is, what would Bode's Cal Fire entry process actually look like? Could Vince- who is Station 42's Chief- just hire Bode and put him through training?

Open question here to Mr. "Cal Fire" @Dowel Jones, because I had a few issues with how this episode portrayed the Cadet program- but, I don't have any experience being involved in it at all. The first thing I wanted to write about is this supposed "three strikes" rule the Cadet program has. It seems very counterproductive for a number of reasons. One, right from the outset Jake (who seemed a bit too much drill-sergeant like for my liking) told the Cadets that there are six positions available and ten Cadets (now 11 with the addition of Bode). So, I'm thinking- in principle- that any Cadet that so much as gets one strike (let alone two) probably disqualifies themselves (either in practical or technical terms) to be hired by Cal Fire because Cal Fire would like someone with less strikes over someone who accumulated several. Secondly, "three strikes" is far too rigid. Not every infraction is made the same, and penalizing the Cadets the same way for every mistake doesn't sound like the right way to train them. Plus, a rigid "X strikes and you're out" policy has had numerous other issues in other settings- like how in the NBA (where six fouls is an automatic ejection) you'll have players who will argue they committed the foul just so they could save their teammate. I mean, I get it- the writers want this "third strike" hanging over Bode's head like the Sword of Damocles...but it hardly seems realistic. The other issue I have with the training regimen is that search for the dummy. If the whole idea was to recreate a scenario where the firefighters might have to assume the building is a lost cause but they still have to save someone inside of it, why send the Cadets into the building going on a blind chase inside looking for the dummy? Wouldn't it make more sense to train the Cadets on fire dynamics and on likely places a person- or a cat, or a dog, or what-have-you- might hide in a fire, so that, at the very least, the Cadets can enter the building with a guess about where the dummy might be? If you've only got ten minutes to find a dummy, then it's counterproductive to waste your time looking in every nook and cranny. In real life- I imagine- you'd search the likeliest places first and, if you have time, you'd look elsewhere, and only abandon ship once it's clear you have to get out of there. Anyway, I'm in a bit of a rush so I apologize if this doesn't all make sense, but I thought I'd throw this out there.

You might be right. I'm basing my assessment on an episode I watched almost eight years ago, so I may have forgotten that detail. I remember the team saying that they usually have a "show-off of the month" or something like that and then saying that Hondo won "show-off of the year" because there's just no topping what he did. If there was a newspaper article, then I suppose it would make sense for Cuchillo's cousin to know that Hondo shot Cuchillo.

"It's the journey, not the destination"...or so I'm told. The problem is that when the journey is boring, you have nothing left. This would have been a better season finale or series finale when "regular characters in peril" would have actually more drama and more stakes because you wouldn't know who'd survive the bloodbath, but being Episode 3 of a 22-episode season, it just falls flat. Plus, the episode really tried to weave in far too much with a storyline about an incompetent warden, a storyline about Powell being vulnerable, a storyline about Hondo vs. the cousin of Cuchillo, a storyline about a serial killer posing as a medic, a storyline about a prison riot, a storyline about the old man and his son, and maybe a few other nuggets that I'm missing because there was just too much stuff going on. I have to especially wonder how Cuchillo's cousin knew it was Hondo who shot his cousin...it's not like the police- or the press- report about that kind of stuff. Sure, Hondo made an unrealistic improbable shot to kill Cuchillo but that stuff doesn't make the press. That's minor to the episode's real problem, and that's the writer just tried to do too much. Pick a storyline or two and run with that- don't try to write fifteen different stories in one episode, because you just end up with a mess.

Only real positive about this episode is that I can say "glad this is over". Well, OK, Jordan Calloway brought an extra level to his performance tonight, and it was great to see Vince come around on Smokie's and stand up to his own dad. Oh, Leven Rambin (Audrey James) was good too. ...but, like the last episode, this one was a slog. I guess you could say it's one of those episodes where Bode has some character development, but we'll see if it actually sticks. This is one of those storylines where you say, "it's the journey, not the destination", but the journey was just dull. I mean, the show teased a future with Bode and "Jamesy", but we all know where Bode's real future lies. He didn't drive out there with Gabriella for no reason. I just hope next week is going to start producing some far better journeys.

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I feel like I'm just going in circles so I don't know how much longer I'm going to stay in this particular discussion. R. Kelly's defence had other factors, no doubt, but a big part of his defence was "the video is too grainy to know if it's him on the tape." As far as Taj is concerned, he- and the Jackson estate- complained to the IPSO that the idea that Michael had child porn was demonstrably false. The newspaper, the Mail on Sunday (the Daily Mail's Sunday paper) countered by saying they did not say the claim was true and acknowledged that it was still just an allegation. The IPSO sided with the Mail. The part with the IPSO came up because the claim was made that Michael Jackson had child porn. I quoted the IPSO's article to state that the claim is still not a matter of fact. It's just an allegation. The upcoming civil trial may change this perspective, but for now, it has not been proven at all.

I didn't say it that was the ruling. I said the video quality was so bad that the court accepted R. Kelly's defence that it wasn't him on the tape. The Vanity Fair article includes a statement from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office that disputes the veracity of the documents that Radar Online uncovered (the Radar Online article is no longer up). The FBI searched Michael Jackson's computer and found no evidence of criminal material. The Independent Press Standards Organisation said in a ruling on a complaint made by Taj Jackson, Michael's nephew, that the claim that child porn was found in Michael's home was "an allegation and not presented as fact". NPR's 2019 timeline on the Michael Jackson allegations state that the allegation that Jackson showed the kids porn was brought up just once when Gavin Arvizo took the stand during the 2005 trial.

R. Kelly said it wasn't him on the tape and I believe the courts ruled that the video quality was so bad that they couldn't prove it was him. The lawsuits are more going to examine the culpability of the employees of Jackson in protecting the accusers from harm, which may reveal some new things but I'm not sure we'll get a real deep dive into Jackson's actual deeds, at least of a sexual nature. I'll wait until the trial, though. As far as the previous investigations go, #MeToo might have made them go differently but I'm not really sure. The rumours surrounding Jackson were way more of the type of "he's literally an overgrown man child" than "he's a child sexual predator". This doesn't mean he didn't do things that were wrong- like "Jesus juice" and sharing a bed with kids- but I don't think it's a given he'd be a convicted molester in an alternate scenario.

Two words: "Tru Wuv". I'm sorry to hear about The Wild Boar. *hugs* My only memory of him was that you told me he fell asleep during the same Criminal Minds episode that I also fell asleep trying to watch. Anyway, I can't promise I'll be as fiery and as compelling a debater as the Boar was, but at least I'll try to be as engaging as I can be. :) As for my mistakes- one, I think I'm too used to hearing and knowing about the Medic Alert jewelry as "bracelets" that I never seemed to register that in this episode, it was a necklace. I used to see Medic Alert ads all the time as a kid, and they were- to my knowledge- always portrayed as bracelets. I also had no idea what an Airstream was before it was pointed out to me here on the forum, and it was a throwaway line that I half listened to so I must have used my intuition to fill in the gaps from what I heard with what I didn't hear. I should have realized Vince buying a trailer makes more sense than a log cabin.

I understand that part and I'm not personally agreeing with Polanski's decision to flee. However, my point was simply that I can understand why Polanski felt this was a betrayal, since judges rarely disregard plea deals. Like Tate, since Judge Rittenbrand is also dead, all we have left are Polanski's words about the judge. I understand that there are conflicting reports about what Rittenbrand would have done- some say Rittenbrand might have figuratively thrown the book at Polanski while others think he may have still honoured the plea deal in spirit but tack-on a small amount of extra time so Rittenbrand could personally save face. For sure, Polanski complicated his own legal issues by fleeing instead of reacting to what Rittenbrand would have done and I would agree that he should have faced what was coming instead of trying to duck it. That said, I at least understand why he felt he needed flee even if I don't agree with it.

My high school did a production of Woody Allen's God in 1997 that I was a part of. My teachers concluded that even though Allen wasn't a great person he had an undeniable talent for comedy. That's my view too- God (which my school watered down) is one of the funniest things I've ever read. It doesn't excuse what Allen has done, though, not in the least. As for Michael Jackson… I know my perspective might not align with many others, but I genuinely believe he was more misunderstood and naïve than criminal. Despite multiple investigations that ultimately cleared him, there’s no actual evidence that he was anything more than an overgrown child at heart. I think he believed that what he did with the children he befriended was just friendly and innocent, something any child would experience with any close friend. That said, Jackson should have known better about certain behaviors, like offering alcohol or sharing a bed with kids. His eccentricity, pomposity, and flamboyance also didn’t do him any favors in the public eye. Still, I’m cautious about calling him a criminal. I see him as a person who was unusual, perhaps naïve, and certainly not entirely innocent in his actions, but I do believe he’s one of the few people who got a raw deal in life. I know many will disagree, and while I’m open to different views, I think we’ll likely have to agree to disagree. This is where I stand, though.

I'm not complaining about the bare arms and skin. I just think these days Hollywood tries too hard to have its women avoid showing skin at all even when it would make sense for them to do so. Skin doesn't have to mean "sexy" and "sexy" doesn't have to be bad either. I would also agree that Sharon looked particularly good in this episode too.

I would agree. To be clear, I'm not using his trauma as any kind of excuse for his behaviour. I just think of it as a matter of interest, because we wonder what makes a monster. In Polanski's case, it's likely his childhood trauma fed the vileness he succumbed to. What I understand is that Polanski's lawyer assured him that the judge was going to sentence Polanski to the terms agreed to in the plea bargain- a psych evaluation and time served- but then the judge, Laurence J. Rittenbrand (who died in 1993 at the age of 88), changed his mind at the last second. So Polanski fled, not wanting to serve the prison sentence. Now, I don't know if Polanski had the option to fight the sentence or not, but I find it understandable that Polanski may have felt betrayed by Rittenbrand. For what it's worth, the victim in that case, Samantha Geimer (nee Gailey) has stated she feels that Polanski suffered enough from the case and that Rittenbrand did more harm than good with his actions. Make of that what you will.

Just when you thought things might actually get better... ...we get another edition of "Characters Being Stupid to Move the Plot!" I had thought, after S1's ridiculous ending, the writers had learned their lesson...but there was Bode, stealing the fallen firefighter's Medic Alert bracelet. I suppose we don't actually know if Jake discovering the bracelet was an accident or intentional on Bode's part. ...but the whole thing, on Bode's and Gabriella's part, was just absolutely stupid. Who writes this stuff? What paramedic worth her salt misses a Medic Alert bracelet? The only answer I have is "one that needs to move a plot on a badly written TV show". I suppose Bode's act is an act of "noble sacrifice", akin to taking the fall for Freddy, but Bode didn't have to actually steal the bracelet- he could have just admitted that it came off in the explosion and he later found it on the ground. Of course, that's before we get to the fact that Bode wouldn't be put in that situation if Gabriella wasn't stupid in the first place. Which underscores this episode's real problem. I hate episodes like this, where the storyline has only one direction for it to go or else the show's writers look stupid. I mean, what else is Bode going to do if he doesn't get into the Cadet program? Building an entire episode on the question of whether or not he gets in is false drama at its purest and makes the episode a slog because you're just sitting there watching the episode hoping the writer just does the right thing. The episode would have been far better if the story started with Bode starting the Cadet program at the beginning, and we see Bode going through the rigours of the program. We may still get that, because apparently the first stage was boring written assignment and the second stage are actual physical drills. ...but still... This was supposed to be the episode where I presume Bode meets a false love interest in Audrey and we could have used Stage One to build on their potential relationship. Instead, Audrey is simply there to bizarrely ask the "tough" questions and we have- what I hope, because who knows- fake drama surrounding the Medic Alert bracelet. Yawn. The episode's only other real takeaway was that I was right in that Manny's punch would lead to a stint at Three Rock. That storyline was a bit better crafted because the District Attorney's decision was supposed to come out as a shock and it was played like one. Plus, seeing Vince, Sharon and Eve- among many others- come to bat for Manny was a nice, touching moment. Oh, well...I guess there was another takeaway, a small one, in that Vince bought a log cabin and Sharon bought Smokie's and Vince made a great quip about their future being in bottomless debt. ...and Vince also made a good quip about Eve, Jake and Bode singing off-key, which I'm sure is a callback to Billy Burke's actual musical career. If anyone would know about singing off-key, it would be Burke. Anyhow... I guess I should also say Rick is now demanding to see Genevieve and reveal the truth to her. I mean, it happened...but there's not much to say here other than "we'll need to see where this goes". One last point before I close this off- was it just me or were Sharon and Gabriella showing more skin off than they usually do? I'm not complaining about it in the least- it's just seems odd because it's not a common visual.