S01.E05: The Trip

[formerlyfreedom]

Quote

Malcolm searches the depths of his mind to unravel the mystery of “the girl in the box,” but with his night terrors and lack of sleep increasing, his real life becomes more and more of a blur. When the NYPD investigates a homicide they assume is linked to a drug cartel, Malcolm discovers a secret about Dani’s past that draws them closer together.

Airing Monday, October 21, 2019.

[Cigale]

A box of drugs explodes in his face!?!

Man!  That’s effing cheap, show!

[patty1h]

I bailed out of the show after this episode.  Not even Tom Payne could keep me interested in the same mommy/son/daddy drama that is dragging on.

[sempervivum]

This whole plot was a mess and the only reason I watched most of it was for the amusement of Tom Payne's 'crazy and high' shenanigans.

Not seeing the romantic possibilities (if that's what was being hinted at) between glamorous human trafficking lawyer and weirdo Malcolm.

[AnimeMania]

Boy they are throwing all the sexy women at Malcolm, what are they up to now, three?

[Simba122504]

53 minutes ago, patty1h said:

I bailed out of the show after this episode.  Not even Tom Payne could keep me interested in the same mommy/son/daddy drama that is dragging on.

It either needs a new showrunner or a revamp or both. The cases of the week are not strong and neither is the childhood mystery. The Profiler (1996- 2000) [Remember that show?] was better. It needs legit creepy intoxicating CoTW, childhood mystery and season long serial killer arc. It's too cookie cutter. Maybe it should have been on HBO or Netflix? Shorter seasons and no restrictions. A weird brilliant cop with a serial killer daddy should never be this vanilla. 

[Chaos Theory]

This continues to be one of my favorite new shows.  I usually don’t care about the case of the week.  It’s the family drama that is the most interesting thing to me.   I love Malcolm and his mom (Jessica). They have such awesome chemistry together.  I thought Malcolm high worked simply because he was already sleep deprived and it forced a talk with Dani (that is female cops name right.

I like lawyer lady who didn’t care about Jessica’s past.  They also had great chemistry.  I hope she becomes a regular Bellamy Young needs someone else to act against and a friend and they work together.

Edited October 22, 2019 by Chaos Theory

[jelaine]

8 hours ago, sempervivum said:

Not seeing the romantic possibilities (if that's what was being hinted at) between glamorous human trafficking lawyer and weirdo Malcolm.

While I think she was just eating him up with her eyes at the end and Malcolm's oblivious because he's Malcolm, I really thought she was interested in Jessica for more than her money. There was just something about that "judging me by my exes" line that said maybe to me. 

However, I do happen to have a pair of slash goggles laying around somewhere, so there is that.

[Chaos Theory]

Malcom :  IE Women.  He is cute and mysterious enough to be interesting plus the aloofness wold be intriguing.   Although I don’t think he is actually a virgin a woman would need to make a full court press for him to take his eyes off the dead body in the room.   If the serial killer father and the overbearing mother aren’t turnoffs he would be fun for a few weeks.  Just not a boyfriend kind of guy.

At least not at this point in the story.

Edited October 22, 2019 by Chaos Theory

[Lady Calypso]

Well, there was definitely a bit of a shift for this episode. Less family drama, more on the case of the week, more on some of our supporting characters. No Martin at all. Which, for me, did help a bit with my enjoyment of the show, but I am seeing a lot of issues and continue seeing them. I have to say, I really did have high hopes but they're really losing me a bit.

Now, this episode was certainly great because of them deciding to try a little harder on the case of the week, but I now am wondering how Malcolm can even keep his job if he's going to be this messed up. Sure, he's a great consultant but he's clearly a wreck and everyone keeps ignoring it because...he's Malcolm? 

I do feel like I need to compare this show with the showrunner's last show, merely for the fact that there are obvious similarities that they're trying to emulate. With the showrunner's other show, Deception, I felt like he had a better storyline and better family issues incorporated. Here, they're just being a bit too obvious with the family stuff. Malcolm has serious mental health issues that is affecting his entire life. Nobody seems to be serious in helping him, so they're enabling him to not get better. Daddy is a criminal; Mommy is shady. Sister is probably going to turn out to be just as bad. But there's a real disconnect, especially when Malcolm is so over the top. Flinging himself out of a window? Hallucinations of himself caused by drugs exploding in his face? Chopping up someone's arm with glee? 

I mean, I get this show isn't meant to be realistic, but....those things are just TOO unrealistic for me to really buy it. I don't find it funny; I find it a bit disturbing. 

Deception had a much better balance of comedy and drama. Deception also had the luxury of having twins (and the actor portraying both twins was much better than Tom Payne, imo). Deception was also a bit more subtle with the family issues, but still blatant enough to know that there were some serious issues running in the family.

So, this show needs to find a better, and more subtle way, of balancing out the case of the week with the family issues with the dark comedy moments. They have a full season, which means that, unless ratings drop significantly, they SHOULD be getting a second season, so I can only hope that they do get better.

58 minutes ago, icemiser69 said:

I don't trust that human trafficking lawyer (Eve).

Oh, neither do I. I think she could very well be in cahoots with Malcolm's father, or using Jessica (and now obviously Malcolm) to get information on the family for whatever reason. I think it DOES relate to Dear Old Daddy and I'm just trying to figure out exactly what angle Eve has.

Either that, or she's set up to be Malcolm's girlfriend for a few episodes only to get killed off because of her involvement with him. But with her sharing her scenes with Jessica first, I'm going with the former. 

[tennisgurl]

I am guessing that Eve with be untrustworthy, Malcolm's new love interest, or both. She seems too good to be true, and was so up for partnering with Jessica, and was so chill about her past, I am suspicious. 

I appreciate them actually trying on the case of the week a bit more this time, but they really need to step those up. They need to be more intricate, more gruesome, more weird, more...something if they want to keep this psychological thriller stuff up. I like this show, and I find it pretty engaging, but if it wants to be a truly excellent show, it needs to go harder at being less like your classic procedural that could be any show. 

I did like the backstory for Dani and her growing connection with Malcolm, and while its all pretty tropey (ex under cover cop who gets hooked on coke undercover, wacky and serious start growing closer based on mutual experiences) it works pretty well. 

Oh yeah, there is something up with the mystery woman and the trunk. 

[Simba122504]

2 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

I am guessing that Eve with be untrustworthy, Malcolm's new love interest, or both. She seems too good to be true, and was so up for partnering with Jessica, and was so chill about her past, I am suspicious. 

I appreciate them actually trying on the case of the week a bit more this time, but they really need to step those up. They need to be more intricate, more gruesome, more weird, more...something if they want to keep this psychological thriller stuff up. I like this show, and I find it pretty engaging, but if it wants to be a truly excellent show, it needs to go harder at being less like your classic procedural that could be any show. 

I did like the backstory for Dani and her growing connection with Malcolm, and while its all pretty tropey (ex under cover cop who gets hooked on coke undercover, wacky and serious start growing closer based on mutual experiences) it works pretty well. 

Oh yeah, there is something up with the mystery woman and the trunk. 

The way it's going so far, I'm not going to even care if it's cancelled next summer. It got a full 22 ep season pick up and the way these early episodes are going. Will it try to improve or get worse? 22 episodes involve a lot of filler. 

[Morrigan2575]

20 hours ago, sempervivum said:

Not seeing the romantic possibilities (if that's what was being hinted at) between glamorous human trafficking lawyer and weirdo Malcolm.

I don't trust her, she seems Shady. However, I'm down for Lady Lawyer over Lady Cop.

I didn't like this one as much, probably because I just don't care about Lady Cop.

[Chaos Theory]

On 10/22/2019 at 9:03 AM, Chaos Theory said:

Malcom :  IE Women.  He is cute and mysterious enough to be interesting plus the aloofness wold be intriguing.   Although I don’t think he is actually a virgin a woman would need to make a full court press for him to take his eyes off the dead body in the room.   If the serial killer father and the overbearing mother aren’t turnoffs he would be fun for a few weeks.  Just not a boyfriend kind of guy.

At least not at this point in the story.

Thinking about my own post Malcolm is the perfect guy to bring home to daddy when he cuts off your allowance or tells you you can’t go with your friends to Aspen on spring break.   He is smart,  college educated,  comes from a wealthy background  but once he starts talking about dead girls....out comes daddy’s wallet.

Edited October 23, 2019 by Chaos Theory

[rove4]

I'm suspicious of the lady lawyer too.  I hope Malcolm's mother checked her credentials and her story otherwise her waltzing in and getting a fat check based on verbal claims is too easy.  

If Malcolm gets a romance this season, I'd rather it be Dani over the Medical Examiner (whose name I don't even know).  The M.E. seems a little squirrely herself and someone in the relationship has to be a grounding force. 

[Morrigan2575]

1 hour ago, rove4 said:

The M.E. seems a little squirrely herself and someone in the relationship has to be a grounding force. 

I'm the opposite. I like that she's just as wacky and into icky things (dead bodies, crime scenes) as he is.

M.E = Edrisa Tanaka

I only remember because it's such an odd combination, Edrisa doesn't sound like a Japanese name.

I can never remember Lady Cop's name. I know Gil because he's Lou Diamond Phillips (still hot). JT because they spent an entire episode with Malcolm trying to guess what JT stood for.

Ainsley and Jessica (again their names were repeated) plus Jess had the added benefit of that Martin scene which was great.

Malcolm and Martin are too good not to remember, M&M no doubt it means something.

But yeah Lady Cop just goes in one ear and out the other. Probably because I put up an instant dislike in the pilot where they tried so hard to create 'tension'. Honestly, when the show beats me over the head with something like that in the pilot I'm just NOPE! Why can't shows just let this kind of stuff breath and develop naturally? 

Edited October 24, 2019 by Morrigan2575

[AnimeMania]

1 hour ago, Morrigan2575 said:

I'm the opposite. I like that she's just as wacky and into icky things (dead bodies, crime scenes) as he is.

M.E = Edrisa Tanaka

I give a second, I think Edrisa would be fascinated by anything that Malcolm did from a romantic and psychological standpoint. I think they would have lots to talk about just bouncing weird ideas off of each other and just being weird together. Edrisa seems to be down for whatever.

[rove4]

I don't know, the M.E. doesn't impress me much.  The show is using her for the comedic moment during brutal crimes scenes and it always feels forced rather than organic.  I'm usually rolling my eyes at her schtick. 

[Morrigan2575]

3 hours ago, rove4 said:

I don't know, the M.E. doesn't impress me much.  The show is using her for the comedic moment during brutal crimes scenes and it always feels forced rather than organic.  I'm usually rolling my eyes at her schtick. 

They use Malcolm the same way. Gil, TJ and Lady Cop are all playing the straight man you Malcolm's "crazy" schtick.

[Neurochick]

4 hours ago, rove4 said:

I don't know, the M.E. doesn't impress me much.  The show is using her for the comedic moment during brutal crimes scenes and it always feels forced rather than organic.  I'm usually rolling my eyes at her schtick. 

I prefer the lady cop, but then again I like Aurora Perrineau.

[luvly]

This show is entirely too new to be treading water already. When Eve showed up, I immediately thought they should have cast that actress as Ainsley. She has such a presence, the kind that makes sense for the up-and-coming journalist/news personality Ainsley is supposed to be, and great chemistry with Bellamy.

[rove4]

15 hours ago, Morrigan2575 said:

They use Malcolm the same way. Gil, TJ and Lady Cop are all playing the straight man you Malcolm's "crazy" schtick.

Exactly!  All the more reason why, for me, the M.E. comes across as too much and even more ridiculous.  Malcolm provides more than enough nuttiness.  The two of them together would just be cartoonish. 

[Morrigan2575]

2 hours ago, rove4 said:

Exactly!  All the more reason why, for me, the M.E. comes across as too much and even more ridiculous.  Malcolm provides more than enough nuttiness.  The two of them together would just be cartoonish. 

I understand, what you find off putting I find entertaining and fun.  I like the idea of Malcolm with someone who shares his wackiness as opposed to trying to straightening him out (so to speak).

[Sile]

On 10/24/2019 at 9:58 AM, Morrigan2575 said:

Malcolm and Martin are too good not to remember, M&M no doubt it means something.

I have to think that Sheen's character was given the name Martin as a nod to him getting confused with Martin Sheen all the time.  "Michael Sheen?  Yeah, he's that guy from West Wing."  

It's just too good to not be intentional.

[hatchetgirl]

I thought blond lady last WAS ainsley at first, coming in asking for a drink so she could bother her mom about daddy. There is definitely something of about the character. Maybe she's daddy's new protege?  

Lady cop seems ok as a friend but the actress is playing her far too over the top. 

I couldn't keep track of what was going on this week with this guy killed this guy and that guy wants to kill this guy. Why did anyone shoot up the club and why did that one gang guy come to the salon? Oh and why did the club guy go to the salon? Gah, so convoluted. 

Oh and malcolm high? Has obviously never been high. 

[Tachi Rocinante]

On 10/24/2019 at 11:43 PM, luvly said:

This show is entirely too new to be treading water already. When Eve showed up, I immediately thought they should have cast that actress as Ainsley. She has such a presence, the kind that makes sense for the up-and-coming journalist/news personality Ainsley is supposed to be, and great chemistry with Bellamy.

I can't decide yet whether Halston Sage is playing the ditzy reporter role well, or if she's just a bad actress. She really hasn't been given much to do.

I like Tanaka.  Shes the only one who can out-awkward Malcolm.

[Trini]

On 10/24/2019 at 6:41 PM, Morrigan2575 said:

They use Malcolm the same way. Gil, TJ and Lady Cop are all playing the straight man you Malcolm's "crazy" schtick.

Yeah, but they're going to have to give the cops some personality or something, because they're all straight out of the TV Cops Trope Book. They did try to flesh out Dani (Lady Cop) in this episode, though.

My main problem with Dani is that the actress is too young for the role and looks it. I don't buy her as a NYPD detective.

[jelaine]

On 11/17/2019 at 1:41 AM, Trini said:

My main problem with Dani is that the actress is too young for the role and looks it. I don't buy her as a NYPD detective.

Just be glad they didn't cast Halston Sage as Dani. This is Hollywood. It was considered at some point.

[nodorothyparker]

So the previous episode ends with Ainsley meeting Martin for the first time and they just ... ignore that entire subplot in the followup episode?

The Crime of the Week felt pretty convoluted, but I realize the show was aiming for fleshing out Dani Powell and I like the actress well enough even if her backstory also got harder and harder to follow, so whatever.  Tom Payne was seriously going all rubber faced and bug eyed this episode to the point where all I could do was laugh.  I get that insomnia seriously messes with your mind, but all this one was missing was Scooby-Doo ghosts chasing everyone through a funhouse.

I felt for Jessica when she tried to throw a fundraiser and nobody came.  It's a fair question as why the family en masse didn't all change their names or maybe consider relocating since money was obviously not an issue to avoid the whole ugly Whitly connotation.  I don't know what to think of Eve yet or even what pairing with her we're supposed to be rooting for, but she was coming on pretty strong for a hostess who the desperation to be accepted was rolling off of in waves.  Hopefully at least she's not a scammer, although I'm not even sure that would matter all that much to Jessica as long as she's nice to her.

[CoyoteBlue]

re: Eve

Spoiler

I kinda thought she'd be around longer than she was. Like, she just came in for a couple eps to show that Malcolm's still batshit?