S07.E07: Ding Dong

[Dancing Queen]

Can I just say how much I love Raymond Holt?

Even if he does think E.T. was a monster. 

[Catfi9ht]

On 3/13/2020 at 1:00 AM, Mystery said:

I was disappointed. The whole show seemed mean-spirited. It would have made me feel a little better if Charles and Terry had planned to get Jake to take the kids. 

I completely agree. I think I was able to enjoy the Holt/Memorial Service a bit more because Holt's compulsion to insult Wuntch has been long established and seemed in character for this scenario.

However, I despise emotional blackmail plots. Terry and Charles using their kids for that purpose amplified the dislike exponentially for me.

I agree with everyone that it should have been obvious to Terry, Jake, and Charles that Jake was taking all three kids from the beginning. Then the subsequent plot could have been about Jake's evolution into maturity because he was able to handle taking the kids to the premier when season 1 Jake would have made everything a disaster.

While the Holt scenes were excellent, combining both of these plot types into the same episode was a bit too tropey for me. This show is usually smarter than that.

[Ailianna]

Showing Jake take 3 kids to a movie premiere (and like they couldn't just go to the movie?  Why do kids care about a premiere?) would be exactly the kind of plot a lot of people keep saying they don"t want--one character by himself with cute kid antics.  I think what they gave us was better and kept the focus on our regular characters.

[Mabinogia]

The only way to make the Jake ticket storyline surprising would be if Jake said he wanted to take the kids with him but Terry and Charles secretly wanted to see the kids show, maybe because they are stuck watching it (was it based on a show? or a game? or something?) and got hooked or something. Or maybe the lead was some well known actor/actress they wanted to meet. 

It was annoying because I spent the entire ep telling them that Jake could just take the kids since there were exactly enough of them for the tickets. 

The Holt storyline more than made up for it though. 

[Featherhat]

When Jake and Amy first got together people were really worried that it would take over the show and become the "Jake/Amy shenanigans show" and it didn't, the writers were careful to keep the balance and had/have many episodes where Jake/Amy aren't in a storyline together or it's a throwaway line. They've kept and grown their relationships with other characters and other characters have had relationships played out on the show: noticeably Rosa with Adrian and her sexuality storyline. 

I can't see that a baby would be much different. Ok yes, they're probably going to play out the new parents storylines and also bring back the competitive grandparenting foursome but there will be episodes where he/she isn't mentioned at all or just off screen with the minder or grandmas.

[BoogieBurns]

On 3/12/2020 at 10:32 PM, Snapdragon said:

I mean, if they were going to kill of a reoccurring character, why couldn't it have been Doug Judy?

You take that back!

[Sarah 103]

On 3/16/2020 at 6:48 PM, Mabinogia said:

The only way to make the Jake ticket storyline surprising would be if Jake said he wanted to take the kids with him but Terry and Charles secretly wanted to see the kids show, maybe because they are stuck watching it (was it based on a show? or a game? or something?) and got hooked or something. Or maybe the lead was some well known actor/actress they wanted to meet. 

Great idea. The movie was based on a game and I don't think either Terry or Charles play the game. I love the idea that there was someone voicing one of the characters in the movie that they wanted to meet. 

[Kel Varnsen]

The Holt hating Wunch stuff was really funny although I was surprised he wasn't more interested in who would be the next commissioner.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

On 3/17/2020 at 10:06 PM, Sarah 103 said:

Great idea. The movie was based on a game and I don't think either Terry or Charles play the game. I love the idea that there was someone voicing one of the characters in the movie that they wanted to meet. 

I think they did play the game, along with Gina. Holt was addicted at one time.

[calgirl817]

Overall an AMAZING episode. I feel like Holt has experienced a lot of death recently, which is sad, but I feel like each time he grows and handles it better. Also, like everyone else has been saying, Holt and Rose killed it this ep!

The end of the episode seriously made me tear up. I was so happy for Jake and Amy, they really deserve it.

[DearEvette]

On 3/15/2020 at 12:58 PM, iMonrey said:

've never seen Stephanie Beatriz in anything else, other than interviews. Considering that her real voice is several octaves higher than the one she uses for Rosa, I wonder what kind of roles she'd play. 

I am re-watching the show from the pilot and Rosa's voice in the pilot & the second episode so far is Stephanie Beatriz's natural voice and it is jarring!   Also she doesn't scowl as much.  Rosa has let out several big smiles.  Also very jarring.

Edited March 21, 2020 by DearEvette

[MisterGlass]

On 3/13/2020 at 6:15 PM, tennisgurl said:

I am still not convinced that Wunch is dead. After all, did anyone actually see a stake go through her heart? 

I suppose having Holt pull a Van Helsing at the open coffin would have been a bit much for prime time.

[perkie1968]

On 3/15/2020 at 12:51 PM, Sam Spayaid said:

I guess it would just be far too radical to have a happily married couple who DIDN'T want kids and were perfectly fine without them. 

The problem here though is that Melissa Fumero was pregnant in real life (she delivered about a month ago).  So the only other option would be to do like they did the first time she was pregnant and hide her behind furniture or have her hold large objects.  You can only do that so much.  

[John Potts]

Was totally expecting Wunch to show up at the end. But I'm glad we got the ending we did (And Ewww, Amy, you just peed on that stick! Don't wave it around!)

On ‎3‎/‎13‎/‎2020 at 2:08 AM, Jeddah said:

Right from the start I wondered why one adult wouldn’t take all three kids to the movie.

Or have one of them take their own kid and babysit the other. It seemed especially contrived.

On ‎3‎/‎13‎/‎2020 at 10:15 PM, tennisgurl said:

I am still not convinced that Wunch is dead. After all, did anyone actually see a stake go through her heart?

Or to be more in keeping with the title, have a cottage land on her head. Though that doesn't always work.

[Sandman]

On 3/12/2020 at 10:08 PM, Jeddah said:

I’m a little disappointed we didn’t see Jake with all three kids.

I would gladly watch that episode!

ETA: I was happy with the resolution of the funeral storyline, but I'm at least a little bit sad to see the last of Wuntsch -- if only because I think Sedgwick and Braugher were having the time of their lives playing these two maniacs. 

Edited May 6, 2020 by Sandman