S01.E09: Free To Go

[PrincessPurrsALot]

Quote

Tommy attempts to help Norah Fayed buy time for her political asylum request to be approved, and stop her parents from forcing her to go back home abroad.

Original air date 2020.04.16

[shapeshifter]

Kudos to the writers for examining more complexities in such a situation than is usually done on TV. 
Madam Secretary (a show I loved) had a similar episode that had more heart, but wasn't nearly as intellectually stimulating (IMO).

[preeya]

I'm hoping they keep politics to a minimum because when a show becomes overly political I generally say bye bye. The Good Fight is an example of one I started out watching right after The Good Wife, but bailed when they politicized it.

 

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, preeya said:

I'm hoping they keep politics to a minimum because when a show becomes overly political I generally say bye bye. The Good Fight is an example of one I started out watching right after The Good Wife, but bailed when they politicized it.

 

Did you think this episode was political, or were you speaking hypothetically? I thought it was more cultural than political, but that's just my POV.

[Kayz Opinion]

13 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

I thought it was more cultural than political, but that's just my POV.

When "bigwigs" from other countries try to impede the way an American governmental entity (Los Angeles) works by complaining to higher and higher authorities, it has to be consdidered political.  Perhaps cultural for another country, but political for ours...and they're in OURS.

[Kayz Opinion]

I've watched all episodes of this show because I like Edie Falco--and I like this character she plays.  I'm not fond of her make-up and the "perfect" gauzy filming technique in the (many) close-ups.  I can't remember: does she solve ONLY THREE major catastrophes every episode?  And with little or no help? (1) A girl asks for political asylum; case solved.  (2) Girl's professor is murdered; case solved.  (3) Union boss will NOT work with her; to be continued...on every episode.

P.S.  She has been getting a lot of help from the young cute female techy officer, but Tommy is learning a lot--and fast.  Soon she won't even need her!

[LisaM]

Very pleased that they got rid of Henry, the son in law. Now perhaps Kate, the daughter, will ease up a bit; I find her character to be very grating. I do think that they are heading for a potential romance between Kate and Diaz. 

I was sure that Blake was going to reach out to the Speechwriter (Ken?) for help with the missing reporter. Perhaps she still will do so? 

I really like Edie Falco in this role. 

[Grrarrggh]

On 4/17/2020 at 10:25 AM, preeya said:

I'm hoping they keep politics to a minimum because when a show becomes overly political I generally say bye bye. The Good Fight is an example of one I started out watching right after The Good Wife, but bailed when they politicized it.

You could call every single episode political if you think about it. I prefer to see it as reflecting LIFE. Politics is an overused description for every day problems and decisions. 

[tvfanatic13]

Who has the mayor?

[SiouxB]

I was so happy to see Father Intintola in this episode !

Edited April 19, 2020 by SiouxB

[buckboard]

The show isn't so much about politics in the sense of Democrat vs. Republican as it is that the police department is part of government and as head of a large agency, Tommy has to be political in the sense that she has to understand how to play the game, work the system.  

It's not just the same old police procedural.  In this episode, for example, Tommy's daughter's arrest is brought into the storyline again to be used against the chief.  According to the preview, it looks as if her opponents will be using her lesbian relationship against her, although it's not clear how, since her being gay is not some big secret.  The press relations woman picked up a photo in the reporter's apartment when she went looking for him.  I believe it was a picture of the place where she had the affair with the mayor.  Between finding that -- and not the reporter who was investigating the prison murder -- and the warning she got from the creepy bar guy, it looks as if her affair with the mayor could really blow up.  

That's one of the things I like about the show.  Yes, there are personal stories, but they often intertwine with the case of the week.  All sorts of moral and ethical and in a sense political complexities.  Along with interesting characters.

[Raja]

8 hours ago, buckboard said:

The show isn't so much about politics in the sense of Democrat vs. Republican as it is that the police department is part of government and as head of a large agency, Tommy has to be political in the sense that she has to understand how to play the game, work the system.  

 

In this era of cancel culture having a lead character with the exact political position of her real life counterparts is enough to hit those with their self imposed blacklist

[buckboard]

On 4/20/2020 at 5:42 AM, Raja said:

In this era of cancel culture having a lead character with the exact political position of her real life counterparts is enough to hit those with their self imposed blacklist

Not sure what you are saying?  Tommy has the same political position as the Los Angeles Chief of Police?

[Raja]

40 minutes ago, buckboard said:

Not sure what you are saying?  Tommy has the same political position as the Los Angeles Chief of Police?

Things like local police don't care about work authorization from the Federal government. Chief Tommy wasn't as forward as Sheriff Hollister on Deputy but both shows had folks declare their cancellation after the respective pilots aired