S05.E07: The Head of The Goat

[thewhiteowl]

Bull and Benny mount a difficult federal trial defense for a young mother accused of aiding and abetting her extremist husband in an act of domestic terrorism. When the controversial case makes news, Benny’s commitment to TAC complicates his burgeoning political career.

[HurricaneVal]

Not very much Chunk in this episode, which was too bad.  But Benny was his usual amazing self.  I don't see someone like him who loves the thrill of the fight and the machinations of the courtroom to be happy as an administrator that the DA has to be, and I would see him as impatient with the politics as well.  He'd be good at the politics, but his heart is in the Thunderdome that is the courtroom.

I like that they linked domestic violence with extremist domestic terrorism.  A history of domestic violence is a common denominator in nationalist group membership.  It seemed that should have been more of an angle that Benny should have explored, that she wasn't responsible for the car bomb, she was also a victim of the person responsible.  It was implied, of course, but never explicitly stated. 

I thought that when she used mnemonics "Liar Doctor" and "Perfume Man" to remember their names, and Bull seemed to have one of his neuroscience "aha!" moments that would come into play during the course of the case investigation.  That she would make reference to something like "Dark Water" and then some company or organization called "Black River" would be involved and provide the break in the investigation.  It also broke my heart when she asked Bull and Benny to tell the foster parents to put a nightlight in her son's room so he could sleep, and that sometimes he needed to be held.

[Dowel Jones]

One question came right up at the start of the episode,  Plot requirements aside, why would the trial agency request as a defense attorney the one corporation (TAC) whose stated business is to manipulate jury selection and trial procedure in order to defeat the prosecution?  That didn't make sense at all.

It also seems odd that a defense attorney would run for the DA position.  Too many skeletons in his closet, which would be easy targets for any of his opponents.

[Netfoot]

44 minutes ago, Dowel Jones said:

why would the trial agency request as a defense attorney the one corporation (TAC) whose stated business is to manipulate jury selection and trial procedure in order to defeat the prosecution?

I'd have thought that any defense team would see it as their duty to defeat the prosecution.

ETA: Why would Benny rest the case? Given that MinuteMan90 had just admitted he hadn't a shred of evidence to suggest the wife was involved, why not call for an immediate dismissal?

Edited January 26, 2021 by Netfoot

[Dowel Jones]

3 hours ago, Netfoot said:

I'd have thought that any defense team would see it as their duty to defeat the prosecution.

True that, as it is their duty, but what I was wondering is why the feds would engage a high priced company with TAC's resources to do battle with them, when they could just as easily appoint some PD to cover the defense.

[Sarah 103]

I was dissapointed we didn't get to see jury selection, but I'm always dissapointed when that scene isn't part of the episode. I like watching Bull figure out what type of people he wants on the jury, and then which questions to ask in order to find them. 

[LuvMyShows]

On 1/26/2021 at 4:22 PM, HurricaneVal said:

I thought that when she used mnemonics "Liar Doctor" and "Perfume Man" to remember their names, and Bull seemed to have one of his neuroscience "aha!" moments that would come into play during the course of the case investigation.  That she would make reference to something like "Dark Water" and then some company or organization called "Black River" would be involved and provide the break in the investigation. 

Yes, that was a truly weird thing for them to include if they were going to do absolutely nothing with it later in the story.  There are only so many minutes in an episode, and anything shown should advance the story in some capacity, but that sure didn't.

On 1/26/2021 at 8:20 PM, Dowel Jones said:

True that, as it is their duty, but what I was wondering is why the feds would engage a high priced company with TAC's resources to do battle with them, when they could just as easily appoint some PD to cover the defense.

.I had wondered that as well.