S04.E21: Mother's Day

[WendyCR72]

Appropriately enough, airing on May 8, 2022, which is Mother's Day!

Quote

Sergeant Grey supports Officer Nolan’s desire to become a training officer and offers to ride with him for the day to get him ready. Meanwhile, Tim and Lucy must manage expectations in their respective relationships as they decide on their plans for Mother’s Day and a romantic vacation.

 

[shapeshifter]

So this was the alternate universe in which Bonnie and Clyde do not die (nor do any other idiot criminals) because it's Mother's Day?
But generally there are no fatalities on this show after the hail of bullets are done flying, right?

And on this Mother's Day, Wesley's mom is anointed Mother to everyone, including Smitty (but she doesn't think so).

It was nice that Lopez got her Mother's Day Bracelet back, but what about her MIL's pearls from Wesley's dear departed Dad? And did we know Wesley's dad was dead?

 

[Raja]

7 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

So this was the alternate universe in which Bonnie and Clyde do not die (nor do any other idiot criminals) because it's Mother's Day?
But generally there are no fatalities on this show after the hail of bullets are done flying, right?

 

I guess generally it only mattered enough a few times to mention like the Captain, when Officer Jackson was shot in the back, the Night General's suicide by cop and when it was said that Officer Nolan killed a man after many shootouts.

Edited May 9, 2022 by Raja

[crowceilidh]

Wasn't it nice seeing John Nolan all on his own?

Yes, yes it was.

[paigow]

What kind of LAPD training program only needs to have FTO exams every 2 years???? They have all kinds of exams at least once per year. Does LAPD now include San Diego? How can there be a station on the border???? FFS! How can Nolan be prevented from writing the exam at another location?

[HurricaneVal]

So.  "Kings, coaches, teachers, and...I forgot the last one... drones?"  Where do the TOs we've seen fall?  Sgt Grey, Lopez, Bishop, Bradford, Harper?  Or are they all Mary Sue unique?

[paigow]

1 hour ago, HurricaneVal said:

So.  "Kings, coaches, teachers, and...I forgot the last one... drones?"  

slugs

[milkyaqua]

Yeah, not buying the "only once a year test" thing but I guess the show has to stretch stuff.

I did notice we didn't see Bailey this epi.

Lucy was her usual annoying self but Tim is an idiot for always letting her insert herself into his personal life.  I know there are those in the universe who want these two together but I'm not one of them.

So now Wesley is going to work on the opposite side to try and make change because we know how well that works.  I was amused by his mom offering advice to the officers in the staff room especially Smitty who can always make something awkward.

I liked Grey and Nolan working together; Nyla getting to see her daughter and her former mother-in-law being understanding about the day for her; and of course Lopez was going to hunt Bonnie and Clyde down to get her bracelet back.

[Raja]

13 hours ago, HurricaneVal said:

So.  "Kings, coaches, teachers, and...I forgot the last one... drones?"  Where do the TOs we've seen fall?  Sgt Grey, Lopez, Bishop, Bradford, Harper?  Or are they all Mary Sue unique?

The two detectives were Kings, Lopez more so than Harper who had other traits. I forgot how Sergeant Grey made the distinction but Sergeant Bradford and now offscreen Special Agent Bishop were the teacher and coach. The teach Tim to be a rookie Sergeant didn't go far enough to give me an opinion there

 

13 hours ago, paigow said:

Does LAPD now include San Diego? How can there be a station on the border???? FFS! How can Nolan be prevented from writing the exam at another location?

I was expecting somewhere in the valley from their mid city location thinking city/county border, silly me. Maybe some type of task force is in the offering. In real life jurisdiction does extend statewide. Not that they have cared a rip about real life since the first season.

Nice joke about the actress getting pregnant because they wrote a pregnancy into a script. I think someone was aiming a dig at Mekia Cox.

[preeya]

"armed and dangerous, wearing a wedding dress and combat boots"

Edited May 9, 2022 by preeya

[shapeshifter]

2 hours ago, Raja said:

Nice joke about the actress getting pregnant because they wrote a pregnancy into a script. I think someone was aiming a dig at Mekia Cox.

Also Alyssa Diaz (Angela). 
 

2 hours ago, preeya said:

"armed and dangerous, wearing a wedding dress and combat boots"

Best line of the show ever?

[Snazzy Daisy]

Are we supposed to ignore the fact that Ashley suddenly dropped the bomb that she isn’t a marrying type and isn’t interested in having kids? Very cliché. These writers aren’t creative at all. 🙄🤦🏻‍♀️

[Andyourlittledog2]

So the writers think we're supposed to like Chen, right?  Because I am really beginning to hate her. She is such a meddlesome manipulating force in all of their lives and now she is seriously trying to sabotage Tim's relationship with Ashley?  She's one of those "I'm as cute as a button so like me!" people that eventually you just want to make them go away. And she always thinks she's right and can determine what everyone around her should be thinking, saying, and doing. Cannot stand her.

As an episode I thought it was actually quite good. Chen aside.

[bros402]

so, uh, did anyone else cheer at the end when they realized we hadn't seen Bailey?

[Brian Cronin]

Like, the show DOES get that you can't really have a Chenford because then they obviously could no longer work together and that can't happen for obvious reasons, right? Right? Tell me right. 

[paigow]

13 hours ago, SnazzyDaisy said:

Are we supposed to ignore the fact that Ashley suddenly dropped the bomb that she isn’t a marrying type and isn’t interested in having kids?

Are she and Bradford on the same page? Was he relieved or hurt that she used NEVER instead of NOT NOW?

[Snazzy Daisy]

1 hour ago, paigow said:

Are she and Bradford on the same page? Was he relieved or hurt that she used NEVER instead of NOT NOW?

Hopefully the Hawaiian vacay will retune her mind from “never” to “not now”. Tim is a fool to downgrade from Ashley to immature Lucy. I wish the not marrying/not mothering trope is used on Bailey instead, just to humanise her a bit.

[Soobs]

On 5/9/2022 at 11:01 AM, milkyaqua said:

Yeah, not buying the "only once a year test" thing but I guess the show has to stretch stuff.

I did notice we didn't see Bailey this epi.

Lucy was her usual annoying self but Tim is an idiot for always letting her insert herself into his personal life.  I know there are those in the universe who want these two together but I'm not one of them.

So now Wesley is going to work on the opposite side to try and make change because we know how well that works.  I was amused by his mom offering advice to the officers in the staff room especially Smitty who can always make something awkward.

I liked Grey and Nolan working together; Nyla getting to see her daughter and her former mother-in-law being understanding about the day for her; and of course Lopez was going to hunt Bonnie and Clyde down to get her bracelet back.

I don't want to see Lucy and Tim together either. Can't they just be work friends? I get a brother/ sister vibe from them not a couple.

Can you imagine going into a job interview with Wesley's bad attitude? He's a rich, white guy lawyer so I'm sure he can convince them the sky is green, lol!

I'd watch a show with just Grey and Nolan. It's like the adults showed up. The witness's mom helping out beating up the bad guys was unrealistic but fun.

[HurricaneVal]

I kind of thought the way Ashley and Chen's new sort-of creepy boyfriend were eyeing each other, they were going to step aside and start passionately making out.  That......was an odd moment.

I'll bet Tim and Ashley go on vacation together, find out they are totally incompatible in the way that only traveling together will expose, and they break up while in Hawaii.  This leaves another dangling opportunity for Chenford to happen, except Chen is still with the creepy new boyfriend who may or may not be manipulating and gaslighting her as Rosalind's acolyte.  Oh gawd.  Tim will ride to her rescue again, and we will get Chenford. 

I'm now to the point that I think I'd just prefer that the writers do it and get it over with.  Just rip that bandaid off for us anti-Chenford folks so we can just get on with it.  I guess I'm less anti-Chenford than I am just irritated that the writers can't just let Lucy be a good cop and a professional, and why do they have to make her into a giggly starry-eyed potential romantic partner?  The show started out with her and Nolan being together, and she broke up with Nolan because of sage female cop career advice from Bishop (and maybe Lopez?).  Chen's situation hasn't changed, she's still a young female officer and the same good reasons exist on why she shouldn't get with Bradford.  But unresolved sexual tension is required for a procedural show like this, it is in the writer's handbook, so here we are.

[paigow]

5 minutes ago, HurricaneVal said:

 Chen's situation hasn't changed, she's still a young female officer and the same good reasons exist 

Even more, since he outranks her...

[ctlady]

On 5/9/2022 at 2:01 PM, milkyaqua said:

I did notice we didn't see Bailey this epi.

I thought for sure she'd be slotted in as being a foster mother to half a dozen kids in her spare time

[eel21788]

On 5/8/2022 at 9:54 PM, shapeshifter said:

It was nice that Lopez got her Mother's Day Bracelet back, 

Can she just take the evidence from the criminal and put it back on her own wrist? 

[eel21788]

On 5/8/2022 at 11:45 PM, paigow said:

What kind of LAPD training program only needs to have FTO exams every 2 years???? 

I know this is a stretch, but my retcon is, he is only allowed to register for the test every two years. If he registers but doesn't go through with taking the test, it still counts, and he has to wait. 

On 5/8/2022 at 11:45 PM, paigow said:

Does LAPD now include San Diego? How can there be a station on the border????

Sending him to Texas as part of Operation Lone Star probably would have been more believable.

On 5/8/2022 at 11:45 PM, paigow said:

How can Nolan be prevented from writing the exam at another location?

Did he say the drive from LA to SD was 4 hours??? Did he say round trip? I must have missed that. 

[paigow]

8 minutes ago, eel21788 said:

Can she just take the evidence from the criminal and put it back on her own wrist? 

Count of bracelet theft would be dismissed... but all the attempted murder charges make up for that...

[Andyourlittledog2]

I worked for the state of California and our promotional exams were scheduled every one to two years so the 'not for two years' works for me. 

Driving to San Diego during regular working hours, even thirty years ago, was a major production.  At least two hours then, sometimes three. I imagine it's much longer now. If you have a choice, drive during evening hours, never during the daytime.

[nittany cougar]

7 hours ago, HurricaneVal said:

I kind of thought the way Ashley and Chen's new sort-of creepy boyfriend were eyeing each other, they were going to step aside and start passionately making out.  That......was an odd moment.

I'll bet Tim and Ashley go on vacation together, find out they are totally incompatible in the way that only traveling together will expose, and they break up while in Hawaii.  This leaves another dangling opportunity for Chenford to happen, except Chen is still with the creepy new boyfriend who may or may not be manipulating and gaslighting her as Rosalind's acolyte.  Oh gawd.  Tim will ride to her rescue again, and we will get Chenford. 

I'm now to the point that I think I'd just prefer that the writers do it and get it over with.  

Lucy is so immature and inappropriate.  It's none of her business whether Tim sees a future with Ashley.  If a male co-worker asked her that, it would be considered sexual harrassment.  

I thought that the idea of Hawaii being an engagement destination was overplayed.  I realize it was a plot device so Chen could get jealous, but it was stupid.  Tim's only known Ashley for what, 6-8 months? 

[crowceilidh]

I really liked Chen when this whole show started.  But the needy in-denial thing she goes through with Tim is highly dislikeable and makes her seem much less together. She has daddy issues.  I don't want to see them -- I want to see her grow the eff up.

[Brian Cronin]

7 hours ago, HurricaneVal said:

I guess I'm less anti-Chenford than I am just irritated that the writers can't just let Lucy be a good cop and a professional, and why do they have to make her into a giggly starry-eyed potential romantic partner?  The show started out with her and Nolan being together, and she broke up with Nolan because of sage female cop career advice from Bishop (and maybe Lopez?).  Chen's situation hasn't changed, she's still a young female officer and the same good reasons exist on why she shouldn't get with Bradford.  But unresolved sexual tension is required for a procedural show like this, it is in the writer's handbook, so here we are.

That they specifically had a plotline where Lucy realized that she couldn't date A cop, let alone her BOSS, is what is so nuts about this. If they didn't have that plotline, I'd be less irritated at the Chenford stuff. They obviously DO have chemistry, but you can't have a plot where a character stops dating a fellow rookie cop because it can't happen but then have her date her BOSS a couple of seasons later. 

[Netfoot]

Am I the only person who saw the scene when Bradford/Ashley faked out Chen with the false proposal on the pavement? I thought that was the best moment in the entire episode! And Chen's face spoke volumes, too.

[HurricaneVal]

Oh I saw it.  I'm just processing...

[yourdreamer]

On 5/9/2022 at 11:55 PM, bros402 said:

so, uh, did anyone else cheer at the end when they realized we hadn't seen Bailey?

I was looking at the clock, realizing she hadn’t shown up yet (didn’t recall seeing her name or not in the opening credits), so I was counting down the minutes (I figured she would be at the door, rather than Gray and wife - but she probably has a key and wouldn’t need to knock).  Maybe Jenna is busy with her new dance show and her time will be much reduced.

Weird that Chen was the most likable to me when she was just hanging around Jackson (and, to a lesser extent, Nolan) during the rookie time period.  She was just trying to make it and not be all over dramatic.

[Bulldog]

I really missed Bailey this episode. 

I'm sorry, I couldn't even keep a straight face while sitting alone at my keyboard typing that. 

So many missed opportunities - she could have been the minister marrying the fugitive couple, the farrier at the stable, a server serving Mother's Day brunch, an extra on the movie set, a designer of wedding gowns, a travel agent booking Tim's vacation.  The possibilities are endless.  C'mon writers, don't make us do all the work coming up with ways to shoehorn her into the episodes. 

[Driad]

9 minutes ago, Bulldog said:

So many missed opportunities

Excellent point. They could have included at least half of the Bailey octuplets if they had tried.

[bros402]

2 hours ago, yourdreamer said:

I was looking at the clock, realizing she hadn’t shown up yet (didn’t recall seeing her name or not in the opening credits), so I was counting down the minutes (I figured she would be at the door, rather than Gray and wife - but she probably has a key and wouldn’t need to knock).  Maybe Jenna is busy with her new dance show and her time will be much reduced.

Weird that Chen was the most likable to me when she was just hanging around Jackson (and, to a lesser extent, Nolan) during the rookie time period.  She was just trying to make it and not be all over dramatic.

tbh when we saw that ambulance pull up and I saw "Fire" on the side I was yelling out "HEY I BET WE'RE GONNA SEE THE GIRLFRIEND NOW!"

So during this episode, Bailey was flying around African adopting 20 infants and curing them with a touch of her finger, right? Then she invaded Guatemala to rescue a cat that was stuck in a tree?

[shapeshifter]

8 hours ago, bros402 said:

Then she [Bailey] invaded Guatemala to rescue a cat that was stuck in a tree?

Pretty sure that happened in an earlier episode off camera.😉😼

Edited May 12, 2022 by shapeshifter

[ctlady]

On 5/10/2022 at 10:02 PM, nittany cougar said:

I thought that the idea of Hawaii being an engagement destination was overplayed

Not just engagements - but weddings and getting over breakups, per Forgetting Sarah Marshall!

9 hours ago, Bulldog said:

So many missed opportunities - she could have been the minister marrying the fugitive couple, the farrier at the stable, a server serving Mother's Day brunch, an extra on the movie set, a designer of wedding gowns, a travel agent booking Tim's vacation.  The possibilities are endless

It's really become more caricature now for her to be such a MarySue.  Probably could've slotted her in as the maid of honor at the hijacked wedding and could've overpowered the fugitive bride and groom with her Krav Maga techniques

On 5/10/2022 at 10:02 PM, nittany cougar said:

Lucy is so immature and inappropriate.  It's none of her business whether Tim sees a future with Ashley

I've said this about her since S1.  She acts like a tween trapped in the body of an adult female.  The social media talk, the vocal fry, the over-emotional reactions, the nosiness, the gossiping.  I seriously hope they are not setting up a Bradford/Chen pairing.  Each having significant others at the same time is usually a plot point that precludes them breaking up with the SO's and getting together.  Please - NO!  She already dated Nolan in S1 so it would be weird.  

And wasn't it just a little too contrived (and convenient) that they everyone (but Lopez, though they segued her into it via the robbery) had to work on Mother's Day?  And Wesley seeing clients on a Sunday?  I guess no day is sacred anymore.

 

[Sweet Tooth]

I think the reason Chen is going so over the top with getting involved in Bradford's dating life, is that she's desperately trying to figure out just how serious he is about this woman he's dating, so her actions are pretty realistic if you look at it from that angle.

She clearly had a reaction to Bradford saying he could see himself married to his gf, and she definitely was unhappy about what she thought was a proposal.

It does not seem like she's into her current bf, and I agree, I've thought there was something fishy about him ever since he was humming that tune. I'm in agreement that if this is the case, Bradford will come to the rescue, and that will be the tipping point. Perhaps his gf sees his reaction and realizes what's going on, etc.

I think next week's previews are a big, huge fake-out, and they're probably undercover or something. I just can't see them being that blatant and showing that many cards. 

[WendyCR72]

The whole Chen/Bradford angle bugs me because if it was not good for her career to date Nolan, then why the hell is it okay to date Bradford?

It's no different.

I know the pairing has fans on social media, but the hypocrisy this entire pairing is based upon annoys me.

[shapeshifter]

12 minutes ago, WendyCR72 said:

The whole Chen/Bradford angle bugs me because if it was not good for her career to date Nolan, then why the hell is it okay to date Bradford?

It's no different.

I know the pairing has fans on social media, but the hypocrisy this entire pairing is based upon annoys me.

There will likely be the Secret Romance trope (tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/OfficeRomance) with all of the detectives Chen & Bradford work with figuring it out but just winking until, like on Castle, the boss tells them to go ahead and kiss.
Then they might figure out some shift in jobs so it suits whatever regulations exist in Rookieland.

But, ugh, at this point?

 

[Thomas Crown]

11 hours ago, WendyCR72 said:

The whole Chen/Bradford angle bugs me because if it was not good for her career to date Nolan, then why the hell is it okay to date Bradford?

It's no different.

I know the pairing has fans on social media, but the hypocrisy this entire pairing is based upon annoys me.

It was 4 seasons ago so my memory is probably off on the following, but I always took Bishop's advice to Lucy in season 1 as being in the context of Lucy being a rookie only and that it would hurt her career if she was dating another cop while being a rookie.  I also remember a scene in the episode where Lucy got kidnapped where Armstrong told Lucy that she should only date cops and not civilians.  I always took that as the writers backtracking (slightly) on Bishop's advice and opening the door for Lucy to be involved with another cop. 

[Thomas Crown]

12 hours ago, Sweet Tooth said:

I think the reason Chen is going so over the top with getting involved in Bradford's dating life, is that she's desperately trying to figure out just how serious he is about this woman he's dating, so her actions are pretty realistic if you look at it from that angle.

She clearly had a reaction to Bradford saying he could see himself married to his gf, and she definitely was unhappy about what she thought was a proposal.

It does not seem like she's into her current bf, and I agree, I've thought there was something fishy about him ever since he was humming that tune. I'm in agreement that if this is the case, Bradford will come to the rescue, and that will be the tipping point. Perhaps his gf sees his reaction and realizes what's going on, etc.

I think next week's previews are a big, huge fake-out, and they're probably undercover or something. I just can't see them being that blatant and showing that many cards. 

Most of the Chenford scenes up to this point in the last 4 seasons IMO could always have been interpreted as 2 co-workers having a playful banter and who care for each other.   Lucy's reaction to Tim's fake proposal and her disappointed when Tim told her that he could see himself as being married to Ashley was the 1st clear indication to me that the writers finally acknowledged that one of them has feelings for the other. 

[Sweet Tooth]

6 hours ago, Thomas Crown said:

Most of the Chenford scenes up to this point in the last 4 seasons IMO could always have been interpreted as 2 co-workers having a playful banter and who care for each other.   Lucy's reaction to Tim's fake proposal and her disappointed when Tim told her that he could see himself as being married to Ashley was the 1st clear indication to me that the writers finally acknowledged that one of them has feelings for the other. 

 I would agree mostly with this, because Chen hasn't shown the amount of hurt she did in this episode. However, I always felt like this started further back, probably before she could even admit it to herself, and she might now be fully admitting it to herself..

[Mrs. Stanwyck]

I know some people didn't like Chen/Nolan romance because of the age difference but I preferred that one because at least there was no power imbalance between the two.  count me on the no Chen/Bradford train.  They are fine as friends and partners but I would prefer not to see a romance.  Unfortunately, I'm bracing myself because I feel like it's coming. 

I also thought Tim seemed unhappy with the no marriage/no kids stance. 

Edited May 16, 2022 by Mrs. Stanwyck

[Sweet Tooth]

On 5/16/2022 at 10:00 AM, Mrs. Stanwyck said:

I also thought Tim seemed unhappy with the no marriage/no kids stance. 

Agreed. Look how hard he tried to hold on to his wife. He wanted to stay married. 

That turned into a mess. He probably had a bunch of plans that have been dashed.

I think Tim is looking for a do-over.

[Clanstarling]

On 5/10/2022 at 10:31 PM, Netfoot said:

Am I the only person who saw the scene when Bradford/Ashley faked out Chen with the false proposal on the pavement? I thought that was the best moment in the entire episode! And Chen's face spoke volumes, too.

Saw it, loved it.

On 5/9/2022 at 9:55 PM, bros402 said:

so, uh, did anyone else cheer at the end when they realized we hadn't seen Bailey?

Yes, after the knock at the door turned out not to be her!

On 5/10/2022 at 8:21 AM, paigow said:

Are she and Bradford on the same page? Was he relieved or hurt that she used NEVER instead of NOT NOW?

I don't think so, to me he clearly communicated that it was a shock, and not what he wants. (I read minds at the market on Saturdays 🤣)

On 5/10/2022 at 1:35 PM, eel21788 said:

Can she just take the evidence from the criminal and put it back on her own wrist? 

Nope.

On 5/11/2022 at 7:13 PM, yourdreamer said:

I was looking at the clock, realizing she hadn’t shown up yet (didn’t recall seeing her name or not in the opening credits), so I was counting down the minutes (I figured she would be at the door, rather than Gray and wife - but she probably has a key and wouldn’t need to knock).  Maybe Jenna is busy with her new dance show and her time will be much reduced.

Weird that Chen was the most likable to me when she was just hanging around Jackson (and, to a lesser extent, Nolan) during the rookie time period.  She was just trying to make it and not be all over dramatic.

The thing that bugs me the most is that Melissa can play a strong badass. Not to say that in playing Chen she should duplicate a previous role, but as a cop she should have SOME steel. You can be empathetic and still be strong and forceful.

[shapeshifter]

On 5/10/2022 at 4:35 PM, eel21788 said:

Can she just take the evidence from the criminal and put it back on her own wrist? 

9 hours ago, Clanstarling said:

Nope.

I guess we have to imagine a cut scene in which Angela hands the bracelet back to the evidence collecting people as soon as the perp (Monica?) is out of sight. 

 

[catsitter]

Harper's bump is so big by now that surely she must have already been pregnant on Halloween? But apparently she was unaware then, so it is strange that when she found out she was pregnant, she wasn't worried that the father could be her ex. Up until now, if they have said what date it was, I didn't notice, but it was impossible to ignore the exact date in this episode.

[EtheltoTillie]

On 5/8/2022 at 11:54 PM, shapeshifter said:

It was nice that Lopez got her Mother's Day Bracelet back, but what about her MIL's pearls from Wesley's dear departed Dad? And did we know Wesley's dad was dead?

Yes, I noticed this immediately.  Bad continuity, Show.