S06.E17: Stockholm

[DanaK]

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SWAT teams up with the FBI to hunt one of its most-wanted fugitives. Also, Hondo and Nichelle are faced with an unexpected development in her pregnancy, on S.W.A.T., Friday, March 31 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network and available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+

 

[Danielg342]

Writers like to talk about their episodes having "synergy". An episode may have multiple storylines, but the themes behind those storylines are roughly the same- which is what ties them together.

There was definitely the theme of "there's always a light at the end of the tunnel", since it's the lesson that Tan learned, Natalie learned and, in a roundabout kind of way, Hondo and Nichelle with the scare concerning their baby.

Unintentionally this episode had another theme- predictability.

I won't knock too much the episode's decision to have baby drama, since, as predictable as it may be that the baby made it, it would go against the tone of the show to kill the baby plus it led to an easing of tensions between Mr. Carmichael and Mr. (junior) Harrelson.

...but the FBI subplot was completely predictable and utterly annoying.

On the surface, it's not the worst story choice in the world because the animosity between local law enforcement and the FBI very much exists in real life, especially the power struggle between the two.

The problem is that we didn't just have the FBI strongarm their way into the case and have heated arguments with SWAT over the best course of action to resolve the case.

No, this had to be an utterly predictable storyline of the FBI getting arrogant, screwing things up with SWAT taking over the case all while being able to tell the feds "we told you so".

How many times do we have to tell that cliche of a story?

One of the great things about the earlier seasons of this show is how they often bent police procedural conventions. They didn't always do things other TV shows did, and they had stories and conflicts that felt more natural and organic.

Heck, several times, the FBI and SWAT worked well together, and, in the times where personal matters looked like they could interfere with the case (such as when the bomb expert who hit on Hicks' wife was called in for a case), everyone found a way to work through things.

This was just about making the FBI look so bad that SWAT look like the only adults in the room and the only worthy heroes. Realistic, yes, but it's a tired story at this stage.

The rest of the case kind of did go through the motions, though the swerve with Jax Evansi identity was an interesting touch. Still, the choice to play the usual storyline with Stockholm Syndrome straight meant that the storyline itself was predictable, because there was no way the show wasn't going to save a 17-year-old girl.

I suppose I should close about how strange it was to have a case with the "twins", Alexis Cabrera and Zoe Powell. They didn't have a lot of screen time together, though Cabrera seemed to have more meaningful scenes with the fight scene at the end of the case. I'm not sure, even with that scene, either character did enough to differentiate herself meaningfully from her unintentional "other half".

Makes me wonder why both characters couldn't have just been combined into one and left at that. Then we might actually have a character that is interesting.

[Snazzy Daisy]

Not a fan of this episode. Great stunts but lame plots. Power struggle between agencies that leads to bad decisions & outcomes, unlikeable FBI agent with personal agenda, trafficked girl with Stockholm syndrome and absent parent. Same ‘ol same ‘ol.

Alexis Cabrera and Zoe Powell teaming up for the first time. I still cannot tell them apart. Ugh.

Great to see Tan again but where’s Luca??!

Jim Street should be the last person on earth to give relationship advice. He was in limbo with Chris for 5 freaking years. Tan, don’t listen to him!

I saw a new ship has emerged on Twitter - Tabrera. Oh god, please no. They never stop, do they? We don’t need another Stris. 😣

Another TV pregnancy that requires an emergency C-section. Sigh. What’s next? Nichelle won’t be able to get pregnant again and little V is their miracle baby?

The Carmichaels have met baby V. In next episode, Hondo Sr. and Charice will take their turn. Will we be seeing Winnie and Brianna too?

 

[mojoween]

14 hours ago, SnazzyDaisy said:

Alexis Cabrera and Zoe Powell teaming up for the first time. I still cannot tell them apart. Ugh.

I have the same problem with SWAT that I do when my hubby watches The Rookie - a sea of brown-haired ladies I cannot distinguish from one another.

A more unpredictable storyline would have been Nichelle and Hondo taking about how they have three weeks to finish baby-proofing the house and Nichelle … goes off to work.  And has a nice day.

[mythoughtis]

I cannot tell Cabrera and Powell apart either.  I find neither interesting.   I liked the medic and I liked Chris ( other than her personal drama).  

I find Nichelle’s Dad unbelievable in that he’s been totally leaving her to run her life as she sees fit until now… and now he’s a control freak.  

Hondo’s personal  life:  Shemar Moore has no chemistry with the actress playing Nichelle. He didn’t have chemistry with the actress that played Savannah on Criminal  Minds either.  This is an odd thing to say….he did have chemistry with Kirsten Vangsness.  

Maybe she can join SWAT as a back office technical analyst? ( not necessarily a Garcia clone though ).   Because a SWAT tactical team shouldn’t be the people doing all the computer analysis.  Of course they shouldn’t be doing detective interviews with anyone and everyone either- especially senior citizens minding their own business in senior living.  Interrogating violent suspects on the fly - I can see that. 
 

[Maverick]

 I'm all for them having tech support, as long as it's Wesley Crusher.    I like Wil Wheaton's turn as an LAPD tech support guy and thought they would have brought him back by now. 

[Danielg342]

10 hours ago, mythoughtis said:

Shemar Moore has no chemistry with the actress playing Nichelle. He didn’t have chemistry with the actress that played Savannah on Criminal  Minds either.

I apologize if I have you wrong, but I'm not sure you realize that both characters- Nichelle and Savannah- are played by the same actress, Rochelle Aytes. I realize mileage varies, but while I didn't see sparks between Aytes and Shemar Moore on Criminal Minds, I think they have chemistry on S.W.A.T., though with the caveat that they haven't had an intense scene together.

10 hours ago, mythoughtis said:

He did have chemistry with Kirsten Vangsness.  

Only issue with Kirsten Vangsness is that she's still tied up in the revival of CM. Maybe she could find a way to fit S.W.A.T. into her schedule, but it may be tough.

Maybe, also, instead of playing a tech analyst Vangsness can play the snarky detective that keeps SWAT and Hondo on their toes.

10 hours ago, Maverick said:

 I'm all for them having tech support, as long as it's Wesley Crusher.    I like Wil Wheaton's turn as an LAPD tech support guy and thought they would have brought him back by now. 

I'm all for Wil Wheaton's return too. His character- whose name is actually Evan Whitlock- was fun to have around and I'm surprised he's only made one appearance so far.

[mythoughtis]

1 hour ago, Danielg342 said:

apologize if I have you wrong, but I'm not sure you realize that both characters- Nichelle and Savannah- are played by the same actress, Rochelle Aytes.

I did not realize that.  She doesn’t look the same to me in this role as when she played  Savannah.  Obviously someone thinks they have chemistry 

[Danielg342]

4 hours ago, mythoughtis said:

I did not realize that.  She doesn’t look the same to me in this role as when she played  Savannah.  Obviously someone thinks they have chemistry 

There was a three year gap between when Aytes played Savannah and when Aytes started as Nichelle, plus it looks like Aytes changed her hair for her role on S.W.A.T. I also think Aytes has been livelier and more visible on S.W.A.T. than she was on Criminal Minds where she was practically a glorified extra with lines most of the time. My guess is that Shemar, being a producer on S.W.A.T., brought Aytes on because of this pre-existing relationship on CM as well as my feeling that Shemar uses S.W.A.T. to explore things about Derek Morgan that he never got to explore on CM.

[Xantar]

I genuinely did not know that Cabrera and Powell were two separate characters until they both showed up in this episode. Shows how much I’m paying attention.

Also, I thought Powell’s name was Pao. In my defense, her appears to be at least partially of Asian descent.

I think I had thoughts about this episode at one point, but they’re gone now. Huh.

[Danielg342]

41 minutes ago, Xantar said:

Also, I thought Powell’s name was Pao. In my defense, her appears to be at least partially of Asian descent.

Well, according to IMDB- so make of that what you will, Anna Enger Ritch (who plays Zoe Powell), she was raised on Guam in the western Pacific, so she may have a bit of Pacific Islander in her genes.