S06.E20: All That Glitters

[Danielg342]

From the Futon Critic:

Quote

Following a string of violent home robberies, the team rushes to stop a crew targeting elderly victims. Also, Hondo's longtime friend and former Marine squad leader Danny Wright (guest star Taye Diggs) turns to Hondo for help when his daughter goes missing.

 

[Danielg342]

I write this review with an immense sense of loss. Just before this episode aired, CBS announced that S.W.A.T. will not be returning for a seventh season, meaning these last three episodes will be the series' last.

Disappointed is a good word for how I feel. Heck, maybe it doesn't go far enough, because- for this show's many, many, many, faults- I still felt it had something left in the tank, enough for at least one last go around.

However, after thinking about it, in many ways, perhaps this is the right move after all. S6 felt like the show was merely coasting, playing it way too safe and too close to the vest and, while it still produced watchable television, it wasn't producing the kind of TV that left an impact, let alone be something that was appointment-level viewing.

I'm not sure I really cared about what was happening in an episode ever since Episode 100, "The Fugitive", but only because that story centred around Hondo and character stories are not this show's typical bread and butter. That leaves the Cases of the Week, and the last time I felt I really cared about them was when we dealt with The Emancipators and Cinque at the end of S2.

Sure, there may have been other moments of magic and some wonderfully written episodes and scenes...but, since the end of S2, really, the show's writers never truly challenged themselves and it shows.

Such as in this episode where the great Taye Diggs makes an appearance. Diggs and Shemar Moore played well off each other and acted their metaphorical pants off, but was there really anything about the plight of Danny Wright that really stood out? Aside from the swerves- not too unpredictable ones at that- at the end where it turned out the abusive boyfriend hadn't kidnapped Wright's daughter and she wasn't actually missing, it sure played out like your usual "missing daughter" case.

Heck, when Wright went to "get some air" I knew right away what he was doing...and I had a feeling, right away, that he might turn out to be wrong.

Because- let's face it- just like how Law & Order: Special Victims Unit can't resist playing to Saint Olivia Benson's ego, S.W.A.T. can never miss an opportunity to let Saint Hondo shine and bask in all of his glory.

Which is a big symptom of S.W.A.T.'s malaise. I mean, I get it- on Criminal Minds, Derek Morgan's supposed prowess at winning fights, chasing down villains and, overall, being a badass was more implied than actually shown, so Moore needed to make up for lost time.

Plus, Hondo is the main protagonist and the "hero of the story", so it makes sense that you want your hero to stand tall at the end of the struggle, whatever that may be.

However, that can only last for so long. By the time we've reach S6, the writers should realize that it would be OK for Hondo to need help to overcome his struggle, and not just because his teammates are covering for him because Hicks benched him. Hondo doesn't always have to have the final shot or know the best words to take down a bad guy- sometimes he would need his teammates to do that job and have his back on the field, because, otherwise, why have a team if Hondo could do everything by himself?

The writers needed to realize- as does, perhaps, Moore- that Hondo isn't less of a badass because he sometimes fails. Heck, he can become even more of a badass if every now and then he did fail because it makes him relatable. Plus, it makes his rogue tendencies that much more of a character fault because it actually has an impact in the narrative.

So while I can't disagree with the story choice to have Wright get an earful from Hondo, it still felt like more of the same from this show, because- unless it's Hicks, and, even then- the show will never have a scene where Hondo is on the receiving end of such a tongue lashing.

All this and no word on the Case...well, would it surprise you if I said I didn't care about it? Ho hum...we have another group of bad guys terrorizing the block- this time, grandparents and their jewelry vaults- and the SWAT team has to find a way to stop them before more people get killed.

Yawn. Rinse...repeat.

I mean, I wasn't even surprised that the lone grandmother was the one who survived at the end. Because Hollywood knows they can spare a few grown men, but a woman?

Not a chance.

Yeah, perhaps some in the audience would hate to see dear old Aunt Patty bite the dust...but it's again another piece of the predictableness of this show and their need to "play things safe".

Fine, don't show Patty getting shot...but would it have been too much to ask for at least one of the other two off-screen murder victims to have also been a grandmother? No reason why they both had to be grandfathers.

Oh well.

On to the last two episodes (*sniff*). I just hope this show goes out with a bang, and not in the literal sense. I think that's the least I can ask for after the disappointment of today.

Edited May 6, 2023 by Danielg342

[DanaK]

I enjoyed this episode, especially the Taye Diggs plot

[DanaK]

The thing I didn’t get was why the thieves didn’t cover their faces. I also looked side-eyed at the victims buying gold coins worth many thousands of dollars because they didn’t trust banks and stashing them in their house, but at least they were using safes. Oh, I believe that happens but it’s still dumb

Edited May 6, 2023 by DanaK

[Snazzy Daisy]

Feeling hesitant to watch this episode knowing the end is near.

The case with Danny Wright is lacking of emotional punch. There’s not enough build-up for me to care about the case and the supposedly missing daughter. Hondo’s reaction to Danny at the end feels a bit preachy.

20-Squad is occupied with the home robberies case and off-duty Hondo simply asks Street to multitask and do a deep dive on Danny’s daughter??!

2 episodes left… 😭

 

Edited May 9, 2023 by SnazzyDaisy
PS: S.W.A.T. un-cancelled, renewed for final season as @ May 8

[mojoween]

Thank you for your service in the recap Daniel because when the ep opened with Shemar Moore and Taye Diggs in the same place my teevee melted.  /shallow

[auntiemel]

I could not stop laughing any time a character said “Chauncey Telluride” with a straight face. 🤣