S07.E06: Escape

[DanaK]

Quote

After a prison transport van overturns, Hondo and the team hunt down three female fugitives, including a serial killer on the verge of a rampage. Also, with Annie's return to work, Deacon struggles to maintain a work life balance, and Luca does his best to teach Kelly to drive, on S.W.A.T., Friday, March 15 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+

 

[DanaK]

Oh no, Luca’s shot! And Deacon is set to retire to better align his schedule with Annie’s

[Danielg342]

What an ending.

OK, so I don't know for sure that Luca is dead. We are likely going to get that resolved in two weeks, in the classic "mini-cliffhanger" move shows usually do when they go on hiatus.

Because many shows are just bereft of ideas. Like this one.

Perhaps the idea of killing off Luca isn't the worst idea the show could do. We are in the final season, after all.

...but, this show has already explored the death of a SWAT member, albeit very terribly, and right now they risk doing it again.

See, as much as I hated how Erika died, she at least died in the line of duty.

Luca was attacked randomly by a group of robbers because...reasons.

Yeah, something like that is real. Crime can happen at any moment and a police officer can be felled while dealing with said crime.

...but, just because it's real doesn't make it the right choice.

This was a very, very, very cheap way of putting Luca in peril.

A beloved character, someone who I believe is the secret MVP of this series.

Someone who has given his all to the series and done all that was asked of him.

Someone like that deserves a far better ending than this.

I know Kenny Johnson sued the studio for that failed stunt in the S2 premiere, and there's the possibility this was written in retaliation...which only makes this story choice even worse.

I criticize this show for being a bit too "sunny" on the sunny side of police and criminal drama, criticisms this very episode put on display (which I'll get to later).

However, if there was one area where the show got the sunny/cynical balance wrong, it's with how cheaply they treat their characters.

It's not just with Erika's death and this drama with Luca.

It's the fact that this show, for three seasons, built up the characters of 20-Squad so well that I came to love them and appreciate them and enjoy their storylines.

Sure, many plots were still robotic in those first few seasons, but they at least were robotic plots with characters I actually cared about, so the stories still had meaning.

Such could have been the basis for a show that could have lasted far longer than it did, but the show decided to take all the goodwill it had with its characters and decide it was worthless.

Which is how the last four seasons have gone, with series regulars' time getting cut and the show just awkwardly cycling in other poorly-developed SWAT members out of the mistaken belief that "any character will do" when it comes to crafting their plots.

I mean, this episode seems to have set a record with three series regulars absent- Patrick St. Esprit, Rochelle Aytes and Anna Enger Ritch.

Hicks has had quite a bit to do, so maybe St. Esprit's absence doesn't hit as hard.

...but, no Powell and no Nichelle?

Both of those characters are glorified extras, and if the show thinks they're disposable, why put them in the main cast?

So when I'm faced with the prospect of Luca dying, it feels like the show is reinforcing this disposable element to its characters, one that does not sit very well with me.

Why did I spend all that time caring and feeling for these characters if the show feels like it can kick them to the curb whenever it feels like?

Sure, Luca may still survive...but that still doesn't make this storyline choice any easier to take.

Because, in that case, why the cliffhanger? As well as it serving as a reminder of how this show really feels about its characters.

As for other parts of this episode...which was generally very poor all around, except for the brilliant acting jobs of Kenny Johnson and his daughter.

Remember when I said this show is a bit too sunny?

Well, you had three female fugitives...all portrayed as evil psychopaths but there was Hollywood, ramping up the sympathetic traits for them because, apparently, women can't be evil or something.

I could just ramp that up to Hollywood being unable to write an effective, believable female criminal, because they can't.

Here we had a fugitive who had a son, and, despite her better judgement, had to go see him and said son also conveniently lived in LA, so SWAT could easily capture her again.

Then there was another fugitive who acted tough but was really stupid. As far as I could tell, Ms. Fine Tastes had no roots to LA so why she didn't just high tail it to Mexico I'll never understand.

As well as the fact that she understood she had the power in the interrogation room and she traded that power for...nail polish?

Really, show?

Lastly was Ms. Serial Killer with a Convenient Agenda, someone whom we were beaten over the head over with how much she was abused by her now-reformed mother.

Someone she just had to settle the score with. Someone who had no reason to spare her life.

Someone, whom we were told, was ruthless and cold-blooded and wouldn't hesitate to pull that metaphorical (or the literal) trigger.

...and, when she had the chance to do so...

...

...she didn't do it.

'Cause I guess in S7, this show can't risk not having happy endings, even when there's no next season to worry about.

Speaking of which, how convenient is it that, being in our last season, that Deacon can contemplate retirement and so easily solve his issue with Annie?

In another season, this conflict with Annie could actually lead somewhere and could be a fruitful story.

It would actually require the writers to do some actual work crafting a story where Deacon and Annie have to work to salvage their marriage, because this arrangement would (and should) not be easy to navigate.

On a darker show, this storyline could have led to Deacon's premature exit or lead to the breakup of their marriage. Which, while both are still cliches, those storylines could still felt like "earned" storylines if they played their cards correctly.

Yet, here we are, in the seventh and final season, where the writers don't have to worry about any of that. They can just have Deacon retire and put a happy little bow on the ending because it doesn't matter if Deacon retires since there won't be a S8.

*sigh*

I'll just end with this.

I just hope the show doesn't end with the "heroic" deaths of either Hondo or Deacon (or both) because neither storyline would be all that great.

It would cheapen their characters, and this show needs not to cheapen their characters any more than they already have.

Plus, in Hondo's case, it would be another example of Hollywood following another cliched trope, just like they did with Erika.

So I'll just leave this here, and revisit this once the finale airs. Because, while I hope I am wrong, don't say I didn't warn you.

[callie lee 29]

Ehh I didn't have a problem with serial killer chick wanting to take mom out. If I got the timeline right, mom lost custody when the kid was 6 but also pumped out her daughter, which means she was trading her 4/5 year old daughter out to pedophiles for drug money. Slice the bitche's thought, I don't care about her "reform". I do agree about the other two especially the money girl. What an idiot.  

And fuck the show runners if they kill off Luca. At least bury him with Black Betty.

[Danielg342]

45 minutes ago, callie lee 29 said:

Ehh I didn't have a problem with serial killer chick wanting to take mom out. If I got the timeline right, mom lost custody when the kid was 6 but also pumped out her daughter, which means she was trading her 4/5 year old daughter out to pedophiles for drug money. Slice the bitche's thought, I don't care about her "reform". I do agree about the other two especially the money girl. What an idiot.  

And fuck the show runners if they kill off Luca. At least bury him with Black Betty.

I think we're on the same page regarding Ms. Serial Killer. Sorry if that wasn't clear. I also don't understand why Ms. Serial Killer didn't off her mother when she had the chance, especially considering how "cold blooded" she apparently was.

Though I believe Ms. Serial Killer was pimped out until she was 12, because I believe she told her mother, "I haven't seen you since I was 12".

I also wholeheartedly agree on Luca. I don't want him to die, but if he has to, bury him with Black Betty.

[callie lee 29]

@Danielg342Ahh gotcha. Sorry about that.  And I think I missed that part about her being 12, not that it necessarily makes it any better but I was definitely a little surprised that CBS would let a show like SWAT (which is arguably more of a feel good cop show than say, something like Criminal Minds) just gloss over kids just out of toddler hood being used like that. You're clarification makes a lot more sense. 

[transitfan]

I'm pretty much undecided how it will turn out.  Based on the preview (which of course are often misleading, intentionally or otherwise:

Spoiler

In one scene, someone is saying "(Luka) is clinging to life", which makes sense because his wounds did not appear like they would be instantly fatal, of course it's all about which internal organs were struck and the severity.  Then the last preview scene, looks like the squad is dressed in dress blues, which isn't a good sign, but maybe could be for the services of some other officer.  We shall see

 

[Danielg342]

51 minutes ago, transitfan said:

I'm pretty much undecided how it will turn out.  Based on the preview (which of course are often misleading, intentionally or otherwise:

  Hide contents

In one scene, someone is saying "(Luka) is clinging to life", which makes sense because his wounds did not appear like they would be instantly fatal, of course it's all about which internal organs were struck and the severity.  Then the last preview scene, looks like the squad is dressed in dress blues, which isn't a good sign, but maybe could be for the services of some other officer.  We shall see

 

Regarding the spoiler.

Spoiler

You might be right about the promo- it could be a memorial for another cop, or it could be a dream sequence. Working against it is that the show has pulled this trick before- with the end of S6 and the allusion to Marcos dying when, instead, it was his cousin- and that I fail to see who else could be offed to make the memorial work, unless the episode cheaply introduces a character only so that they die in the end. I'm also certain these writers want a "heroic death", even though Luca's incident is far from heroic.

As for the hospital scene, gunshot wounds are rarely ever instantly fatal. So just because Luca was struck in the heart doesn't mean he would- or should- instantly die. The heavy-handedness with how the promo suggests it's Luca dying indicates it may still be a swerve, but I still have my doubts. Articles concerning Luca call the next episode his last one- so I'm not sure it, sadly, looks good for him.

 

[Kitty1220]

Sorry my English is not good. What I think about that? Now you can see that the writers didn't have time to give all the characters a good ending. It would really bother me if Luca died. Because he really deserved a nice ending. I have now also seen the preview. Some say he dies because they were all in blue, you only do that when someone dies, right? If he dies, I don't think it's fair because you don't see his brother, the family, Street, Chris and Co. don't get a proper farewell. The one on the beach with Honda could be a dream. Another part he says thoughtfully. Why? Now the last episode with Luca could have been done better. And don't cut a character out of something like that. In general I don't like Season 7. And they should have left it at 6.

[Snazzy Daisy]

Nice shooting, Deac! 👏🏻

This episode is the first part of Luca’s sendoff. Since he’s injured, I guess this is the last time we see Luca in action with 20 Squad, driving Black Betty etc. 😭

Deacon is thinking about retirement because Annie’s new career at public defender’s office trumps everything? Is this a joke??! Why are they pushing Deacon into retirement? I want to see him leading his own squad. He was robbed before, by you know who. Come on, just give Deacon what he deserves. He can retire after several years.

Season 7 sucks! 👎🏻😣

[DanaK]

I can see Luca surviving but then deciding to quit/retire from the police force to go live with the lady he likes and her daughter. It is the last season after all and they only have 13 episodes. At the same time, it's a bummer to lose 2 cast members (Street and Luca) early in the season. Probably budget cuts to get the show its last season. I wouldn't want all this to happen in the very last episode, but it would have been nicer to handle all this in maybe the last 3 or 4 episodes

[mojoween]

If the best parts of this show are going to leave or die (while Street sucked at the beginning , he ended up not so bad, and I am STILL not over Jessica, let alone Chris), then the show should have just ended.

Also fuck’s sake there isn’t a trusted adult who could be listed as an emergency contact at the kids schools?  No, Annie, Deacon cannot just drop everything and get Sam because he’s chasing an ARMED SUSPECT through Los Angeles.

[Danielg342]

14 hours ago, DanaK said:

I can see Luca surviving but then deciding to quit/retire from the police force to go live with the lady he likes and her daughter. It is the last season after all and they only have 13 episodes. At the same time, it's a bummer to lose 2 cast members (Street and Luca) early in the season. Probably budget cuts to get the show its last season. I wouldn't want all this to happen in the very last episode, but it would have been nicer to handle all this in maybe the last 3 or 4 episodes

That ending, while marginally better, still feels pretty cheap. Luca would, essentially, go out the same way that Mumford did, and that is the job was getting too difficult for him to continue.

If Luca has to die or be forced into retirement because of this shooting, then at least make him thwart the robbery and save the day. That way, his sacrifice isn't for naught and I'm not left here wondering just how effective he is as a hero.

[Kitty1220]

Spoiler

He survives it. Because there are already pictures from episode 7 where Luca is honored, that's why they are there.

 

[juliet73]

This episode was awful!  Can Annie be any more ridiculous?!  If grandma was able to take care of the sick kid, why not call her before Deacon? So stupid! If it’s too much for them to both work, why not hire a nanny part time to get the kids ready and to school, pick up, etc.  Instead, Deacon is going to retire because the writers are lazy and it’s an easy send off.

Luca may or may not survive.  If he does, I’m sure he won’t be able to continue on swat so he’ll move to San Diego to live with the girl and her mom.  Another lazy send off.

Don’t even get me started on Street!

This season is a total joke! It’s a shame because even though it’s a short season, these final episodes could have been something worth watching…but I guess no cared enough to give the fans some closure.