S01.E03: Dirty Rotten Scoundrel

[AnimeMania]

Morgan’s intellect and cleaning experience prove useful when the detectives are called to a hotel room murder scene, eventually uncovering the victim’s many cons. Morgan navigates Ava’s dating while Soto reveals details about Roman’s disappearance.

Premiere Date: October 8, 2024     ABC     10pm 

  
Melinda Page Hamilton as Dr. Iris Bowman

Ck Bolado as Hotel Bartender David

Audrey Wasilewski as Glenda Walker

Kesia Brooke as Grace

Khamailei Angelil as Raissa the Tailor

Michelle C. Bonilla as Regina

Hudson Macready as Ryder

Graham Rogers as Kyle

Arya Dormiani as Luna

[Annber03]

Aw, that whole bit with Kyle saying goodbye to his mom... That was genuinely bittersweet. Some interesting twists in this case, and I liked that you could sympahtize with the motive to some degree. Everything with the victim's daughter and wife was poignant, too. I really felt for them. And I loved how Morgan interacted with the little girl. 

Morgan having a rough go of it at home and at work this episode, oof. Karadec's complaints and criticisms were valid, especially the part about Morgan bringing home evidence. And the whole showdown at the bar! I am glad they managed to smooth things out in the end, though. Their back and forthi n the hotel room at the beginning of the episode, as they bounced theories and observations back and forth, was fun, too. 

Oz had some cute and funny moments this episode, with the whole Spider-Man thing and his love of donuts :D. I also got a good laugh out of Morgan's reaction upon learning the victim's date was a blonde and that cut to a blonde woman coming in and just shoving the brunette out of the way, LOL. 

[CeeBeeGee]

37 minutes ago, Annber03 said:

Aw, that whole bit with Kyle saying goodbye to his mom... That was genuinely bittersweet.

 

also got a good laugh out of Morgan's reaction upon learning the victim's date was a blonde and that cut to a blonde woman coming in and just shoving the brunette out of the way, LOL. 

Kyle saying goodbye reminded me of an early NCIS: New Orleans episode, when an escaped convict was offered a deal--if he gave them information on the other escapees, he would be allowed to say goodby to his dying mother (the reason he'd escaped in the first place). What makes it memorable is how the convict has this subtle reaction to the offer--he just kind of stills and then says, not without tears, "You would do that for me?" I love seeing fantastic, subtle performances like that in non-showy side roles.

Yes, the blonde shoving the brunette was awesome! The brunette really committed to the physical comedy, she just went flying off the barstool.

I enjoy this show but it moves so fast, I can't catch everything. How did the conman meet the mother with dementia?

[possibilities]

During the interrogation, Kyle said his mother didn't recognize him. But when he said good-bye, it sure seemed like she did.

Also, why did he confess? And not have a lawyer?

[Annber03]

13 minutes ago, CeeBeeGee said:

Kyle saying goodbye reminded me of an early NCIS: New Orleans episode, when an escaped convict was offered a deal--if he gave them information on the other escapees, he would be allowed to say goodby to his dying mother (the reason he'd escaped in the first place). What makes it memorable is how the convict has this subtle reaction to the offer--he just kind of stills and then says, not without tears, "You would do that for me?" I love seeing fantastic, subtle performances like that in non-showy side roles.

Yes, the blonde shoving the brunette was awesome! The brunette really committed to the physical comedy, she just went flying off the barstool.

I like those little cuts to those kinds of scenes, they add to the quirky elements of this show and they're often really funny. 

That "NICIS: New Orleans" episode sounds pretty touching, I may have to check that one out sometime. I think you hit on one of many reasons why I like this show, the characters in the cases feel very real and believable and like everyday people. It fits well with and against the whole backdrop of Morgan and her home life and things of that sort. 

[CeeBeeGee]

31 minutes ago, Annber03 said:

That "NICIS: New Orleans" episode sounds pretty touching, I may have to check that one out sometime.

It's episode 3 of the first season, it's called Breaking Brig. 

[Annber03]

14 minutes ago, CeeBeeGee said:

It's episode 3 of the first season, it's called Breaking Brig. 

Excellent, thanks :)! 

[EtheltoTillie]

3 hours ago, CeeBeeGee said:

I enjoy this show but it moves so fast, I can't catch everything. How did the conman meet the mother with dementia?

The implication is that it was the same bar, although she seemed an unlikely patron  

[shapeshifter]

The second episode of the French version was much the same as this one. 
BTW, the French (available on Hulu a HIP) is dubbed in English rather than just having subtitles. I almost prefer subtitles because you can hear the inflections of the original actors’ voices.

The French version’s intro shows the words “Hyperactive Imagination.” Does this version too? Or was that even mentioned specifically?

10 hours ago, CeeBeeGee said:

Yes, the blonde shoving the brunette was awesome! The brunette really committed to the physical comedy, she just went flying off the barstool

That bit did not happen in the original. It was a great addition.

 

This may be the only new show this season that I will stick with — but maybe Kathy Bates’ new show too.

 

Morgan/Morgane is the most nurturing parent I can recall seeing on TV, especially for a working Mom and especially on a cop show. Based on my daughter and other parents of small children I see these days, I think Morgan’s style of parenting is a reflection of the times.
— Although I saw a mother in a store with several kids who seemed still stuck in repeating harsh the parenting style she must have experienced a couple of decades ago.
— But it’s nice to see parental patience modeled on TV. 

 

Are Morgan and Karadec eventually going to be romantically entangled? Or would that be taboo?

Edited Wednesday at 02:30 PM by shapeshifter

[Raja]

4 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

Are Morgan and Karadec eventually going to be romantically entangled? Or would that be taboo?

I don't know about taboo but it does seem to be a ruin the chemistry and change what they presented of his character  move.  I go back to Hunter and McCall after Hunter became a good show just gave us a line about the work partners having a one time fling in the past. And that was after years of 20 episodes per season.

9 hours ago, possibilities said:

During the interrogation, Kyle said his mother didn't recognize him. But when he said good-bye, it sure seemed like she did.

Also, why did he confess? And not have a lawyer?

Unfortunately for loved ones that is how dementia works.

As not a traditional Jack Webb procedural things like Miranda rights  get all kinds of  portrayals. And then the lawyers even in the same franchise like Law & Order: Criminal Intent doing nothing as their Sherlock Holmes Detective Goren ran  roughshod in the interrogations, compared to the same scenes in the Law & Order mothership show.

[AnimeMania]

5 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

The French version’s intro shows the words “Hyperactive Imagination.” Does this version too? Or was that not even specifically mentioned? 

They mention that Morgan doesn't sleep much and spends her time watching documentaries. She also can't keep a job and while she should be working,  she roots through the trash recreating/imagining the lives of the people she works for.

I wish they would pair Morgan up with the other detectives sometimes, it would probably help Karadec appreciate Morgan's talents more if the other detectives started solving lots of cases with her help. Morgan would probably work better if she was multitasking on multiple cases rather than focusing on a single case.

5 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

Are Morgan and Karadec eventually going to be romantically entangled? Or would that be taboo?

I am sure it will happen eventually, but right now Morgan is still too close to her baby's daddy.

[Mindthinkr]

I had to suspend my disbelief with the part about the dictionary being given as a gift. I’m sure a child that age isn’t that interested in words, but what kid after being given a book, doesn’t at least open it up and look at it? 

[AnimeMania]

6 minutes ago, Mindthinkr said:

I had to suspend my disbelief with the part about the dictionary being given as a gift. I’m sure a child that age isn’t that interested in words, but what kid after being given a book, doesn’t at least open it up and look at it? 

It was extremely heavy, he put it very high up on the bookshelf out of reach, it looked extremely boring, since it was not a dictionary for kids, and I am not sure she was able to read yet.

What kid's favorite toy is a camera and they don't have a thousand photos of out of focus things in their apartment. I am guessing the mother took all of the pictures.

[shura]

53 minutes ago, Mindthinkr said:

I had to suspend my disbelief with the part about the dictionary being given as a gift. I’m sure a child that age isn’t that interested in words, but what kid after being given a book, doesn’t at least open it up and look at it? 

Maybe she did and he gutted and filled it with money afterwards, precisely because he knew she was never going to look at it again.

It was an odd way to murder someone, wasn't it?  How do you know the guy will not have the presence of mind and the body strength to grab the sides of the bathtub, pull his upper body out of the water and put up a fight?  Why not go for something more surefire?

I like the characters and really enjoy watching them interact with one another, but I find the depiction of what they actually do to solve their cases very underwhelming.  Part of it is that the show moves so fast that we never have time to process what they tell us.  The other part is that it's just so perfunctory.  It's not really much more than simply telling us that Morgan noticed clues and figured out who the culprit is.  Yesterday the case was solved by Morgan declairing that Kyle had short fingernails and is a rock climber (which was never pointed out to us until that moment), so it must be him, and 10 seconds later he confesses.  I think I'd prefer it if they didn't make it so, I don't know, schematic.  Make it better than most procedurals, will you.

That was one burnt apple fritter, I've never seen one quite so dark. Thank you, Morgan!

[dancingdreamer]

I'm still enjoying this show. It's an easy watch, and I've nothing  to complain  about.

I loved it ended with an apple fritter. I knew it would, maybe I'm just like Morgan... lol

[I Want My MBTV]

6 hours ago, shura said:

It was an odd way to murder someone, wasn't it?  How do you know the guy will not have the presence of mind and the body strength to grab the sides of the bathtub, pull his upper body out of the water and put up a fight?  Why not go for something more surefire?

He was drugged by the blonde lady first so his reflexes and strength were diminished.

This is unusual for me but I like the kids on this show and like Morgan best when she's with the kids.  Otherwise unpopular opinion but I agree with the detective; for a smart person Morgan does really stupid things!  My issue is she never really seems sorry about it and no one else says anything and she just brings in donuts and everyone things she's awesome.  I wish she would be paired with a different detective sometimes as well so they could see while she's great she can also be a giant pain in the rear.

[kaygeeret]

Am really enjoying this show far more than I thought I would after epi 1.

Humor and compassion make everyone seem a bit 'real' (in tv terms anyway)

Her scenes with the teenage daughter are so real every parent must be torn between laughter and tears.

[shura]

1 hour ago, I Want My MBTV said:

He was drugged by the blonde lady first so his reflexes and strength were diminished.

Seems like it might have been easier to drug him a bit more and let the Xanax do the job instead of having to spiderman it all the way up to the fourth floor, fight with the guy and then mop up, fold the towels, etc.  I suppose Kyle must have really wanted to participate personally.  And really liked climbing.

[Raja]

26 minutes ago, shura said:

Seems like it might have been easier to drug him a bit more and let the Xanax do the job instead of having to spiderman it all the way up to the fourth floor, fight with the guy and then mop up, fold the towels, etc.  I suppose Kyle must have really wanted to participate personally.  And really liked climbing.

Or the doctor thought going part way was morally different from all the way.

[chitowngirl]

16 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

Are Morgan and Karadec eventually going to be romantically entangled? Or would that be taboo?

I hope not…I’m SO tired of every male/female partnership end up being a romantic one. Unless he is gay, the seemingly only acceptable way men and women can possibly work together without “pairing up”. 🙄

[agathapenny]

On 10/8/2024 at 8:09 PM, Annber03 said:

Aw, that whole bit with Kyle saying goodbye to his mom... That was genuinely bittersweet. Some interesting twists in this case, and I liked that you could sympahtize with the motive to some degree. Everything with the victim's daughter and wife was poignant, too. 

I really liked this unexpectedly complex portrayal. I very much sympathized with the killers — what that guy did to them was despicable, especially to the woman with dementia. But I also liked the wife and daughter and was sad for the daughter at least that her parent is dead.

And the thought of Kyle's mom now not having anyone as her mental condition inevitably continues to worsen is heartbreaking.

On 10/8/2024 at 8:54 PM, possibilities said:

During the interrogation, Kyle said his mother didn't recognize him. But when he said good-bye, it sure seemed like she did.

That is, unfortunately, an entirely realistic depiction of dementia.

[possibilities]

Did they actually say that the killer used a towle to clean up and then folded it and put it on the pile of fresh towels? Wouldn't it be easier to notice a WET towel than just that it ws folded differently? 

[shapeshifter]

8 hours ago, possibilities said:

Did they actually say that the killer used a towle to clean up and then folded it and put it on the pile of fresh towels? Wouldn't it be easier to notice a WET towel than just that it ws folded differently? 

Only if they were already examining the towels.

[Yeah No]

I'm still enjoying this show for now primarily because I like the acting, the characters and how they relate to each other. 

I think the cops have to be a little forgiving of Morgan's blunders because she's a civilian and despite her raw intelligence may not be savvy to the ways of their profession. Some of them, though, speak of a lack of common sense which kind of goes against her personality in general so I'm trying to reconcile it by remembering that people are rarely consistent.

I also feel like a few posters above about the pace being too quick at times, especially at the end when everything is tied up so fast I have to rewind and digest it all to understand what just happened. I think this was even worse on the pilot of "Matlock" with Kathy Bates. The dialogue was so fast paced I couldn't keep up with it at times. I'm trying to digest a new show and yet they talked so fast it made my head spin! And I'm no slouch with that stuff either! Maybe I should watch these shows in the morning, when I'm at my sharpest, lol.

[iMonrey]

I don't understand why the victim's car was in a parking lot near the tailor shop when his body was found at a hotel.

I'm not sure how long this show can sustain its main gimmick. The hyper-smart detective thing is not a novel idea; the most recent iteration that comes to mind is "Prodigal Son" which only lasted a season and a half. As much as I like Kaitlin Olson, the show is very formulaic, and I think the gimmick is going to wear thin pretty quickly.

[Charlemagne]

1 hour ago, iMonrey said:

I'm not sure how long this show can sustain its main gimmick. The hyper-smart detective thing is not a novel idea; the most recent iteration that comes to mind is "Prodigal Son" which only lasted a season and a half. As much as I like Kaitlin Olson, the show is very formulaic, and I think the gimmick is going to wear thin pretty quickly.

Perhaps, but I am willing to bet that they are gambling on achieving the longevity of shows like The Mentalist and Psych.

[shapeshifter]

3 hours ago, Yeah No said:

the pace being too quick at times, especially at the end when everything is tied up so fast I have to rewind and digest it all to understand what just happened.

The French show's episodes ran at least an extra 10 minutes each to cover the same material, which explains why the exposition fairies were working overtime in this show, but does not bode well for the show if they can't find better changes to make to accommodate the run time differences.

[AnimeMania]

The TV Series is doing well, averaging about 10.7 million viewers per episode.

[Irlandesa]

On 10/9/2024 at 3:34 AM, shapeshifter said:

Are Morgan and Karadec eventually going to be romantically entangled? Or would that be taboo?

The French version started hinting at it pretty early on so I imagine that's the intent.  He doesn't supervise her so I don't think it'd be taboo.

I am not feeling any pull right now towards them.  Maybe it'll change but I don't think the chemistry is out of this world nor am I intrigued by the dynamic. 

4 hours ago, iMonrey said:

I'm not sure how long this show can sustain its main gimmick. The hyper-smart detective thing is not a novel idea; the most recent iteration that comes to mind is "Prodigal Son" which only lasted a season and a half. As much as I like Kaitlin Olson, the show is very formulaic, and I think the gimmick is going to wear thin pretty quickly.

Will Trent is super smart.  I think NBC's The Irrational might be similar. If they develop the other characters I think this will last.  

I was excited when I thought they were going to give Judy Reyes and Garrett Dillahunt's characters more to do in the ep but it petered out. I love both performers and they do have a good dynamic. 

[Chaser]

Rob Thomas of Veronica Mars is an Executive Producer. I had to run over to IMDB to make sure he wasn’t a show runner. I think he gave me TV-PTSD. 

[agathapenny]

12 hours ago, iMonrey said:

I'm not sure how long this show can sustain its main gimmick. The hyper-smart detective thing is not a novel idea; the most recent iteration that comes to mind is "Prodigal Son" which only lasted a season and a half. As much as I like Kaitlin Olson, the show is very formulaic, and I think the gimmick is going to wear thin pretty quickly.

Well I for one LOVED Prodigal Son and was very sad when it was cancelled. Loved everything about it.

Plenty of shows based on a formula are long-running successes, even plenty of shows based on this particular formula (The Mentalist comes to mind immediately). Then there's every iteration of NCIS etc.

Sometimes there's no accounting for why one succeeds and another fails. I thought Backstrom was genius, and yet it lasted just one season.

[Yeah No]

12 hours ago, iMonrey said:

I don't understand why the victim's car was in a parking lot near the tailor shop when his body was found at a hotel.

Because he didn't want anyone to be able to trace him to the hotel? (I'm reaching here work with me, lol) 😉

What I want to know is how she just knew where to find his car!

I froze the frame at that point and asked my husband that question. He said wasn't the tailor shop near where he lived? I don't know. I didn't go back to check if that had been mentioned.

12 hours ago, iMonrey said:

I'm not sure how long this show can sustain its main gimmick. The hyper-smart detective thing is not a novel idea; the most recent iteration that comes to mind is "Prodigal Son" which only lasted a season and a half. As much as I like Kaitlin Olson, the show is very formulaic, and I think the gimmick is going to wear thin pretty quickly.

Yeah, I already feel like the gimmick is going to be watered down somewhat which in one way will be good because it won't be so formulaic, but in another it will make the show lose what makes it what it's supposed to be. Like maybe she'll wear less revealing (but still sexy) clothes and act smart, but not like a supercomputer on legs.

[shura]

6 hours ago, Yeah No said:

Because he didn't want anyone to be able to trace him to the hotel? (I'm reaching here work with me, lol) 😉

What I want to know is how she just knew where to find his car!

I froze the frame at that point and asked my husband that question. He said wasn't the tailor shop near where he lived? I don't know. I didn't go back to check if that had been mentioned.

Yes, the car was parked near where he lived. Basically, when they found the car keys on the dead guy, but no car at the hotel, they assumed he had left it where he usually parks it and took some other transportation to the hotel (maybe the doctor lady drove him?).  Then, from the stitching on his suit and cement on his shoes Morgan assumed that he must have lived near both a construction site and a Madagascar tailor (a stretch, if you ask me).  So they found a Madagascar tailor who recognized the guy, then hit nearby parking lots and used the car key to see if any car responds, and then found the guy’s name from the registration. 

I just wish the show had presented this a working hypothesis to check out that might or might not lead to success, but it did come across as Morgan just knowing where to find the car, didn’t it?  The same with the short nails and rock climbing - just mention that it’s a theory, one among others, not a certainty, instead of going from “ah! It’s Kyle!” straight to him admitting it.