S08.E05: Human Interest

[Danielg342]

Quote

Tan is left reeling when his girlfriend is kidnapped, and 20-Squad must race to track down a violent cartel leader who may be behind the abduction

Via Paramount Press Express.

[Danielg342]

First, Matthew Kay gets:

He's not even in the episode and he's immediately the best part of it. I didn't see that twist coming, but Matthew perfectly resolved the shoe storyline. Deacon raised him well, for sure.

The rest of the episode gets:

It was really all just...there. Especially the Deputy Chief, who's only purpose was to further a storyline that's really only going to be used just so the writers have an out in case S9 isn't happening.

There was really no depth to the character, and the other characters hit us over the head with how we're supposed to see her.

We get it. Mrs. Deputy Chief and husband to Mr. Incompetent Warden is The Big Bad. You made it loud and clear, and did everything you could to make it loud and clear short of her wearing a shirt that literally says "Big Bad" on it.

Speaking of which, no Devin Gamble tonight, but the show handled her absence- and the lingering plot about Gamble's parking spot and her car- very well. A rushed resolution but a good one, still.

As for the case itself...I didn't feel the show did enough to make me care about what was happening. Mr. DEA guy was just there to mope about his kidnapped partner and offered very little. The only real stakes were Tan and his budding relationship with Olivia Navarro, and they telegraphed how it would resolve by Tan being upset that the last thing he said to Olivia was how upset he was at her.

They did make a nice attempt with Olivia actually being there to interview the cartel members to get answers for protesters killed in years past, but they glossed over the apparent fake kidnapping that Olivia was a part of to make that interview happen. I also wonder if they even needed to make that narrative choice at all.

Of course, if they didn't...we wouldn't have had an episode.

Which isn't a good sign. When the writers feel they can coast, they cut corners and cutting corners leads to things like this episode's flimsy plot and the flimsy characterization of the Deputy Chief. The show still has its moments but it's also opting to simply rest on its laurels- which is not a long term strategy.