S08.E07: Home

[Danielg342]

Via Paramount Press Express

Quote

When two students are brutally attacked, 20-Squad contends with a possible honor killing. Meanwhile, Hondo and Nichelle have their first parenting dispute while searching for a suitable daycare

 

[Danielg342]

I'll give the episode this much- Khalistan is a great topic for exploration and is often not discussed much on these shores, plus the show using the Khalistan movement is a nice break from the usual gamut of Mexican drug cartels and other random militias the team deals with each week.

Plus, I actually felt something for this story and the characters.

Further, they didn't treat the Indians as stuck up caricatures where the parents refuse to see how much in love their kid and their significant other are in.

So, well done show.

I could start the negatives by saying the show is erroneous in its characterization that "India" is some kind of homogenous entity when it isn't- the Republic of India is home to one billion people with 27 different languages spoken across the nation, with an ethnographic profile similar to that of Europe- but it's a minor quibble.

I think the real problem with this episode was that the criminals themselves were kind of lifeless and one dimensional. The show tried to make things a bit more personal for one of the criminals by having his mother die in the 1985 Air India bombing but I don't think it went far enough to make the criminals all that rounded.

I also felt the girlfriend, her relationship and her family could have been better developed than what the show did.

As for the other stories...well, family was a big theme in this episode, and for good reason.

At least Nichelle stood up to Saint Hondo, though the drama there fell flat.

Nice to see Devin Gamble's twin brother, and Tan's "heartbroken" line was funny. I also appreciated there was more nuance in that narrative than what was originally apparent.

I'm just not convinced that Hicks would get too bent out of shape that a training car on a training course suffered some scratches. Shouldn't some dings be expected when conducting training exercises?

Speaking of Hicks...well, I'm not sure I agree with him that there's never a time to give someone space, even if it is family. I agree that, with family, you've always got to fight for it especially if you want to make things right, which is what Powell wanted to do, and I'd further agree there's nothing at all easy about parenting.

...but...

As a guy with my own family issues, I say there's a time to push and a time to fall back. It's an art that is hard to master and many never do, and sometimes the fight is fruitless.

Glad that Powell resolved her issues quickly, but so many other families are not that lucky, and I wish the show would recognize that.

Edited December 7, 2024 by Danielg342

[Snazzy Daisy]

The actor who plays Vasu, I recognize him from Magnum PI.

It’s good to see Nick Creegan on my screen again. I like the actor since I saw him in L&O: Organized Crime. I wish they make Leon Gamble a SWAT officer, not his sister. Am tired of her angst.

OMG, what did they do to Cutie Ravi from 9-1-1? He looks so different. 😳

I cannot take anymore tedious personal dramas. Too many personal stuff crammed in one episode. What’s with Hicks and his stalkerish behavior? Dude, stop asking Qs about Powell’s son. I don’t care about him! I wanna watch SWAT, not a soap drama. UGH. 😣