Jump to content

Type keyword(s) to search

S03.E07: T'áá Áłts'íísígo (Just a Small Piece)

AnimeMania

By AnimeMania
in Dark Winds

Recommended Posts

Nashville

Nashville

(edited)

Can’t help but feel that compared to the talent feast Zahn McClarnon served up for us last episode, this episode was more of a nothingburger.  😕

ETA: upon further reflection I’ve upgraded my initial appraisal from “nothingburger” to “weak sauce”, solely on the weight of the revelation of the prof’s seeding of the dig site.  Can’t give much more than that, though, especially considering Bern putting absolute trust in Garza based on nothing more than… what, “girl power”?  Bern is (or should be) WAY too sharp for that.

Edited by Nashville
  • Like 2
possibilities

possibilities

(edited)

It gave me  hope for Emma and Joe reconciling, because clearly she does understand why he did what he did and clearly she still loves him. I give him serious ??? over having brought what's his name into his confidence-- the male officer who is not Chee-- about Vines, when he was not telling Emma about it. He said he was trying to protect her, but it still feels, at least to me, like he's closing her out more than being a partner. That seems to be what his ketamine tripping visions told him, too.

 

He needs to go to a ceremony. I really thought he wuould do something like that after last week's events. Maybe he will and the timeline is too compressed for that to have happened yet (seems like it was the next day, not a week later in show time).

Edited by possibilities
Zaffy

Zaffy

Are police so incompetent in the books as well or this is only in the TV adaptation?
I still cannot get how Chee didn't get the professor and I am trying hard to understand why Bernadette trusted any of her colleagues since it was more than obvious most of them, if not all, they were corrupted.
The only realistic situation this season is the family drama between Emma and Joe.
I do not believe I am writing this, but even season 2 was better. And I disliked season 2. I think the writers cared more about the vision-episode than the rest of the story.

Btw, from all these American series I  have  watched,  I remember that the wife cannot be forced to testify against her husband, or something similar. So Emma didn't have to say anything to the FBI lady. Right?

  • Like 6
nachomama

nachomama

I do think with only these last 2 episodes they do have to squeeze in a lot so this had a lot of dots connecting in maybe a less gooder way. Like boom Ivan walks into boss man's office and says I'm out because his lil girlfriend done made him see the light. So we do know errbody in on it. And duh fren fren is bad and Bernie is just rilly rilly dumb. "you're the only one I trust" is always translated into "last person I should trust". If Ivan don't die trying to save Bernie then Ima be big mad. Ok solution to how they smugglin coke in the trucks...WHAT IN THE EVER LIVING EFF NATION ARE THE PEOPLE TRAFFICING FOR???? You literally have 1 mom and 1 daughter, like wtf can they do? It appeared to be ranch hands doing the weird ball stuffing, they don't have to swallow balloons and carry anything over the boarder what exactly are the mom and daughter for?

Could tell cloak dude was white and already assumed professor man but yeah Chee shoot a damn tire you fool.

I'm glad Emma didn't sell out Joe, suck it Dharma.

  • Like 3
  • Applause 1
Nashville

Nashville

3 hours ago, nachomama said:

I'm glad Emma didn't sell out Joe, suck it Dharma.

Absolute 100% agreement; if Agent Washington’s* immediate (if not ONLY, by all appearances) go-to is to try breaking up a suspect’s marriage in hopes something usable might arise from the wreckage, then she’s a pretty shitty agent:

  1. Unless TPTB have decided Washington is harboring an absolutely bombshell piece of incriminating evidence against Joe which will not be revealed until the last 30 seconds of the season finale, she has zero case.  All Washington can prove beyond a reasonable doubt is that Vines’s dead body was found at Point X; without knowing where Vines started out from to end up at X she can’t even identify the scene of the crime, much less establish opportunity for Joe to commit it.
  2. One would think there had to be at least a modicum of evidence for Washington to get a search warrant on Joe’s house, but let’s keep in mind (a) this is the 1970s, (b) Washington is a white FBI agent, and (c) Joe is an Indian - which means Washington’s regard for Joe’s civil and legal rights will be minimal, if not outright nonexistent.  Justification for an FBI search warrant against an Indian on reservation land might not be much more substantial than “because we said so”.
  3. Even if Washington managed to flip Emma, what would Washington have - other than unsubstantiated hearsay evidence?
  4. Washington can establish motive (Vibes’s hand in the death of Joe and Emma’s son); Washington has no means which would differentiate Joe from anyone else with access to a GMC vehicle, though - and without being able to definitively state when/where Vines was initially left in the desert, establishing opportunity beyond a reasonable doubt would be virtually impossible.

In short, Washington’s “case” is little more than an extremely flimsy house of cards - and if this is the best casework she can offer, it’s small wonder her superiors packed her up and shipped her off to the bureaucratic equivalent of Abu Dhabi.

* A Fibbie from DC named… Washington?  How cute.  🙄

  • Like 3
  • Applause 1
Zaffy

Zaffy

15 minutes ago, Nashville said:

In short, Washington’s “case” is little more than an extremely flimsy house of cards - and if this is the best casework she can offer, it’s small wonder her superiors packed her up and shipped her off to the bureaucratic equivalent of Abu Dhabi.

First of all "Bravo!"
To add that there are also more suspects with strong motive, the relatives of the other people that died in that "accident", plus the Vine's widow.
The whole FBI thing only happened to put Joe and Emma's relationship in peril.
Which is silly, since I am pretty much sure Emma suspected Joe from the moment Vines disappeared or when found dead.

  • Like 1
possibilities

possibilities

This explains human trafficking at the border. People are taken for slave labor or held for sexual servitude. They are kept locked up when they are not actively being used, so they can't escape.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_trafficking_in_the_United_States

 

You can find other articles (I know Wikipedia is sometimes not well-sourced), but many of them are behind paywalls. New York Times has reported on this, for instance.

  • Like 1
nachomama

nachomama

1 hour ago, Nashville said:

* A Fibbie from DC named… Washington?  How cute.  🙄

I been thinking about that since day 1  but we've seen the white FBI agents before that are either incompetent or season 1 evil. They were in on it. Season 1 FBI guy was named Whitover (white over) so they are clever. Season 1 guys expected to get away with it because who was gonna tell? I do believe they are relying on someone rolling over on someone else, there is no case but they don't think the navajos will hold out against the man. No one actually cares what happened to Vines..his wife is more than happy that he's dead, thrilled she didn't have to do it.

What was Dharma even returning? Stuff belonging to joe jr? I know she acted like it was a great big favor to return whatever was in the box (and it was mostly an excuse to once again get Emma alone and try to lean on her) You had no cause to take it in the first place. If you are relying on Emma, firstly don't piss her off, she was open to you in the beginning but you Dharma'd it all up.

  • Like 3
Nashville

Nashville

1 hour ago, nachomama said:

I been thinking about that since day 1  but we've seen the white FBI agents before that are either incompetent or season 1 evil.
 

Yup - and not too surprising at that, considering a rez posting is/was the career equivalent of “head out to East BFE, then keep on going until you can’t hear us any more….”

  • Excellent agents end up chasing counterfeiters in DC or bank robbers in Los Angeles.
  • Competent agents end up going after homegrown terrorists in Oklahoma City, or identity fraud in Milwaukee.
  • Subpar (incompetent and/or career-toxic) agents end up closing out inauspicious careers in places like Sioux Falls - or any one of the 326 federally recognized reservations in the US.

History has shown the federal government has frequently viewed (and treated) American Indian reservations as little more than dumping grounds for their toxic waste, both literal and figurative - so why would they change now?

 

 

  • Like 3
  • Useful 2
Gobi

Gobi

There’s no requirement to prove motive in a murder (or any criminal) case, so Joe having one means nothing legally. A jury may want to hear a motive, but will be instructed that one is not required.
 

If Washington wanted to really pressure Emma, then she would charge her as an accessory after the fact or even co-conspirator and threaten prison time if she doesn’t testify against Joe. A spouse can’t be compelled to testify against their spouse but can do so if they wish.

So Bern and Ivan watch a man get murdered and don’t mention it to anyone? What the actual fuck?

So far, I’m partially right in my prediction since the roommate is in on it. I was wrong about Bern’s boss, though. Still think Ivan will die saving Bern.

So far, Bern had her pistol stolen, Chee had his shotgun stolen, and Joe gave his pistol away to George.  They need more than just target practice.

  • Like 2
  • LOL 3
grawlix

grawlix

(edited)
7 hours ago, SharonH58 said:

Also, how is Chee a policeman when he can't hit anything?

 

7 hours ago, Nashville said:

with marksmanship that fucking bad I don’t see how Chee could even make the Tribal PD, much less the FBI…

Well, we did see proof that he can hit the broadside of a car multiple times.

Maybe we should cut Chee some slack.  He could have just had an off day.  We don’t know if he was crying all night pining over Bern.  Dry eyes can adversely affect accuracy 😂.

Edited by grawlix
  • Like 1
  • LOL 6
Nashville

Nashville

7 hours ago, Gobi said:

So far, Bern had her pistol stolen, Chee had his shotgun stolen, and Joe gave his pistol away to George.  They need more than just target practice.

Maybe they watched too many episodes of Lost and got infected with Kate Syndrome - one symptom of which is any time the infected gets hold of a firearm or other weapon, they are immediately consumed with the overwhelming urge to either (a) lose the firearm or (b) immediately surrender it to the nearest available enemy .

  • Like 1
  • LOL 2
Dowel Jones

Dowel Jones

Even worse than Chee's "shooting ability" was the fact that he shouldered his primary weapon, the shotgun, before securing the suspect.  I actually whooped "NO!" when he did that.

I have to wonder a bit why, in the middle of the OPEC oil embargo of the 70s, they're smuggling cocaine instead of oil?  🙂

Unfortunately, there is no easy way for George to get from Kayenta to Reno on a train, not that it matters because this is TV.  He would have to go to Flagstaff (closest) ride to LA, then train up through CA to Sacramento, and then transfer to the Reno bound train.  It's a beautiful ride, but a long way.

  • Useful 2
Nashville

Nashville

11 hours ago, Gobi said:

It’s set and filmed mostly in New Mexico with some shots of Arizona. The Navaho Nation occupies parts of New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah.

The Navajo Nation reservation ranges all over/around the Four Corners region, excepting Colorado (that’s getting into Ute territory).

  • Like 2
  • Useful 1
nachomama

nachomama

I feel like in the books (have only read2 so not an expert) Jim Chee operated mostly out of Crownpoint which is new Mexico and Leaphorn was Arizona and they were generally separate kinda books, here they put them together on all cases but I don't think that's the way in the books. Crownpoint is 15 miles from where I grew up. Been to Kayenta, Chinle, and other notable places throughout. But honestly if these cops had to cover all of that? Keyenta is 157 miles from Gallup. Gallup comes up a lot like that's the "big" city. 18.000 ish the population of Gallup.

  • Like 1
Nashville

Nashville

23 hours ago, nachomama said:

I feel like in the books (have only read2 so not an expert) Jim Chee operated mostly out of Crownpoint which is new Mexico and Leaphorn was Arizona and they were generally separate kinda books, here they put them together on all cases but I don't think that's the way in the books. Crownpoint is 15 miles from where I grew up. Been to Kayenta, Chinle, and other notable places throughout. But honestly if these cops had to cover all of that? Keyenta is 157 miles from Gallup. Gallup comes up a lot like that's the "big" city. 18.000 ish the population of Gallup.

Gallup is the biggest city in the region between Albuquerque and Flagstaff - on Route 66, no less - but technically it’s not on the Navajo reservation (although  immediately adjacent).  When I think “larger” (relatively speaking) communities on the reservation I’m thinking Window Rock, Shiprock, Crownpoint, Tuba City, Chinle, etc.

So far as coverage goes, though…?  We’re talking 134 NNPD patrol officers, covering 27,000 sq mi of reservation, over the course of three shifts - which works out to a daily 600 sq mi patrol area per officer.

(And that’s based on current staffing levels; no telling how much more shorthanded they were back in the 1970s….)

  • Like 1
  • Useful 1
Raja

Raja

(edited)
On 4/20/2025 at 9:30 PM, possibilities said:

I thought Chee should have shot thje tires so the perp couldn't drive away. He was sitting right there next to a tire. 

I realize that's not the point, but it took me out of the scene.

I got taken out of the scene when he slung his shotgun when going after a possible armed suspect. It seemed the only reason was to make a shootout possible. This is after 4 California Highway Patrolmen got massacred at Newhall when they approached armed suspects with the shotgun at high port arms instead of with the barrel down ready to shoot as that lesson was learned.

Edited by Raja
  • Useful 3
Raja

Raja

On 4/22/2025 at 11:19 AM, SharonH58 said:

Also, how is Chee a policeman when he can't hit anything?

Back then the FBI, where I think Sergeant Chee was trained, still taught agents to fire from the hip. Starsky, of Starsky and Hutch in the mid 70s may have been the first TV cop to use modern pistol tactics and aiming but the FBI for the most part did not shift over until after the Maimi massacre in the 80's, Ironically David Soul/Hutch of Starsky and Hutch played one of the murderers in a TV movie based on the murders.

Once he slung his shotgun Sergeant Chee was at a major disadvantage. The pistol armed bad guy had the initiative, better cover and more firepower to keep Chee with his revolver from getting the shotgun back into the fight early enough.

nachomama

nachomama

What are the chances that you are a frikkin archeologist but have super skills for murder? Budge or whatever his name is the one who snuck into the jail and slit the throat right? And beat up Leaphorn in the desert? Archeologist boy shouldn't have been some skilled assasin type he was a nerd and escaping chee just means chee is a chump.

proserpina65

proserpina65

On 4/21/2025 at 3:24 PM, Nashville said:

Can’t help but feel that compared to the talent feast Zahn McClarnon served up for us last episode

Whereas I thought that episode was utter crap and this one actually pushed the story forward.  Not terribly well, exactly, but still, a better episode.

On 4/22/2025 at 8:19 AM, Zaffy said:

Btw, from all these American series I  have  watched,  I remember that the wife cannot be forced to testify against her husband, or something similar. So Emma didn't have to say anything to the FBI lady. Right?

It's a bit more complicated than that.  A wife cannot be forced to testify against her husband, and she can't testify about anything he told her, but she can testify about being an alibi or not if she chooses to do so.

On 4/24/2025 at 2:13 AM, possibilities said:

This really has been a bad season for Chee. It's almost like the writers are trying to hurt the actor. All he's done is mope over Bernadette and ineptly run after Joe. Oh yeah-- he also concluded the guy who bullied him as a child was not so bad. Damn.

This has just been a really bad season, period.  Nothing about it has been good, not even the acting.  I'm sticking it out to the end of the season but then I'm out.  It's so not Joe Leaphorn or Jim Chee, and trying to pretend that they're just random Navajo police officers isn't cutting it anymore.

On 4/28/2025 at 12:52 PM, nachomama said:

I feel like in the books (have only read2 so not an expert) Jim Chee operated mostly out of Crownpoint which is new Mexico and Leaphorn was Arizona and they were generally separate kinda books, here they put them together on all cases but I don't think that's the way in the books.

They started working together and out of the same station after Skinwalkers (book #7 in the series where they first meet).  Part of what we're seeing this season is from Dancehall of the Dead, the 2nd Joe Leaphorn book (no Jim Chee) and Sinister Pig, which was the 16th book in the series.

possibilities

possibilities

(edited)
On 4/30/2025 at 8:22 AM, nachomama said:

What are the chances that you are a frikkin archeologist but have super skills for murder?

I'm willing to believe there are murderers in a variety of professions, but the fact that they never developed his character or showed us much to make him even a suspect until the last second, to me was bad writing.

On 4/24/2025 at 2:13 AM, possibilities said:

This really has been a bad season for Chee. It's almost like the writers are trying to hurt the actor. All he's done is mope over Bernadette and ineptly run after Joe. Oh yeah-- he also concluded the guy who bullied him as a child was not so bad. Damn.

Quoting myself because I wanted to add that

 

I also thought they were making him look stupid in EP 8, when he asks what everybody thinks Joe and the kid they just rescued are talking about. What the hell do you think they are talking about?! Maybe the events that occupied the entire season leading to this exact moment which all involved the kid!! The writing really did seem to have it out for Chee this season.

Edited by possibilities
Raja

Raja

On 4/20/2025 at 9:30 PM, possibilities said:

I thought Chee should have shot thje tires so the perp couldn't drive away. He was sitting right there next to a tire. 

I realize that's not the point, but it took me out of the scene.

 

6 minutes ago, pasdetrois said:

Episode should  have been titled "Broad Side of a Barn."

Sergeant Chee was no longer in arrest mode, he was in fight for my life against someone who had the higher ground, better cover and more firepower mode.

Nashville

Nashville

12 hours ago, Raja said:

Sergeant Chee was no longer in arrest mode, he was in fight for my life against someone who had the higher ground, better cover and more firepower mode.

Which should have incentivized Chee to eliminate the threat as expediently as possible - versus trying to kill… what, the sky…???  🙄

  • LOL 1

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...