S01.E03: Episode 3

[alexvillage]

I agree that Carver can be obnoxious, and I have no problem with calling him either rude or an asshole. The thing is, even if he were to "learn" how to deal with people, after spending some time with those people, he won't and I don't really care if he is rude to them. I would be losing it too and I will cheer every time he points out how awful the whole population of that town is.

[mbutterfly]

Oddly, on keeping the remains -- I've been watching the old Mark Harmon film The Deliberate Stranger, about Ted Bundy. They say the same thing to a victim's mother. 

[Netfoot]

Carver is mostly shown to be not very nice to people show a) bad at their job (like Miller, for example); b) trying to ruin the investigation (like the father, who is a real jerk in the situation). I've no idea how Carver's a total dickhead and should be more nice to people, honestly. He's a police detective, not a couple counselor, it's not his job to please anyone, especially suspects.

 

The first time we ever see Carver, back in episode one, he is dealing with a member of the public regarding a cut fence (nothing to do with the murder).  He is abrupt with the fence-owner, and churlish with the uniformed officer.  Sure, it's easy to justify dickishness when dealing with recalcitrant witnesses or incompetent colleagues but it doesn't explain why he is dickish all the time.

 

End of this episode, the lab guy brings him a scrap of paper with a phone number.  Says he rushed over with it the instant it was found.  We saw earlier that the lab was working meticulously and arduously on the clothing.  Yet Carver still jumped in the guy's ass like he'd taken three days off to go to Burning Man!

 

Best part of the series so far:  "With all due respect Sir, move away from me."

[CooperTV]

End of this episode, the lab guy brings him a scrap of paper with a phone number.  Says he rushed over with it the instant it was found.  We saw earlier that the lab was working meticulously and arduously on the clothing.  Yet Carver still jumped in the guy's ass like he'd taken three days off to go to Burning Man!

 

They made a second examination of Danny's clothes and then they finally found something (because they were incompetent enough not to find it the first time). And the lab guy said sorry they were hapless idiots, actually.

 

Best part of the series so far:  "With all due respect Sir, move away from me."

 

Miller being an ass to her boss and refusing to do what he ordered her to do only proves she's out of line and can't do her job. Not that she's a free spirit raging against the machine.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Talking Point videos for episode 3!

 

Michael Pena and Sarah-Jane Potts:

http://youtu.be/5__CRcC_mUA

 

Jessica Lucas:

http://youtu.be/gmdrk87PAfc

[DittyDotDot]

The first time we ever see Carver, back in episode one, he is dealing with a member of the public regarding a cut fence (nothing to do with the murder).  He is abrupt with the fence-owner, and churlish with the uniformed officer.  Sure, it's easy to justify dickishness when dealing with recalcitrant witnesses or incompetent colleagues but it doesn't explain why he is dickish all the time.

 

Maybe the explanation is he's just a dick. Hey, look my TV is finally representing how there are plenty of abrasive and assholeish people in real life too and that doesn't mean they are murdering sociopaths either.

 

I like Carver's no-nonsense approach. I find his character far more realistic than the law enforcement officer in a small town who sees these people at their worst, but is still their best buds. Small town law enforcement has got to be one of the toughest job ever. These are your neighbors and your friends you have to arrest and such--seems like Carver's approach of not getting to invested or attached would be easier to do the job effectively. Trying to be popular will probably only lead to a lot of disappointment and heartache.

[Netfoot]

Maybe the explanation is he's just a dick. Hey, look my TV is finally representing how there are plenty of abrasive and assholeish people in real life too and that doesn't mean they are murdering sociopaths either..

 

I never suggested he was a murdering sociopath, or a bad cop.  Just that he's a dick.

 

While there may be many abrasive and assholeish people in real life, I don't have to like them, or appreciate their attitude or condone their behaviour.

 

 

They made a second examination of Danny's clothes and then they finally found something (because they were incompetent enough not to find it the first time). And the lab guy said sorry they were hapless idiots, actually.

 

 

Miller being an ass to her boss and refusing to do what he ordered her to do only proves she's out of line and can't do her job. Not that she's a free spirit raging against the machine.

 

The slip of paper was inside the lining of the jacket, not hanging out the top pocket.  I assume it took a while to find it for that reason, not because of incompetence.  The lab guy said "Sorry!" after admitting he didn't know whose number it was.   The words "hapless idiots" were not uttered.

 

When I've been working all day and it's now full dark outside, and the boss that's been pissing in my cornflakes all day stops by my desk on his way home to give me more agro, then I'm an ass to my boss and refuse to do as ordered.  It's happened before, and I certainly did know how to do my job.

 

By the way, I believe a parent/guardian must be present while a minor is questioned.  Is it OK to call a 15 y/o girl late at night and question her over the phone without parental involvement?

[miles2go]

I think we're going to have to agree to disagree.  Carver is not everyone's cup of tea.  Some like him, some don't.  No one is required to join his fan club.

 

And I'm really hoping we can move on to another topic now!

[Vermicious Knid]

Apparently, it is still possible to get a detective badge out of a Cracker Jack box. Because I'm not seeing how else Miller got a police job.

[Automne]

I'm reminded of a minor plot that happened in either the second or third season of Grey's Anatomy where Izzy is on the NICU rotation with Addison and a woman delivers one of those fertility drug litters. Addison puts Izzy in charge of the weakest of the litter and tells her that the baby had better be alive in the morning. Addison clearly knows that baby will not survive, but it was a practical lesson for Izzy, who just could not get it through that she needed to stay objective and not get personally involved with every patient.

 

I feel like that's what Carver is trying to accomplish with Ellie. He's trying to get it through to her that there are three facts that she needs to focus on: 1.) A 12-year old boy is dead. 2.) Somebody killed him. 3.) There's a 99% likelihood that a Gracepoint resident is the killer. She is no longer Ellie Miller, Gracepoint resident and mother to the murder victim's best friend. She is Detective Miller, Homicide and she needs to step back and look at the case and her town with an objective viewpoint as if she's a stranger like Carver.

 

If she wants to keep playing the, "But I know these people! They can't possibly!" game, then where is her homework? He said it himself after the meeting he thrust upon her, where was her compelling evidence for Mark Solano's innocence and list of more likely suspects? If she's so against the idea of anybody in Gracepoint being the killer, where is her legwork of a possible transient or tourist? She believed herself to be entitled to the job that Carver currently holds, so why was she so woefully unprepared to take over the meeting? Sure, she was asked to do so at the absolute last minute, but she's been working alongside Carver and presumably should have been doing some work independently as well. 

 

And EVERYBODY knows that the very first people you have to scrutinize in a homicide investigation is the family, especially when it's a child because children are much more likely to be murdered by their parents than anybody else. Once the immediate family has been eliminated, then you slowly expand the circle to any extended family that was around at the time, friends, adults the child was frequently around, etc. So enough of the hand-wringing of Mark Solano being arrested for obstruction for being shady as hell about his whereabouts. The father of the murdered child is refusing to account for where he was around the time his child left the house and was subsequently killed. The first time you get a murder case where it turns out the parent did indeed kill their child will jaundice your viewpoint real damn quick, Ellie Miller.

 

And then the medical crew missing what will turn out to be important evidence (or a red herring) the first pass through. That wasn't a little tiny fiber; that was a large scrap of paper with a phone number on it. When you're supposed to be going through every millimeter of clothing, skin, hair, etc. with a fine-tooth comb, how do you even miss that? No wonder Carver is perpetually pissy. You don't f-up evidence; that's how killers get off on technicalities.

[FozzyBear]

I have to say I'm loosing patience with Ellie. It's a murder investigation. You are not the grief counselor! There is a really good chance you are going to have to arrest one of the family members because that's how things usually go in these types of cases and getting mad at Emmett for not being able to produce a bogeyman for you to pin it on is not going to change anything. Either get right with that or ask to be taken off the case. I'm just really at the end of my rope with her. Are we supposed to like her? Am I the only one that thinks she's acting like a huge baby about all of this?

Oh course that also goes into my theory that I posted in the speculation thread. She killed the kid (no idea why. Maybe it was an accident?) and she's acting like such an incompetent ninny because she's looking for a way out that saves herself, but doesn't send anyone to jail.