S01.E04: Who Can Tell Me Who I Am?

[thewhiteowl]

Loman's guilt over the death of an unarmed suspect becomes a liability for the crew, forcing them to test his loyalty.  Wozniak sends Harlee on an errand that reveals he has a silent partner in the big score.  Wozniak realizes Donny has been withholding information.  Harlee feigns cooperation with Stahl, but unwittingly leads the FBI to incrimmating evidence,

 

 

[Medicine Crow]

C'mon now ... I like JLo as much as anyone, but she's diggin' really deep with this character.  (Hasn't she got enough money??)  I can swallow the rest of the cast, to a point, but JLo running around with her boobs hangin' out doesn't really scream serious police work.  The story is starting to get iffy, so I'll give the show one more week ....  Did anyone notice all the executive producers???  FFS!!!

 

Executive Producers
Jack Orman, Adi Hasak, Jennifer Lopez, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, Benny Medina, Ryan Seacrest and Nina Wass

Executive Producer (101)
Barry Levinson

Co-Executive Producers
Mike Daniels, Yahlin Chang

Consulting Producer
Nikki Toscano

Supervising Producer
Tamara Becher-Wilkinson

Producer
Priscilla Porianda

Produced By
David DeClerque

Edited January 29, 2016 by Medicine Crow

[eliza]

^ you're mad about some cleavage ? I think Lopez is great in this, also for me episode 3 & 4 were much better than the first 2 maybe because Adi Hasak wrote the first 2  and he's a mediocre writer, I mean the writing stilll isn't stellar but much better.

 

this episode was a little slower probably before everything goes crazy again but I liked it, it did spend more time with each characters which was good also Tess storyline need to move on from that husband thing they need to introduce him. 

Edited January 29, 2016 by eliza

[LakeGal]

I believe the last couple eps have been better too.  I really want to know who Tess' husband will turn out to be.  There has to be a reason we haven't met him yet.  

[jonesingjay]

I'm really enjoying this show. I think J.Lo is good in it. But, with that said its not great and I'm okay with that because I don't expect much from it.

Woz was just feeding that dog, right? And, not poisoning it? I got scared when I saw him return to track down that dog.

[Cramps]

More than half of those producers are writers. Those are titles that writers get as they move up the ranks in Hollywood.

[mtlchick]

 

Woz was just feeding that dog, right? And, not poisoning it? I got scared when I saw him return to track down that dog.

 

I thought the same thing.  When Woz was getting serviced, my face matched the dog's.  Guess that's one more thing that's allowed on broadcast TV after 10.

[eliza]

^ damn they're so mad about that on the facebook page, last week they said that they would not watch the show again and now they're still there complaining.

[Syndicate]

The Facebook crowd are an awful bunch. I'm amazed by the level of homophobia there.

[mommalib]

I really like this show. Jlo is actually pretty good in this. And i'm really rooting for Loman.

Edited January 29, 2016 by mommalib

[Medicine Crow]

I'm really enjoying this show. I think J.Lo is good in it. But, with that said its not great and I'm okay with that because I don't expect much from it.

Woz was just feeding that dog, right? And, not poisoning it? I got scared when I saw him return to track down that dog.

My bold.  That thought came to my mind too!!!

More than half of those producers are writers. Those are titles that writers get as they move up the ranks in Hollywood.

I didn't know that .... thanks for the info.

[Peace 47]

I've been meaning to watch this, but missed the first few episodes. This was my first ep, and I really enjoyed it. There are so many morally ambiguous actions and reactions: it's very interesting how the writing will back you off rooting for any one person even as you're empathetic to their plight.

I've kind of always had an irrational *like* for J. Lo for some reason, though I've never been able to get through her romcoms when I've come across them on TV. She's very good in this: I think she has a knack for playing hard-edged characters. She looks amazing, too.

The only acting that I wasn't entirely feeling was Ray Liotta. I thought he seemed a little stilted in his delivery, except in his scene with Loman. I don't really know how to explain it except that I felt like others were really inhabiting a scene and I felt more aware that he was acting a part. Nothing entirely off-putting though. I'm looking forward to more episodes.

Edited January 29, 2016 by Peace 47

[mtlchick]

 

I've kind of always had an irrational *like* for J. Lo for some reason, though I've never been able to get through her romcoms when I've come across them on TV. She's very good in this: I think she has a knack for playing hard-edged characters.

 

The bold part...agreed. I think that's why I liked her more in Monster in Law than most of her romcoms (and she's done a lot of those!) as her character needed a bit more toughness to stand up to Jane Fonda.  She's not fantastic in this but she's doing enough for me to buy into it and watch the rest of this series.

[saber5055]

I don't have any problem with JLo's "boobs" and don't consider them a big player in this show. And I'm one who posted a complaint about Abbie Mills' boobage hanging out in Icabod Crane's face over in Sleepy Hollow. I actually like JLo in this role and think she is doing a great job. In fact, it's turning out that I am watching this show for her now, with a side order of Ray Liotta thrown in.

 

Woz this week ... WTH? The dog is staring at him while he's getting a BJ in the back alley, then he's driving away at TWO miles per hour and does a weak fender bender while talking out his window to the dog ... and he ends up IN THE HOSPITAL on full bed rest for basically ... nothing? The air bag didn't even go off. And the cop insurance policy must be pretty good if they didn't just slap a bandage on his head and send him home with a pain killer prescription like the ER would have done for you or me. Yet he gets a private hospital room and an order for full bed rest.

 

And count me in as one who figured he was poisoning the dog. For causing his car crash, you know.

 

The biggest waste of time this episode was the blond other-woman cop. Honey, we don't give a cr*p that your husband is cheating on you. Talk to him about it and either divorce him, move out or shut the EFF up about it. Then her rank to the waitress was all about a woman needs to look her best so she can get a man. That made me want to smack a beer mug up against the side of her head. You are totally screwed in life if you think your self worth all depends on having some guy waiting for you at home.

 

And for all she knew, that waitress is working her way through school to get her doctorate. At least she had good dialogue, that it's on the hubby, not her. And yeah, she needs to file a BIG complaint against that blond woman cop. Meanwhile, I'll file one here: I hate her cop character, I hate the actress. I'd like to see her get gone.

 

I did like how the cops drug the rookie guy out of the funeral and gave him a Russian roulette pistol so he could off himself. That was some pretty good stuff.

 

This week I was all ... Woz ... so what. While JLo was ALL THAT. Go figure!

Edited January 29, 2016 by saber5055

[ribboninthesky1]

I rolled my eyes at Tess' speech to the waitress.  That spiel falls rather flat when you look like Drea de Matteo.  She's an older woman, but her body looked to be on par with the waitress.  Also, Tess has kids? Eh, wish I could care. I really hope that they don't go down the "husband finds out Tess is having an affair with her partner and goes ballistic" road. The "bad cop" scene was pretty funny.  

 

Still trying to understand why the competent FBI agent who happens to be Asian and female isn't the lead on this case. I feel like she would have had Wozniak pinned down by now, if only because she manages not to antagonize her informant every chance she gets. Warren Kole does nothing for me in the role, so I wouldn't lose any sleep if he was killed or reassigned.  I'm thinking that Lumbersexual Pesi might have been a better choice for the FBI agent, with Kole as an uptight ADA.   

 

I liked the Wozniak/Loman conversation, but I don't know enough about Wozniak to handwave that he was a good cop once upon a time.  I know what the show wants me to believe.  But when you cast Ray Liotta, known for playing shady characters, it's a stretch.  Someone already mentioned Liotta's stilted performance, and it made me realize that's why I'm not particularly invested in Wozniak and Harlee's dynamic.  I don't think Liotta and Lopez play well opposite each other - Lopez is trying to sell it on her end, but Liotta plays some version of annoyed or irritated (it's why his scene opposite Dayo Okeniyi came off more...natural).  Even his "I love you" seemed less than authentic. I'd really prefer more Tess and Harlee scenes.    

 

I know the drug dealer was legally entitled to due process rather than death, yet I can't muster any sympathy about it. 

Edited January 29, 2016 by ribboninthesky1

[roomtorome]

Just a few episodes in and there's a boatload of redundancy already - most about Woz and her and bla bla bla and then the other cop and her husband - 

 

Shake it up people - 

 

I actually hated the scene where they made the cop think they wanted him to kill himself - that's just not the sort of thing I find anything but shocking for shock only and pretty sick to boot.  I may be a party of one though hating that scene.  Nasty stuff - and, yes, I know cops can be sick bastards, sicker than many.  

[saber5055]

She's an older woman, but her body looked to be on par with the waitress.

 

I've never heard of this actress nor do I know anything about her, but I'd put her around 35 in looks. Nowhere near the age when men start looking past you to whomever is somewhere you are not. So for her to play some scorned woman just doesn't work for me.

 

Does anyone really think Harlee has a thing for the files guy? I sort of get the impression he's being used ... for something other than bedtime.

Edited January 29, 2016 by saber5055

[Chaos Theory]

I am starting to like this show. It is nice DVR material for Friday night. I still don't know anyone's/Most names but I did like the conversation between the black rookie and Wozniak about being a black cop in a black neighborhood and the guilt he felt about killing a black man. I also liked Wozniaks responses. I thought the entire conversation was very well done.

I am glad they are using Drea De Matteo more. Loved her "bad cop".

As for the rest of it. Still not sure how long the show can sustain the sting but then there are other ways that could go. There is nothing saying the show has to keep it going forever. Also rookie cop dating the relative of the man he shot seems ill-advised and blow up in his face.

[Medicine Crow]

I've never heard of this actress nor do I know anything about her, but I'd put her around 35 in looks. Nowhere near the age when men start looking past you to whomever is somewhere you are not. So for her to play some scorned woman just doesn't work for me.

 

Does anyone really think Harlee has a thing for the files guy? I sort of get the impression he's being used ... for something other than bedtime.

My bold.  FWIT, she just turned 44, so she's holding up really well.

[ribboninthesky1]

I've never heard of this actress nor do I know anything about her, but I'd put her around 35 in looks. Nowhere near the age when men start looking past you to whomever is somewhere you are not. So for her to play some scorned woman just doesn't work for me.

 

Does anyone really think Harlee has a thing for the files guy? I sort of get the impression he's being used ... for something other than bedtime.

 

I thought about this as well - it could be a bit of both.  I get the impression she might like him in spite of herself, assuming he's the decent guy he appears to be. 

 

Drea de Matteo is in her mid-40s, like Lopez. They both look damn good to me. 

 

Woz this week ... WTH? The dog is staring at him while he's getting a BJ in the back alley, then he's driving away at TWO miles per hour and does a weak fender bender while talking out his window to the dog ... and he ends up IN THE HOSPITAL on full bed rest for basically ... nothing? The air bag didn't even go off. And the cop insurance policy must be pretty good if they didn't just slap a bandage on his head and send him home with a pain killer prescription like the ER would have done for you or me. Yet he gets a private hospital room and an order for full bed rest.

 

Also, this? Hilarious!    

[helenamonster]

Woz was just feeding that dog, right? And, not poisoning it? I got scared when I saw him return to track down that dog.

 

Dude I totally thought we'd flashback later and see the dog dead on the ground. Not as payback for "causing" the accident or whatever but I got the vibe that Woz saw it as a bad omen (wouldn't surprise me if he turned out to be lowkey superstitious) and in order to help himself chill out he got rid of it. Idk. Growing up with Harry Potter has that whole "shaggy dogs lurking in alleys mean death" stuck in my head.

 

Not really shocked about Woz getting a bj in an alley. This show's soon-to-be competition, How to Get Away with Murder, has a character eating ass (and talking about eating ass) on the regular.

 

I really liked the convo between Woz and Loman because it gave another perspective to the whole innocent shooting thing, but my sympathy for Loman is running out if he keeps going back to that woman who was the cousin of the guy he shot. There's no way that won't blow up in his face. Maybe he does have a death wish.

 

It does take suspension of disbelief to buy that someone who looks like Drea de Matteo wouldn't be able to hold onto their husband due to aging/looks reasons, but whatever. I don't like her storyline but I thought she did a good job with the speech to the waitress and I laughed when she was in "bad cop" mode. And I kind of ship Tess and Espada. Idk, they're cute.

 

My new favorite character is the other FBI agent (Chen?). She's a calm balance to Stahl's crazy (and as someone said upthread, should really be heading the investigation; maybe control will turn over to her sometime this season, pushing Stahl even closer to the edge?). I loved her look when he answered the door shirtless. It wasn't even like she was turned on, just like, "He does know I was coming over and that we work together, right?"

[represent]

The Facebook crowd are an awful bunch. I'm amazed by the level of homophobia there.

You are?  

 

He's the guy from the testosterone, alpha male filled "Good Fellas," yeah, they can't take it, it's too much for them to handle.

 

I'm not amazed at all by the vitriol. But I'm sure happy I don't have a Facebook account.

Edited January 30, 2016 by represent

[Syndicate]

You are?

He's the guy from the testosterone, alpha male filled "Good Fellas," yeah, they can't take it, it's too much for them to handle.

I'm not amazed at all by the vitriol. But I'm sure happy I don't have a Facebook account.

I really don't think it has all that much to do with Ray Liotta specifically. Most of them speak of gay content in general as turning them off, which is fine if that's what THEY feel. But the hatefulness in which they seem to convey it is annoying, and it shall be called out. Edited January 30, 2016 by Syndicate

[Syndicate]

I feel like they purposely left Woz feeding the dog ambiguous. We'll probably not see that dog again going forward, leaving us with two questions. Was he just feeding the dog a treat or was he poisoning the dog as revenge for the car crash? I mean, corrupt cop and all that?

Edited January 30, 2016 by Syndicate

[Irlandesa]

I've never heard of this actress nor do I know anything about her, but I'd put her around 35 in looks. Nowhere near the age when men start looking past you to whomever is somewhere you are not. So for her to play some scorned woman just doesn't work for me.

Oh it absolutely can begin for a woman in her 30s.  I remember back in the day (my mid-20s) when I did online dating as a lark. I would look at different age groups of men to see what they were looking for.  So very many men in their 30s were looking for women in their 20s. So it's not as bad as it gets in a woman's 40s and 50s but it does start.

 

I actually liked that scene with the waitress because I think I understood Tess a lot more.  For the first three episodes, she was just a woman scorned.  But in this episode, she came across as pathetic.  Because she puts so much value on her looks.  Because she does it for an unfaithful man.  Because her partner is right, there are plenty of men who would consider themselves lucky to have a woman who looked like that.  She came across as having low self esteem and it made me want to root for her a little.

 

It never even occurred to me that Woz was poisoning the dog.  I think that dog looked pathetic and made Woz want to take care of it.  I think the dog was representative, in a way, of his daughter. 

 

I am glad the FBI found the stash.  I was a bit disappointed they didn't search harder at the scene where they found the van.

[madam magpie]

I really don't think it has all that much to do with Ray Liotta specifically. Most of them speak of gay content in general as turning them off, which is fine if that's what THEY feel. But the hatefulness in which they seem to convey it is annoying, and it shall be called out.

The internet can be an ugly place.

I think JLo is great in this, and Woz is interesting. I like the kid who feels guilty for shooting the video game drug dealer, and I like the woman agent. But the other cops and the main FBI guy are so over the top!

Can someone explain why JLo didn't just tell Woz she was being blackmailed from the beginning? I know she was wired for some of the time, but she could have told him later.

[ribboninthesky1]

There wouldn't be a show if Harlee did that, if she acted semi-rationally.  But I think the show wants us to believe that 1) her fear of going to prison is overwhelming (understandable), and 2) based on this episode, she doesn't trust Wozniak as much as she claims (this feels a bit shallow to me but may become more conceivable as the season progresses).  

[Texasmom1970]

I am a tough critic but this show just doesn't seem to be going anywhere for me. I think my problem is that I don't care about anyone but Loman and the lady FBI agent.

Not sure why just not caring what happens to anyone else. And I love Drea, just not in this show. Not sure if I am interested enough in what's happening to stick it out.

[helenamonster]

Can someone explain why JLo didn't just tell Woz she was being blackmailed from the beginning? I know she was wired for some of the time, but she could have told him later.

 

I think it has a lot to do with timing. Almost immediately after being picked up, Harlee had to go to her daughter's recital, and Stahl sat in on it as well when she didn't give him an answer yet. And then almost immediately after that, they were going to the barbecue and he had her wired there, and that's when Woz found out about the rat. If she had been able to talk to him before he knew there was a rat, or before she'd agreed to inform, she might have had a chance, but once he knew there was a rat and was determined to kill it, she lost her chance.

 

Even now if she did the whole "they picked me up and I agreed to inform but I've been giving them the runaround this whole time" I don't think Woz would listen to it. Agreeing to rat is agreeing to rat, whether or not you actually end up giving over any information. That tends to be how the person/people who is/are being ratted on feel about it, anyway.

[ribboninthesky1]

Wozniak's party wasn't the same night as Christina's recital, so she had time before the FBI agent put the wire on her.  The party was, at the earliest, the next evening.  I thought Harlee destroyed the necklace wire the same night she wore it.  I doubt it was too late to go back to Wozniak and say, "hey, I'm being blackmailed into being the rat but couldn't tell you last night because they had a wire on me." It was a writing decision either way, but definitely plot contrivance for Harlee not to tell Wozniack very early on.  She had ample opportunity to do so.  

[eliza]

Yeah but it was still a risk to tell him if the FBI founds out, so I can believe that she's be scared about that.

 

[madam magpie]

I guess my main issue is that we haven't really seen her be scared about it, so I don't know if that's true. She seems pretty ballsy about it actually. And she seems to have her own agenda, but I don't know what it is. Plus, I don't know if she is trying to keep Woz out of trouble or if she wants him to be caught. Maybe all of this will be explained by the end, but right now, I'm just having to guess.

[eliza]

I don't know she seem scared at the begining now I guess she doesn't really trust Woz.

[ribboninthesky1]

Yeah but it was still a risk to tell him if the FBI founds out, so I can believe that she's be scared about that.

 

I see your point.  I would be more convinced if I thought the lead FBI agent was actually competent.  To date, his tactics seem to be: threaten and bully Harlee into getting evidence. That's not working.  He, along with the other agent, covered much more ground when searching for other property Wozniak owns/rents. 

 

I guess my main issue is that we haven't really seen her be scared about it, so I don't know if that's true. She seems pretty ballsy about it actually. And she seems to have her own agenda, but I don't know what it is. Plus, I don't know if she is trying to keep Woz out of trouble or if she wants him to be caught. Maybe all of this will be explained by the end, but right now, I'm just having to guess.

 

I suspect future episodes will show her trust and loyalty in Wozniak unraveling.  We'll see.  The anvicilious parallels in her conversation with the ADA towards the end of the episode point to that.  We're supposed to see that she started out really loyal to and trusting in Wozniak.   But my impression is that she never really trusted him.  I think it was the first or second episode where she declared she could be killed.  So she already believed that Wozniak would take her out if it came down to it, and that was before the marina showdown.  

 

In any case, I think Harlee's trying to play both sides until she can figure a way out.  

[helenamonster]

In any case, I think Harlee's trying to play both sides until she can figure a way out.  

 

I think so too, which is typical for this kind of story. But after she found the explosives and counting machine, I think her trust is slowly going to unravel and she's going to be more inclined to give up Woz (maybe make a deal that she'll offer him up if the feds spare the rest of the crew).

 

I think that she always trusted Woz after he (I assume) helped her pin that murder on her ex, but it might be one of those things where she totally trusted him when she knew they were on the same side, but now that she's against him in a way, that trust is gone. She knows what he does to people that oppose him. He might love her and Cristina but he'll always look out for himself first.

[thuganomics85]

The show could probably pick up the pace a bit, but I'm still enjoying it enough.  And I continue to actually enjoy J.Lo as Harlee, even if I admit that her willingness to keep showing off her body is certainly an added bonus.  But I still think that this type of role does fit into her range as an actress, so I enjoy watching her keep trying to stay ahead of things, even when she fucks up due to her being in over her head.

 

I also still like Woz, mainly because this is probably the most interesting role I think Ray Liotta has done in a long time.  I felt like he's been slumming it lately, but at least he's trying here.  I still don't think he'll make it past this season, unless he somehow only gets arrested.

 

Tess's personal drama continues to be a bore, but that scene with the waitress finally gave Drea de Matteo a scene to show emotion other then yelling and shouting.  Too bad they already cast her husband though, because I'm going to be so disappointed when he comes in and it isn't Michael Imperiloli.

 

Stahl is just an asshole as usual.  I don't get why he feels the need to just keep jabbing Harlee.  He just comes off like a guy on a big power trip.

 

Lumen continues to be my favorite.  Him going in with Harlee's fake "I heard a cry for help" scenario is a step into becoming like them, but him going back to that woman and her kid, makes it look like he could go either way.  But now Woz and the rest of the squad knows what is up, so he better watch himself.

[helenamonster]

Too bad they already cast her husband though, because I'm going to be so disappointed when he comes in and it isn't Michael Imperiloli.

 

I didn't know I wanted this until you said it and now I too am going to be disappointed when it doesn't happen. I miss them together!*

 

*The actors, I mean. They sparked really well off each other back in the day, even if Chrissy and Ade were, uh, less than a perfect couple.

Edited February 1, 2016 by helenamonster

[saber5055]

Tess's personal drama continues to be a bore, but that scene with the waitress finally gave Drea de Matteo a scene to show emotion other then yelling and shouting.

 

As one of the few who has never heard of nor seen this actress before, I wish she'd get killed off. I hate the character Tess, I hate her storyline, I dislike the actress. i don't see where Tess is filling any role on this show, other than Equal Rights Gotta Have X Number of Women/Black Cops.

 

I was also irritated with Woz telling Harlee this next big score will be for the daughter's college tuition. If Harlee's income as a single mom is that low, the kid can apply for all sorts of scholarships and grants. Enough with kids these days getting free rides! (Written as one who paid every dime of my college education myself.)

[SlovakPrincess]

I would have died laughing if some homeless guy had found the bags of explosives in the dumpster and walked off with them, before Harlee could retrieve them.

The Tess side plot continues to be tedious, but I did like that one scene with the waitress, where she got to display an emotion other than rage.

The Loman story is interesting, but I don't think he's doing the dead guy's family any favors by hanging around them. It's weird, and he can never tell them why he became so interested in them in the first place. Not a good idea.