S01.E09: Light My Fire

[MyAimIsTrue]

Bull confronts his past when he returns to his childhood home to assist in the arson defense of a young man whose contentious ties to the town mirror Bull’s own.

[JackONeill]

Yawn.

[shapeshifter]

The episode was a little bit lather-rinse-repeat of "Calisto," the other small town episode. It did finally give the viewers a glimpse of what makes Bull tick, and it also gave us a break from the mirror jury bit, but it was too late, IMO.

[Netfoot]

9 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

it also gave us a break from the mirror jury bit...

Well, they had that woman (subsequently arrested for the crime) as their one-woman mirror jury.  I just don't know how we are supposed to believe that after unceremoniously throwing her off the real jury (to her obvious chagrin) they then persuaded her to work for them?

[shapeshifter]

4 minutes ago, Netfoot said:

Well, they had that woman (subsequently arrested for the crime) as their one-woman mirror jury.  I just don't know how we are supposed to believe that after unceremoniously throwing her off the real jury (to her obvious chagrin) they then persuaded her to work for them?

Plus, given that her whole life was basically a lie, she would have been beyond being a statistical outlier for their purpose of having her stand in as a mirror jury.

[JackONeill]

Maybe it's just me, but I find Bull so full of himself as to be unlikeable.

[Netfoot]

20 minutes ago, JackONeill said:

I find Bull so full of himself as to be unlikeable.

So... just like Dr. Phil, then.

[hoopznyo]

47 minutes ago, JackONeill said:

Maybe it's just me, but I find Bull so full of himself as to be unlikeable.

I can almost deal with Bull; for me it's more Marissa and her Manolos.

[JackONeill]

And to get really petty: I know our society had gotten more relaxed over the last several years, what with casual dress, etc. And I know, except for that highly unusual situation last night were Bull had to take over as attorney, Bull never speaks in front of the judge or jury. But, Dude, wear a tie. Most judges -- male and female -- are older and more set-in-their ways. Not wearing a tie, yet being part of the defense's team, is a sign of disrespect. Which, by the way, Bull EXUDES. People pick up on that shit and that can influence how the trial goes. Also, Dude, lose the skin whiskers. Also not respectful.

Edited December 14, 2016 by JackONeill
Spelling is an interesting thing.

[Dowel Jones]

As a retired firefighter, I wish tv would get away from the trope that suspicious fires are always started by firefighters.  Yes, it does happen (VERY rarely), but, fairly or unfairly, television often reinforces a false idea to the point where people take it as fact.  I can't count the times someone has taunted me or my colleagues about a fire's origin.  Setting my soapbox in the corner now...

Interesting courtroom where people, especially the jurors, can wear politically-themed buttons.  Small town, small court.

I wanted to hear the shovel guitar, although my guess is that was more a sculpture than an instrument, because there's nothing there to resonate the sound.

[JessDVD]

This one didn't really hold my attention, probably because it was very similar to the other down home Mayberry one. No mirror jury was nice, the bit with the guys in suits was eye-rolling but funny. I used to live in a town maybe not *quite* as small down home etc, but close enough that the bit with the gossip spreading and jury all wearing the buttons... yeah, I do remember how stuff would spread through the school.

[FormerMod-a1]

I'll never understand why people hold grudges against kids for what their parents did.  I know some people are like that, so the show wasn't wrong in depicting that, I just don't understand it.

[sinkwriter]

I think my big issue with this show is that nothing seems to rattle Bull. I know it's still early days in the very first season so they need room to grow and build upon the characters and reveal things piece by piece, but we're nine episodes in and nothing seems to bother him or get to him. NOTHING. Here we're in his old hometown where things could not have been easy for him as a kid, this should have been where we finally see more than a glimmer of something to show he's a human being with real emotions; yet he's barely fazed. Come ON. Show us SOMETHING! Give us something to connect with.

[marina to]

I really liked the kid. Watching him blossom was worth the time I spent watching this.

[hoopznyo]

7 hours ago, sinkwriter said:

I think my big issue with this show is that nothing seems to rattle Bull. I know it's still early days in the very first season so they need room to grow and build upon the characters and reveal things piece by piece, but we're nine episodes in and nothing seems to bother him or get to him. NOTHING. Here we're in his old hometown where things could not have been easy for him as a kid, this should have been where we finally see more than a glimmer of something to show he's a human being with real emotions; yet he's barely fazed. Come ON. Show us SOMETHING! Give us something to connect with.

I was confused by that ... was it where he grew up/old hometown, or only there from summers 10 to 14? 

I did like the electric shovel guitar.

[MortysCleaningLady]

It is incredibly clear to me that Michael Weatherly is in his 40s.    We aren't supposed to believe that Bull is younger than that, right?   I am 44 and started college in the fall of 1990.   The recession was just as I was graduating -- 1994.   They could have just changed the time frame and said the 80s -- New Hampshire was THE state for education then (not that it is terrible now) and plenty of people were moving there.

I loved the ladies shooting club, complete with minosas and a dining room viewing the skeet field.   That was hysterical.

[sinkwriter]

One thing that confused me - the $500 the fire chief gives to Bull at the end of the episode. So... did that mean that Bull's father didn't actually take the $500 way back when, like Bull thought he did, so Bull was assuming things about his dad (just like the point he made about how the townspeople were assuming things about others based on gossip)? Or, did his father pay back the $500 at some point over the years by putting in wherever it had been hidden, but Bull never went back to the cabin so he never knew the money was returned? 

[hoopznyo]

Or, did his father pay back the $500 at some point over the years by putting in wherever it had been hidden, but Bull never went back to the cabin so he never knew the money was returned? 

I'm going with this option.

[shapeshifter]

I guessed the father stashed the original money he took from young Bull, and this was to signify to the audience that he did it to teach a lesson rather than to have the money.

[Misslindsey]

Sigh. I am sticking around because I love Christopher Jackson. I just want him to sing. That is what would save an episode for me.

I actually like most of the supporting characters. It is Bull that I am having a hard time with. Like was mentioned upthread, he is never rattled by anything. I would just like him to be a bit more human and less robot.

[Loves2Dance]

If it weren't for Michael Weatherly and Chrisopher Jackson, I'd be gone. 

[cincivic]

Everyone can stay except Marissa. I can't stand the character.

[Guest]

I think I'm done.  Another cornpone, small town full of narrow minded simpletons and cliches.  Another poor railroaded innocent that Bull can sniff out from a mile away and Must Save.  I knew the redhead was the killer 15 seconds into her first scene.   Best part was less Marissa than usual.  

Bye Weatherly and Rodriguez.  

[hoopznyo]

How did they fit all the servers and screens and luggage and people in that one van?