All Episodes Talk: S.W.A.T.

[Danielg342]

All systems go...they're not missing a beat.

Before I get to the case, I want to touch upon just what makes this show tick, because it appears that Shemar Moore and Co. have finally figured it out. Perhaps it's due to his time on Criminal Minds and that show's understanding that central to those stories are character explorations, but S.W.A.T. seems to have realized that this show will be driven by the characters, not by anything else.

Because anyone can do a show where things blow up and sustain that for some time. That was the formula The Blacklist used for its first season to great success.

However, for the show to continue, what will keep the show on the air are identifiable, relatable, real characters with personalities and ambitions.

What S.W.A.T. understands more than others is that the characters' actions should be dictated by who they are, not by what the plot demands. We'll see if they can keep that up, but so far, it seems to be working.

Don't get me wrong- I don't think we have characters with an extraordinary amount of depth, but I do believe there's signs that we'll get there after a few seasons.

We've got young, smarmy Street who, as Chris points out, isn't as funny as he thinks he is.

We've got the equally snarky Chris who knows exactly how to play the boys like a fiddle, because for her, it's a matter of survival.

We've got freewheeling and freestyling Luca, the sparkplug that keeps the team going.

We've got calm and in control Deacon, the serious family guy who keeps the team grounded.

We've got the principled and strong Cortez, who's really growing into her own now that she's not saddled with a forbidden love story.

Then there's "father figure" Hondo, probably the most developed of any of the characters (well, after all, it's Shemar's show), who really has a great camaraderie with his team and bonds with just about anyone, though his heart can get to his head and it gets him into trouble.

I credit Moore for rounding out Hondo and not always making him "right"- under less skilled hands, Hondo could have easily devolved into a Mary Sue type who simply has "the right thing to say" or "the right tactic to do" at precisely the right moment and, thankfully, Hondo doesn't do that.

He fails sometimes, and fails spectacularly. Imagine that.

(Hey Kiefer Sutherland...you and your dud Designated Survivor could learn something from this)

We're still working on Tan, though he's starting to develop the "cool guy" vibe that serves as a foil to Street.

Hicks too needs to be more than just "the grizzled contrarian", but Patrick St. Esprit really hits the right notes so I figure the character will eventually figure things out.

Oh, and there's Jeff Mumford who does...I still don't know what point he has on this show but I do hope they figure it out.

As for this case...I should have figured that with the amount of time they built Craig up that he'd be a goner, but Hondo and Craig had a real camaraderie, and I felt for Craig's daughter and her disgust at how the LAPD treated him. I also enjoyed how much it wrecked Hondo what happened to Craig, because he knew there was little he could actually do when he wanted to do so much more.

I thought the show laid it on a little thick concerning the FBI agent's drug troubles, but Cortez hit the right notes and, though it was predictable that there would be a moment where the drug abuse would rear it's ugly head, I'll credit the show that they decided that moment was a misunderstood roadblock and not something more obvious like having one of the Perennial guards turn out to be bad because of a faulty background check.

I'll also give a nod to how Hicks stood behind Cortez and showed her some real support...that's how a real department works. They don't have false drama where everyone is a backstabber...they take their jobs seriously and that means propping each other up.

Lastly there was Chris and the recruit. Yeah there might be those who will howl it's "pandering to feminism" but I believe the show played it very fairly. Sexism within the police is a real thing, and having Street train the recruit is also a decision grounded in reality. The show could have easily had Chris and the recruit stay together and wow their evaluators- or, worse, get them fired over their misogyny- which could have made a few people on Tumblr happy but it's not realistic. Kudos to the show for keeping it real.

[CooperTV]

Quote

When a young heiress, Juliette Carlton, is kidnapped for ransom, Hondo and the SWAT team go on a citywide search to bring her home before she is harmed. Also, the team worries that Mumford is moving too fast when he announces he’s getting married for the fourth time.

Promo pictures

[Danielg342]

Mumford gets a story! Yay!

[mythoughtis]

Luca: we’re not detectives, we’re metro SWAT. We kick down doors .. Well, then why are you visiting a mechanics shop to ask a mechanic questions?  This is my biggest pet peeve with this show, as it was with CSI. 

[Danielg342]

3 hours ago, mythoughtis said:

Luca: we’re not detectives, we’re metro SWAT. We kick down doors .. Well, then why are you visiting a mechanics shop to ask a mechanic questions?  This is my biggest pet peeve with this show, as it was with CSI. 

True, and they zig-zag around it too. Sometimes they investigate leads, interrogate and ask hard questions. Other times- mostly when the plot tells them to do so- they want to investigate but the higher ups tell them "no".

Mostly they try to get around that by having a detective paired with the team, allowing SWAT to join the investigation, but the application is haphazard.

[Danielg342]

A downgrade, yes, from weeks before, but it's no indication that this show is losing its step.

Just that this particular instalment didn't quite pack the same punch that others before it did.

It was still a great episode.

Yeah, it was predictable at times- you just knew, staring at the clock, those times when they had the suspect "cornered" you knew it was early enough for them to get away.

The story also ran like most "damsel in distress" storylines, even with the small twist that the kidnapping was really about the security firm, and the girl and boy didn't have much development past "forbidden lovers".

...but that speech Hondo gave to Tom on the rooftop was very heartfelt and emotional. There wasn't a dry eye in the room by the time it was done.

Words just can't explain how good it was and how great Shemar Moore was at delivering it.

He's really hit his stride here.

Also, while the Mumford side story was cheesy it did help bring out SWAT's strength- its characters and their realness- because, even with so little being done and said, you still got a sense of the team's bond, as they worried about him but then later shared in his joy after meeting the new woman. Credit that the show at least implied this woman was going to work out as Mumford's wife, because too often the "rush to the altar" ends with someone saying "I told you so". Glad to see the proverbial egg having to be wiped off the team's faces. 

[CooperTV]

Quote

As Hondo and SWAT work to de-escalate a hostage situation in which an ex-convict is holding a local family captive, the mission takes a dangerous turn that impacts the team. Also, when Street tires of his complicated romantic entanglements, he agrees to let Chris make over his online dating profile.

Promo pictures

[SnoGirl]

I thought it was just me, but after this episode, I am 99% sure that the actor who plays Street LOVES the driving scenes. I have no idea how they’re filming them, but he always looks like he’s just fighting off a smile when he’s driving in chase scenes. Either that, or he’s trying to restrain his gleefulness when he gets to chase bad guys to be professional.

I hope at some point we see him smiling as he’s driving down bad guys. Its obviously something he’s good at.

Loved all the Mumford scenes. I hope this marriage sticks for him. Dont mind its only been a month. When you know, you know.

[Raja]

And the from the other cop show world a money launderer invokes his right to an attorney, They drop the tease that she is well known having worked her way through law school as a porn star.  I was thinking we are about to get a reoccurring character but there he is all alone talking the the cops and the FBI

[mythoughtis]

Yes, meeting someone’s fiancée for 5 minutes makes you able to know everything about them.   Lots of con artists impress people at their first meeting too.  Not sold on the fiancée but willing to wait and see. 

I hope Rick shows up again.   Seems to me that the owner of the security firm needs to be visited by some vets who are now in a position to affect his bottom line. 

[Danielg342]

17 hours ago, mythoughtis said:

Seems to me that the owner of the security firm needs to be visited by some vets who are now in a position to affect his bottom line.

Deacon had the line of the night when he said "I think I need to take a shower to wash off all that sleaze."

[CooperTV]

Quote

Hondo confronts his long-held resentment towards his ailing father, Daniel Harrelson, Sr., when he and his sister, Briana, try to convince their dad he’s no longer well enough to live alone. Also, when the SWAT team works as patrol officers for a day, Chris is partnered with Mumford, who intends to make her a surprising offer.

Promos

[mojoween]

I find it a little cheesy that Hondo was the criminal whisperer two weeks in a row and saved the day.

Man the writers just do not know how to write for Hicks.  He’s either a relatively even-keeled guy or a dick.

[Netfoot]

3 hours ago, mojoween said:

I find it a little cheesy that Hondo was the criminal whisperer two weeks in a row and saved the day.

This is The Hondo Show, didn't you know?

[Raja]

15 hours ago, Netfoot said:

This is The Hondo Show, didn't you know?

Well it was better than the B story drone. Either Hondo's team was needed or they all needed to be resting. After all isn't there another team commander on the main cast. And what was up with this Angel of Death? Sure TV cops shot 30 people a year but real life, I think Samuel l. Jackson in his movie version had an ideal of the mission better, even if they did eventually kill a mercenary army

[Danielg342]

I always find it amazing how well-rounded and defined the characters are on this show. The acting, even for the Guests of the Week, is top notch, and no matter where you turn, there's not a stock character in sight.

The people on this show are actual people. On a Hollywood show. Imagine that.

Now, as I watch this I wonder how long the show can keep it up. Yeah, I felt for Angel and the feelings he had for his missing daughter, but the show has gone to that well before and I wonder how many more times it can go to that well before it gets tiring. It almost does seem like every case involves some criminal who's out for payback against another criminal operation who wronged him, with the "main" criminal always painted with the "I did what I had to do" brush.

Still, whatever it is they're doing, they're making it work, and here's hoping they can make it work for several more years to come.

Oh, and that drone...pretty cool. Also cool was Chris helping Street out...I'm not sure if we'll see Molly again, but Street could use someone who's got actual integrity.

[Danielg342]

Quote

Also, when the SWAT team works as patrol officers for a day, Chris is partnered with Mumford, who intends to make her a surprising offer.

I hope this doesn't mean that Chris isn't long for the team. She's really come into her own on this show and I'd miss her if she left.

[Raja]

27 minutes ago, Danielg342 said:

I hope this doesn't mean that Chris isn't long for the team. She's really come into her own on this show and I'd miss her if she left.

After introducing Lyndie Greenwood's perspective SWAT officer it does seem to be a possibility

[Danielg342]

47 minutes ago, Raja said:

After introducing Lyndie Greenwood's perspective SWAT officer it does seem to be a possibility

Sadly...it's a bit of a bother that there seems to be a cap to the amount of women that can be on any given show.

[Danielg342]

Nice diversion episode...good to see Chris overcome her struggles and reject Mumford, seeing through his old-school way of thinking. I also had a bit of a laugh at Tan and the cheerleader holding his radio hostage.

Oh, and Hondo and his pops had the emotional impact it needed. With worse actors, that bit could have been treacly and overwrought...but Shemar Moore, Obba Babtunde and Gabrielle Dennis hit all the right notes.

Still...this episode felt "too early" to do in the series. Yeah, it's nice every now and then to see our main characters do something other than their main jobs...I'm just not sure the time was right for SWAT to do it. It's pretty late in the season, so I would expect episodes to build up to the finale, plus in S1 we're still getting used to the concept and getting to know the characters, so this episode felt way out of place. If this were S2 or S3 I would think differently but here in S1, it's too soon.

They at least had some fun with the patrol concept and tried to make it work...it just didn't register like it could have.

[CooperTV]

Quote

Jim Street debates whether or not his mother, Karen, should live with him upon her prison release after Hondo and Chris warn him against it. Also, Hondo and the team are assigned to protect Irina Zemanova, a high-profile Russian journalist visiting Los Angeles, from being assassinated.

Promotional pictures

[jhlipton]

On 4/15/2018 at 4:25 PM, Danielg342 said:

Sadly...it's a bit of a bother that there seems to be a cap to the amount of women that can be on any given show.

It looks like Chris will stay on Hindo's team and Lyndie Greenwood's character (Erika) will be on Mumford's.

[Raja]

6 hours ago, jhlipton said:

It looks like Chris will stay on Hindo's team and Lyndie Greenwood's character (Erika) will be on Mumford's.

So his second at the Captain's meetings, she has to be trained after all, will have a name

Edited April 21, 2018 by Raja

[judyri]

I liked the shout-out to dyslexia and how, undiagnosed, can lead to anger and frustration issues for the one having to deal with it.  As the mother of a dyslexic diagnosed in elementary school, it's unbelievable how misunderstood and under-diagnosed this is.  Once he was diagnosed (NOT by the school) and we did our own research, he was like the 'poster boy' had all the signs & symptoms since pre-school but none  of the 'educators' had a clue.  

[Danielg342]

So, will they go there with Hondo and Irina? That wasn't a bad kiss.

I was kind of conflicted on this. At first, it felt very one-note, with Hondo being sanctimonious with Irina and Irina always trying to assert herself only for Hondo to butt in and say, "I told you so".

Yeah, Hondo was always "right", but the framing felt very heavy-handed.

Then came Irina realizing she needed to work with Hondo while she was in interrogation and the episode had a better pace.

I'm not sure Irina gained that much depth, but with the show focusing on the investigation and the tension of keeping Irina safe and eventually meeting Shaolin, it didn't need to force us to care for a character we didn't know before and didn't get time to really get to know.

It was just time for good old SWAT action, and it delivered. Big time.

Wasn't worried for Chris although Lina Esco played it well. That's two straight weeks she's been beaten and in peril.

Then there's Street...I guess there's the "family" angle, but I can't shake the notion his mother is a huge manipulator and doesn't have anyone except her own best interests in mind. Hondo was right to tell him to keep his distance from her, I'm not sure I trust her all that much.

Oh, and Luca...that dog. Aww. I guess that's why he's always a pain to live with- he always needs to live with someone. Which makes sense- he's a high energy kind of guy, an extreme extrovert who feeds off others' energy.

Well, hopefully he and Street can find a way to finish their Call of Duty mission. They can still connect online, methinks.

[CooperTV]

Quote

Hondo’s life and career are endangered when his bosses and his godson’s kidnapper, Jae Kim, discover he’s been secretly surveilling Kim with the help of retired DEA agent Katrina Walsh. Also, Street and his newly paroled mother, Karen, both have trouble acclimating to her prison release.

Promos

[Kelda Feegle]

I find the trope of the person who needs protection being a PIA and going off against the rules to be very annoying and that killed this ep for me.

[Danielg342]

50 minutes ago, Kelda Feegle said:

I find the trope of the person who needs protection being a PIA and going off against the rules to be very annoying and that killed this ep for me.

It's doubly frustrating since usually this show is good with the characters, but Irina was very one note. It may have worked better if we perhaps had Shaolin call a few times and warn against bringing in the police- at least then her actions would have made more sense.

[Netfoot]

Next week, a meteorite streaks down from the heavens, incandescent with the heat of friction, and with all the energy of an atom bomb, lands squarely on Street and his Mom, obliterating them completely and totally from the face of the earth, and especially from all subsequent episodes.

I hope.

[Kelda Feegle]

On a completely shallow note...  I'd be totally ok with more Deakin in a towel scenes.

[mojoween]

^Right?  I mean every episode should have a bath house.

Not everyone can wear white tops well.  Cortez sure the fuck can whoo mama.

Street’s mom was manipulative since he was a boy.  Obviously what was happening to her was terrible and no one should have to live like that, but she didn’t come across very likable even then.

When Tan (Tam? I can never make out what they are calling him) and Baby Hulk were fighting with the bad guys in the hotel kitchen all I wanted was someone to get their face planted on the grill.  I suppose a hand will have to do.

The retired dog was very cute but I don’t think Luka really has time to be home to properly take care of a pet.

[mccartygirl]

19 hours ago, Kelda Feegle said:

On a completely shallow note...  I'd be totally ok with more Deakin in a towel scenes.

This....Thank you very much show!! I will not complain if that because an every episode kind of thing. Just like I don't mind on Hawaii 5-0 when Steve is coming out of the water....

Didn't care for either stories in this show. Street's mom is a piece of crap and reporters always suck in tv shows. 

[Toothbrush]

Street having his mom live with him is going to come back to bite him big time. 

Deacon in a towel - yes please!

I hope Duke came with the name of a fabulous dog walker/sitter for Luca's crazy SWAT schedule. Better yet, I'd love it if he became the unofficial SWAT mascot and got to hang out at HQ when Luca was on duty, getting treats, belly rubs, long walks, ball/frisbee throwing, and tons of love from everyone. In fact, in my SWAT-viewing world, that will be reality.  

[Danielg342]

What really made this episode for me was that final scene with Hondo and his teammates.

How many times do shows have the "this guy is mine!" storyline and they shoehorn things so that the teammate and his archnemesis go toe to toe and the teammate wins in an epic battle, even if said battle occurring would not make sense (or would derail the character)?

It almost looked like Hondo was going to do it in this storyline with all the times he went maverick and violated his own bosses' orders...but then, at the end, his team told him "we've got your back" and they went out there and they proved it.

Sure, there may be those who would have liked a Hondo hero takedown, but there would have been no way the episode could have done it plausibly without destroying Hondo's character. He'd already violated protocol so many times that violating it again would be his death knell- or at least it would be in real life. For the show to ignore that aspect just for Hondo to have his "hero moment" would have destroyed any credibility this episode would have had.

So kudos to the show for not falling into that trap.

It also neatly follows the theme for the episode- Hondo basically kept up his investigation of Jae Kim because he had the back of K.C. Walsh, so that he could protect her son and his godson. So while Hondo made it personal to go after Kim, he was really doing so because he was assisting a good friend, so it fit that his other friends, his SWAT family, assisted him and helped him out.

Besides, here in Episode 20, we don't need any proof that Hondo's a top dog who can handle the best- we've seen him be the hero multiple times. Time for the rest of the crew to grab the spotlight.

Speaking of which, Street's mother was much more sympathetic tonight than she had been before. She wasn't manipulative in this episode and spent most of it trying to understand just how her new life works. Seeing her go back to her old house and visit Street at his workplace without realizing they were no-no's really drove the point home- she may be out of prison, but she's not out of the woods yet. There's going to be an adjustment period, and I bet it will get rocky.

Street had better buckle up for it.

Overall, great installment.

[CooperTV]

Quote

Hondo and Deacon must apply all their SWAT training and skills to evade a gang of armed mercenaries hunting them in the Angeles Mountains following an ambush. Also, Chris oversteps in an attempt to help a female SWAT trainee she suspects isn’t being evaluated fairly.

Promos

[Netfoot]

8 hours ago, Danielg342 said:

Seeing her go back to her old house...

Presumably to recover a stash of contraband left there long ago...

[jhlipton]

On 5/3/2018 at 8:21 PM, Danielg342 said:

How many times do shows have the "this guy is mine!" storyline and they shoehorn things so that the teammate and his archnemesis go toe to toe and the teammate wins in an epic battle, even if said battle occurring would not make sense (or would derail the character)?

It almost looked like Hondo was going to do it in this storyline with all the times he went maverick and violated his own bosses' orders...but then, at the end, his team told him "we've got your back" and they went out there and they proved it.

So kudos to the show for not falling into that trap.

All of this.  I really enjoyed that they did it that way.

On 5/4/2018 at 5:07 AM, Netfoot said:

Presumably to recover a stash of contraband left there long ago...

Yeah, I can't help feeling that she's still manipulating him.

[Danielg342]

10 minutes ago, jhlipton said:

Yeah, I can't help feeling that she's still manipulating him.

She probably still is. My guess is that the show wants to present her as someone who is "doing what she needs to do" and manipulates because she has everyone's best interests in mind, but we'll see how it actually turns out.

[Netfoot]

10 hours ago, Danielg342 said:

manipulates because she has everyone's best interests in mind...

Yeh, so long as "everyone's" is actually code for "hers".

[hookedontv]

I feel like the show slows down when Street’s mom is in it. I know it’s just a personal preference of mine. I like my crime/police shows to be about the cases and not their personal lives. I watch Grey’s to watch people saving lives and living their crazy lives...

[jhlipton]

On 5/6/2018 at 11:21 AM, hookedontv said:

I feel like the show slows down when Street’s mom is in it. I know it’s just a personal preference of mine. I like my crime/police shows to be about the cases and not their personal lives. I watch Grey’s to watch people saving lives and living their crazy lives...

The Dragnet type of shows left a long time back (cue Hill Street Blues theme song).  I sincerely doubt they'll be back any time soon.

[Danielg342]

14 hours ago, jhlipton said:

The Dragnet type of shows left a long time back (cue Hill Street Blues theme song).  I sincerely doubt they'll be back any time soon.

Truth is, you can really only do one Dragnet and one Law & Order before the concept gets stale. Unless you're real creative with your cases or spot on with your social commentary, the only way shows can get by is by developing characters. Savvy viewers have already "seen" just about every possible case there is, so being a simple procedural isn't enough these days.

I do think this show gets this idea better than most. The cases really are paint by the numbers...but it does have characters I care about, and more than just one, which makes all the difference.

[Toothbrush]

I really liked this episode. Hondo trusted his team enough to know that they would come through for him, and I liked that he didn't insist on going out in defiance of his superior's orders like many other TV cops would have done (looking at you, Olivia Benson)

On 5/6/2018 at 2:32 AM, jhlipton said:

Yeah, I can't help feeling that she's still manipulating him.

She is.

I guess the is he or isn't he a good guy re: Michael has been resolved. For now, anyway. I have a feeling the show is headed toward a Jessica/Michael romance, which I would hate. But the show has surprised me by not falling into the trope trap so many times, that maybe I need to give the show runners the benefit of the doubt. 

On a few shallow notes, I like that Sherilyn Fenn has aged naturally. It cannot be easy for an actress, especially one known for her beauty as much (or more) than her acting abilities, to do so. She is still a beautiful woman, and looks like a mid-50s woman rather than an ad for plastic surgery or botox. Of course, they could not very well cast an actress who looks like she had Dr. Prison Nip/Tuck at her service for the past 18 years, could they? Also, Stephanie Sigman's hair looked great down. They should style her that way more often. 

[Danielg342]

Now time for something different- Hondo and Deacon need to survive in the woods against a trained militia that knows the terrain and an ex-cop they thought was an ally.

Oh, and they also need to fight each other. Because being hunted in the woods is the perfect time to get egotistical and claim that Deacon, who knows those kinds of woods, is trying to stab you in the back, Hondo.

I mean, seriously, Hondo...this is about survival. Not the time to play bossman.

Not that their interpersonal drama fell flat. It was great, especially because "hero Hondo" did deserve the dress down by Deacon. I also appreciate that Shemar Moore is open to letting his character take hits and be called out for his behaviour- there are a lot of stars that could learn to dial down their egos *cough*Kiefer Sutherland*cough*.

Speaking of Canadians- great to see veteran Canadian TV actor Alex Carter get the limelight as the treacherous cop. He was a lot of fun to watch and he sold his role beautifully.

Finally there was the Erika and Chris story...here's another place where I appreciate the "realness" of SWAT, because Chris deserved to get the dress down for her meddling in affairs that aren't her own. Far too often shows that push a "girl power" story don't often throw challenges in the girls' way (meaningful ones, anyway), especially if they are challenged by a male, so kudos to the show for doing that and stressing that if Erika really did do something wrong, she shouldn't be on the team.

Sure, there may be those that think Erika shouldn't have made the team and send another message about reality- that sometimes women don't qualify for a job because they weren't good enough for it, not because they're women- but I still think the show handled the Erika story well, and Chris needed the win.

I also really enjoyed Hicks telling Luca, "hey, I'm on your team." Far too often- even in real life- we sometimes forget that our bosses- the good ones anyway- would want to help us and make sure we succeed, because the company can't work if their workers aren't given the tools they need. It was also great to see the humanity in Hicks and show that he's more than just the guy who barks orders.

[CooperTV]

Quote

A fake 911 call puts Hondo and the SWAT team on the hunt to stop a terrorist group from executing bombing attacks on local communities. Also, Street’s relationship with his recently paroled mother, Karen, jeopardizes his career, and Jessica is thrown a curveball by her colleague, Michael Plank, president of the police commission.

Promos

[mommalib]

So white guy Deacon is mad because black got Hondo a position that he felt he was entitled to. I know it;s not framed that way but that's the way it looks and sounds to me. Flaws and all Hondo is a great leader and for Deacon to still be whining a year later and insinuating that he could do a better job than Hondo kinda rubs me the wrong way.

Edited May 12, 2018 by mommalib

[Danielg342]

On 12/05/2018 at 1:36 AM, mommalib said:

So white guy Deacon is mad because black got Hondo a position that he felt he was entitled to. I know it;s not framed that way but that's the way it looks and sounds to me. Flaws and all Hondo is a great leader and for Deacon to still be whining a year later and insinuating that he could do a better job than Hondo kinda rubs me the wrong way.

I understand, but I also think if the show went with Deacon et. al worshipping the ground Hondo walked on it would have made for boring television. To the show's credit, Deacon didn't make it once about race, he was called out for it and he sounded apologetic for feeling that way.

I also think it's a natural feeling for him to have. He's the most senior member of SWAT and should have been next in line after Buck, so I'd expect him to feel resentment about being passed over. Especially considering that, in the pilot, the only reason he was passed over was because Commander Hicks played politics and named Hondo the SWAT leader because Buck shot a black teenager. That Hondo has more than proven his worth is beside the point- to Deacon, he wasn't passed over because Hicks thought Hondo was better for the job, he was passed over because Hicks was worried about looking bad.

That's gotta sting.

Yeah, waiting nine months to bring out his frustrations is a bit rich, but perhaps Deacon repressed his anger out of respect for Hondo, because Deac's a team guy first. He also did only bring out his frustrations because Hondo was being unreasonable- when you're fighting for survival in the woods, it's the last time for anyone to pick fights and there was Hondo deciding that he didn't care to listen to Deacon and consider his advice. It's one thing for Deacon to defy Hondo on a regular mission but it's another for Hondo to play bossman when he's stuck in the woods being chased by a trained militia who know the terrain better than he does. When your partner is giving you good advice, you take it.

[mommalib]

21 minutes ago, Danielg342 said:

I understand, but I also think if the show went with Deacon et. al worshipping the ground Hondo walked on it would have made for boring television. To the show's credit, Deacon didn't make it once about race, he was called out for it and he sounded apologetic for feeling that way.

I also think it's a natural feeling for him to have. He's the most senior member of SWAT and should have been next in line after Buck, so I'd expect him to feel resentment about being passed over. Especially considering that, in the pilot, the only reason he was passed over was because Commander Hicks played politics and named Hondo the SWAT leader because Buck shot a black teenager. That Hondo has more than proven his worth is beside the point- to Deacon, he wasn't passed over because Hicks thought Hondo was better for the job, he was passed over because Hicks was worried about looking bad.

That's gotta sting.

Yeah, waiting nine months to bring out his frustrations is a bit rich, but perhaps Deacon repressed his anger out of respect for Hondo, because Deac's a team guy first. He also did only bring out his frustrations because Hondo was being unreasonable- when you're fighting for survival in the woods, it's the last time for anyone to pick fights and there was Hondo deciding that he didn't care to listen to Deacon and consider his advice. It's one thing for Deacon to defy Hondo on a regular mission but it's another for Hondo to play bossman when he's stuck in the woods being chased by a trained militia who know the terrain better than he does. When your partner is giving you good advice, you take it.

I agree the conflict does make things interesting and yes Hondo could have listen to Deacon more in the woods but Hondo is used to coming at things form a postion of leadership and authority. But one of the things I love about Hondo is he has no problem confronting his flaws or admitting when he doesn't handle something properly. And I also see why Deacon is pissed about Hicks playing politics but imagine how that makes Hondo feel as black man knowing why Hicks made that decision, when you already going to have your position questioned regardless.

[Danielg342]

27 minutes ago, mommalib said:

One of the things I love about Hondo is he has no problem confronting his flaws or admitting when he doesn't handle something properly. And I also see why Deacon is pissed about Hicks playing politics but imagine how that makes Hondo feel as black man knowing why Hicks made that decision, when you already going to have your position questioned regardless.

That's what I like about him too- he'll admit when he's wrong. I really appreciated that final scene where Hondo has dinner with Deacon and his family- I wonder if Deacon's going to take on a more "fatherly" role with Hondo, who doesn't have much of a family to call his own.

I also liked they didn't gloss over the race issue. "I had to be better because I was 'the black dude'." Truer words weren't said. It's the first time, really, that Hondo has even spoken up about how racism affects him, I guess because he's worried about "playing the race card"- which shows how precarious handling the issue can be.

[jhlipton]

So few shows woulkd have two men talk openly about their feelings like Hondo and Deacon did in the locker room. For such a "macho" show, it completely avoids "toxic masculinity". I really liked that Deacon felt a certain way, but didn't like that he did.  It's easy to get caught up in jealousy even if you know it's wrong.

"This ended being a SWAT mission when we were rolling down the hill."  So very right.

On 5/11/2018 at 10:36 PM, mommalib said:

So white guy Deacon is mad because black got Hondo a position that he felt he was entitled to. I know it;s not framed that way but that's the way it looks and sounds to me. Flaws and all Hondo is a great leader and for Deacon to still be whining a year later and insinuating that he could do a better job than Hondo kinda rubs me the wrong way.

Thing is,. both Hondo and Deacon know that Hondo was made the boss because he is black.  Deacon knows that Hondo deserves the job, but he can't help feeling resentful, even if he doesn't want to.  It was good for both of them to get their feelings out.

4 hours ago, Danielg342 said:

Yeah, waiting nine months to bring out his frustrations is a bit rich, but perhaps Deacon repressed his anger out of respect for Hondo, because Deac's a team guy first. He also did only bring out his frustrations because Hondo was being unreasonable- when you're fighting for survival in the woods, it's the last time for anyone to pick fights and there was Hondo deciding that he didn't care to listen to Deacon and consider his advice. It's one thing for Deacon to defy Hondo on a regular mission but it's another for Hondo to play bossman when he's stuck in the woods being chased by a trained militia who know the terrain better than he does. When your partner is giving you good advice, you take it.

So much this.