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

[mythoughtis]

18 hours ago, SweetTooth said:

Okay, so there were two things I knew from the past two episodes.

1. There's NO WAY they'd let the camera linger that long on some random woman giving testimony, unless at some point, sh*t is gonna go down, and she'll probably either wind up dead or in danger for testifying. I thought maybe she'd been testifying against an abusive ex, but the result is the same.

2. I actually knew the actor who played her ex, Michael Trucco, and figured there's no way they brought in a known actor to play her ex, unless he was coming back. (See previews for next week).

This episode packed a lot of punch. Though a lot was going on, they managed to not shortchange anything.

This week, Chris kicked into HIGHLY EFFING ANNOYING. Oddly enough, there's a similar plot going on with SEAL Team, and that character is equally as annoying. 

Sometimes they use one character to kind of "needle" the leader to hire that person back, but they take it to levels so obnoxious, you want THEM to be thrown off the team.

I don't know what Chris's deal is, but I don't think an APOLOGY is a lot to ask for in order to get reinstated. He doesn't have to jump through a lot of hoops here. Street is creating the hoops, so he doesn't have to do the ONE THING  that's being asked of him, but if he's going through this much trouble just so he doesn't have to say "I'm Sorry," you have to know Hondo is 100% correct to keep him off the team, as you need to person up and admit you did something wrong. 

I love that this show isn't all macho BS, and that it's not always the woman who empathizes. They managed to have Deacon realize what's going on without anybody saying to him, "DO YOU HAVE KIDS?" which is a trope that's been around since cop shows were invented and still hasn't gone away.

Instead they used the ‘ my wife could have died too ‘ trope to explain why Deacon understood the husbands pain. Same song, just a different verse. 

[mythoughtis]

13 minutes ago, SweetTooth said:

I don't necessarily agree. The victim's husband didn't look at Deacon and say "DO YOU HAVE A WIFE?" That would have been the same song to me.

Instead, Deacon, a grown man, understood he could empathize with the guy all by himself due to nearly being in a similar situation, and took it upon himself to go comfort the man, rather than just standing there and empathizing with him.

It's also very much in keeping with the character.

I agree with it being in Deacons’  character to comfort, etc.  I actually like his character a lot better than several of the other leads.   I just feel the show did unnecessarily use a trope to set the scene up.

[Danielg342]

On 15/10/2018 at 11:54 AM, mythoughtis said:

I just feel the show did unnecessarily use a trope to set the scene up.

Arguably, they did it much better than on other shows. Usually, the non-cop shouts "do you have X?" out of the assumption that the cop doesn't have X and thus cannot sympathize.

Instead, Deacon went out of his way to tell the husband, "I know how you feel, I have a wife". It was completely natural and pointing out a commonality is a great way to build trust, so it was very realistic.

[yourdreamer]

So...Tam wasn’t demoted to patrol because he did well on the Chinese case of the week? Or because the list was of 6 people and they only needed 4? Or because he’s in the opening credits?

And so we had to listen to all of this budget cutting for it to basically not impact the SWAT team we watch at all.

I do feel for Street with his mother. And he acted a bit like a grown up this week. 

[CooperTV]

Quote

Hondo and Lina go undercover to infiltrate and take back a cruise ship that’s under siege by drug smugglers who will execute passengers if they detect police on board. Also, Street enters the SWAT Training Academy and finds the competition fiercer than he expected, with the applicants all vying for the one SWAT position available for the year.

Thursday, Oct. 25

[mccartygirl]

On 10/20/2018 at 1:20 AM, yourdreamer said:

So...Tam wasn’t demoted to patrol because he did well on the Chinese case of the week? Or because the list was of 6 people and they only needed 4? Or because he’s in the opening credits?

And so we had to listen to all of this budget cutting for it to basically not impact the SWAT team we watch at all.

I do feel for Street with his mother. And he acted a bit like a grown up this week. 

I am so sick of Street's mom! She is such a user. Can we just hurry up and end this plot line and get Street back??!!! Glad Hondo is giving him a little help with SWAT academy. 

[Danielg342]

It's not over between Eric Wells and Hondo. Nope, not by a longshot.

It was quite a fun ride, with just enough twists to keep the story fresh. That last shot where Eric shot Kwon and nearly got Hondo...talk about ambiguity. Was that actually a "lucky shot" or was Eric sending a message to Hondo with that sweet chin music?

Usually I hate love triangles...but this Nia Wells-Hondo-Eric Wells triangle just may actually sizzle.

My heart broke for Street finding out about his mother...but, good on him to finally discover the kind of person she really is.

Which leads to the budget cut story...it's still very stale and it didn't have any impact in that the relegated SWAT members were people we never met (if they weren't going to do Tan then at least do someone like Rocker).

The one positive? Street is now in SWAT Academy. Hopefully it's not long before he's back in SWAT for good.

[Reality police]

What a waste to have Christian Kane on screen for all of 3 minutes. That sucked. 

[Danielg342]

SWAT goes cruisin' tonight.

No, not that kind of cruisin'...an actual cruise.

True, there wasn't a whole lot of depth to this story...and "Mr. X" sure felt like the tired "butler" trope.

Oh, and the show also seems to forget tables aren't bulletproof.

...but it was fun and it was engaging. It was also nice to have a spotlight on Chris for a change alongside Hondo- her dynamic with him is off the charts, and I hope we get more of it.

As for the SWAT recruits- all I'll say is that I hope Devlin turns out to be more than just Street's rival, and that they do more with him than just be "the guy Street beat". That final scene where they raced to the restaurant hints at a well-developed camaraderie- I hope the show builds on it.

[CooperTV]

Quote

The SWAT team tries to determine the next diamond dealer to be robbed by a group of highly organized thieves executing heists across downtown Los Angeles. When Hondo is emotionally affected by a suspect’s death during the case, he seeks comfort from his mother, Charice. Also, while Street worries that Luca, his SWAT training academy instructor, has a personal vendetta against him, Chris contemplates an unorthodox relationship offer from the new woman she’s dating.

Thursday, Nov. 1

[CoyoteBlue]

3 hours ago, Reality police said:

What a waste to have Christian Kane on screen for all of 3 minutes. That sucked. 

I missed him altogether because I was fast-forwarding. Who'd he play and when was he?

[UNOSEZ]

10 hours ago, Danielg342 said:

but it was fun and it was engaging. It was also nice to have a spotlight on Chris for a change alongside Hondo- her dynamic with him is off the charts, and I hope we get more of it.

Since the show started I thought that... I initially thought they woulda made them child neighbors.. With him being a big brother type  from the hood... Tho they didn't go that exact route.. They still have a close bond.. Maybe the best of  the show...  definitely better than whatever creep infatuation chris has with street... 

As for street and Devlin... As was said upthread I hope he ends up being more  than the guy street will eventually beat out to get the spot he didn't earn in the first place and then threw away 

[Jaded]

6 hours ago, CoyoteBlue said:

I missed him altogether because I was fast-forwarding. Who'd he play and when was he?

Near the end the guy with the long hair looking wig that Chris chased into the kitchen area and got in the big fight with. 

Edited October 26, 2018 by Jaded

[Jaded]

 

[Reality police]

57 minutes ago, Jaded said:

Near the end the guy with the long hair looking wig that Chris chased into the kitchen area and got in the big fight with. 

That's not a wig. That's his own hair.

[yourdreamer]

I thought that was CK but then I thought maybe not if they used him for all of two minutes, as I think he’s a pretty big name. Maybe he will turn up in later episodes since he isn’t dead though. 

[Jaded]

6 hours ago, Reality police said:

That's not a wig. That's his own hair.

I know. I didn't realize it had grown out again from how short he kept it for The Librarians. It still looked like a wig last night unless there was a stunt double for some of the fighting stuff. I meant to edit my post earlier in regards to his hair and forgot to.

Edited October 26, 2018 by Jaded

[Reality police]

1 minute ago, Jaded said:

I know. I didn't realize it had grown out again from how short he kept it for the Librarians. It still looked like a wig last night unless there was a stunt double for some of the fighting stuff. I meant to edit my post earlier in regards to his hair and forgot to.

Got it! It was great to see him again wasn't it?

[Jaded]

14 minutes ago, Reality police said:

Got it! It was great to see him again wasn't it?

Yes. After seeing his Twitter posts about the episode I had wondered if he taped more and scenes got cut. He seemed surprised at how fast his blink and you'd miss it appearance on the show went by last night.

[Raja]

On 10/25/2018 at 8:17 PM, Danielg342 said:

 

As for the SWAT recruits- all I'll say is that I hope Devlin turns out to be more than just Street's rival, and that they do more with him than just be "the guy Street beat". That final scene where they raced to the restaurant hints at a well-developed camaraderie- I hope the show builds on it.

With Devlin's first scene I was thinking hasn't ever watched any documentary on the super selective Special Forces units. All the recruits can out shoot and out run their older veterans like Hondo and Luca, and it is the teammate and working together that they are looking for. But what is it with money races on this show, first the Fast and Furious on a motorcycle riff now a team race?

 

Another day in the sun for the old Queen Mary, with the Coast Guard and county worried about her rotting away from the salt water I wonder how many more appearances she has in her.

[mythoughtis]

23 hours ago, Raja said:

But what is it with money races on this show, first the Fast and Furious on a motorcycle riff now a team race?

I can’t speak for the over the top betting between colleagues. However, I know the police, sheriffs’ and fire departments here have several events per year to raise money. They are advertised as ‘Guns and Hoses’ whatever event for whatever charity.  Hockey games, softball games, 5k runs, etc. 

[mojoween]

I normally let silly writing pass me by but Hondo lamenting if there was a non-lethal option during a shootout when FOUR people were shooting at them just because he killed a girl was preposterous. He wouldn’t say that if he shot a dude in the throat.

[AvaVintage]

I like Street and Devlin both..wish there was a way to have two new SWAT positions open up for them.

Chris polygamous relationship is refreshing and definitely something not seen on prime time TV before. if anyone can pull it off I think Chris can, she is level headed, very committed to her work, talks straight up. This could  be the best of both worlds for her. A loving relationship that doesn’t make her feel guilty about her time spent at work. 

Hondo cooking for his mom is classic. He is such a good man, still thought the DA lady was a good match for him. 

[Xantar]

This season seems to have stepped back from the social issues. I can understand why they did that, but it makes the show less interesting to me. Oh well. At least we still have the team dealing with ridiculously over-armed criminals. Even in the gun-happy United States, it's not that common for people to run around with fully automatic machine guns. Also, I laughed out loud when Hondo hit the robber with a ricochet. What's next? Bending the path of bullets like James McAvoy in Wanted?

I know some polyamorous people and I don't have anything against them. However, the polyamorous woman dating Chris did it all wrong. You're supposed to be upfront about that as early as possible. The two of them met on a dating app, and every person I know who practices ethical non-monogamy says so on their profile. It's a dealbreaker for a lot of people, so meeting someone for three dates before revealing that is just wasting time.

[rove4]

9 hours ago, mojoween said:

I normally let silly writing pass me by but Hondo lamenting if there was a non-lethal option during a shootout when FOUR people were shooting at them just because he killed a girl was preposterous. He wouldn’t say that if he shot a dude in the throat.

I'm a woman and this really bugged the hell out of me too.  He feels bad because he shot and killed a woman who was unloading her big ass gun on him and the team?  He absolutely wouldn't have given it a second thought if it had been a man.

It's Adalind from Grimm!  I don't see Chris following through on the polyamorous relationship.  She didn't seem that into the husband, kept looking at Kira...and if she's thinking about doing this just to hang on to Kira then that's the wrong reason.

8 hours ago, AvaVintage said:

He is such a good man, still thought the DA lady was a good match for him.

Me too.  I hope she comes around again. 

[dungeonwriter]

The episode bothered me on a deep level because the four diamond thieves were supposed to highly trained special forces combat soldiers. (Yeah, actually, few Israeli women do roles like that, even in the army) They aren't sweet little college co-eds, they're soldiers. They would have no problem killing their enemy. 

Treat them accordingly. 

[BunchOMalarkey]

So in alllllll his years on the squad, Hondo has never killed a woman? That seemed odd. And his reaction was ridiculous. But I did like to see Street be clever in this episode and liked the interaction between him and Luca. I was meh on the Chris relationship stuff but loved to see her with her family.  I don't see the point of her participating in that relationship when she wants something long lasting. The couple are engaged and Chris should be thinking about endgame. 

[smalltimediva]

Not gonna lie, that girl picking up a gun from under her bed and firing at the squad in her pajamas was hilariously badass lol

[Danielg342]

"Did Hondo just bounce a bullet off the sewer?"

Yeah...OK. At least when Hondo shot the suspect from the helicopter in "Cuchillo" it was conceivable. This? This is next generation physics...that's an impossible shot.

Then again, all Hollywood cops have impossible shots...so I could let that go.

What I will throw a lot of shade on is Hondo lamenting that he "shot a girl". Really, Hondo? Derek Morgan shot Amanda Jakar in the Criminal Minds episode "Outfoxed" (Episode 05.08) and Morgan never had second thoughts about it. Morgan also had no regrets telling 13-year-old Jeremy Sayer in "Safe Haven" (Episode 06.05) that Morgan would kill him because Sayer is a killer.

As Deacon- rightfully- pointed out, Hondo, you didn't shoot a girl. You shot a killer. There's a big difference there. I don't know about you, but if someone is coming at me spraying bullets at me and my only option is lethal force, you can be sure I'm going to use it, regardless of the gender of the shooter.

This shouldn't even be something that needs to be pointed out, least of all on a cop show.

I also have to throw shade on the idea that Deacon and Hondo have never shot a woman before in their careers, at least at the rate at which they have to deal with the possibility of shooting criminals (which is way higher than it is in real life, but that's immaterial). They each probably have over a hundred kills each (if not more) so it would stand to reason that even the most conservative estimates mean they've shot at several women in their careers and killed a few.

(I also could be wrong but I seem to think that last season a woman was felled by the team and no one made a big deal about it...or maybe I'm just making that memory up)

Anyway...it's not necessarily a bad story, but it would have been more believable if it involved Tan than Hondo (and even that is a stretch). Tan is usually not the one who deals with the suspects head-on like Hondo does, and he's new enough to the team that he may, somewhat, believably never shot a woman. Then again, I guess we wouldn't get a Deacon-Hondo father-son moment, and maybe Hondo doesn't feel the need to cook a casserole for his mother...but, then again, Tan does need things to do. He is in the main cast, after all.

One other issue I have with this story- other than the obvious "diamonds are a girl's best friend" vibe I got with this story- is the convoluted mess of a plot where SWAT was actually saving the diamond thieves from a vigilante mob trying to kill them. I get that maybe Shemar Moore isn't comfortable writing a story about macho men chasing down a group of "feminine" girls, but this story would have worked so much better if it was just about a straight-up story of a group of highly-trained women hitting up diamond dealers, perhaps as a way of "buying in" to the drug trade or to purchase materials needed for a terrorist strike at the episode's climax...something other than "they're the real targets here".

Because:

1. Packs of female criminals can and do exist.
2. It's just another convoluted retelling of the "damsel in distress" story that is ultimately disrespectful of women, as the writing implies that simply being criminals isn't enough to get us to care that the criminals are women- no, they have to be damsels too.

Whatever.

The only thing that really saved this episode were those character moments, because this show still gets them. Despite the fact that this is an ensemble with (essentially) a disposable cast, I still feel that every character is well-rounded and worth something, even if they don't have a meaningful contribution to the plot this week. This show does its characters consistently better than any other police procedural, and it's always a joy to watch it unfold.

[Jaded]

 

Quote

 The SWAT team hunts for a band of criminals re-enacting the crimes of the infamous Symbionese Liberation Army, whose decades-old offenses made local and national news. Seeking expertise on the original crime spree in the 1970s, Luca and his father, Carl Luca (Michael O’Neill), review the files of Luca’s late grandfather who worked for SWAT during the era of the original crimes. Also, Hondo experiences discrimination from a fellow officer during a SWAT training seminar for local law enforcement in Arizona.

[WinJet0819]

On 11/2/2018 at 12:18 AM, AvaVintage said:

I like Street and Devlin both..wish there was a way to have two new SWAT positions open up for them.

Chris polygamous relationship is refreshing and definitely something not seen on prime time TV before. if anyone can pull it off I think Chris can, she is level headed, very committed to her work, talks straight up. This could  be the best of both worlds for her. A loving relationship that doesn’t make her feel guilty about her time spent at work. 

Hondo cooking for his mom is classic. He is such a good man, still thought the DA lady was a good match for him. 

Your wish has been granted for Street and Devlin. And the DA lady still can be a good match if they decide to go all in.

Edited November 9, 2018 by WinJet0819

[Kelda Feegle]

I was sure that Mr I Have All The Money was going to cough up enough to fund Streets position on SWAT. 

[hookedontv]

When Luca’s dad said something along the lines of “in 1974 you were still in diapers” I was like hell no! Luca’s a good looking guy but they were trying to shave off almost a decade. I had to look it up and the actor was born in 1963.  

[Danielg342]

This one was very much a mixed bag.

First, I did appreciate the show's take on the Symbionese Liberation Army and Patty Hearst. Their story is a captivating one, with the SLA being the textbook definition of "one's terrorists are another's freedom fighters". Then there's Hearst, the darling of her father's namesake newspaper empire, who was one of the first cases of "Stockholm Syndrome" when she eventually took part in the SLA's activities.

That said...I really don't know where the show was going with their SLA story. It seemed very much like a straight re-telling, only that instead of newspapers the magnate was a social media baron (whose social media site has a really awkward title. "Tuck"? Really show?). Oh, and instead of just the daughter getting kidnapped, her boyfriend was kidnapped too. Why...I'll never understand it.

Like the rest of this story. So they're anti-establishment, anti-capitalism militants...ho hum. Not like we haven't seen them before. They hardly said a word and we never really did get to know any of them...they were just faceless mooks who liked blowing things up. Which would have worked fine if this was the pilot but, we're beyond that (and even still).

Then there's the tease that they'll be back...yay, I guess? Maybe this time we'll actually get to meet them.

I will say I did appreciate their novel approach to the police shootout with the automated machine gun...that was creative. Good eye by Luca to spot it too.

That's about it for SLA 2018.

Then there's Lauren Tucker, the damsel in distress for the episode. She spent almost the entire episode with a gag in her mouth, and the whole hour was devoted to finding her...again, another retreaded storyline. I had some hope when an investigator (don't know who) said that Tucker was a malcontent, and I was awaiting a reveal that she set up her own kidnapping just so she could get back at her abusive dad and her narcissistic boyfriend, but...nada. Just your regular damsel in distress storyline.

*sigh*

It's a shame because usually the show is better at developing their criminals than this rote batch...maybe they've hit a rough patch?

As for the side stories- Hondo and the racist cop, Street rejoining SWAT- I enjoyed those much better. I knew as soon as I heard that some guy I never heard of had an opening on their SWAT unit that Street wouldn't get that spot, and, yeah, the show went the cliched, "we're giving you this provisional opportunity" route (though it's entirely realistic), but it's great to see Street back on SWAT again and being competent in the role. I just hope he's actually learned from his mistakes and won't compromise his position again.

(I also hope Devlin comes back...he's too good of a character to pass up on)

Then there's Hondo...the Criminal Minds fan in me listened with interest when Hondo said the racist officer was named Reid, named after the prodigious Doctor Spencer Reid on CM (though CM's Reid is not a racist). Of course, the storyline was more than just about the name- it was about Hondo's frustration that racism like what he went through still goes on, and how it often gets spun as if he's the bad guy. I'm sure there would have been a few people who might have liked Reid see the folly in their ways or to see Hondo clock Reid (and not just a lamp), but such situations are not realistic. Yeah, the show's message that "no matter how good you are, racism will always be there" is sobering, but life is like that and you have to roll with it the best you can.

It's stuff like that which makes me appreciate the show even more- that it acknowledges there sometimes are no easy solutions, even when we'd like there to be one. It makes the battle more real, and makes Hondo that much more an intriguing character, as, deep down, we're all like him, frustrated this stuff continues but we push on, hope against hope that one day it'll all be different.

[mojoween]

It frustrates me that Hondo getting pulled over for DWB happens.  In real life.  Every goddamned day.  It would have been so much better if that was just some fantastical storyline written for a script, but no.  Assholes walk among us, every day, in every profession.

And I'm so scared that the issue with the lamp is going to have some sort of blowback down the road.  That was just a lot of setup with the “Mrs. Harrelson?” and “we’re checking out early, put it on my card” to have been a throwaway.

[WinJet0819]

35 minutes ago, mojoween said:

It frustrates me that Hondo getting pulled over for DWB happens.  In real life.  Every goddamned day.  It would have been so much better if that was just some fantastical storyline written for a script, but no.  Assholes walk among us, every day, in every profession.

And I'm so scared that the issue with the lamp is going to have some sort of blowback down the road.  That was just a lot of setup with the “Mrs. Harrelson?” and “we’re checking out early, put it on my card” to have been a throwaway.

And what's so sad is that Hondo has actually kept count of the number of times this has happened. He's been LAPD for 20 years, and this was his 17th time getting pulled over. And unless he's a bad driver, which I doubt, that's a bit obsessive. And it makes sense he didn't want to disclose he's a cop to the officer. He shouldn't need to just to get out of being pulled over. He had done nothing wrong. An aggressive lane change? Please.

[Raja]

The team is briefed that the SLA were pulling crimes from Oakland to LA and Chris ask something to the effect of what took "SWAT" so long to find them. The brand naming of cop shows really is starting to bug me

[rove4]

On 11/9/2018 at 3:29 PM, hookedontv said:

When Luca’s dad said something along the lines of “in 1974 you were still in diapers” I was like hell no! Luca’s a good looking guy but they were trying to shave off almost a decade. I had to look it up and the actor was born in 1963.  

Luca almost looks more aged than the actor playing his father, lol. 

[Reality police]

12 minutes ago, rove4 said:

Luca almost looks more aged than the actor playing his father, lol. 

His eyes have looked strange to me on this show. Looks like he had a bad face lift or eye job. Can't put my finger on it. Looks have changed since SOA days. 

[thewhiteowl]

No information available at posting.

[Danielg342]

Will it involve breakfast? Or, keeping with the theme of the season, jewels?

[jhlipton]

On 11/10/2018 at 2:07 PM, WinJet0819 said:

He had done nothing wrong. An aggressive lane change? Please.

The problem I had was that Reid turned on his signal when he was way too far back to see who was in the car.  There was at least some plausibility to his reason being that smugglers rent cars like that.

Also, Hondo should know that the answer to "Should we wait an hour until the drug-dogs get here?" is "Yes, and call your chief, too.  He'll be delighted to know you're violating the 4th Amendment!"  (This happened to a guy on Quora -- the cop was reamed by the chief and the motorist, who never popped his trunk,  was waved off by the chief.)  It's far too easy for a cop like Reid to plant evidence while "looking".

[Danielg342]

I guess in a roundabout kind of way, I was right- the Tiffany Experience really was about breakfast...and jewels...and, well, anything else Tiffany wants to "vlog" (video log, for those who are not up to speed on Web 2.0 lingo) about. Played by Stuck In The Middle's Ronni Hawk to perfection, Tiffany was everything you'd expect- vapid, narcissistic, oblivious- yet still managed to remain human and not devolve into a caricature.

That's not this episode's shining moment. No, the real credit in this episode is that- as I pointed out to my brother watching with me- this episode was really intense and exciting for an episode where very little actually happens. Really...barely any shots were fired, there were no explosions, there was tons of talking and the only real "action" sequence saw Black Betty ram Tiffany's party limo.

Not really much to watch...but it all so riveting.

How Shemar Moore doesn't get the accolades he deserves as producer is beyond me.

Why it works I can't really put a finger on, but if I really had to guess it's the pacing- everything felt urgent and was delivered with urgency. The actors really sold how important things were and you felt that as you were watching it. It's a delicate balance so few shows- let alone procedurals- hit, and SWAT hit it with flying colours tonight.

Other points:

• Luca and Street bunking together again. The kid in me is excited. Looks like they will finish their video game escapades from last season.
• Speaking of Luca, I knew he was due for some "cool manoeuvre" as soon as I learned his driving privileges were suspended. Didn't see- but liked- that it was Street that cleared him of the misdemeanour.
• Chris seems to be sending a lot of mixed messages about whether or not she wants to be a cog in the Kira/Ty relationship. The writing says she wants to do it but Lina Esco isn't playing it as a sure thing. I wonder if that is on purpose.
• The way they play up Hondo's brush with racism makes me think this isn't the last we'll see of that story- they're setting up something big for later in the season. Maybe involving Nia Wells' ex-husband, who happens to be white.
• As much as I liked Tiffany in this episode, I would have liked her having a bit more of a role in the plot. She pretty much just sat around and explained her vlog. Not to say that I wanted her to be kidnapped or something- glad the show didn't go to that well- but it may have been nice if she participated in the takedown or something. Her attacker did "love" her, after all.

[mojoween]

I love Jessica.  She’s a badass and believable at it.

People, like the kid with the broken arm, should know you can’t get away with anything these days because someone is bound to be recording.

[mythoughtis]

I disliked the Hondo story because 1. I dislike his ‘friends with benefits’ companion story when they obviously are more than that. And 2. I’d really like to get my SWAT eye candy fix without the sermons.  Which seem to happen every week.   I totally agree that DWB happens in real life and the situation needs fixed and stopped- but I’m watching this show for escapism.   

I did enjoy seeing the actress playing Lauren.  I’ve liked her since her Medium days. 

I liked the SLA history repeats itself storyline.  Interesting to see from a 40 year hindsight viewpoint. 

Edited November 22, 2018 by mythoughtis

[Danielg342]

On 22/11/2018 at 6:21 AM, SweetTooth said:

I don't think the plan was to take the BF, but he was there.

Why take him? Why not just pop him? He's a witness...allowing him to live compromises the crime. Besides, it would send a message to Lauren not to mess with the kidnappers.

[thewhiteowl]

The team is called in to handle a hostage situation. When Hondo's sister is roofied at a bar he uses his day off to hunt a serial rapist.

[Danielg342]

This was all over the place as the episode struggled to juggle several different storylines at once...but, it was still a nice romp.

No doubt that Luca and Street are going to have to battle that gang again. You don't have that set-up and not have it pay off somewhere down the road. I just hope it's a happy ending...or, as happy as it can be.

We'll also be seeing the rapist again...because you don't hire Shawn Ashmore for one episode. He was a delight to see on the screen again, and he did very well as the remorseless rapist. More on that in a minute.

Then there was the case itself, a fugitive who, by chance, gets back on the radar after being a hostage at a convenience store robbery. There were a lot of layers to the case and the show balanced them all nicely even if the timelines were a little off (the fugitive actually got the ricin into the ventilation system and the guys said everyone had only 60 seconds...60 seconds seemed to pass with little actually happening).

Also, Mumford being a badass at his age was wonderful. I think even Ronda Rousey liked his armbar.

The real story in this episode was the rapist. There will be those who don't like the rapist getting away, but I thought the show handled his reality very well. They hit all the right notes and explained a message that hardly ever gets heard- that rapists don't get away because of "the patriarchy", they get away because our justice system doesn't do a very good job dealing with a case like rape.

Rape is a "he-said-she-said" crime that hardly ever leaves evidence or witnesses, which makes it a crime that is very difficult to prosecute. I wish there were more people who understood this instead of sounding off on whatever the activists tend to sound off on, because the sooner we understand the real problem, the sooner we can hope to fix it.

So I'm interested in seeing where the show goes from here. We seem to be lining ourselves up for quite a few recurring villains in the second half of S2- already we know the SLA will be coming back, and this episode ensures that Ashmore will return at some point as well as the gang that threatened Street and Luca.

Hang on to your hats, folks.

[Danielg342]

13 hours ago, SweetTooth said:

So, while yes, it's a he said-she said, and actually even getting them in the courtroom is a miracle, the general consensus is that it's the woman's fault if she dressed "slutty" or said no after the necking began.

I'm not going to deny that there are men- and women- who hold patriarchal views on what a sexual assault victim should appear like and make apologies for the accused. I'm just not convinced it is as rampant as the Jezebels want me to believe, because I think most people nowadays agree that it isn't the victim's fault.

I know in my own anecdotal experience that I know no one who agreed with Brock Turner's sentence, myself included.

Not to say that we don't have work to get rid of patriarchal thinking in sexual assault cases, but I don't think it's the only problem- far from it.

The reality for me is more like Nia, with prosecutors and investigators wanting so bad to put away rapists but they just lack the evidence. That problem hardly ever gets addressed, and I hope the show will address it. They seem to be acknowledging it, with Nia telling Hondo not to let his emotions get the better of him.

14 hours ago, SweetTooth said:

I also like how they're unfolding Hondo's rage. He's not what they usually show a typical rageaholic to be. Angry all the time and screaming at people. He has this quiet, simmering kind of rage, which is more dangerous, because he's trying to keep it contained and never lets it out, destroying hotel rooms notwithstanding, of course.

What I have liked about Hondo since Day 1 is that they are focusing on the darker side of being the "Big Darn Hero". He's the guy other shows would paint as "always right" and a valiant warrior who will stop at nothing- even the law- to get the job done.

Instead, we get a Hondo who is often told he is wrong (and the show will back that up) and doesn't even try to paint his maverick tendencies as "the right thing to do". It's something I wish more shows would do, because the "cowboy cop" should never be allowed to get away with things just because "he's right"- especially because real life is hardly as cut and dry.

[thewhiteowl]

Please be wary of skimming the line and veering into personal political views. Thanks.