S03.E01: The White Warrior

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Walt deals with the aftermath of Henry's arrest and Branch's shooting.The search for the shooter, however, is complicated by Branch's insistence that it was someone known to be already dead.

 

Promo & trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXbexFUpqmQ

 

Behind the scenes (some of the same footage from the promo with a few talking heads from the actors):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-elXVLOP5E

[Curious5]

Looking forward to the season. Caught the last three episodes yesterday on A&E. Good refresher. Sounds like the Denver cop sure has a chip on his shoulder and wants Longmire as revenge for his childhood experiences.

[AimingforYoko]

Damn, a lot going on in this one. Henry's up for Murder One, Branch is seeing dead people, Hector's on the loose and there seems to be some sort of conspiracy against Walt. I hope it doesn't take all season to untangle all this.

[SimoneS]

Ah Henry, you are in big trouble. I can't believe that Dena stole his money. Looks like Cady has herself a new client.

 

So is Branch hallucinating about who shot him? Is Walt right that this is about getting to Branch's father? Branch was originally after the guy for tampering with Cady's car. At that time, it seemed clear that Nighthorse was behind the whole scheme. The story has become so convoluted that I doubt the writers even have a clue. Anyway, I hope that we get to see more of Gerald McRaney this season.

 

I thought that Vic and Walt were going to kiss when he was washing off Branch's blood and changing.

Edited June 3, 2014 by SimoneS

[Toaster Strudel]

I hope to see more of the mysterious Hector!

[caci]

I think I liked this episode more than all the ones last year.  Of course it helped that they didn't have anything on Vic's stalker, not much on who killed Walt's wife and the only mention of the election was a sentence by Barlow.  Honestly, I'm not sure why I watched this show last season since I didn't really care for any of the storylines.  Tonight's episode, though, was fast paced and opened up some intriguing possibilities.  Nice to see Barlow again (too bad Branches' uncle wasn't there also.  I can't think of his name right now).   Always good to see A Martinez, too.  I do wish they had a better scene with Branch and Cady, since I do like them together.  That was disappointing.  All in all, though, a really good episode. 

[TVAddict]

Excellent start to the season.  A couple of things stood out.  The first was Walt saying, " I am 9-1-1".   The second was Vic calling Walt out about being non-responsive in a Gary Cooper sort of way.  Loved it!  I hope that Walt is able to convince Branch that he has his back and believes him and they are able to patch up their relationship.  Looks like Henry's in for some troubling times.  Deena stole his dough and orange is not his color.  Oh, and Hector's on the lam.  And what did Branch's daddy do that was so bad that Branch's life is in the balance?  Lots of things to think about this season.  So glad this show is back!

[Curious5]

Lots of action in the first episode. Sure glad I watched the last couple of episodes from last year as this one moved fast. Only one I still don't like is Vic - neither in the books nor on the show. A bit too bitchy and not enough respect for Longmire. What kind of marriage does she have anyways? Her husband wasn't aware that she was being bugged by the ex-cop? Hope they drop the whole part of that story.

Ah, the feather! The fact the feather could have been part of the headdress that was a hundred years old will be another CSI moment for Longmire. And the missing money in the safe was odd. Did the Denver police search the safe? Would they have the possibility of searching it with a warrant?

One thing I do like a lot about this series is we don't know where the story is going. You do have to watch and pay attention.

Edited June 3, 2014 by Curious5

[LVmom]

I am so glad this series is back. It makes me feel slightly smarter that I watch it-you have to think from episode to episode to follow all of the twists.. On a shallow note,Vic's look when Walt took his shirt off was priceless.

Edited June 3, 2014 by LVmom

[CoderLady]

That man really is a mess of scars, both external and emotional, isn't he? And every one has made him stronger.

[writersblock51]

Loved the new season starter - the Denver cop definitely seemed off the rails a bit.

 

Poor Branch... I think his father will be more willing to work with Walt now.

 

I like Vic a lot - and I think she as a lot of respect for Walt.  She also calls him out when he needs to be - no one else does but Henry, and he's not able to do that right now.

[Soopertater]

Action-packed is certainly an understatement.  I've on passively watched the first two seasons, but they've converted me. 

 

Hope we see enough Henry as this whole thing unfolds.  Every time LDP gets a little philosophical, I harken back to his role as Billy the Kid's henchman Chavez in the Young Guns films.

[Ohwell]

I thought Walt got the scar from when he was fighting his wife's attacker?  I thought I remembered seeing that scene.

 

Anyway, I've said before that I don't like Vic because she's too possessive and stalkerish when it comes to Walt.  Never liked her.  For example, there was no reason for her to follow him into the bathroom when he was changing his shirt and it's pretty evident that she doesn't want Lizzie to have him.  Plus, she seems to have no respect for her husband or her marriage.  I haven't read the books so I don't know if they wind up being a couple; if so, I hope they depart from the book because I do not want them to get together. 

[LVmom]

I thought the scars were from when he had hooks in his back or something along those lines, after his wife died and he was doing an atonement or cleansing of some sort?

Edited June 3, 2014 by LVmom

[CoderLady]

I sort of remember that. He also did a ritual out in the desert after Cady got hit and ended up in a coma on Election Day. As Henry was getting him set up for that he said something about it leaving a scar, but so far we haven't seen those. I hope for the sake of continuity they show them someday but only after a suitable healing time (scars are impressive, scabs are icky).

[walnutqueen]

I want to know just what Walt was supposedly suturing with fishing line - other than the generic "the wound".  Shit like that bothers me ...

[Ohwell]

He also did a ritual out in the desert after Cady got hit and ended up in a coma on Election Day.

Ugh.  Don't know how I could have forgotten that *shudder*.  But didn't he also get stabbed when he went to Denver to find his wife?

[dubbel zout]

Weren't the wires (or whatever they were) used in the ritual on his chest? He didn't seem to have any scars there.

[shapeshifter]

A word about hair color on the men of a certain age on the show:

I realize that this episode picked up moments after the the previous one, but in the lives of the actors and the audience, 10 months have passed. Walt just doesn't seem like the kind of guy to color his hair, and probably not Henry either. I really wish they had used the hiatus to bring a at least a "hint of gray" to their hair.

I loved the opening scenery. It's what keeps me coming back to the show, although the Sundance ritual and other similar violence almost overshadow it.

If Branch was still hallucinating in the hospital, does that mean he's got another feather in him? Anyway, he told Cady not to say anything about his almost choking her to death, so when he went to the line up, he was probably still "under the influence," right?

Speaking of the line up: Pretty unique among line ups.

[Irishmaple]

I know he's a big, strong guy but after everything Branch had gone through - being shot twice, bleeding almost to death, getting sewn up with unsterilized fishing equipment, the peyote and then the post-surgical meds - would he really have the necessary strength to choke Cady?  I think they could have scaled that back a bit. 

 

I like that both Henry and Vic call Longmire on his bullshit because I find he dispenses a fair bit of it.  I don't want Vic to get romantically involved with him though; I like that she's married and I'd prefer they just work together as colleagues and friends.  I liked Lizzie better as a love interest, closer to Walt's age and she brought a lighter touch to his moods.  I still like Matthias too; he just never scales back on being a jerk and I admire that about him.

[dubbel zout]

I still like Matthias too; he just never scales back on being a jerk and I admire that about him.

 

Same here. I also like that though Matthias clearly doesn't like Walt, Matthias usually (if reluctantly) will allow Walt to do what he needs to do. But he makes Walt work for it. Hee.

[Curious5]

I'm still under the impression that Longmire was in a major fight when in Denver and got his back sliced up. Remember the older Indian woman when he was taken and stitched up? He went back to her in the last season and reminded her "it never happened."

I think Vic's look was she was stunned to see the extensive scars on him. Why did she follow him into the bathroom? Cause she's a b*t** and controlling. Like she owns him. Yes, I did say I don't like her.

I'm guessing that after he was shot the ghost warrior cut him and inserted the feather. That's why Longmire was stitching him up. A fishing hook used? How long does the effects of the drug last on Branch? A meth addict should know...we've seen murders in real life of meth heads who kill hours and hours later.

[walnutqueen]

Curious 5 - I was being super nitpickety about the stitching of "the wound" because Walt was concerned Branch was quickly bleeding to death, and that would be a pretty impressive artery repair.  At certain times, I've been known to focus on the strangest stuff.  :-)

 

I've been told the effects of peyote can last a long time (like, maybe days? I can't remember),.

[Ohwell]

I'm still under the impression that Longmire was in a major fight when in Denver and got his back sliced up. Remember the older Indian woman when he was taken and stitched up? He went back to her in the last season and reminded her "it never happened."

Yup, that's the scene I remember. 

[Curious5]

We are not seeing much interaction between Longmire and other law enforcement. The tribal police seem to be pushing the line a bit unless he is involved in the shooting of Branch.

Branch was shot first and would have been able to see the white warrior as he approached him. That would have been before the peyote-laced feather was inserted into him. Does the drug change the memory? That doesn't make sense since Branch remembers everything else just before the shooting.

[ohjoy]

Branch was shot first and would have been able to see the white warrior as he approached him. That would have been before the peyote-laced feather was inserted into him. Does the drug change the memory? That doesn't make sense since Branch remembers everything else just before the shooting.

I think that's the assumption Walt and others are making about Branch -- that the trauma of being shot, dosed with peyote, and nearly bleeding out messed with his memory quite a bit. But I agree with you; Branch seems to clearly remember everything else that happened before he got shot. I'm sure later this season David Ridges will turn up alive somehow to prove that Walt should have trusted Branch all along.

[SimoneS]

If Branch was drugged, he might think that he remembers everything clearly before he was shot, but really does not. However, I fully expect David Ridges to turn up alive. It never made sense that he would kill himself  when he realized that Branch was onto him when he could have just of fled the jurisdiction. 

 

I am pretty sure that they had Vic follow Walt into the room when he changed so she would see his scars, but also to make the point that he never asked her to leave which strongly suggests that his feelings for her are more than just work colleagues.

[CoderLady]

I am pretty sure that they had Vic follow Walt into the room when he changed so she would see his scars, but also to make the point that he never asked her to leave which strongly suggests that his feelings for her are more than just work colleagues.

 

Possibly, but I haven't seen anything like that. Even when he offered his place as sanctuary from the stalker last season, it just looked like the usual awkwardness between two people who weren't close unexpectedly having to share living space.

 

In the changing shirt scene, I could see Walt behaving exactly the same if Ferg or Branch (if Branch hadn't been injured, of course) had been there. There wouldn't have been any reason to ask any of the deputies to leave, and making an exception for Vic would have been odd. That's what I like about Walt - he's a nice mix of old-fashioned and practical, and treating all his deputies equally is practical.

[ratgirlagogo]

 

strongly suggests that his feelings for her are more than just work colleagues.

God I hope not.  So far the show has not been following the books on this and I think the show is the better for it.

[Curious5]

I can't see Longmire with Vic but then I can't see anyone who would be. I still believe a woman should have some sexual attraction and she has as much as a skunk in the barn.

[Soopertater]

The unfulfilled sexual tension between coworkers has been done before, I'm thinking of The X Files specifically.

[DittyDotDot]

Always a day late and a dollar short with me. I agree this was a good start to the season and it set up some interesting story. I do have a few questions though...

 

First, why wasn't Ferg wearing gloves at that crime scene? He totally picked up Branch's gun with his bare hands, really? Also, at first, I thought they were going to have Ferg purposely walk through the ashes, but then I realized they had him just be a bumbling idiot by doing it.  I mean, I love that they got the DNA evidence in the end, but why did it have to be that Ferg look totally incompetent to do so?  Not really important, I just love Ferg and find him more competent than the show likes to show him.

 

Second, isn't Cady a lawyer? Why isn't she representing Henry? I don't get it--I understand that she might not be a trial lawyer or a criminal lawyer, but if they can't afford a decent lawyer, wouldn't she be better than legal aid? 

 

Thirdly, what's up with this show needing conflict between Branch and Longmire? Shouldn't have this been a way they could have come together after the election? I'm betting this plot of who shot Branch and whether Branch was in his right mind will drag on all season. Isn't Walt at conflict with enough characters already, why does he need it in his own office too?

 

I thought is was kinda weird that Vic excused everyone else only to have her ask him the same questions they had. Who made her queen of the office? Doesn't Ruby and Ferg deserve the same explanations? I don't dislike Vic or think she's a bitchy woman per se, but it just felt like it was all set up for them to end up in the bathroom together so she could see him with his shirt off.  And I'm so picking up vibes that they will be hooking up this season.

 

Anyhoo, I was questioning if I wanted to keep up with this show this summer--last season Walt started grating on my nerves with his preaching that everyone follow the rules and laws, but then he would disregard them whenever it suited him. Plus, I don't find the individual plots of the week all that compelling. So, I thought, what the heck, watch the first one and see how you feel after that...and then there was that scene where the Native nurse guy was standing there in green crocks and I remembered what I do like about this show. It's sort of timeless and makes me so nostalgic, but at the same time there are these very true moments of the modern world mixed in. It's just such a beautiful balance they strike at times. I guess I'm in for another season. ;)

 

Speaking of the Native nurse guy...I'm betting he'll be back and play a bigger role somehow this season.

[SlovakPrincess]

Same here. I also like that though Matthias clearly doesn't like Walt, Matthias usually (if reluctantly) will allow Walt to do what he needs to do. But he makes Walt work for it. Hee.

 

 

Matthias cracks me up, because his first reaction is always "nope, fuck off!" ... and then in the next scene, he's working side by side with Walt on something.  As much as I like Walt, I feel he does push the limits sometimes, and I like that Matthias pushes back. 

 

I have no memory of this David Ridges character.   Was that the dude in the trailer that Branch confronted and knew from school?   Geez, I have forgotten most of the last season.  (Also, I am way behind on this season - it's all just sitting in my DVR, staring at me expectantly). 

 

The idea of a dirty old feather (soaked in peyote) being inserted in Branch's wound - blech!   He's lucky he didn't end up with some horrible infection!

[CoderLady]

I have no memory of this David Ridges character.   Was that the dude in the trailer that Branch confronted and knew from school?   Geez, I have forgotten most of the last season.  (Also, I am way behind on this season - it's all just sitting in my DVR, staring at me expectantly). 

 

The idea of a dirty old feather (soaked in peyote) being inserted in Branch's wound - blech!   He's lucky he didn't end up with some horrible infection!

 

I think he was first seen on Election Day at some outdoor celebration for Walt's campaign as a waiter with an ice pick, chipping ice for food and drinks. After Cady had the accident Branch examined the wrecked car, got a partial fingerprint and deduced that it was Ridges who used the ice pick to sabotage her car's tires to cause a flat, and it was just bad luck that Bob the rodeo clown's son was a bit over the limit and hit her car while she was changing the tire. Then I missed a bit but Ridges made a fake suicide video which didn't fool Branch and in the process of tracking him down Branch got shot and drugged.

Edited July 17, 2014 by CoderLady