Episode 2 continues right after the excellent premiere. The stylistic flourishes are still here, this season already just feels like it's on another level from the last. Vic, Shane, and Ronnie are still trying to recover their name on the streets, and that leads them to "Doomsday." A guy who has been terrorizing some local shop owners. They don't have a warrant to do anything with him so they zip tie him inside his own closet to get to him later. The Strike Team get on another case missing Lem, with multiple homicides, and it turns out Doomsday is related. A witness doesn't want to talk, but eventually describes him as evil, and Vic says "A lot of people want to know what evil looks like." As the camera zooms in on Vic. Wow! Very subtle The Shield. But seriously I love how this show doesn't try to hide that the protagonist is not a good person, in fact they're basically the villain. Some similar shows, like Dexter for example. Sometimes seemed like they were justifying the protagonist and trying to let them get away with the trouble they ultimately deserve. This season is proving different as it shows true consequences for the characters, and even with small things like leaving Doomsday unattended, who manages to free himself from the zip ties, committing more murders because of the Strike Team, even decapitating dogs heads! He's called Doomsday for a reason. "Guess Doomsday ain't a member of PETA." Lem comes back but something's off. They find Doomsday but the witness refuses to testify leaving the strike team in a predicament once again. In the interrogation Lem doesn't let Vic get dirty and threatens Doomsday himself. The strike team are obviously trying to figure out a way to get Doomsday off the streets and get the power they've lost back. Lem again leaves because he's feeling sick. Is his ulcer acting up again, perhaps from stress? Ronnie hilariously says, "He gonna get payed for the day?" The way they figure out how to get rid of Doomsday is actually quite smart, and one of my favorite parts of the episode. The way this scene is shot and directed really puts us in the shoes of Doomsday with the uneasiness leading to his own... doomsday. Ok, sorry for that, moving along. To get rid of Doomsday they send him off to be arrested for possession of a gun in Mexico which is way more severe than in the U. S. A. This entire scene was very well done, and shows how the Strike Team has matured and figured out ways to get rid of people in cleaner ways.
What's been up with Lem?! Back at the beginning, Lem is being held hostage by the law, Kavanaugh, who threatens prison for him if he leaves. So much great dialogue and tension in this scene. Kavanaugh once again beautifully directs the conversation to his advantage. It is truly tragic that a seemingly good guy like Lem got turned to corruption because of Vic. He brings up all the CI's that have worked for the Strike Team, all who we have seen and the show, and all who have died. I never really put it into perspective how many people ended up dying related to the Strike Team, and that's one of the elements I adore of this season. It's really putting everything out there, even going as far as to recontextualizing events from the first episodes! But I'll get to that later. Kavanaugh goes to get help from Aceveda. Is it just me or are there some sexual undertones in the dialogue? "Back at the motel... Feel him out before I make a move, you know?... I mean, I'm trying to get inside it, and I will get inside it." I don't really know, perhaps I'm missing something, but I just found it amusing when I heard the dialogue. The Shield really got me over analyzing everything, huh... Anyways, he wants Aceveda to be there, and he wants again pokes at his moral compass. I never really realized how reluctant Aceveda is when trying to do the right thing, like it seems like he does want to clean up the department, but he only pushes it as far as it's convenient towards him, but now he has a chance to go against Mackey so of course he takes it. Kavanaugh and Aceveda continue to push at Lem, and reveal that the department wants someone has to take the fall. Terry is brought up again and everything is brought into light, for Lem and for the audience. Kavanaugh and Aceveda realize that Lem didn't know. This entire scene is filled with such great acting and dialogue once again. At first I was confused, but then I realized that's right. Lem and Ronnie weren't in the room when Shane and Vic shot Terry... Uh I mean Two-Time shot Terry, sorry Vic. But seriously my mind was blown that such a small detail set up all the way back in the pilot was actually important all the way in season 5! Wow, honestly, pure brilliance, it makes me appreciate how the beginning of the show far more. It also makes the scene in the beginning of episode 2 when Lem punches a car window breaking the glass, and Ronnie agonizing over not clearing the room hit way harder because they were being truthful. All this time Vic and Shane hid this from them, and the show somehow hid this from the audience too. I'm sure some people realized this but it seemed like such a small detail it's still shocking when its brought up again over half the show later. This is also the perfect thread to pull from with Lem. The fact that Vic has been lying to him all this time... Like Kavanaugh said, "This changes everything." And now Lem is placed on the wire!
Now this episode was mainly amazing because of the storyline with the Strike Team, and Lem, but of course there's still a lot more greatness happening during this episode.
Dutch and Claudette find a new case of a drunk man in a coma. Dutch believes it was an assault, but Claudette oddly wants to move on from this case and dismisses it as just a drunk guy who passed out and hurt himself. Reminder that this is Claudette, the most morally righteous character on the show, who would not give up on trying to prove a break in counted as murder since the victim got a heart attack, even if it wasn't right in the end, so we know something's really off with Claudette. Turns out there's this entire elaborate plot from a Church Minister and the drunk guy in a coma's wife who wanted to have an affair, but to not betray their vows, they had to use his aversion therapy as an excuse for his death, so that they can be together. Claudette actually leaves for a supposed "errand" most of this case which continues to show something is wrong. Shockingly Claudette lets the case go despite Dutch being so sure he's guilty, something must be seriously wrong with Claudette. It's pretty sad that after everything Claudette has gone through the thing that is dampening her sense of justice is some sickness.
Julien and Tina stop a fight that ends badly for Tina. Just like Danni warned last episode, one of her earrings get ripped out, and enraged she begins to beat the guy with a baton using excessive force. Julien would know about excessive force! The scene between them where Julien scolds her is another great scene. Tina mentions this to Danni, but Danni obviously backs him up. However, Danni does defend her to Julien too, not wanting Tina to have that on her permanent record, and relates it back to them, with how she let Julien get away with some mistakes too. I'm liking how Danni has been having a seemingly bigger and more interesting role this season after she seemed forgotten last season.
Kavanaugh continues his uncomfortable lie of his ex wife and autistic child to get information off of Vic's ex-wife, and she reveals that Vic always comes up with the money they need. I wonder if Kavanaugh's lies about his son, and wife may have some truth to it.
Finally, the amazing ending for the amazing episode. Lem on the wire confronts Vic about Terry. The dialogue in this scene is very precise, notice how Vic responds to what Lem says, and how he displaces everything from him and deflects the truth. Lem asks what happened that night, and Vic instantly says Lem was there, so he would know, and recites the lie he tells everyone. Lem says, "He was my friend." Vic's reply to Lem bringing up his dead friend is that "I'm you friend." Vic's posturing, HE is the important one, it is what HE says it is. Lem gets mad and starts pushing him, in part to hide the fact that he's disconnecting the wire, but I also believe he is questioning the truth himself. Lem of course chooses Vic and explains his predicament, and that could be enough, but he has to know so he asks again, not for show this time, but for real. "You look me in the eye and you tell me the truth about Terry, okay? If I don't believe you, I'm going to start looking out for myself." Vic now pushes off of him and makes it about THEM "Don't listen to THEM, don't buy into THEIR bull..." Lem sees through this and keeps asking for the truth, but Vic now puts this on the team, and Lem's loyalty. "We're a team." "Yeah, that Terry was part of once. Now tell me." Vic can't accept the blame, "How can you even ask me that?" "If we're really a team, man, tell me the truth already." Vic can't even reply, and Lem scans his face realizing that he truly doesn't know the truth anymore. "Lem, we're in on this together. Everything's fine! We're fi... Everything's fine. Notice how Vic can't even say they're fine. Kavanaugh didn't get anything, Vic now knows they're being investigated and doesn't even know if Lem can be trusted anymore. Lem leaves and one thing's for sure. Nobody is fine.
What's been up with Lem?! Back at the beginning, Lem is being held hostage by the law, Kavanaugh, who threatens prison for him if he leaves. So much great dialogue and tension in this scene. Kavanaugh once again beautifully directs the conversation to his advantage. It is truly tragic that a seemingly good guy like Lem got turned to corruption because of Vic. He brings up all the CI's that have worked for the Strike Team, all who we have seen and the show, and all who have died. I never really put it into perspective how many people ended up dying related to the Strike Team, and that's one of the elements I adore of this season. It's really putting everything out there, even going as far as to recontextualizing events from the first episodes! But I'll get to that later. Kavanaugh goes to get help from Aceveda. Is it just me or are there some sexual undertones in the dialogue? "Back at the motel... Feel him out before I make a move, you know?... I mean, I'm trying to get inside it, and I will get inside it." I don't really know, perhaps I'm missing something, but I just found it amusing when I heard the dialogue. The Shield really got me over analyzing everything, huh... Anyways, he wants Aceveda to be there, and he wants again pokes at his moral compass. I never really realized how reluctant Aceveda is when trying to do the right thing, like it seems like he does want to clean up the department, but he only pushes it as far as it's convenient towards him, but now he has a chance to go against Mackey so of course he takes it. Kavanaugh and Aceveda continue to push at Lem, and reveal that the department wants someone has to take the fall. Terry is brought up again and everything is brought into light, for Lem and for the audience. Kavanaugh and Aceveda realize that Lem didn't know. This entire scene is filled with such great acting and dialogue once again. At first I was confused, but then I realized that's right. Lem and Ronnie weren't in the room when Shane and Vic shot Terry... Uh I mean Two-Time shot Terry, sorry Vic. But seriously my mind was blown that such a small detail set up all the way back in the pilot was actually important all the way in season 5! Wow, honestly, pure brilliance, it makes me appreciate how the beginning of the show far more. It also makes the scene in the beginning of episode 2 when Lem punches a car window breaking the glass, and Ronnie agonizing over not clearing the room hit way harder because they were being truthful. All this time Vic and Shane hid this from them, and the show somehow hid this from the audience too. I'm sure some people realized this but it seemed like such a small detail it's still shocking when its brought up again over half the show later. This is also the perfect thread to pull from with Lem. The fact that Vic has been lying to him all this time... Like Kavanaugh said, "This changes everything." And now Lem is placed on the wire!
Now this episode was mainly amazing because of the storyline with the Strike Team, and Lem, but of course there's still a lot more greatness happening during this episode.
Dutch and Claudette find a new case of a drunk man in a coma. Dutch believes it was an assault, but Claudette oddly wants to move on from this case and dismisses it as just a drunk guy who passed out and hurt himself. Reminder that this is Claudette, the most morally righteous character on the show, who would not give up on trying to prove a break in counted as murder since the victim got a heart attack, even if it wasn't right in the end, so we know something's really off with Claudette. Turns out there's this entire elaborate plot from a Church Minister and the drunk guy in a coma's wife who wanted to have an affair, but to not betray their vows, they had to use his aversion therapy as an excuse for his death, so that they can be together. Claudette actually leaves for a supposed "errand" most of this case which continues to show something is wrong. Shockingly Claudette lets the case go despite Dutch being so sure he's guilty, something must be seriously wrong with Claudette. It's pretty sad that after everything Claudette has gone through the thing that is dampening her sense of justice is some sickness.
Julien and Tina stop a fight that ends badly for Tina. Just like Danni warned last episode, one of her earrings get ripped out, and enraged she begins to beat the guy with a baton using excessive force. Julien would know about excessive force! The scene between them where Julien scolds her is another great scene. Tina mentions this to Danni, but Danni obviously backs him up. However, Danni does defend her to Julien too, not wanting Tina to have that on her permanent record, and relates it back to them, with how she let Julien get away with some mistakes too. I'm liking how Danni has been having a seemingly bigger and more interesting role this season after she seemed forgotten last season.
Kavanaugh continues his uncomfortable lie of his ex wife and autistic child to get information off of Vic's ex-wife, and she reveals that Vic always comes up with the money they need. I wonder if Kavanaugh's lies about his son, and wife may have some truth to it.
Finally, the amazing ending for the amazing episode. Lem on the wire confronts Vic about Terry. The dialogue in this scene is very precise, notice how Vic responds to what Lem says, and how he displaces everything from him and deflects the truth. Lem asks what happened that night, and Vic instantly says Lem was there, so he would know, and recites the lie he tells everyone. Lem says, "He was my friend." Vic's reply to Lem bringing up his dead friend is that "I'm you friend." Vic's posturing, HE is the important one, it is what HE says it is. Lem gets mad and starts pushing him, in part to hide the fact that he's disconnecting the wire, but I also believe he is questioning the truth himself. Lem of course chooses Vic and explains his predicament, and that could be enough, but he has to know so he asks again, not for show this time, but for real. "You look me in the eye and you tell me the truth about Terry, okay? If I don't believe you, I'm going to start looking out for myself." Vic now pushes off of him and makes it about THEM "Don't listen to THEM, don't buy into THEIR bull..." Lem sees through this and keeps asking for the truth, but Vic now puts this on the team, and Lem's loyalty. "We're a team." "Yeah, that Terry was part of once. Now tell me." Vic can't accept the blame, "How can you even ask me that?" "If we're really a team, man, tell me the truth already." Vic can't even reply, and Lem scans his face realizing that he truly doesn't know the truth anymore. "Lem, we're in on this together. Everything's fine! We're fi... Everything's fine. Notice how Vic can't even say they're fine. Kavanaugh didn't get anything, Vic now knows they're being investigated and doesn't even know if Lem can be trusted anymore. Lem leaves and one thing's for sure. Nobody is fine.
