In This Section
TV Guide Spotlight
Also on TVGuide.com
|
« Numbers
Episode Recap: "Velocity"
Series creators Heuton and Falacci wrote this one, perhaps explaining a stronger sense of both the "open" and "closed" mystery aspects of the drama that was present in the previous two episodes, and the greater attention to mathematical detail. So, to get right to the spoilers... I missed the explanation of why the LAPD would ask the FBI to look into a vehicular manslaughter case. I know the team initially saw this as vehicular manslaughter because they didn't see the original suspect stagger out of the trunk of the street-racing car he was suspected of running into a coffeeshop. Hence the first strong "open" mystery thread; we the viewers know that their suspect, lying in a coma in a hospital, was not driving in the illegal race, but no one else does, except perhaps the assailant who stomped his head. So we waited for the FBI and academic investigators to determine this. Then there were the "closed" mystery questions of who assaulted the suspect, and who the actual driver of the crashed car was. We also got a nice rundown of how the team, using various methods of scene recreation and detection, managed to simultaneously narrow the focus and tie the accident to a three-year-old "cold case" hit-and-run.
A nice turn from Chris Bauer as the engineer Ray Galuski; because of his size and appearance, Bauer usually gets to play louts, and frequently dour or self-involved ones at that, so it's nice to see him in a role where his character can be gung-ho but also intelligent and display a certain breadth of spirit.
Tonight's most obvious paralllel-drawing might be between the nature of Charlie Eppes' work on the mathematical measure of friendship relations, and the still-strained attempts by Colby and the other FBI agents, save the empathic Megan, to rebuild their trust.
The mathematics instructors who comment most enthusiastically on the official website for the series no doubt will approve of this episode; I suspect the Scotts, at least, were pretty jazzed to have the show take on illegal street racing as well. All sorts of matrices were exploited simuntaneously.
And thanks, folks, for such a lively discussion in the comments section.
|
TVGuide Links:
|
|
|
|
Oct 12, 2007 11:49 PM
|
Hi Todd!
Yeah, I for one didn't notice he stumbled out of the trunk, but he did..nice catch. So I was as in the dark as everyone on the show!
I was unexpectedly on Charlie watch..in the beginning of the episode, he was as ragged and unshaven as he had ever been, but by the 30 minute mark was clean shaven and looking better...whew I say! 
Still no post in David Krumholtz's celebrity blog...mmm
Anyway, as usual, I liked this episode. I am still coming off the action-packed premiere though, and the revelation of Colby's undercover job, and that ep is hard to top in my book.
Next week's episode looks good too.
Hey, where is Millie? Is she coming back? Anyone know? I like her.
I also enjoyed Liz Warner in last week's episode, I hope we see alot of her this season! She is a great addition to the show.
|
|
Oct 13, 2007 12:40 AM
|
|
I love this show. It's different than any other cop show out there! But, and you knew there would be one...why would the FBI not have closed all exit routes when they were trying to arrest the perp at the street race? I know it's so we could see some drift racing, but it made me laugh out loud. If that's supposed to represent how our FBI conducts apprehension attempts, then we are all in mortal danger. LOL Still, I liked the look on Don's face when the guy drifted past not one, but two, patrol cars.
|
|
Oct 13, 2007 9:25 AM
|
I liked this episode. However I'd like to make an observation. When Charlie and Don were walking side by side, to my eyes it looked like a) Don lost a great deal of weight and b) the sweet, innocent, non violent Charlie could crush his older brother.
Is Charlie hiding something ... like working out (for health reasons, I'm sure)?!
|
|
Oct 13, 2007 10:26 AM
|
Todd, I'm confused. Are you saying that we, the TV viewers, were supposed to have realized that the coma patient was NOT the driver? I didn't get that at all. Both times the accident was shown, in 'real time' and again in flashback, it looked to me as if he could have been climbing out of the car behind the open driver's door, not the trunk. It was NOT obvious to me that he'd been in the trunk, so, like some others, I too had been under the impression that he was the driver.
Which leads me to the parallel that I drew. You mention the parallel between Charlie's friendship theory & the team at the FBI, which is true, as that friendship theory has been mentioned the past few episodes, since Colby had been vindicated. But to me there's another parallel, possibly not as obvious, but still true: the coma kid had been, according to all accounts, a great kid, respectful, hard-working, etc. Buying stolen parts for illegal street-racing cars was totally against his nature, but it was 'obvious' that he was guilty of driving into that storefront. But after a little more digging, it's discovered that he wasn't the driver, and hadn't killed anyone. He wasn't exactly innocent, but he wasn't the killer they'd thought him to be. Doesn't that sound a little like Colby's situation? Upstanding person, suddenly seen as guilty of something terrible, which everyone believes, and yet redeemed in the end.
I was a bit disappointed that Don didn't have anything more to say when Colby said he wanted to rejoin the team than "I'll look into it." He didn't resist, but he didn't look thrilled either. I think he's still not quite "there yet" when it comes to being able to look past what Colby did (even if he says he understands). I would have liked to see more reaction from Don, one way or the other, either in the stake-out car or when they were getting coffee at the end.
|
|
Oct 13, 2007 11:09 AM
|
|
Being a math major, and thankfully almost done haha, tonights episode i think may have been the best of the season mathematically wise. But i too am wondering were Millie is, she'll be back though. And i am glad to see Colby staying, also i bet most of you would agree, that the last scene with Colby seeing that David was doing something at his desk and then he finds out he got he bait back, that was awesome and easily one of my favorite scenes from the entire life of the show.
|
|
Oct 13, 2007 12:05 PM
|
Todd:
The FBI got involved because the car had parts from more than one car and I believe some were from out-of-state. They should have been investigating the car, but instead they investigated the accident.
Great episode otherwise. Colby got his lure back, but who has his paperweight?
|
|
Oct 13, 2007 12:32 PM
|
|
Oh, almost forgot... it was great to see the mechanical engineer, "Ray-ray," played by a big beefy guy who looks more like he'd be drinking beer & dunking geeks in the toilet. It was a good blow against the 'geek' stereotype. Also interesting that Alan is going to take some classes at CalSci... maybe now his contributions to the cases will be increased, and a little more natural.
|
|
Oct 13, 2007 12:45 PM
|
Todd:
Do you have any insider-info on whether or not Kathy Najimy will be returning? I am a HUGE fan and have been very disappointed that she has not made an appearance thusfar. I think she added a lot to an already stellar cast.
|
|
Oct 13, 2007 2:23 PM
|
|
The lure David placed on Colby's desk lamp...was that a replacement or the one Colby's dad made him?
|
|
Oct 13, 2007 5:19 PM
|
Jena, nice catch on the Colby - coma kid parallel. I didn't see that till you mentioned it.
It was nice to see Chris Bauer who played Ray-Ray and I would like to see him back some more.
I'm happy that there's a possibility of Alan getting more involved in the show now that he is taking classes. I enjoy Judd Hirsch as an actor and his character is the kind of father I would love to have.
I am not a big fan of Millie (Kathy Najimy) and unlike most of you, I would be very happy for her to go away and for Alan to find a new love interest.
|
|
Oct 13, 2007 5:57 PM
|
|
No - David had taken the lure as a souvenir of his friend. He was returning it.
|
|
Oct 13, 2007 7:20 PM
|
|
How did you know that the72John?
|
|
Oct 13, 2007 7:38 PM
|
I enjoyed this, as I always do, and was confused as to why the FBI would be involved in the case, so thanks for the answer in the blog. I know I wasn't asleep so I'm wondering HOW you knew the driver wasn't the driver but was in the trunk? I could have sworn he got out of the driver's side door. Wish I had it taped so I could go back now. Makes me feel better to see most bloggers didn't catch that either.
I'd like to see Millie back, or at least an explanation of WHY she's not at the college. Think having David replace the lure was a way of apologies and a welcome home, and thought Don NOT accepting Colby's return outright made it ring truer because they still do feel a bit betrayed but in the long run we know they'll all get back to the comraderie they had before. FUN show, and when is our returning astronaut going to leave the missionary and get back on campus??
|
|
Oct 13, 2007 9:29 PM
|
Subtext? An understanding of literary and dramatic devices?
Colby didn't just want some random lure, he wanted the lure his father had made for him. It wouldn't make any sense for David to just tie some random lure to his lamp and then bug out when he was spotted. The logical, dramatic conclusion to draw from those scenes was that A) The lure was missing because it was taken by someone who conisdered Colby a friend and who wanted a momento and B) that David was returning it as a gesture.
When a long-time friend leaves an office or moves away, friends often filtch something that reminds them of that person. It's possible I'm wrong, but I doubt it.
David putting some random new lure on Colby's desk is cheap sentimentality and doesn't have the impact of the other.
|
|
Oct 13, 2007 10:00 PM
|
|
|
