Standoff

Oh, Mexico. Whenever it makes an appearance on TV, it never lets me down. I was loving the Wild West imagery tonight: From the camera's pan up toward the blazing sun between scenes to the traditional shot of the shack framed in the foreground by Emily’s hand at the ready beside her holster. I was half expecting a few tumbleweeds. Or maybe even some nice tavern-door swinging. But all jokes aside, the situation in which Matt and Emily found themselves tonight was pretty gritty. There was so much carnage, so much venom.

I guess a change in location really did turn the tables, because everything seemed to be opposite from what it usually is. There was very little talking, reasoning or bargaining. There was a lot of shooting. Matt and Emily were not in control of the situation. The “bad guy," Felix, was just that: really, really bad. Downright villainous. Cheryl was not able to save the day. Overall, there were no warm and fuzzies coming from this episode at all. That said, I thought this was an excellent installment. It was really compelling to see a new side to these characters when all protocol and comfort zones were stripped away.

I do have a few questions, though. I found myself wondering how Lestak couldn’t offer Cheryl any tips about where to find the team if the D.E.A. officers that report to him knew about hideouts in Mexico off the top of their heads. Wouldn’t there be some type of documentation? I’m not saying that this situation is impossible, but it just made me wonder. Also, I’m not totally sure I buy that Ramon would just let Matt and Emily go, even after he found out about Felix’s betrayal. I mean, sure, I know he’d want some revenge, but the agents just killed several of his men (with many remarkable shots, I might add). Don’t you think that might have made him a wee bit angry? Perhaps that’s just how it works in a cartel. Lives are expendable. It’s a scary thought. And finally, why didn’t anyone gag Felix? He was driving me nuts! I was glad that Emily shot him.

I have to give a little recognition to some great scenes with Gina Torres (who plays Cheryl) tonight. Normally, I love how pushy her character is; she is tough with everyone she meets, whether an opposing branch of the justice system or her own subordinates. She is about business and little else, yet never comes off as cold or unsympathetic. That’s a tough role to play, and I think she does it well. But tonight she took it to a new level. When she was interrogating Jeanette and learned about Tucker’s real paternity, she was especially brutal. She made a threat to jail Jeanette for being an accessory to the murder of federal agents and then said, “Who’s gonna take care of little Tucker then?” Ouch! She wasn’t playing to a mother’s sympathies and asking her to think of her child’s best interest. No, she seemed to almost take pleasure in the idea of seeing Tucker become an orphan and the subsequent pain it would cause Jeanette. Yes, it certainly seems pretty cold, but, man, what an effective way to get what she wants. I would love to see an episode with her in the field. Maybe even negotiating with a hostage. I bet verbally sparring with her could wear a hostage-taker down in about 15 minutes. She’d take no prisoners. Well, actually, that’s exactly what she’d do. Scratch that.

Looks like we’ve got a bit of a break coming up until new episodes air. Everyone have a safe and relaxing holiday and happy 2007!

Angela was great tonight. Maybe even the best guest star of the season so far. She was a nice addition to the show because she actually made me see the hostage norms that I have come to take for granted in the last several weeks in a different light. Now I think I’ve written “Poor hostage taker” nearly every week, but it was new to hear it coming from the negotiation end. I suppose it’s a necessity for negotiators to keep some amount of emotion distance from the HTs, though. They can’t sympathize to the levels that Angela did; of course they have to choose the safety of the innocent bystander first. That said, maybe it is important to understand both the bad and the good in a criminal. Angela seemed to have a special talent for that. Even Matt and Emily pointed that out.

And while her ability to empathize was touching, my jaw hit the floor at the audacity of her call to bring in an armored truck. Now I’ve been told once or twice that I’m a smidge bossy (patently untrue, by the way), but never in a million years would I decide I know better than the F.B.I., as much as I may disagree with their decisions. Holy cow. Unfortunately, Angela soon regretted her rash decision after one of the hostages was killed. The actress who played Angela, Kym Whitley, really showed her range here, shifting from defiant to helpless to sympathetic to pigheaded to noble. I’d find that fluctuation in character hard to believe in most cases, but she really pulled it off. I especially enjoyed when she told Matt and Emily, “This is a hit,” when they wanted her to get the HTs in position for the snipers. It was one of those moments that made me stop and think, “Oh, yeah, she’s right.” I imagine the guilt she felt over that won’t soon be forgotten. What a tough decision to make.

In the midst of all this drama, Matt and Emily were again sorting through their own. I’m not sure I really understood the whole thing, though. Emily left early in the morning before Matt woke up. Got it. But what was the deal with the jackhammers? Office Space reference? I did enjoy how the various units of the hostage rescue team were gossiping amongst themselves. It’s true that we never really leave high school. I wasn’t so convinced, however, by the ending. I’m not sure “I got spooked” would be a good enough resolution for me. Matt seemed to accept it, though, so maybe the two of them are on the same page. Or maybe the fact that the situation was resolved with very little discussion is a bad thing. Talking is what they do best! Could the lack of communication point to the two of them losing interest in their relationship?

Finally, I’ll end with one last bit of Angela praise. She should win the award for the most apt statement of the year: “Your job sucks.” Very, very well said.

Yes! I think this is the episode that Standoff fans have been waiting for. It was compelling from start to finish, hands down. I think that maybe what made it so intriguing was that it hit close to home. Of course, this situation isn’t something that most viewers have experienced personally (at least I hope not), but the pains of adolescence and school violence have become a very real possibility for kids today. Coincidentally, I was just having a conversation this afternoon about whether I would consider searching my child’s room when I have kids. While I know it’s a very serious invasion of privacy and breach of trust, it’s a tricky call to make when your child’s life could literally be at stake. I’m sure this was what Cary’s father was thinking as well when he decided to go to the FBI. How scary it must have been for him to find all those drawings and rants in his son’s room.

His surprise over Cary’s plans, however, was not unique. I thought the interviews with the different sets of parents were a very effective way to show how little they truly knew about their children. But it was a well-done scene, because there wasn’t one moment where I thought they were bad parents. (Well… maybe Tina’s mom was a bit questionable.) They just didn’t think to delve into their kids’ lives beyond what they saw on paper or heard at the dinner table. The episode did a great job of portraying the judgment calls parents and authority figures must make to determine what is a genuine threat. I mean, I’m sure most teenagers have some sort of revenge fantasy — though not necessarily in violent form — but is there any concrete way to decide who is really unstable enough to follow through? I don’t know. Tough call.

Owen definitely had enough motivation, the poor kid. Noel Fisher as Owen did an excellent job portraying both chillingly homicidal and devastatingly desperate. And who could blame him? When Matt and Duff went to his house, you knew something was awry. Meat-locker temperatures and bug spray? I’ve seen enough horror movies to know those components do not make for happy discoveries. Yikes. I was glad to learn that Owen played no role in his mother’s death, yet it made his character all the more tragic. This is the first episode where I found myself wondering what would happen to the hostage takers after the situation had been diffused. I know the characters aren’t real, but I’m still hoping something can be worked out for the other boys, and that poor Owen can get some help (and maybe a few hugs).

And finally, I give the Matt-Emily developments an A+ this week! I finally saw a little tenderness from Matt when he was asking Emily about being picked on in high school. His “I want names!” defense of her was a very small gesture, but it was sweet. That seems more like real life to me, which makes it more satisfying. I’m excited about this show again! I’m interested to hear what you guys think.

Wow. Tonight was hostage-tacular. We had Anya and Eddie, the mother and son at the church, the man on the bus, and then Anya and Graham. It was an outright action bonanza!

I have to confess, I jumped the gun and was disappointed that the Anya storyline appeared to be morphing into a Fatal Attraction situation. Luckily, it took a relatively fresh turn. The hostage became the hostage taker. Interesting. It surprised me that I’ve never really wondered what happens to the victims after each ordeal we witness in these episodes. But, yeah, it’s not hard to see how the victims could come undone after all the dust settles. I found myself thinking, “Poor Anya,” which was a lovely break from my usual “Poor, tormented HT” thoughts. (Though I should point out that by the end, Anya was the hostage taker, so I guess I really couldn’t go a whole episode without feeling sympathy for the criminal.) I’m still not entirely sure that Graham wrote that message on her windshield, however. The way she was forcing him to admit it to her made me think she was trying to convince herself. I’m wondering if perhaps we haven’t seen the last of Anya. She seemed to have a pretty fair amount of crazy in her. Add to that some extensive trauma and a crush on her negotiator. Sounds like a recipe for a returning character. Just a thought…

Now onto Matt. Seriously, what is his deal? He always seems to be the one who lets his emotions get in the way of his work and his relationship. Emily seems so much more reliable and consistent. Why isn’t she the partner that gets to take the lead? And I mean “partner” in both senses. I hate to be the kind of fan who calls for the end of a happy TV romance, but I’m starting to root for Emily to kick Matt to the curb. He’s just not all that good to her. He’s aloof and, at times, inconsiderate. But the most frustrating thing is that Emily won’t yell at him. She usually resorts to a few carefully phrased and calmly delivered interactions. But I suppose maybe that’s what it’s like to date a hostage negotiator; maybe they have better control of their emotions. And that, my friends, is why I’d be no good in the F.B.I.

Here are just a few final random notes on the episode:
1. The other two standoffs in the peripheral storylines dealt with immigration and city employee pensions and benefits. Has FOX decided to get subtly political?
2. Why were Emily and Matt investigating the stalking case? I mean, I understand committing yourself to a case, but these guys are hostage negotiators. I doubt the bureau would want them spending time tracking down creeps for something that is not an active crisis.
3. I cringed a bit watching the man playing Tio (Eddie’s brother) do the “tough guy” act with Matt in the interrogation room. It was so awkward and unconvincing. Sorry Tio!

Tonight’s episode was most notable for its surprising portrayal of the guest stars. Few acted or spoke exactly as one might expect based on their physical appearances.

First we had Doug, who looked like he just stepped out of a Harley convention. He was splattered with blood and appeared to be one of the most brutal hostage takers we’d seen yet. But then we found out that all of this — the shooting, the car chase, the standoff — was because he wanted to adopt a baby. And the actual image of his struggle was even more interesting. When Doug held the baby with such tenderness, it was a striking juxtaposition of large and small, world-weary and innocent.

Then there was Avery Steele. At first glance, I wrote him off as another “shock jock” hoping to out-outrageous Howard Stern. But wait, there was a catch! This guy actually had a social conscience. He wasn’t using his antics to exploit beautiful women or the mentally impaired. No, his ultimate fantasy was the truth. But still I’m not entirely sure I bought the whole thing. He’s just not the kind of guy I picture when I listen to NPR or Air America. Plus, his groupies looked like they were straight out of Airheads. (Side note: Why is it that when young wild and crazy kids gather together for something “outrageous” on TV, I feel like I’m watching clips of MTV’s Spring Break programming circa 1990? It’s time to update the stereotype, people.) But despite all this, I still think it was an interesting depiction of the guy, bad shirt and all. I was so glad when Cheryl said, “You’re dumber than that shirt makes you look.” Thank you! That thing was killing me.

Along with that zinger, Cheryl was back in full effect flexing her boss muscles again this week. I was sure when Emily challenged her decision to go down to the radio station that they would reach some type of happy agreement, but they actually butted heads this time. Naturally, at the end they were both ready for a group hug, but still, it’s good to see that not everything always runs smoothly over at the FBI. (If there’s a joke there, I promise it was unintentional.)

And now here’s my one complaint for the evening. Buckle up. For the first fifteen minutes or so, neither the viewer nor Doug knew there was a baby inside the house. But how did that baby sleep through a crash in his front yard, an armed mad man knocking down the door and flinging the babysitter across the room, lots of yelling and police activity outside, and a large piece of furniture being moved in front of the door? As a new aunt myself (to a niece that could possibly be the cutest child on the planet), I realize that if parents continue their everyday routines of running the vacuum and speaking in a normal tone, most babies will adapt and sleep right through it. But come on, not waking up for a dramatic hostage situation? Maybe that baby was worth all the trouble after all. (I know, bad joke! I couldn’t resist!)

Now, I don’t want to alarm anyone, but my psychopathic-killer instincts are frighteningly good. At the start of the episode, I had a hunch that this new string of shootings was not coming from the real G.L.A. If I were a detective and I started off the case summary by saying the suspect was breaking from a pattern he’s followed for decades, I might spy a red flag. The shootings had “copycat” written all over them. I also knew that Captain Bayless was a goner. His suave attitude and eagerness to appear the hero pretty much signed his death certificate. And while I didn’t find his death all that surprising, seeing it happen was still a pretty raw experience. And, man, so was Cheryl’s reaction to it. It’s understandable that she’d feel responsible, since she let him continue with the ill-advised press conference. But I found myself laughing incredulously when she suggested killing Donald to satisfy the demands of the real G.L.A. The lady has teeth! Yikes.

And speaking of Donald, geez. Poor, poor Donald. He was taking out random citizens of L.A. just to reconnect with his brother? How… sweet. (Which reminds me, I’ll have to start working on my Christmas shopping a little early this year.) So, not only did Donald long for his brother, but his abusive dad had just died. And on top of that, he felt conflicted and surprised by how much he missed his father, even though his childhood with him was awful. I’m beginning to think the premise of this show is to make me like criminals. Yes, I’m sure most folks on the wrong side of the law have a lot of pain and bitterness to fuel their behavior. But can we just once have a perp who’s outright bad? Or how about just plain old psychotic?

I guess we got relatively close to that once we met the real G.L.A., Lucas. He was definitely much scarier than Donald: so calm, so sophisticated. I mean, he was wearing what appeared to be a cashmere sweater, people! My mind can’t wrap itself around men’s casual homicidal style. Give me crazy hair and full-length flannel. Or maybe even a nice lampshade over the head. That makes sense, I can work with that.

Despite my uneasiness with Lucas’ sophistication, I must admit that I did find myself feeling a little twinge of regret over his death. On the other hand, though, it was nice to see Frank have a chance to save the day for a change and excel in his role on the team. Usually he comes off as too trigger-happy, but this time he was exactly what the doctor ordered.

Except in the case of Matt and Emily, that is. It seems he’s always setting Matt up to start treating her poorly. Of course, the analytical woman in me realizes that Matt is the one with the problem, not Frank. I’m not sure I entirely understand the motivation behind his actions, but in the past few episodes, we’ve seen Matt doubt and sometimes downright ignore his partner. Maybe Emily was right in saying she thought she lost her credibility as soon as the two of them got together, but it also feels like something else is awry. I just can’t quite put my finger on it yet. I’m hoping at some point we get to see Emily bare her teeth a bit if this pattern continues. You see, I’m all for remaining professional and trying to understand your partner’s point of view, but sometimes you just have to throw a carefully aimed Steve Madden pump at a man to get your point across. That’s hypothetically speaking, of course.

This episode started with a situation we’re used to seeing in great hospital shows like Scrubs and Grey’s Anatomy — the eccentric surgeon and his unique pre-op routine. But Dr. Wayne’s approach certainly added a new twist. Now, I doubt this is the first time we’ve ever seen doctors listen to rock music in the operating room, but there was something so disturbing about the way he gleefully tossed that pitcher of ice on the poor heart-bypass patient. Don't get me wrong, I definitely understand how "Dr. Feelgood” can make one lose one’s head, but maybe that’s why it should be reserved for cleaning the apartment on a Sunday afternoon — not for the O.R.

Of course, in this episode nothing was as it should be in the hospital. Poor M.J. was fighting for the life of his dying sister. Matt was losing his cool and letting his childhood trauma affect his work. There was a strange naked man lying on a stretcher who nearly caused the hostage rescue team to be blown up. Seriously, who was that guy? Does anyone know? Anyway, I thought one of the most engaging elements of tonight’s episode was Dr. Khoury’s elusiveness and his ethical dilemma. First off, I really have to wonder if any hospital would put up with a doctor who disappears from the face of the earth for days at a time. Isn’t the pager a wardrobe staple of every doctor out there? Aside from that, it was interesting to see him torn between his military and his medical instincts. And after we learned about his mentor’s unfortunate fate, it’s tough to blame him. I was definitely pleased, though, at the end, when he managed to show some sympathy for M.J. and his sister. I guess the humanity in him was stronger than the soldier.

Speaking of professional and personal conflict, Matt had a rough time in this episode as well. We found out that his mom was a police officer and was shot on duty and died. No wonder he doesn’t like hospitals (though I appreciated Emily’s response of “Yeah, who does?”). The flashback scenes were a little drawn out, but otherwise well done. I found myself questioning Cheryl’s judgment, however, once it became clear that she knew about Matt’s past and his potential conflict. How long was she going to let him ride on his emotions and put the negotiations in danger?

Luckily all ended well, and we got a touching and understated conclusion. Even though I’m guessing that it is highly unorthodox to uncuff a suspect after his arrest, I’m glad Matt let M.J. say goodbye to his sister. Also, I’m glad Emily was able to spend a moment or two in her girlfriend role, consoling Matt. He definitely needed it.

One last question: what happened to heart-bypass guy? Best of luck, buddy!

Stay tuned for my Standoff blog...