Say what you will about city crime, but it always comes down to the person or persons responsible. It's one thing for someone to defend against a home invasion, yet quite another if death comes to a criminal for reasons less clear cut.
For Det. Don Flack (Eddie Cahill), being a cop has an advantage — those who break the law are required to deal with consequences. As the son of a law enforcement officer, he gladly followed in his father's footsteps. A badge means more to him than it simply being a job identification symbol. After a teenager dies while in his custody, the resulting investigation leaves him breathless.
This just might have been Eddie Cahill's best work in the past five seasons. He aptly portrayed a full range of emotions as the episode unfolded. Should there have been a double-check of what happened? Of course there should have. For all the department knew, they could have had a bad cop on their hands who crossed the line one too many times. However, having one's guilt assumed at the outset is hard for an innocent person to take, and I was glad to see the depth of Flack's worry explored.
How could someone who was fine when first questioned be dead not long after he got to the police station? Gary Sinise played his part to perfection, gathering evidence so doubt could be quickly laid to rest. Mac Taylor is loyal to his friends, but is willing to take down anyone if he finds them to be a bad apple. I find it hard to imagine what the scene would have been if Flack had to be arrested, but I also realize these two actors are experienced enough to handle the job.
Emmanuelle Vaugier came back to play Det. Angell again, and her acting chops shone as she defended her partner with a take no prisoners style. My only problem was when she got upset over people knowing about their relationship. Did she honestly believe no one would notice?
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Article comments
1 - Lee
Sadly, February sweeps were moved to March, so that the digital changeover in the States doesn't affect the TV ratings.
I was excited to see some drama circling around Flack. Too bad they couldn't capitalize on it, and pretty much forgot about it about 10 minutes into the episode.
I understand why Angell would be upset with Flack, but that was not the most appropriate place to be having that conversation. She wants to know how people found out? Maybe it's other instances like that conversation they had right there. Or that time, in the bullpen, Flack told her they'd have to get their Irish Coffee another day. They weren't exactly hiding anything.
2 - NancyGail
Digital changeover? That has been advertised for months. The only thing needed is a box if the set is an older version.
No, Flackgell has not been discreet, BUT. The two of them dating could be a blow to their professions. I get the impression it's against ethics.
3 - Lee
I think the biggest issue between a relationship between Flack and Angell is when they're actually outside of the precinct. They could get too caught up in each other and get distracted. We saw it in Commuted Sentences, when they were flirting in the car and the woman they'd been tailing just let herself in the backseat without either of them noticing she'd been approaching them.
The digital changeover has been advertised for awhile, but it actually goes into effect (as of right now) February 17. Although I hear Congress will be voting on pushing the digital changeover back to June / July, since they ran out of fudning for coupons on the converter boxes.
4 - NancyGail
Anyone who has cable doesn't need a converter box. Flackgell might not have noticed the approach, but the woman they were tailing noticed THEM. Whoops!
5 - Lee
Your right.. anyone with cable or sattelite will not be affected. However, there are still quite a few people operating off of TV antennas, who will be.
It's kind of a moot point now, though, because the digital conversion has been pushed back to June. Although sweeps have been scheduled for March for quite some time, so they won't change it now.