As Walker heads into its final five episodes, the show is taking some innovative turns, which I’m really enjoying. I don’t like media to be too predictable, and while some things still are (Stella, I’m looking at you…), there’s plenty going on that’s not. In fact, some of it is downright confusing, which I actually don’t mind as long as there’s eventually an explanation.
Full disclosure, my good friend Alana King is the post production coordinator on this episode, but seriously, look at this episode!
I love the look of it, the innovative editing, the music, everything! Jared Padalecki’s portrayal of Cordell is fascinating right now – what’s going on in his head?? We can so clearly see that he is not okay, even as he keeps insisting he is, because of all the little nonverbal cues Padalecki uses to tell us in no uncertain terms that something is very wrong.
But what exactly is it? I love that I’m asking that question.
The “previously” ends with Cordell knocked out by the Jackal, which is….interesting. I had heard that this episode was kinda trippy and maybe a little unreal, so I was already looking for clues that things might not be as they seem, and that felt like it could be one. We’ll see…
Not On The Same Page at HQ
Cordell wakes up at 3 am in the dark, falling back to the mattress and looking like I do when I REALLY don’t wanna get up in the morning.
There’s a montage of the morning that’s beautifully cut together but also confusing, as Cordell goes back to his wall of weird and Captain James starts his morning out with the case too, while Cassie and Trey talk about their upcoming interviews for lieutenant.
Everything is weird right off the bat though, HQ nearly deserted other than Cassie and Trey. And Cordi and Geri sitting in the lounge area. Geri is back, excited to tell Cordell about her plans for the new Side Step, and a bit annoyed with him – as she puts it – “boy listening”. He’s distracted, twitchy, on edge. Geri talks about it as their business, the next step in their lives.
Cordi: I’m so happy for you.
Ouch.
She urges him to think about taking a break – a vacation even.
Both are themes of the episode, the tension between “us” and “you” and how decisions can be made that are one or the other and maybe not seen in the same way by two people. And also the theme of needing to step back and take a break, or risk getting tunnel vision and making some very bad decisions. I like that the show tackles a lot of those universal themes, that all of us can relate to. Communication between two people is hard, whether you’re partners or siblings, related by blood or otherwise. When are things about “us” and when is something just about “you”?
There’s also an underlying tension throughout the episode because of time pressure, and isn’t that realistic to just about all of our lives? James says they need to have a real breakthrough by the end of the day or the Jackal case will be turned over to the FBI, which nobody is happy to hear (though I can’t help but think that might be a good thing!) As they go over the loose ends, Cordell has that pounding and ringing in his ears, as they talk about the one victim who got away. They all recall that victim said the digoxin made him feel like he was crazy, or on an acid trip, or having a lucid dream.
Hmmmmm. Lucid dream, huh? Hmmm.