Season Two Episode Reviews
My review of the season two premiere is up. Spoilers ahoy:
http://www.geocities.com/rpcv.geo/intel14.html
http://www.geocities.com/rpcv.geo/intelligence.html
Now, that's a season premiere!
My main question is, wouldn't a standard shooting investigation involve collecting all the guns at the scene to make sure the ballistics match up with what the DEA guy is saying? So surely they'll find that it was "friendly fire" that killed the DEA agent and the homeless guy, not Jimmy. Who, of course, couldn't have killed anybody anyway. But right now, it's his word against theirs, and he knows full well that the direction seems to be, "Shoot first, ask questions later."
By the way, it's wonderful to see Hiro Kanagawa in a role he can get his teeth into. I felt like he was kind of wasted in "City Hall."
My main question is, wouldn't a standard shooting investigation involve collecting all the guns at the scene to make sure the ballistics match up with what the DEA guy is saying? So surely they'll find that it was "friendly fire" that killed the DEA agent and the homeless guy, not Jimmy. Who, of course, couldn't have killed anybody anyway. But right now, it's his word against theirs, and he knows full well that the direction seems to be, "Shoot first, ask questions later."
Yeah, that was my thinking, too. Long gone (if they ever really did exist) are the days when you could have an enormous shoot-up in a major city, especially one that involved the death of a cop, and you wouldn't have an equally enormous investigation afterward in which the careers of most of those involved were seriously and adversely affected. I thought that Haddock covered the reasons why very effectively in the Josie Hutchins shooting (in which the shooter was completely innocent, yet his career and sanity were still destroyed), so it puzzles me why he got into this "evil cops" shtick later on.
I can see George covering up and blowing things off. He's being portrayed effectively enough as a sociopath. But I find it difficult to believe that the idiot who shot his own buddy and the idiot who shot the homeless guy in the alley will be okeyfine afterwards. They both saw, quite clearly, what they did. They both know for a fact that Jimmy didn't shoot anybody. You can't tell me that they won't be walking wounded for a long time, especially since George's coverup will ensure that they get no counseling or other support.
And that's leaving aside the whole forensics issue. Of course they're going to want to go over the scene--they want to *convict* Jimmy, don't they? That's not going to happen based solely on eyewitness testimony. Jimmy's lawyer would have a field day shredding those DEA agents and that FBI guy knows it. They need forensics. If they'd managed to shoot Jimmy, then sure, they could have covered it up. But with a live suspect/witness (with money) loudly proclaiming his innocence from Canada...well, they're basically screwed in the long run.
And I agree with both of your points about Kanagawa. He was wasted last season and in City Hall. But he's having a good time his season. It's tough to make that kind of character sympathetic, but he's succeeding admirably.
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so it puzzles me why he got into this "evil cops" shtick later on.
You mean Brian? My guess is because there are cops who have gotten away with murder. Though, as you point out, that's much harder to pull off now than it used to be. The cops in "City Hall" were harder to figure out. I just feel like Haddock got a bunch of junk forced on him by CBC, and he did the best he could with it but it just didn't come together very well. It's clear to me that "Intelligence" is much more his vision, just as "Inquest" appeared to be throughout most of its run. It was only when "City Hall" came along that that train ran off the rails. I'm glad to see that he's back in the game, and so stunningly, with this series, and CBC seems content to let him do it his way. I hope it stays that way. share
Great review, Snowy.
But do you think you could turn up the enthusiasm a bit? :P
LOL!
shareGreat review, Snowy.
Thanks!
But do you think you could turn up the enthusiasm a bit? :P
[snicker] Sure, if I smoked crack. Lemme tell ya, it takes dedication to write that kind of review after each episode like that. I don't think I could do it for a 22-ep season.
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Lemme tell ya, it takes dedication to write that kind of review after each episode like that. I don't think I could do it for a 22-ep season.
I couldn't even do it during as short a season as we have for "Intelligence"; my memory ain't that great. So I salute you for managing it not only so well, but so quickly! share
You mean Brian? My guess is because there are cops who have gotten away with murder.
Sure, but they've done so under specific conditions--an out-of-control department or one that was very corrupt, and/or because they were protected by someone related to them. We only got hints of this with Brian and there was never any indication that he really mattered that much to anyone in the department (contrast this with the Dino storyline, which worked very well). Sure, he was a handy scumball to do dirty jobs and as a result, he knew things. But those are a dime a dozen and he'd long since reached the point where any sensible superior officer would have arranged an "accident" on the street for him.
Though, as you point out, that's much harder to pull off now than it used to be. The cops in "City Hall" were harder to figure out.
I just didn't buy that a smooth operator like Bill, who would sacrifice his own cousin (Dino) on the altar of his own political ambitions, would keep on his incompetent, backstabbing, firestarting, cheating brother-in-law (Charlie) as his personal assistant when doing so was clearly hurting his career. It didn't work for me. I understand that the department was deeply troubled under Graham. But if you're going to tell that story while it's still ongoing, you have to be brave and explain what's going on to the audience, even if it makes the real-life people you're talking about in a thinly veiled way really mad. My biggest gripe with DVCH was that the political machinations were all smoke and mirrors. We saw a lot of people wheeling and dealing and back rooms, but we never got inside their heads to see why most of them were doing what they were doing.
I just feel like Haddock got a bunch of junk forced on him by CBC, and he did the best he could with it but it just didn't come together very well.
A major problem (and this could well have been due to CBC's monkeying around) was that all of the regulars lost their considerable backstories between season seven and DVCH. Dom lost his family and various lust interests and gained two colorless handlers who were never fleshed out. Also, his vices and RCMP background were toned down. Mick lost his leather jacket, his screwy living situation, his brother, his incipient feud with Charlie and his PTSD. Chick's dark background was only hinted at. Leo simply disappeared. So did Kurtz's affair with Bill. Kosmo retained her unique connection with her ex-partner, Mick, and things were looking promising in a triangular sort of way when that IndoCanadian gang hit forced new partner Joe to try to set things right with her--but that storyline simply disappeared, too.
These were all great springboards for future stories, but they were simply excised, leaving a big void. And the new characters/storylines were never filled out enough (with the major exceptions of Zack and his activist buddy and Mick's disturbing cold case) to make us care about them. I think it could have been worked out in a second season, but CBC didn't bother to give them a second season. You know, make a big mess and walk away from it; that's CBC's motto.
It's clear to me that "Intelligence" is much more his vision, just as "Inquest" appeared to be throughout most of its run. It was only when "City Hall" came along that that train ran off the rails. I'm glad to see that he's back in the game, and so stunningly, with this series, and CBC seems content to let him do it his way. I hope it stays that way.
My biggest gripe with last season was that it didn't give Ian Tracey enough to do. Obviously, that is not likely to be a problem this season. So, I'm pretty happy with it so far, too.
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You know, make a big mess and walk away from it; that's CBC's motto.
Ain't that the truth.
Speaking of which: I wonder if they knew that CTV was scheduling "Corner Gas" at 9:30 p.m. on Mondays when they moved "Intelligence" to its Monday night slot. Move a show that needs to attract more viewers opposite the highest-rated Canadian show. Yeah, that'll work! *sigh* share