Holy Crap that was a BAD Episode last night. WOW. ****SPOILERS***
It's not that they showed the episode out of order. That's fine. I get it. The network wants to front load the season with strong episodes so people are hooked by the time the first clunker comes on. I get that. It's also not the actors (okay, part of the problem is ONE of the actors, but that's been an issue from the word "go." But this episode looked like amateur hour from start to finish.
The writing was so obvious, boring and been-there-done-that, I got frustrated almost immediately and it never got better. And the direction was ridiculous! The first scene where she walks up to the bar and puts her finger to her ear to talk to Sean? Why not wear a neon sign that says, "Hi, I'm undercover and wearing an ear-piece." Then she talks to Sean at normal volume WHILE SITTING NEXT TO HER SUSPECT as if she is in the Cone of Silence and the guy sitting right next to her can't hear. SHe doesn't even try to hide the fact that she's talking to someone no one there can see. Except we can. He's in the direct line of sight of the suspect who then makes eyes at him. So what do Michelle and Sean do? They trade seats (making a point of it) and Michelle makes no attempt at trying to look inconspicuous. Instead she holds up her beer as a toast WHILE THE SUSPECT IS LOOKING IN HER DIRECTION.
When she thought Sean was in the blast, did anyone buy that Michelle had any real concern considering she tottered up (it wasn't a run or a jog, it was high-heel quickstep) but stopped several feet away from him? And they're close? She didn't even touch him or check to make sure he was okay. That's crappy direction, my friends. And I'm sorry but Rebecca really just doesn't sell emotion and I feel no chemistry (she was great on Ugly Betty, but that was an over-the-top telanovela.) I just don't buy anything that comes out of her mouth as real Even her retorts are lame (the writers' fault). Especially this episode. Even Miles O'Keefe has been stuck with wooden lines that he clearly can't believe he has to say.
And can someone tell the writers the trick is to get the audience into the scene late and leave early? So much extra dialogue that doesn't do anything to move the story forward and lame act breaks that feel completely contrived and not at all compelling. The actors deserve better. If they're lucky enough to get a next season, maybe they'll get a new writing staff because between this week (and a fair amount of last week's dialogue) they are just not bringing the A-Game these actors and characters deserve.
Oh, what now? I'm in shock. Look, I've got a blanket! ~ Sherlock