Sunday, June 28, 2015

Rookie Blue 6x01 "Open Windows" (Strength In All The Right Places) [Contributor: Hope]


"Open Windows"
Original Airdate: June 25, 2015

Hey everyone! I’m new here, and I am happy to be reviewing Rookie Blue for the next couple of months. I’ve been watching this show since the pilot, and I’m so happy it’s back for 11 more episodes this summer. I hope you’ll join me in watching it, and bear with me during my newbie effort at reviewing.

While this episode focused a lot on Andy and the case of the week, it did a good job touching base on all – or most of – the various characters’ story arcs, even if it did so briefly. I’ll start my discussion with Chris Diaz, because his storyline is bugging me. Chris was always the good-hearted, optimistic guy, and that was a wonderful thing. He balanced out the original five rookies perfectly, and while he wasn’t always the most dramatic character, he made up for it by say, bringing in a tin of muffins or bringing home a puppy by hiding it in his jacket. This storyline, first with his downward spiral into addiction, and now with his relationship with Inspector Jarvis’s wife… it’s only making me cringe. However, this revelation is the perfect opportunity for the show to turn his character back around. He didn’t know she was even married until this episode, and this would be the place for him to do another 180°.

Moving on. Nick wants to join the ETF (like SWAT, but they do more psychological profiling and negotiating) and now he’s also stuck with Duncan as his rookie. Traci had to be interrogated in this episode, and I am interested to see if it will impact her own interrogations in the future. Gail is still in the process of adopting Sophie. Dov has known about Marlo’s pregnancy for a while now, but hasn’t told anyone, which says a lot about how trustworthy he is (although his first loyalties probably go to Andy, so it’s interesting that he kept it from her. It probably helped that she was on vacation) and he’s still upset with Chloe. Chloe is still her babbling, hilarious self, holding down the desk with Juliet, who… well, I don’t know what to make of her. I want Nick to be happy, because he’s such a good guy. He was so understanding with Andy when they broke up (and a great Breakup Buddy before that, when they were just friends), and is generally good-natured about everything. The last thing he needs is get wrapped up in whatever is going on with Juliet. She seems to be a spy for somebody and not actually a transfer from Vancouver. Who is she investigating, and should we be concerned? Maybe she’s watching Inspector Jarvis – because, for the record, I totally think he planted that bomb in the evidence locker.

Now we’ve come to Andy, who had a rough episode. First, she’s attacked by a man who climbs in through the balcony. Then she’s told that 15 Division can’t warn their citizens about this criminal because it will compromise the investigation. She argues: “I’m not upset. I’m invested.” It was such a great topic to tackle, because it was such a complicated decision. You obviously don’t want to undo any progress that’s been made in the case, but the people have the right to know and protect themselves. These cops have the right and responsibility to protect them. It didn’t go so well but… 15 Division tried, and their hearts were in the right place.

Then there was the news about Marlo and her pregnancy. I am SO glad they didn’t draw this out. Minutes into the episode, Marlo tells Sam. Sam’s first reaction (other than an expression adequately described by the emoticon O.O) was to call Andy and tell her. How Sam handled and reacted to this shone a spotlight on his character growth over the series and kept him completely in-character, and it was just so well done. Not only that, but Andy’s reaction was just what it should have been for her. She needs space and walks away, but she’s not afraid to express her feelings. Later when she’s with Traci at the police department, she’s crying. And when Traci asks if she’s okay, she simply says “No.” She’s not going to pretend she’s feeling differently than she is, with Traci or Sam. She’s going to feel, she’s going to come to terms with it, and she’s going to do that in her own way. Traci doesn’t ask any questions and just supports her.

I love how the female characters on this show are so strong – they’re cops, I mean, come on – but being strong doesn’t mean they can’t cry, that they can’t be unnerved if someone broke into their apartment, and that they don’t have trouble doing a pull-up like Chloe did, because, let’s face it, that’s HARD. I would cry. I would freak out. And I most certainly would not have managed that pull-up. They can take down bad guys any day, but they’re human in a way we can all relate to. They don’t have an unattainable, unrelatable level of emotional strength. They can be hurt, confused, and just plain tired of the drama, which is perfectly acceptable and does not at all compromise their strength.

So now we have two ongoing cases: the evidence-locker bomb case (Jarvis, I’m watching you) and the case from this episode. How much will they be a part of this season? Stay tuned, and I'll be back to talk about episode two next week.

Notepad:
  • “You just chew and then you smile, you chew and then you smile.” Gail about eating her brother’s presumably terrible food. I loved the delivery of this line.
  • Did we ever get to see that mind-map Chloe and Dov made…? I don’t feel like we did, and that’s a crime.
  •  “I need a bro.” Poor Nick. Duncan is going to drive him crazy and it’s going to be hilarious.
  • “That would be like Oliver and Andy. Oh, gross. Wipe the mind. Wipe the mind.” Complete with mind-wiping hand motions from the one and only Chloe.
  • Guy who tried to break into his ex’s apartment via the balcony: “Okay, [I’ll stop] but I’m going to fall.” Andy: “So then fall.” And this was BEFORE her day got even worse.
  • Can Oliver Shaw please be the staff sergeant of 15 Division forever? Please and thank you.
  • “She’s genuine.” – Juliet speaking the truth about Chloe. Can we have a spin-off where Chloe just spurts her Chloe-isms all day? And can Felicity Smoak be a guest character on it?
  • Anyone have thoughts or quotes to share? I’d love to read them.

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