Thursday, December 15, 2016

Scorpion 3x10 Review: "This is the Pits" (Ice Cream is Vanilla, Chocolate, and Strawberry. Period.) [Guest Contributor: Yasmine]


“This is the Pits”
Original Airdate: December 12, 2016

Another week and another episode — which, in the world of Scorpion, means another opportunity for Walter to risk his life in a crazy attempt to save a total stranger. I have to start by saying that I know why this season has been so enjoyable for me: it has been focused on Walter’s steady growth. His entire journey this year has been so well written — and so well-portrayed by Elyes Gabel — that it feels so natural, so real, and so vulnerable. For a show that relies heavily on the procedural, on the sometimes unrealistic science, and on the comedy, the writers have proven to me this year that they can do heavy character work with delicate intricacy as well.

This week’s case revolves around a woman who loses control of her car and, as a result, both her and her car sink to the bottom of the tar pits. Naturally there is no one around to save the day ex-cept Team Scorpion. When the day (or evening) starts, the team is in the garage enjoying a movie night, watching one of Paige’s all-time favorites about a swamp creature, conveniently. Of course, all this is set up by Veronica, who is “helping” Walter get Paige. Ralph doesn't get the appeal of the movie, and Toby smells the poppycock: from Walter suddenly being interested in movies to his choice of snack — chocolate covered peanuts and popcorn — and especially that the evening was planned on the one night that Tim is coming in late from San Diego. And in typical Toby fashion, he confronts Walter about it. Meanwhile, Sly and Cabe are out trying to raise money for Sly’s cam-paign, but unfortunately the product they choose to sell — “hipster” ice cream, as Cabe calls it — is a bust. All this comes to an end when the team is called in to save the woman.

The team’s only option to save her is by sending Walter down through the tar to tie a cable around the car and for Happy to then pull it out. Why Walter? Because the only other option is Tim, who has since come back from San Diego and has just found out the results of his MRI. His back is not good — which has essentially ended his Navy career — and he cannot do the dive. There is no spe-cialized tar diving gear, so the team needs to fashion one out of what they can find, which includes a lot of hand gel and a street lamp enclosure for a helmet of sorts.

Of course, the team does save the day (this is Team Scorpion after all) but the subtle focus on Wal-ter and Paige’s relationship was paralleled by the relationship between the woman and her husband. In the middle of the panic, the husband almost breaks down and talks to Toby. In his confession, he tells him how he was never worthy of her, how she took a chance on him and saw through all his insecurities. Their relationship is portrayed as strong and loving and solid — everything Walter wishes to have with Paige — and the husband’s insecurities, fears, and concerns are a perfect paral-lel to Walter. And in a way, the fact that that couple have made it work somehow is a lovely fore-shadowing little detail to Walter and Paige, I believe (even with the whole Tim situation).

By the end of the ordeal, Walter takes two big steps up that hill. First, he offers Paige advice about her mother — with whom Paige still has a very strenuous relationship. Secondly, he confronts Ve-ronica and tells her he is done with following her advice, with lying to Paige and manipulating her so that “he could win her back.” Walter does not want to hurt Paige. He wants to do this the right and honest way.

Speaking of Veronica, we find out this episode that Ralph had been exchanging letters with his grandmother while she was in prison, which explains the wink between them at the end of the pre-vious episode. This episode was a chance to get some Ralph/Veronica bonding. Unfortunately, it was Veronica-style bonding. Ralph has to sell cookies to earn a badge and Sly and Cabe have a lot of unsold hipster ice cream. In this, Veronica sees an opportunity to make some money. A lot of money. She drags Ralph into the con of selling “handmade Peruvian ice cream cookie sandwiches.” Ralph is not comfortable about this — not the lying to the people who are lining up to pay for the ice cream sandwiches, or the lying to Paige.

But at the end of the day, it proves to be a learning opportunity for everyone — even Veronica it seems — and she chooses to donate the money they made to Sly’s campaign.

There was much less focus this week on Toby and Happy and their relationship, or on Cabe and his possible love life (there was a chance to point out him being old by his not understanding this weird ice cream trend but honestly, I cannot blame him). There was some focus on Tim, though, and I feel this is because they are slowly building toward him leaving the team. Even though this week it seemed like he has become more and more a part of the team and has a strong desire to stay. Having failed his medical means Tim’s Navy career is over and, by the end of the episode, he is left with two options: a job offer to head security for a team of contractors in the Middle East, or stay on Team Scorpion. And where does Tim’s heart lie, aside from his relationship with Paige? It seems Tim loves being on Team Scorpion, loves the work they do, helping people and — per Cabe — is even beginning to sound like the geniuses.

But what does that mean down the line? Veronica believes Tim is planting roots. Tim wants to stay with Team Scorpion and he has reached a point where he does seem to have found his place. But does that mean he is staying? Probably not, I think... And personally, this makes me a bit sad be-cause I really, really like Tim (and Scott Porter). I wish the writers would find a way to make Waige happen and keep Tim on the team.

Again, this week was another great episode, action-filled, funny and, character-wise, extremely strong in a way that only Scorpion can be.

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