Luke finds himself Red's number one target, as Red convinces the committee that a special prosecutor be brought in to investigate Luke for this leak, but Red doesn't just have it in for Luke, but Laurel too, He hires a woman named Ashley Cook (Tracie Thoms) and asks Gareth to work with her to find dirt on Laurel, which includes a huge file filled with Laurel's past indiscretions, but particularly homing in on her love life.
Luke then meets the special prosecutor assigned to investigate his possible connection to the leak named Lawrence Boch (Michael Gaston), It's clear from early on that Boch, an independent, is on Luke's side to some to degree, as he warns Luke not to say very much, but to get a lawyer, which he does.
The audience soon learns that Luke discussed the findings with both his father, whose conveniently absent in this episode by the way, and Laurel. So his lawyer, Kira Wright (Linda Emond) then presumes that Laurel may have leaked to Monarch, but as Laurel firmly denies, she did not, although she almost did.
When Luke and his Lawyer then meet with Boch, Luke is able to convince him that his scope needs to widened too look more carefully at Red, as he shows him these schematics and tells him about Red's secret war room.
Boch then meets with Red. The conversation starts out alright until Red more unabashedly supports things like prison camps, siting that it didn't hurt FDR when he did to the Japanese. Red becomes more and more hostile, as Boch realizes there is a major problem with Red, and Red tells him that basically there is no escape for him. Boch then says the still eerily familiar and dreaded, "What are going to do, shoot me?" line, which results in Red suddenly pulling out his gun and shooting him dead through the back of his head.
As the start of a running gag, which wasn't so funny in this episode, Red's replacement intern, Jed (Ben Edelman), is forced to help with the grunt work of Red's altercation. He is not to call the police, but get a drop cloth and a dolly and help Red dispose of the body, in which they put Loch's remains into a trash compactor. But more sinister then this, Red decides to take a taste of blown out brain matter left open his wall. He comments about it's tastes and laments that this was one of the finest mines of this generation. He saves the rest of the continents in a Tupperware container and puts it in his office mini-fridge with a post-it note, siting that this was his.
At the latest Committee session, Boch's absence is discussed, but Red insists that terrorists have gotten to him and that the committee should move on, as Luke tries to argue that a day is not enough to determine that and they should wait, but the end of the episode also reveals where the leak came from, as Claudia was free form being arrested. As it turns out it was Senator Diane Vaynerchuk who leaked to Claudia!!
What I Liked:
The past 2-3 episodes have been mostly fun episodes, despite having some disturbing aspects within them, but this episode felt very different, as the fun and games escalate in a way that really changed the series' tone.
On one hand it would be easy to argue with Gustav's and Rochelle's story side-lined, helped contribute to this shift, but I think even things that would of normally been more funny like Gareth fantasizing about Laurel and Michael Moore, or how THICK those Healy files are, or that yet there is another young and eager to please intern now at the expense of Red's manipulations, or the surname "Pickle", and even the fun and overly polite banter between Boch and Wright, could not outweigh Red's actions with the reveal of the war room or the savory demise of Boch.
This is in no way a criticism, but a testament to how well the writers can shift and play with different story elements at their disposal, which this more serious tone is rightfully placed just four episodes before the season one finale and points the underlying seriousness of things like viruses. infections, mental illnesses, when concerning big decision-making occupations such as with politics and global affairs. It also seems to be clear that Wheatus is the season's number one villain, since most of the contention and altercations seem to stem from him, more than anyone else currently presented.
Which also leads me to wonder a bit about the absence of Dean Healy. Not yet ready to call this a plot hole, but rather I found it curious that Luke mentioned to Kira that he spoke to his dad about the findings, but yet viewers didn't get a scene where she thought to question him also, especially since last week's episode left us with Laurel at a bit of loss where Dean is concerned, as he cozied up right next to Luke right after Laurel tried to outmaneuver him by saving her mother! At the very least the writers didn't want us to forget about the senior Healy, but to what end in relation to the bigger picture, is not clear.
I also like this idea that brain matter is still appealing to the space ants, or at least The Queen, even though they seem to go through great efforts to eat vegan and be healthy. I don't know exactly what it means either, whether this was a new discovery, if they are suppose to avoid this action at all cost, and/or what it does to the host (thinking: iZombie), if anything?
The opening theme was also extra hilarious this episode. I enjoyed the meta aspect of the song writer still writing and singing the opening, despite he became infected, lost his head, and is presumably medically pronounced dead! ;)
The Good Wife Factor/Other Odds and Ends:
-More and more TGW alumni continue to appear. Most notably this episode features actor Michael Gaston. Gaston usually plays hard adversarial Government roles. He appeared on TGW twice in the role of Ernie Nolan. Nolan wasn't exactly an adversary, but he was a wealthy investor who wanted Alicia to run for States Attorney and he payed 1.3 million for Cary's Bail as gesture/intensive--However, like this episode, "Trust Issues", also features a leak, but one pertaining to polling and one where Alicia continues to deny wanting to run, despite that she eventually does.
-Linda Emond is also another TGW alumni with three episodes to her credit where she played a rather memorable Military Judge, Judge/Colonel Leora Kuhn. It was very fun to see Emond playing a completely opposite role in both personality and looks! Kira's dynamic with Lawrence was fun and playful, I'm sad that we won't being seeing more of that.
-The, "What Are You Gonna Do, Shoot Me?" line is something said in a lot of films, but it also is phrase uttered in real life shootings, where people are actually shot after saying the phrase.
-This episode also brought a lot of TGW nostalgia not just with the actors, but with bringing "special prosecutors" and "lawyers" into the realm of Congress.
-Laurel went to Georgetown University! Alicia Florrick and Will Gardner both went to Georgetown too, which is where Alicia and Will met and studied law and is the connection point that allows Alicia a job opportunity after 13 years of not practicing due to raising her children. Alicia's and Peter's son Zach also goes to Georgetown. It's something that is mentioned quite a lot on and off through out the series. And in case I didn't mention it before, Luke and Laurel remind me, at times, what Zack's and Grace's relationship might look like further down the line as both characters embody some aspects of both other characters.
-In this episode however, the way Laurel just says "no" Gareth, is also reminiscent to how Alicia might react, but it might specifically be a visual device of making people exit while holding the door open, only to shut it behind them may be the reminiscent TGW thing.
Mythology:
The Space Ants, Especially the Queen seem to be tempted to eat more brain matter. It's unclear what this means and if there are any good or bad consequences or telekinetic abilities related to eating another brain.
What I Liked:
The past 2-3 episodes have been mostly fun episodes, despite having some disturbing aspects within them, but this episode felt very different, as the fun and games escalate in a way that really changed the series' tone.
This is in no way a criticism, but a testament to how well the writers can shift and play with different story elements at their disposal, which this more serious tone is rightfully placed just four episodes before the season one finale and points the underlying seriousness of things like viruses. infections, mental illnesses, when concerning big decision-making occupations such as with politics and global affairs. It also seems to be clear that Wheatus is the season's number one villain, since most of the contention and altercations seem to stem from him, more than anyone else currently presented.
Which also leads me to wonder a bit about the absence of Dean Healy. Not yet ready to call this a plot hole, but rather I found it curious that Luke mentioned to Kira that he spoke to his dad about the findings, but yet viewers didn't get a scene where she thought to question him also, especially since last week's episode left us with Laurel at a bit of loss where Dean is concerned, as he cozied up right next to Luke right after Laurel tried to outmaneuver him by saving her mother! At the very least the writers didn't want us to forget about the senior Healy, but to what end in relation to the bigger picture, is not clear.
I also like this idea that brain matter is still appealing to the space ants, or at least The Queen, even though they seem to go through great efforts to eat vegan and be healthy. I don't know exactly what it means either, whether this was a new discovery, if they are suppose to avoid this action at all cost, and/or what it does to the host (thinking: iZombie), if anything?
The opening theme was also extra hilarious this episode. I enjoyed the meta aspect of the song writer still writing and singing the opening, despite he became infected, lost his head, and is presumably medically pronounced dead! ;)
The Good Wife Factor/Other Odds and Ends:
-More and more TGW alumni continue to appear. Most notably this episode features actor Michael Gaston. Gaston usually plays hard adversarial Government roles. He appeared on TGW twice in the role of Ernie Nolan. Nolan wasn't exactly an adversary, but he was a wealthy investor who wanted Alicia to run for States Attorney and he payed 1.3 million for Cary's Bail as gesture/intensive--However, like this episode, "Trust Issues", also features a leak, but one pertaining to polling and one where Alicia continues to deny wanting to run, despite that she eventually does.
-Linda Emond is also another TGW alumni with three episodes to her credit where she played a rather memorable Military Judge, Judge/Colonel Leora Kuhn. It was very fun to see Emond playing a completely opposite role in both personality and looks! Kira's dynamic with Lawrence was fun and playful, I'm sad that we won't being seeing more of that.
-The, "What Are You Gonna Do, Shoot Me?" line is something said in a lot of films, but it also is phrase uttered in real life shootings, where people are actually shot after saying the phrase.
-This episode also brought a lot of TGW nostalgia not just with the actors, but with bringing "special prosecutors" and "lawyers" into the realm of Congress.-Laurel went to Georgetown University! Alicia Florrick and Will Gardner both went to Georgetown too, which is where Alicia and Will met and studied law and is the connection point that allows Alicia a job opportunity after 13 years of not practicing due to raising her children. Alicia's and Peter's son Zach also goes to Georgetown. It's something that is mentioned quite a lot on and off through out the series. And in case I didn't mention it before, Luke and Laurel remind me, at times, what Zack's and Grace's relationship might look like further down the line as both characters embody some aspects of both other characters.
-In this episode however, the way Laurel just says "no" Gareth, is also reminiscent to how Alicia might react, but it might specifically be a visual device of making people exit while holding the door open, only to shut it behind them may be the reminiscent TGW thing.
Mythology:
The Space Ants, Especially the Queen seem to be tempted to eat more brain matter. It's unclear what this means and if there are any good or bad consequences or telekinetic abilities related to eating another brain.
So what do think? Miss Gustav and Rochelle adventures this week? How do feel about this latest development with Red eating Boch's brain matter? (and is this cannibalism?) Will Jed soon die or will be an unsung hero? Do you want to see more Lawyer action with Kira Wright? Are you forming an ill opinion of Claudia Monarch? Do you think Laurel was a little too harsh on Gareth? How long before they are back together? Sound off in the comments below!
