This week’s episode didn’t get me fired up to write this review. For me it was another typical cop show murder mystery. It was good, but I expect more from Major Crimes because I’m so used to getting it.
We started off with Provenza ranting about another tardy detective. This time it’s Tao. Much to Flynn’s dismay, Tao is late because he was at the “Platinum TV Choice Awards” where “Badge of Justice” won Best Teleplay for Non-Serialized 60 Minute Episodic Police Procedural on Basic Cable. The winning episode was one Tao got story credit for called “Haters Gonna Hate”.
A British couple, The Bransons, on vacation in California, were attacked by a thief that had already attacked 12 tourists in Venice. Now someone is dead. The husband, Robert, was shot and killed when he fought back. The LAPD is concerned that England will issue a travel advisory against Los Angeles. To appease them they’ll have to put up with a British reporter, Peter Ogden, who uploads his stories to his paper in England.
They dredge the canal and find the murder weapon. This discovery actually leads to the shooter, Marcus Kemp. Given the information they have on Kemp (witness reports a British accent), Raydor and her team believe this wasn’t a real robbery. While waiting for the security video to reveal Kemp’s face we got a fun moment where Raydor pumped the oblivious reporter for all of the information he found on Branson and his business partner.
When they learn that Claire Branson once represented Kemp and lost his case, they realize that Claire Branson hired Kemp to kill her husband. Getting something they can take to court is the problem. Claire smoothly throws Kemp under the “coach”. When he hears this he agrees to testify against her in court, then be returned to England to serve out the rest of his sentence. He takes the ‘return to England’ option.
While on stakeout, Coop and Sykes do one of the best imitations of a married couple I’ve seen in a long time. As they watch the kid that sold the gun to Kemp, they begin to discuss an engagement? Discuss the discussion about getting engaged? It sounds like Coop wants kids and Amy doesn’t. (She says she doesn’t want to have kids while they both work at the LAPD, but her declaration that she isn’t quitting makes it sound like she doesn’t want kids at all.) I confess I’ll be bummed if they break up.
Rusty’s story seemed to be all over the place this week. There was the scene with him getting advice from Ogden about building the viewership of his blog. It appeared as though Rusty found some of his suggestions as revolting as I did. (I hope I’m reading that correctly.) Then there was The Other Sharon and her baby.
After Rusty avoids her calls, she arrives at his door to tell him that she found someone to adopt the baby; Gary’s parents. Apparently Gary was a dud. Their other son is a doctor. For some reason Rusty seems almost desperate to talk it over with her. That sense of desperation didn’t seem to connect with the earlier scene with Sharon R. Something felt a little off here for me this week.
Kemp’s philosophical confession ends up inspiring Tao to take his trophy home. He begins to think that he’s been celebrating too much. Everyone else has a different opinion. They present Tao with a cake and sparkling apple cider. “It is a work day.” Tao was looking good in that tux. I really enjoyed seeing Tao giddy over his success. I hope we get a Tao centric ep this season.
What did you guys think of this week’s episode? How about Andy’s cake carving skills?
