Returning off the back of yet another hiatus, Lethal Weapon returned this week for the penultimate episode of 2016. Last episode was almost certainly the show's strongest so far, with a really strong story backed up by great character development, so it wasn't surprising that this week's episode, Can I Get a Witness?, didn't pack the same punch.
That's not to put this episode down, however, as it's still a good instalment that opens up genuinely different sides of our main characters for both comedic and dramatic effect. That's not always apparent from the get-go, however. Can I Get a Witness? starts well, but it initially struggles with a major element this week, which is the addition of a kid witness, Ethan, to serve as a surrogate son of sorts to Riggs.
The whole emotional arc of the episode rests on Ethan and his effect on Riggs, and initially it seems to be heading in the wrong direction. In his introductory scenes, Ethan is painted in decidedly broad strokes, with the writing sticking steadfastly to well-torn tropes of precocious child characters such as 'adult' behaviour like swearing and a blunt directness that leads to all-too predictable moments like the scene where Ethan forces a confession out of Riggs through Cheese Puffs.Can I Get a Witness? eventually comes good, however, once the episode quietens down and begins to shade in the emotional specifics of its story. Ethan becomes a much more layered and ultimately likeable character, riddled with realistic flaws such as a fierce protectiveness of his mother that leads him to lie, but also able to empathetically understand Riggs in a way very few others can. It was great to see a warmer Riggs cheered up by Ethan's presence, and his paternalistic instincts are revealed naturally in a way that logically makes sense for this eternally irresponsible character. It's a solid way to build upon Riggs' character by broadening out beyond how Miranda has affected him, and Clayne Crawford is arguably at his best when he's in classic wisecracking Riggs mode.
Murtaugh's story is undoubtedly slighter, arguably even insubstantial, but the episode's tongue-in-cheek delivery means that his quest to be recognised as 'a motorcycle guy' lands as a solid comedic subplot. Damon Wayons is a naturally talented comedic actor, as we've seen, and he flourishes in scenes where he's the butt of the joke, desperately trying to convince others of his point-of-view, so there's plenty of strong material for him here. It does ultimately have a deeper dramatic layer, showing Murtaugh's desire to embrace his adventurous side as a direct consequence of his time with Riggs, even if it's not all that revelatory. Still, it's nice to have a subplot that's just unafraid to be fun and silly, and Murtaugh's story ticks that box well.It's also worth highlighting the renewed sense of vigour to the action scenes here, which had increasingly fallen by the wayside in recent episodes as dialogue scenes and more traditional police work took precedent. The final set-piece of the assault on Riggs' home is the most enjoyable that Lethal Weapon has served up in a while, making smart use of music with the backing of 'Run through the Jungle' lending the scene a little more vitality than the traditional 'intense' music that scores action scenes, and it concludes with a pay-off that's both satisfying and funny with Murtaugh proving that, once and for all, he really is a motorcycle guy.
Can I Get a Witness? is a lighter episode of Lethal Weapon that doesn't quite race forward with its character development, but nonetheless continues to broaden our understanding of Riggs and Murtaugh in new and entertaining ways. It's not going to be the episode that everyone will remember at the end of the season, but the fact that Lethal Weapon can crank out solid one-offs like these on a regular basis is encouraging enough.
Episode Grade: B+
+ A new side of Riggs
+ Murtaugh: the motorcycle guy
+ Fun action scenes
- Initially annoying child character
- Not a lot of substance to the drama at times
