NCIS: New Orleans - See You Soon - Review: "Step Back From the Light, Pride!"
5.1 - "See You Soon"
Directed by James Hayman
Written by Christopher Silber
Reviewed by Kelly Anne Blount
“See You Soon” starts off with flashback and a bang, literally. We revisit the season four and the final scene of season four when Dwayne Pride is shot and it’s not looking good. He’s bleeding heavily and appears non-responsive.
The woman trying to kill Pride is none other than Jason Barlow’s hit woman, Amelia Parsons.
In a change of setting, Pride is with CIA Agent Sutter, she is urging him to come with her because it’s not safe where they are. The only problem? Sutter was killed last season (Season 4, Episode 11). Pride is confused and worried about his team. Sutter tells Pride to trust her. He realizes that he’s in an altered state and Sutter is an angel beckoning him to the other side.
Thank goodness LaSalle comes upstairs to check on Pride!
We get a quick break with that amazing intro music. Boom, boom, boom, boom. Bang, bang, bang, bang!
Back to the episode. LaSalle calls it in. He’s waiting with Pride, but is torn when he sees Parsons jump off of Pride’s balcony. Sebastian arrives and administers aid. LaSalle takes off after Parsons. She tries shooting him, but gets hit by a car in the process. Parsons outsmarts the driver, who tries to check on her. She shoots him in the chest. As she’s in the process of stealing his car, LaSalle shots her in the side. Injured, she gets in the car and flees.
The ambulance is taking a long time to get to Pride. Dr. Wade is worried, there is a lot of bleeding. She and Sebastian do the best they can to stop it. The EMTs finally arrive and it’s not looking good. Pride’s pulse is weak and he’s non-responsive.
We cut over to a scene with Pride and Sutter. They are in the ambulance. She is trying to get him to follow her. She says, “All you have to do is take my hand. Everything will become clear.” Don’t do it, Pride!
The crowd, including the NCIS crew, stand and watch helplessly as Pride is whisked away to the hospital.
Back in Pride’s apartment, LaSalle tells Gregorio that he shot Parsons and that she will need medical treatment. The police have set up roadblocks, but Gregorio isn’t convinced that they’ll catch Parsons. She’s way too smart.
Sebastian is struggling. He’s worried about the amount of blood Pride lost. So am I, Sebastian. So am I. Gregorio reminds him that with Pride, “Usually doesn’t count.” She prompts Sebastian to “work the scene” and find the evidence they need to take Parsons down. LaSalle is really worried. Gregorio is staying strong.
Pride is rushed into the ER. Dr. Wade is worried sick.
Sutter is now in the ER with Pride. She’s still trying to convince him to, “Let go.” She’s trying to convince him to come with her to “the other side.” She tells Pride that, “You summoned me.” He tells her, “I’m a fighter.” That’s right, Pride! Stay with us!
Pride is in really rough shape. The doctors are going to have to perform a miracle or several miracles to save his life.
Reporters are calling NCIS HQ nonstop. They want updates on Pride. They aren’t saying a word.
Gregorio reports that there are no signs of Parsons, per the police. Patton adds that Parsons dumped the car outside of city limits. She’s nowhere to be scene. Sebastian tells the team that he found traces of Mississippi river water. He’s afraid it’s not very helpful. Luckily, Patton and Gregorio know otherwise. There are police dogs on the case and they may be able to find her based on the blood she left behind at the scene after being shot, they can focus closer to the river. LaSalle points out that there are too many bodies of water, they need more evidence and they need to find Parsons as quickly as possible!
LaSalle gets a call from Gibbs. He tells LaSalle to, “Stay strong.” Gibbs tells LaSalle that Parsons contracted for the CIA. He informs LaSalle that Parsons was married to Jon Stone. According to LaSalle, Pride and Stone tangled over a year ago and Stone didn’t survive. Parsons attack on Pride was personal. She’s seeking revenge on Pride for killing her husband, John Stone (Season 3, Episode 24).
Gibbs tells LaSalle to, “Use those feelings. Make it personal. You do what you gotta do to get Amelia.” Aw, Gibbs. Bringing the feelings in a nice crossover moment.
Parsons is at her safe house on the river. She’s bleeding and needs medical care. There’s a first aid kit under the floor. She removes the bullet from her side by herself. Yikes!
Rita arrives at the hospital. Dr. Wade tells Rita that Pride is in very rough shape. He’s too weak for transport to a larger hospital that can address his injuries.
LaSalle, Sebastian, and Gregorio head to Amelia’s safe house. The house is empty, but they know she’s been there. Sebastian alerts the team that the boat is missing. LaSalle tells the team that they might be able to trick Parsons into coming back. As far as she knows, Pride is barely surviving and will perish at any moment. LaSalle asks, “What would Pride do?” That’s going to be my new saying, “WWPD.”
Setting his plan in motion, the news reporters share that Pride is in good condition and that he’s going to be medevacked to Houston. Parsons is watching television in a little restaurant on the water. She is furious. LaSalle’s plan is working!
Uh oh, Parsons looks like she’s up to something. She nefariously cracks her neck and then takes the waitress and dish busser at gunpoint. She tells them that there’s something she needs. Uh oh!
Gregorio doesn’t like the plan a.k.a. using Pride as bait. Sebastian says they have a decoy set up and a fake transport planned. Who thinks something bad is going to happen? *raises hand*
Rita and Dr. Wade haven’t left Pride’s side. They both feel hopeless. Poor, Pride. Rita says, “Maybe he needs motivation to push through?” She thinks Pride needs Laurel, his daughter. Unfortunately, there’s an issue at the airport and planes aren’t leaving. Rita says that she’s going to make some calls. Go, Rita!
Dr. Wade is in the room alone with Pride. She says, “Every time you take a risk, this is exactly what I was afraid would happen. And now that it has, I’m at a loss for words.” Poor, Loretta. She loves Pride so much. She tells him, “I know you’re holding on right now and I desperately want you to fight. But Dwayne, if you can’t, if you can’t fight anymore, it’s okay. It is.” She’s crying and holding his hand. I’m crying too. She concludes by saying, “We’ll be all right here.”
Sutter and Pride have a scene in HQ. She is still trying to convince him to give up and go with her. She says the team will be fine without him. She says, “Billions of people live our their daily lives without the benefit of you.” Geez. She also tells him that his daughter will be fine without him. Pride says, “You’re not here at all. Neither am I.” He tells her she’s just, “a figment of his imagination.” That’s right, Pride! Tell Sutter to shove off!
Pride is talking, but he’s still unconscious. Gregorio, who is at Pride’s side with Dr. Wade, thinks it’s a good thing.
The decoy plan is in motion. LaSalle and Sebastian are driving an ambulance, dressed as EMTs. They are suddenly hit by a huge pick-up truck. They draw their guns and open the door to find a woman screaming and crying. It’s the waitress that Parsons held at gunpoint. She says that Parsons made her do this and that she has her husband.
Sebastian realizes that this was a diversion. Parsons knows it worked because she had a cell phone taped inside the truck. She’s watching them.
Parsons heads to the hospital as a GSW victim. Uh oh. She pulls a gun on the nurse.
Gregorio heads to Pride’s room. Gunshots sound from down the hall. She tells Rita and Dr. Wade that Parsons is in the hospital. Gregorio takes off, trying to find Parsons. Parsons is waiting for her and hits her over the head, knocking Gregorio unconscious.
Parsons heads to the room Pride is supposed to be in. Rita and Dr. Wade are moving Pride. They are going to hide in the morgue.
Pride isn’t doing well. Per Dr. Wade, his pulse is fading and Rita points out that he’s bleeding. Uh oh! The blood has led Parsons right to them!
Parsons demands Pride. Rita loads her gun and says, “I’ve got this.”
Pride is crashing.
Sutter and Pride appear. She says he can end all of this and keep everyone safe if Pride just comes with her. She holds out her hand.
Parsons is closing in and gunfire is everywhere. LaSalle and Sebastian appear from around the corner. A gunfight ensues and Parsons escapes. While the threat of Parsons is temporarily removed, they have a bigger issue on their hands, Pride is crashing!
Dr. Wade and Rita get Pride to the doctors.
Down the hall, LaSalle and Parsons exchange gunfire. He pins her. She threatens to reach for her gun, which is only a foot away. LaSalle tells her not to move. Sebastian shows up. He tries to defuse the situation. LaSalle appears to be close to shooting Parsons, but he really isn’t. He steps on the gun and slides it away. He tells Sebastian, “Her weapon is secured. Cuff her.”
NO! Pride has flatlined.
Sutter pours him a drink. She’s behind his bar. She tells him, “Everyone ends up here, Dwayne… If not now, eventually.” Pride says, “You drive a hard bargain.” No, Pride! Do not do it! He reaches for Sutter’s hand and begins walking. NO! NO! NO!
Just as they are about to step into the light, Pride pulls back.
They are still trying to revive Pride. He’s been dead for three minutes.
Pride takes another step toward the light, but he stops when he hears Laurel’s voice. She still needs him. She cries, “Please!”
Pride says, “Not yet!”
They try one final time to restart his heart. Much to everyone’s surprise, the doctor says, “We have a pulse!”
Pride opens his eyes. Laurel, Rita, and Loretta are in tears. Gregorio tells Sebastian to, “Shut up and hug me.”
Dr. Wade reports that Pride is stable. They will be able to transport him in the morning.
Everyone is releaved. Sebastian says, “We’re going to have to get these doctors a really nice fruit basket or something.” Aw, Sebastian.
Rita shares, “The surgeon says it was a miracle.”
Dr. Wade says, “Laurel was the miracle.”
Laurel shares that when she was stuck in New York and planes weren’t able to take off, she got in line to rent a car. But, before she could, she was met by a Marine military detail and brought to a special air base, where she caught a military plane to Belle Chasse.
Rita really worked some magic and pulled in some big favors to make that happen. Go, Rita!
The team heads to get some breakfast while LaSalle steps aside to call Gibbs. Turns out Gibbs helped get Laurel home too. That’s sweet. I love Gibbs. He also refers to Pride as “D Man.” LaSalle reports that Parsons is in custody. She’s, “under double guard at a military hospital.” Yikes. Who thinks she’ll be back in the future? Gibbs tells LaSalle to. “Give Pride some time… He’s going to need it.”
Pride is medevacked to Houston. Laurel and Rita are going to drive together and meet him there before surgery. Rita and Laurel say goodbye as he’s loaded on to the helicopter. Pride is grateful that they had the opportunity to meet.
Right before the helicopter takes off, Sutter reaches in and grabs Pride’s hand. She says, “See you soon, Dwyane.”
*******
My Thoughts:
Talk about an action and emotion-packed season opener! Parsons is the perfect villain. She is smart, deadly, and relentless. She reminds me of serial killer, Christopher Pelant in Bones.
I didn’t think Pride would die, but he did have me really worried! Especially when he crashed in the morgue. I love that Rita and Dr. Wade were by his side. They both love him so much, it was both heart wrenching and heartwarming to watch.
The scenes with Sutter were interesting. I didn’t like how persistent she was in those scenes. Also, why her? Why not someone else who has been in multiple episodes? What about the NOPD officer or was he the captain? His name is escaping me right now? There have been other people who have passed that Pride was closer to and could have had a more personal fit in the episode. What did you think?
I like LaSalle in charge. He reminds me a lot of Pride. He’s level minded and he makes quick decisions.
Also, that closing scene! What did you think? I was screaming, “NO! No, you won’t see Pride soon, Sutter!”
What did you think of the season premiere? What are you most excited about for Season Five of NCIS – New Orleans? I can’t wait to hear your thoughts! Be sure to leave a comment below!
Also, have you missed an episode or two? Need to catch up or just want to refresh your NCIS - New Orleans memory? You can access all of my SpoilerTV reviews and interviews by clicking on the following link: http://www.spoilertv.com/search/label/KA
