SEAL Team - Santa Muerta - Reviews: "Putting Your Money Where Your Mouth Is"

Title: put your money where your mouth is

It’s kind of impressive that when Bravo Team goes up against thugs who need RPGs or automatic rifles to hit their targets, they don’t need to waste ammunition with a spray n pray technique. One or two well-placed shots and the bad guys are down.

After the RPG takes out one of their vehicles Bravo Team grabs an injured El Lazo and races to a church for cover.

The most annoying thing about this sequence is that the questions Mandy raised with Harrington have filtered down into Bravo Team itself, with Clay leading the charge. Clay now has Sonny questioning Jason and they’re doing it in the field. Not good.

Now, when I say “most annoying” I’m not criticizing the writing. I say that as someone who was totally involved in the episode. All of the game pieces that have been moved around the game board this season (Jason’s emotional loss, Lopez’ situation, Mandy’s betrayal, and Clay’s emotional loss) make this internal tension believable.

So, while I was confident that Bravo Team would get out of the church, I was on the edge of my seat wondering whether or not Bravo Team would get out of the church intact. This is my kind of TV.

Jason’s priority is keeping El Lazo alive long enough to find out where Doza is. Trent wasn’t able to bring all of his supplies with him.

Trent's doubtful he can keep the man alive long enough to talk. And if he is alive long enough, El Lazo isn’t simply a thug. He’s trained. He won’t talk.

That is until he watched the priest give the Col. Martinez last rites. El Lazo is suddenly desperate to receive last rites. Jason won’t allow it. Not until Lazo answers the big question. Where’s Doza?

Apparently, when you live a life you know is against the religious beliefs you were raised with, facing damnation scares the heebie-jeebies out of you. El Lazo was crying for the priest as he was carried upstairs.

Jason’s refusal to allow El Lazo last rites is the one move Ray has trouble backing without question. As much as it disturbs him, though, when push comes to shove, Ray sees the mission through. He continues to work on Lazo until he finally gives up Doza’s location. El Lazo dies before the priest can finish the rites.

I have no sympathy for El Lazo. It’s not like he thought killing innocent people was the right thing for someone hoping to go to Heaven to do.

He’s earned that damnation. Still, it feels like this is one of those missions Ray is going to have to work through when the fighting is over.

Sonny and Clay whine about the fact that Jason ordered the use of their only remaining blood to keep El Lazo alive. Col. Martinez chastises them. “Questioning the man who leads you is the fastest way to death.”

When the colonel says that he would sacrifice everything to get Doza, he means it.

He never mentioned that he’d been shot; that he needed that blood, because he knew what Jason knows. El Lazo had to have the transfusion, because he is their last and best hope to get Doza. Whoa. Talk about putting your money where your mouth is.

Clay finally confronts Jason with his concerns. Jason schools Clay on why this mission isn’t like their others.

I like the way that the writers have been letting us know how the situation with these cartels affect the people of South America and how it differs from other missions around the world.

Mandy and Rita find Carla’s body. Rita tries to lead Mandy to believing Martinez is the one who betrayed Bravo Team. It doesn’t take Mandy long to figure out it was Rita.

Rita has a sister she has not mentioned before and Doza’s people managed to find her. Rita had no reason to doubt that they would follow through on threats to rape and torture her nieces. So she did what they asked. Mandy lets Rita leave but assures her she will find her.

Awesome episode from my perspective. High-octane action and high-octane personal stakes. What did you think of the episode?