ProsWatch: Wild Justice
I have trouble with this episode like others have with Close Quarters or a couple others I like but others don't... There are some really awesome bits in this one but for the most part, I find Bodie unrecognizable. You'd think I'd be all over "dark, vicious, stradling-the-edge-of-sanity, still-waters-run-deep Bodie" but it just doesn't come across right for me... He freaks me out (not in a good way.) That whole thing with the water gun still leaves me going WTF??? And punching the car door...? I know others just *love* this one but I'm never able to watch it without cringing.
It confuses me that I can't get on board with Bodie's character in this... All the *technical* plot points work for me... That he's being mysterious and trying to deal with this on his own, that he *would* deal with it (revenging an old friend,) that his burn-out level is making him act dangerously/questionably, that he would even go to that dark edge of murder/vigilanteism in the end and reject Doyle's help/support and even *turn* on him... And yet, few of the actual scenes in the episode fly with me - Even make me cringe and roll my eyes... Is it how Lew acted the scenes? Is it the fault of one bad scene that made the others clumsy? Are they badly written? Why can't I appreciate this?
This is also one of the handful of episodes that took on an overall production feel that made me feel uncomfortable/irritated - Namely, it felt really *80s American* in it's lack of sophistication (and something else I can't define) - Maybe it's the plot, or the bikers, or the whole Japanese mentor thing (God, how horribly Hollywood 80s!,) or the way Bodie was acting, or I don't know what, but I may as well be watching A-Team. Anyway, if I had to pick one word to embody my feelings about this episode, I'd go with "alienating".
Another annoyance of this episode is the rampant use of Kate Ross in fanfiction ever since... I'm one of the few people *not* utterly fascinated by what this character brings to the table and I have no interest in beating the character to death in fanfiction. And I personally dislike her and find her attitude/abrasiveness a bit boring. I'm speaking from a place of privilege and equality decades later but it that doesn't really change the reality that feminist/chauvinist dialog of this nature in ancient, outdated shows bores me to death.
But that's not to say there weren't some really choice moments. I've always really loved the opening scenes when they are training and then testing with Dr. Ross. I like the idea that they would do training's like this and the buildup of tension between the partners and the hint that there is trouble with Bodie is really effective and well done. It's just where they go with Bodie *later* that starts to not work for me.
I'm also UTTERLY FASCINATED with that whole scene when Cowley goes to talk to Doyle about Bodie in his apartment - on SO MANY LEVELS. I love the intimacy of the scene, I love that we see Doyle's apartment, I love the dialog, I *love* Cowley doing up Doyle's tie... If I could just have this one scene from the whole show, it would be worth it.
OK, that's a lie... MOTOCROSS RACING SQUEE!!! Ya'll know my favorite photo(s). :)))
And, OMFG... Flithy post-race Doyle, covered in mud... :::DIES::: Not to mention, motorcross-outfit Doyle... :::savagesphoto::: And yellow tee shirt Doyle... Ok, DOYLE. PERIOD. Damn, he looks good in every single second of this one.
I'm rather fond of the scene with Cowley taking Bodie's girlfriend out to talk to her - I've gotten some miles out of that in my own head. Just what that dynamic adds to the mix - That Cowley is far more a part of their lives than we usually get a glimpse of - That he pretty much has his fingers in everything they do.
I do, of course, love Cowley and the question of whether or not he would have pulled the trigger... I think I'm so distracted by the other annoyances of the the situation at this point in the game that the impact of the scene is ruined for me a bit, but yeah - Just love all we get of Cowley, through the whole episode. And the final touch being this scene. Does anyone honestly think he *wouldn't*? I've seen this side of him from the start - I love it. I think the surprise for me is that Bodie *questions* (externally *and* internally) whether he would or wouldn't - It's disarmingly vulnerable (that Bodie would think he *wouldn't* and be disturbed by that) and makes my heart break - The one moment where I actually recognize *our* Bodie in the entire episode.