Protest
Yay for Eppes family conflict!
This is a fascinating episode. Robert Forster is great as Tom Larson and Mary Kay Plank is also really good as Mrs Sterling. The commentary has some interesting things to say about the episode and their characters. In particular, the fact that Robert Forster wanted things to end one way, but RM wanted it differently, and as he's the star, he got his choice... And apparently MKP was very good at keeping in character between shots, and was quite intense.
Big clue at the beginning with the use of The Hollies "Long Cool Woman in a black dress" over the opening scene. And a little part of me goes aw at the fact that it's the Hollies, because so many of us consider their song "He Ain't Heavy (He's my brother)" as the theme song to the show...
Tom Larson's character is very blinkered and narrow minded. Talk about head in the sand and not being flexible about possible suspects! I can see why Sterling's wife and Alan are so upset by his attitude, if it was representative of what the FBI was like in those days.
I kinda find it weird watching this one, with all the references to 1971, because that's the year I was born...
That's a real photo of Judd Hirsch on his file, as is the case with a lot of the Eppes family photos in the show.
I like that Don retreats to the garage after he and Alan argue the first time and Charlie going out to find him. One question - if Don found out about Alan's file when he had his background check done, surely Charlie might know for the same reason, considering he has even higher clearance than Don?
I like that Charlie talks to Don about their dad, then pats his leg and diverts him by going back to the case. Sweet!
At the end, I like that Don and Alan clear the air while Charlie hides on the stairs to watch. Poor Charlie must have worried about the fact that his remaining family members were so in conflict. And apparently Charlie's last line "Red meat, let's eat" is an adlib...
Don looks very fine during this. Black suit, jeans and blue shirt, jeans and dark shirt... And tac gear! Always love tac gear! And we see him wearing an FBI polo shirt. Yum!
I love the scene with Charlie and Tom in the bar when they talk about Don "coddling" Mrs Sterling. Don's empathy with victims is far more valuable than the bull in a china shop approach... I like that he has the guts to go back and see Mrs Sterling and apologise to her and put things right.
The interactions with Charlie and the Sterling's daughter are interesting as well. Apparently Charlie's moving away from her when she shows up in his office was his idea - keeping distance between them, because he's nervous about her being there.
And Charlie in a waistcoat for the first time! So cute! I like him playing with the Rubik's cube and using it to explain his point, then throwing it to Don.
Interesting to see Don's authority challenged by Larson and that David and Colby are caught in the middle of that. And I presume the head of the Criminal Division is Don's direct boss? Funny that he calls in Larson, but doesn't actually tell Don...
Finally, I love the final exchange between Don and Alan, when they discuss Don's joining the FBI and that Don says he didn't need to read his dad's file. And "Commie!", "G-man!" is excellent! ♥
This is a fascinating episode. Robert Forster is great as Tom Larson and Mary Kay Plank is also really good as Mrs Sterling. The commentary has some interesting things to say about the episode and their characters. In particular, the fact that Robert Forster wanted things to end one way, but RM wanted it differently, and as he's the star, he got his choice... And apparently MKP was very good at keeping in character between shots, and was quite intense.
Big clue at the beginning with the use of The Hollies "Long Cool Woman in a black dress" over the opening scene. And a little part of me goes aw at the fact that it's the Hollies, because so many of us consider their song "He Ain't Heavy (He's my brother)" as the theme song to the show...
Tom Larson's character is very blinkered and narrow minded. Talk about head in the sand and not being flexible about possible suspects! I can see why Sterling's wife and Alan are so upset by his attitude, if it was representative of what the FBI was like in those days.
I kinda find it weird watching this one, with all the references to 1971, because that's the year I was born...
That's a real photo of Judd Hirsch on his file, as is the case with a lot of the Eppes family photos in the show.
I like that Don retreats to the garage after he and Alan argue the first time and Charlie going out to find him. One question - if Don found out about Alan's file when he had his background check done, surely Charlie might know for the same reason, considering he has even higher clearance than Don?
I like that Charlie talks to Don about their dad, then pats his leg and diverts him by going back to the case. Sweet!
At the end, I like that Don and Alan clear the air while Charlie hides on the stairs to watch. Poor Charlie must have worried about the fact that his remaining family members were so in conflict. And apparently Charlie's last line "Red meat, let's eat" is an adlib...
Don looks very fine during this. Black suit, jeans and blue shirt, jeans and dark shirt... And tac gear! Always love tac gear! And we see him wearing an FBI polo shirt. Yum!
I love the scene with Charlie and Tom in the bar when they talk about Don "coddling" Mrs Sterling. Don's empathy with victims is far more valuable than the bull in a china shop approach... I like that he has the guts to go back and see Mrs Sterling and apologise to her and put things right.
The interactions with Charlie and the Sterling's daughter are interesting as well. Apparently Charlie's moving away from her when she shows up in his office was his idea - keeping distance between them, because he's nervous about her being there.
And Charlie in a waistcoat for the first time! So cute! I like him playing with the Rubik's cube and using it to explain his point, then throwing it to Don.
Interesting to see Don's authority challenged by Larson and that David and Colby are caught in the middle of that. And I presume the head of the Criminal Division is Don's direct boss? Funny that he calls in Larson, but doesn't actually tell Don...
Finally, I love the final exchange between Don and Alan, when they discuss Don's joining the FBI and that Don says he didn't need to read his dad's file. And "Commie!", "G-man!" is excellent! ♥