#jack boyle

SPOILERS, ET CETERA.

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This is not so much a ramble as a staccato burst of what would be live Tweets, if I were to allow myself on Twitter at present.

·        I know Danny’s Danny, but he of all people knows what loss does to a person. All he needed to do was take an extra five seconds and say, “Ma’am, I’m going to take a fresh look at this case and I will call you when I’ve done so.” In that moment, Mrs. Brown just needed to know someone in the world was listening.

·        I’m not surprised fists got thrown in the bullpen. Danny’s been getting progressively tetchier lately. Could be someone needs to vent human feelings and/or get laid, and doesn’t want to admit he may be getting ready to move on from his beloved late wife?

·        We all knew Eddie was going to go down but HOLY HELL Jamie’s a walking target for police PTSD. The sheer panic-chanting of “it didn’t go through it didn’t go through…” and then holding yet another dying officer in his arms on the way out...

·        I’m now having flashbacks of my beloved Jess Angell going down, and Don Flack blathering panicky nonsense over her, too.

·        The Lady Mayoress is being an agenda-harping, territorial harpy and a threat to her own city’s stability.

·        Vanessa’s awkward little grin of “This is too damn weird…are you my Commissioner or my best friend’s dad and oh, by the way, I’m sorta seeing someone who isn’t your son…”

·        “I can ID him!” and she lights up. Oh, you sweet little badass. And: “My partner did everything by the book.” Aww. Jamie’s going to need to know his dad has his back, what with the Mayor on her anti-cop rampage and with Jamie’s own need to be able to decompress around his family in safety.

·        “You should know you can have your pick of assignments after this.” Ohh. Real Life just intruded into Jamie and Eddie’s Fortress of Denial. And Eddie’s face: “Um. Why couldn’t one of us have been offered some job mobility before I took up with Not-Jamie who is great and all, but is Not Jamie?”

·        Gah. My heart goes out to Mrs. Brown. She’s righteously pissed and grieving, and there is such a great divide between her community and the NYPD that nobody’s got the time or energy to spend bridging over.

·        Vanessa just keeps deepening into a more profound beauty. I’m so glad she’s survived the Cute Blonde years on screen, because this lady is just getting going. I hope she emerges as one of the grande dames of the screen. See also: Will Estes, but perhaps not as a grande dame.

·        OH GOD THE AWKWARD. Eddie’s face, like there’s nothing she can do to stop this train wreck that’s essentially her own doing. Trying to backpedal and soften the blow a little, keeping things light, and Jamie taking a gutshot of his own right in front of her, trying to get away before the pain hits. Ow ow ow. Denial was fun while it lasted. Jamie manages a little return volley of his own with an edge to his, “Oh! That’s that guy.” The one who precipitated us flirting like mad not long ago, while breathlessly teasing each other about taking risks between the sheets? Yeah, him.

·        UGH Jack Sr. Awesome actor, loathsome character. Erin’s got the bear ammo loaded, in any case.

·        Baker! Baker! Baker!

·        Oh, dear. This is why I’m not a fan of the way the Mayor is written. There’s an opportunity here to truly present the position of people who are terrified of cops for documented and well-known reasons, but she comes off as fighty and unprepared and huffy instead.

·        As much as I enjoy watching Tony and Danny going toe to toe, I can feel Erin’s headache from here, and really, Danny’s edging towards anger management again.

·        And now I can feel Jamie’s gut’s twisting as he rings up to Eddie’s apartment. Great. My first thought was “Oh, Jamie, get it together, and do something decisive,” but I’m suddenly thinking that oh, Lordy, maybe he was hoping to finally say something decisive over drinks? Crap. And the camera has him literally turning in circles again, just like when he finally got to the bar for Eddie’s wet-down night and then walked away. UGH THESE TWO. It’s like he’s lost best buddy, too, just to make it worse.

·        The dynamic duo in Dress Uniform! Looking amazing. And awkward as hell, and trying to shove all their crap aside for the memorial service. These two need a good Irish wake after to get all plastered and confessional.

·        Ohhh, holy heck. A whole NYPD cold-shoulder gauntlet isn’t going to do much for bridge-building, but I can’t blame the cops for using what public displays they have available to them, since the Mayor did the same. Genuflecting quietly and walking out might have been the smartest move she’s made.

·        I should not be needing to remind myself to breathe over Jamie in his full Dress Uniform during such an intense dinner scene, but there it is.

·        I think Frank reminding Danny that he was the right person doing the right job for the right reasons was exactly what Danny needed right then. And if he could bring acceptable evidence to Erin to move forward on the Brown case, of course she’d be all over it.

·        I’ve never been that much into Donnie (only on account of not being a fan of the era of hyped-up boybands with attitudes), but rolled up uniform sleeves and men being casually domestic? Okay, yes.

·        Jack at only 50% smarm is…okay. If he was married to one of my girlfriends I wouldn’t be opening up much around him, though.

·        Opportunity lost for Red-Headed TARU Tech McKenna to make an appearance! Aww.

·        Whoa. Don’t hold back, there, Erin. About bloody time someone grabbed that boy and made him look in the mirror. I think Erin’s the only one who could have pushed him like that.

·        If Tony and Danny ever put the measuring tape away they’d be such an incredible team. Hey, yeah! Like that!

·        Ain’t no sass like Gormley sass.

·        WHAT THE HELL, I want to hear more about Aunt Edna and the tassels!

·        Erin. Girl. No.

·        Danny is a pretty damn good detective. And a pretty solid man, when he’s not a total angerball.

·        OH GOD JAMIE’S EYES when Eddie mentioned getting fitted for a new vest. And Eddie’s eyes staring right back at him. I’m already getting twitchy about where this scene is going, if she’s surreptitiously signing things and hiding them. (Eddie has a new necklace. Significant?)

·        Eddie’s pushing hard to get into Jamie’s head. Should I be hopeful?

·        OUCH.

·        Now I feel sorta bad for Barry, trying to be a good guy and take Eddie at her word, but then walking into Wall O’ Unresolved Need. “I’m jealous” indeed...

·        OUCH.

·        Jamie, for God’s sake, go sweep that girl off her feet. All she waiting for is one decisive word. Even if it comes out wrong. She’ll translate. Think maybe she’ll cut him some slack for being at work, in uniform, with her supposed boyfriend standing right there with incredible show tickets in hand?

·        OUCH.

·        An actual bridge-building scene with El Franco and the Mayor? And they’re both talking like human being who both care about the city? Wonders. But wait. Did they just replay the Jamie and Eddie “Total pain in my ass but the best person I’ve ever met” scene? OUCH.

·        Game night. Good times. There are still plenty of bruises to go around, but…it helps.

November 15, 1886