Episode 91
Code of Ethics (01-22-06)
Brief Synopsis:
When Pollack writes an explosive expose on the investigation of a military
officer's murder, he, Jordan and Woody find themselves amidst a corporate
cover-up.
The Cases:
Enthralled would NOT be a word I use to describe
these two cases. One was predictable from the moment
Nigel opened his mouth and the second irritated the hell
out of me. I have to admit though, I figured it was
going to happen. I have issues with ‘military’ cases.
But more on that in a moment. First lets talk about
Leo…
The instant Nigel
explained about the kidnapping I knew Leo’s son was the
boy kidnapped so long ago. And from that point on
everything was rather boring. I had no interests in the
case from there out. The talk with the parents,
examining the dead boy’s body and then telling the son
Leo wasn’t his father…it was like I had to sit through a
lecture I already knew everything about, just because
the teacher would fail me if I didn’t show up—a waste of
time.
As for Jordan and
Woody’s case… The case was a pretty standard story:
Newspaper writes story, reporter won’t reveal source and
hinders investigation. Nothing particularly special.
Needless to say I didn’t care for the case.
I have major issues
with military cases. Nine times out of ten the military
is shown in a ‘bad light’. This irks the HELL out of
me. I’m an Army Brat. I grew up moving all over. I
loved my life and wouldn’t change it for anything. It
also gave me a different view on the military than what
most people have. Between my grandfather, father and
now brother, they’ve served the United Stated for 43
years…and counting. And for the one rotten apple in a
bin you have to remember there are millions of good
apples—yet this is rarely portrayed.
Once again, tonight,
the US Army got a bad spin put on it. Yes part of the
blame goes to the company making the vest, but what
people will remember about this case was “oh it was the
Colonel that sold out his country.” The US Army (the
whole Military for that matter) is serving this country
proudly and I hope you all remember that, and take that
away from this episode more than the other message it
sent out. Be proud of our men and women serving for
us.
Garret and Abby:
I’m sorry, but I just don’t like Abby. She’s still an
immature child. I don’t care how old you are. You
don’t go stay at a parent’s house and then invite the
boy friend to sleep over too without ever asking the
parent’s permission. There’s a certain amount of
respect you show for a parent and Abby still hasn’t
learned this concept. She’s really spoiled and quite
selfish. I wanted to be given a reason to like her this
time around, but it didn’t happen. If anything I’m more
pissed at her, because she should realize how her
actions are coming across by now. At 21 it’s time for
her to start taking responsibility for her life.
That said, Garret
pissed me off too. Yes I know he’s an emotional wreck
right now. I just expected more out of him. He doesn’t
even know Chad and he’s having Woody do a background
check on him? That’s paranoid. Don’t you think he
should at least sit down and maybe have a conversation
with him before he starts trying to destroy his
daughter’s life? (Not saying that Abby is perfect.)
Garret’s behavior just really bothered me. You think
he’d be a bit more level headed.
A very rocky episode
for Garret, but at least he waited to drink until he got
home. Oh and that’s another thing I’m ROYALLY pissed at
Abby for. It looked (from what I could tell) that the
bottle of alcohol was purposely left out on the table
for Garret. The fact that Abby would do that, throw the
drinking problem back in her father’s face is cruel. I
can see how she’s hurt, but so is Garret. And here they
are feeding each other’s problem. Garret the drinking.
Abby the drugs.
And I didn’t approve
of the way Garret treated Abby in his office…that wasn’t
the way to get through to Abby. I know he’s concern,
but that was not the way to show it. All he ended up
doing was pushing Abby farther from him.
Lily and Bug:
What the (add expletive here even though I never swear)
was up with Bug? I’ve never been more confused than I
am at this moment. Nor have I ever seen such a COMPLETE
reversal of attitude from a character.
It sounded like Bug
was sincere in his words that he is over Lily. I’m
jumping with joy if that’s the case! Let’s bring Seely
back into the picture (for Lily that is). But if Bug
really is over Lily—it’s the oddest way I’ve ever seen
something like this handled. So odd I don’t know what
to say.
Someone described
Bug’s behavior with a word that I think sums it all up:
Surreal.
Guess I’ll be
waiting to see how this all plays out.
Nigel:
I love Nigel. This season he’s played second fiddle to
everyone. I think it’s about time he have some prime
time space and a case he can shine in.
And now we come
to the only strong point of the episode: Jordan, Woody
and JD. I thought the writers
did a decent job with this story line.
Jordan and JD:
As I type those two names a feeling of sadness over
comes me, because I believe this is the last time I will
write about them. I may not have wanted Jordan with JD,
but he grew on me as a character. Sometimes I liked
him, sometimes I hated him, but he did a wonderful job
of adding some tension and drama to the season, and he
moved the Jordan and Woody story forward. Without JD,
Jordan and Woody would not be where they are today.
Woody so had that
punch coming to him. I’m not saying it was right, but
JD had reached his breaking point…I love that Woody
understood where JD was coming from and wasn’t mad
(Woody is after all on the winning end of it), but it
just shows how much Woody has grown this season.
Now I thought Nigel
would have spilled the beans to Jordan but Woody was
given that honor. I have to say the writers handled it
well. It wasn’t said in a ‘gloating’ fashion by Woody,
but merely an innocent remark. The look of shock on
Jordan’s face…Woody’s comment suddenly showed Jordan
JUST exactly where JD was in his commitment to their
relationship.
Jordan telling JD
that she didn’t know why she slept with Woody
should really been her saying she didn’t know ‘how’
to explain why…because explaining why would have put
into words her feelings for Woody and that’s something
she hasn’t voiced to anyone. So how, if she couldn’t
admit to herself, would she have the courage to admit
this to JD? So instead she danced around the
situation. JD knew though. He didn’t need Jordan to
explain. His comments to Jordan in the jail seem to be
said from hurt, but I think he really meant it.
The ending scene was
bittersweet. It was a tribute to both Jill and Charles’s
characters. I thought it was handled wonderfully. It’s
one of those moments you wait for, but no matter how
much you prepare for the moment you never manage to stay
detached. Jordan and JD’s talk left an understanding
between the two. JD didn’t leave on a bad note, rather
one of sadness, but understanding.
I loved the ending
shot of JD kissing Jordan on the forehead, their talk,
him wiping a tear from her cheek and the door closing
behind him with the soft Irish music playing in the
background. “And what’s really pathetic is I
actually tried this time. I really tried…” And that
my friends, sums up Jordan and JD’s relationship.
Jordan and Woody:
Woody impressed me in this episode. He understood where
JD was coming from I believe (that and he knew he was on
the winning side.) So it makes it easier to be generous
when you have a good feeling that things are going to
fall your way.
I give credit to
Woody for staying back. He insisted that she talk with
JD and they make decisions. Because until Jordan and JD
figured out what was going on between them, Woody
understood that he could do nothing but sit and wait.
So his continuous encouragement for Jordan to talk to
JD…well I see where it was coming from.
Overall though Woody
was very sympathetic to the whole situation, though I
think he enjoyed arresting JD. Little bit of payback
for that punch. I think Woody’s one line summed up
things nicely: “You’re a complicated girl Jordan. Not
everybody gets you.” But Woody does.
Goodbye JD.
While I was never a fan of you and Jordan, you did win
me over with the spice and drama you added. You’re
character was real. You had flaws. You had strong
points, and you had your weak points. You were sweet
and you were annoying. You were 100% human. And I even
came to understand your accent—somewhat—I only had to
listen to you two or three times verse four or five.
(Yeah I had a hard time with that accent).
Sweet is the
memory of distant friends! Like the mellow rays of the
departing dun, it falls tenderly, yet sadly, on the
heart. ~Washington Irving
Gripes:
-
When Woody is interrogating Captain Osborne she
starts out by saying she went to Black’s house at
‘eighteen hundred hours’ (1800H). Then she starts
talking and reverts to she left at 9:30. Military Brat
that I am, she wouldn’t revert. She’d either say one of
the other, but because she started by says 1800H (which
is six o’clock by the way) she should have finished by
saying she left a 2130H.
- The
opening scene—I’m sorry, but that was cheesy and totally
unnecessary if what the writers were trying to portray
was that Jordan had two men on her mind and she couldn’t
decide between the two. We already know that. I felt
like I was in some BAD fantasy world soap opera. Please
don’t ever do that again—we truly crossed over into the
bad bad world of Soap Operas with that scene.
- I have to comment on
how Garret says Albany. It's hilarious.
Every time I hear him say it I laugh. It's All-bany
not Al-bany, at least if we're talking about Albany, New
York. I lived there I should know.
So, while I actually
liked the personal interaction between Woody, Jordan and
JD (I thought it tied it up in a satisfactory way)
Garret, Lily and Bug’s personal problems didn’t quite do
it for me. And I really didn’t like the cases. They
were mediocre at best. So for J-W-JD they get four dead
bodies. The rest gets two dead bodies (and I’m being
nice).
That averages out
to a three dead body episode. Overall this wasn’t that
strong an episode.
