What I’m Watching: Major Crimes

Major Crimes: Season 2, Episode 13 “Jailbait” (B-)

This episode was pretty much on par with last week’s, if not less appealing, and I’m not sure it compels me to stick around to watch any more of this show going forward. After making some serious progress in the Rusty arena thanks to the young-looking buy guy’s suggestion that Rusty resume school and the plan for him to begin looking for the person who has been sending him all the letters, what we got in this hour was an awkward doctor who happened to be insanely good at chess. It’s just not all that interesting, and I think this show would be much more productive if Rusty wasn’t a regular character. The episode’s title refers instead to the many attempts made by one grieving father to lure his daughter’s rapist out of his home and back into jail for violating his parole. This was a sci-fi reunion of sorts for two players from the Cylon universe: Mary McDonnell of “Battlestar Galactica” and Esai Morales of its short-lived prequel series “Caprica.” Morales’ character was somewhat intriguing, but ultimately it didn’t go quite as far as it could have, which makes his guest spot relatively lackluster. This show needs to beef up its series regular interactions, beyond Sanchez being accused of knowing every Latino in Los Angeles only to actually know them and Morales being tipsy after being called away from the Christmas party scheduled before suicide season. Not that I’m complaining, but I’m also not sure why Emma only appears in every few episodes and gets swapped out for D.D.A. Hobbs a good portion of the time.

What I’m Watching: Major Crimes (Mid-Season Premiere)

Major Crimes: Season 2, Episode 12 “Pick Your Potion” (B)

I didn’t even realize that this show was coming back for the last few episodes of its second season, and when I did find that out, I forgot all about it until a few days after the mid-season premiere aired. Since the summer, which feels much longer ago than it was, I haven’t thought about this show at all, and wasn’t sure that I’d return to watch more of it. Yet it’s airing just in that time between when cable shows have just finished and their replacements haven’t yet started, so it seems like I’ll be sticking around for now. There was a lot happening in this episode, and a complex case with some surprising developments and a relatively simple finish. An unapologetic school teacher who slept with a student because she was impressed with his English language skills makes for a solid protagonist, and her jealous vice principal husband a fitting killer. I was less taken with the unbelievably inconsistent Sykes, who got a chance to appear powerful and then utterly disgusted by her behavior, far less on and aware of things going on around her than usual. Emma also seems purposely planted in the room to provoke the Major Crimes squad members into revealing just how cleverly they’re tiptoeing the legal line at every juncture. Rusty trying to figure out who’s sending him the letters seems like the most productive use of his character in a while, and it’s about time he started doing something other than look for a psychiatrist who plays chess.

What I’m Watching: Major Crimes (Mid-Season Finale)

Major Crimes: Season 2, Episode 11 “Poster Boy” (B+)

It’s interesting to see that this show is continuing to experiment with its format, showing the immediate after of the murder as the detectives walk around and take it in for themselves at a later time. I suppose it’s more of a “Law and Order” style, which sometimes begins before the murder even happens, in contrast with the way this show usually starts with the squad arriving at a crime scene. It was somewhat sickly entertaining for the squad to discover that there was a body inside the very couch on which the eternally irritating Rios was sitting, and there was something innovative and frightening about these lived-in crime scenes with the poster boy talking casually to his grandmother on the phone after violently disposing of someone from his life. This is just the kind of case that’s fitting for a finale, and it ended considerably more destructively and desolately than most of the other ones on this show. With Provenza’s eyesight and Flynn’s health back on track, and Sanchez pretty much over his crush on Rios, the only real thread to wrap up was that of Rusty, who ultimately got ratted out by Chris, who, in all truth, probably did the right thing by telling Rios about the many letters he had received. Whether that means he’ll go into the Witness Protection Program and no longer be on the show is uncertain, and I doubt that, though it might greatly benefit the series, he’ll depart so completely after the show has invested two seasons in him already. This has been a pretty good year for this procedural which I’ll likely keep watching when it returns for the back half of its second season.

Season grade: B+
Season MVP: G.W. Bailey as Provenza

What I’m Watching: Major Crimes

Major Crimes: Season 2, Episode 10 “Backfire” (B)

The crime-related part of this episode was perfectly fine, but I have a fundamental issue with the other half of it. I was never quite sure why Rusty needed to be a character on this show in the first place, since “The Closer” worked just fine by sticking to the cops, and I would have thought that, even with a new boss at the helm, this show could function in a similar if not identical manner. Instead, Brenda’s name was invoked to try to shame the squad into doing better, and Rusty is still around, waiting endlessly until he has to testify and receiving an alarming number of death threats in the meantime. This was only the latest time where he was sitting innocently in the middle of the station when almost certainly confidential and very devastating news was broken, and it would seem to me that, as if Sharon taking him weren’t problematic enough, having him witness all this evidence would be highly illegal and not permissible. His entire relationship with Chris is also rather irritating, and I do wish it took up much less of the show. At least my other least favorite character had a relatively positive role to play in this episode, arguing with the judge about ethics, and earning some sympathy from Sanchez in the process. Unsurprisingly, this show has been renewed for a third season, and while I can’t say I’m glued to my seat most weeks anymore, I do anticipate continuing to watch it following next week’s mid-season finale.

What I’m Watching: Major Crimes

Major Crimes: Season 2, Episode 9 “There’s No Place Like Home” (B)

This show is often at its most entertaining when it features comedic storylines, and this episode was certainly an instance of that. This was far from a serious murder case, thanks in no small part to the wealth of guest stars and the TV work for which they’re most well known. Likely to be most familiar to current TV audiences are recent Emmy winners Doris Roberts of “Everybody Loves Raymond” fame and Tim Conway of “30 Rock,” as well as Ron Glass of “Firefly” and Paul McCrane of “ER,” “24,” and “Harry’s Law.” What this turned out to be was a wild and wacky episode most notable for its final scene, in which each of the senior citizen conspirators admitted to their part in the poisoning and assisted unintentional suicide of their not-so-dearly departed landlord. I liked that Provenza got himself a new pair of glasses out of the whole thing and managed to pass the shooting test which spared him both a tough conversation with Sharon and a path straight towards a job tethered to a desk. It’s not clear to me why Hobbes was suddenly back in this hour to replace Ruiz on a case that seems much more up the latter’s alley and suited for her temperament. Rusty’s non-romance with Chris seems fated to never end, but at least they’re getting along positively and he’s not trying to aggressively push her away anymore with made-up stories of sicknesses and histories that might otherwise indicate that he just isn’t available.

What I’m Watching: Major Crimes

Major Crimes: Season 2, Episode 8 “The Deep End” (B+)

This felt like an event episode in many ways, starting with a helicopter approaching the crime scene with the journalist within charged to get the true story and not just what the cops were telling people. The fact that the supposed victim was actually the perpetrator was a great way to start things off with a twist, but that was outdone considerably by the fact that he was also guilty of an entirely different and much more major crime. The coach wasn’t featured nearly as much as the family of his victim, which was an interesting way to spin things. That allowed for the crime to take on a much grander nature, as Sharon’s very clever ploy to tell the media that they had cleared the coach of all allegations of sexual misconduct only served to bring forward more accounts, one of them recent enough to be used against him in a court of law. It’s difficult to see Rusty present and involved so directly in cases like this, and to see him lash out when Brenda checks in to see how he’s doing handling a very adult subject such as this. The part of Chris’ mom wasn’t a typical role for Lori Loughlin, and her interaction with Sharon suggests that the non-romance between Rusty and Chris isn’t yet over. I’m not sure if it will be the case, but I’d love to see Flynn and Sharon together at Flynn’s daughter’s wedding, which would be a rare glimpse into the personal life of one character defined previously only by his health and his friendship with Provenza.

What I’m Watching: Major Crimes

Major Crimes: Season 2, Episode 7 “Rules of Engagement” (B+)

It was only a matter of time before Jack crossed professional paths with Sharon. Of course, in this case, it was at her suggestion, though the way in which she plotted it was highly deceptive and rather unkind, which is a shame. It’s not as if Jack has created the best impression despite his current efforts to atone for the absent father he used to be, but he still didn’t quite deserve to be brought in as the public defender only to have his client throw him out because Sharon revealed that he was actually her husband. Sanchez always gets particularly passionate about cases involving gangs, and the idiotic Ruiz failing to comprehend the complexity of the situation didn’t help matters. Him lashing out at her has been coming for a long time now, and her continued verbalized bafflement at how Sharon has a relationship with multiple people in her professional life is only serving to make her more of a pariah. On the subject of Rusty, his strong desire not to have dinner with Chris’ family was rather entertaining, particularly because of the reactions it brought from those he asked to make excuses for him. Jack snapping at him when he picked a bad time to bring it up was unfortunate, but I’m sure he’ll be able to get over it. I enjoyed the fact that Assistant Chief Taylor participated in Flynn’s game of naming coincidences to get the bottom of who exactly was involved and in what way.

What I'm Watching: Major Crimes

Major Crimes: Season 2, Episode 6 "Boys Will Be Boys" (B+)

Before this episode took an unfortunate if not unexpected turn, I was thinking that this was a prime instance of why the Primary Homicide Division was renamed Major Crimes, dealing with a very foreboding missing persons case rather than an outright murder from the outset. The revelation that Michelle was actually a boy at birth was a catalyst for an involving and disturbing hour. It seemed obvious that Michelle's bully couldn't be the killer and that one of her family members was likely responsible, and finding out exactly who committed the awful crime was far from pleasant. Playing Michelle’s unhappy parents were two familiar TV faces: Craig Sheffer, who portrayed the kindly Keith on “One Tree Hill,” as Michelle’s supportive father, and Gail O’Grady, who has starred on “Hidden Palms” and “NYPD Blue,” among others, as her disapproving mother. It’s never a good thing when all the family members can be considered suspects, and it was especially jarring to see Rusty brought into it when he locked eyes with the initial number one suspect in the station. Meanwhile, Rusty’s non-relationship with Chris actually seems to be progressing pretty well, as evidenced by their double date with Sharon and Jack, which also counts as a major victory for Jack, who swooped in at just the right moment to distract Sharon from an extremely unsettling and horrifying end to her case with an offer of an escape from that world. Maybe they’re not as far from getting back together as it initially seemed.

What I’m Watching: Major Crimes

Major Crimes: Season 2, Episode 5 “D.O.A.” (B+)

We’ve seen a good deal of Captain Raydor’s life up until this point as it relates to Rusty, not to the family she raised. It was only a matter of time before someone would show up, and this visit definitely complicates things in an interesting way. Tom Berenger is a sensible choice to play the initially charming but evidently devious Jack, who, for legal reasons, is still officially married to Sharon. He managed to win Rusty over quickly, and it’s clear that he’s not going anywhere soon n given the productivity of the co-signer question he posed to Sharon. On “The Closer,” Brenda was married to another law enforcement agent, and here, Sharon and her husband are both also involved in law, though Tom’s work situation seems to be a bit less stable than a regular gig with the FBI. This episode featured a similarly slippery main character, one whose electronic fingerprint indicated that he was a cunning identity thief. The way in which the doctor’s complicity and identity were revealed was well-done, and it’s always powerful to see someone insist upon their moral innocence while in the process admitting guilt. Flynn asking the fake doctor what he thought about the blood pressure medicine he was taking was funny, and it seems that his recent episode hasn’t shaken him up anymore than he already was recently. The interrogations in this installment were rather rough, but that’s why you keep someone like Sanchez around, to get scary and in your face when you need to motivate a suspect.

What I'm Watching: Major Crimes

Major Crimes: Season 2, Episode 4 "I, Witness" (B)

Since she is a credited cast member this season, it's only reasonable that the continually irritating D.D.A. Rios should be involved in the main plot of the episode in a way that isn't indirect or related explicitly to Rusty. Having her key witness in a murder trial end up cast as a murder suspect himself was a great way to do that, especially since Flynn and Provenza were the ones blamed for allowing him to perpetuate his alleged crime and stuck picking up the pieces. Tommy Dewey, who last season portrayed Mindy's sports agent suitor on "The Mindy Project," was a terrific choice to portray the excessively casual Lloyd Gibbs, who consistently made himself seem more guilty with every move he made. Almost as ridiculous was professional talker Shampagne, who convinced Lloyd to throw himself under the bus for her but didn't have the same effect on the detectives questioning her. Rusty showing up at the police station with his curious and opinionated friend Chris would have been worthy of mention if Chris had been male as everyone had expected, but her gender and attitude prompted some seriously invasive spying from Buzz and Rusty's very interested legal guardian. Leave it to Rusty never to be aiming for the same thing as others, not interested in securing the date with a girl who's clearly into him but instead insistent on once again setting off red flags for his adoptive mother by revealing that he has received more than one threat. I suppose this is the best way to keep Rusty on this show, to allow him to grow as a person as his case continues to develop. Hopefully Flynn will bounce back from the latest effect of his new health regimen.

What I’m Watching: Major Crimes

Major Crimes: Season 2, Episode 3 “Under the Influence” (B+)

This episode got off to a fast-paced start after an unsuspecting introduction to Tao’s TV writer friend with an enthralling police chase scene that is somewhat rare for this show, along with the excessive amount of blood present on the driver’s clothes. It was jarring to recognize Ben Feldman, who plays opinionated copywriter Michael Ginsberg on “Mad Men,” as the cocky, curious Jason Andrews. His romantic interest in Sykes was a bit surprising, as was her being referred to by her first name, an unusual thing for any character on this show. It would be good to see her loosen up and enjoy a love life, though I’m not sure he’s the best fit for her. He did prove helpful in giving Rusty advice on how to write and nearly getting him in trouble for plagiarism, but it’s something considering Rusty framed himself as his own greatest influence, which presents more than enough problems as it is. The showier guest star of the episode was, of course, Elizabeth Pena, whose mother of the year was willing to let her son be deported to Mexico to take the fall for a crime of which she was equally guilty only before she realized that she too would be deported and face certain doom at the hands of the cartel. I noticed that D.D.A. Rios was nowhere to be found in this hour, and instead we got the more reliable D.D.A. Hobbs. Additionally, with Jon Tenney starring in his own show right after this one, D.B. Sweeney’s Agent Morris is a fitting consolation prize.

What I’m Watching: Major Crimes

Major Crimes: Season 2, Episode 2 “False Pretenses” (B-)

This episode’s central plotline was familiar to me, if not entirely in this context. Fictionalized apps for gay men to find each other have also been featured in other cinematic fare such as the lackluster comedy “Hit and Run,” and here it’s the same kind of idea, enhanced by the notion of this mystery man whose profile picture featured only his chest. Its execution here was certainly full of intrigue, and had quite a resolution as staged by Raydor and D.D.A. Rios. The main reason that I wasn’t taken with this episode is that I’m really not impressed with her character. After Sykes was the unintelligent, inexperienced female last season, Rios has now fully stepped up to the plate, unable to control both her composure and her volume when she arrives at a crime scene. Additionally, she’s completely incapable of any kind of subtlety, always ready to overplay her hand immediately. I thought Rusty was more irritating than useful in season one, and now I feel that he’s much more positively ingrained into the storyline, but he’s still not an overly compelling part. It’s more worthwhile to see both Raydor and Provenza step in to defend Rusty when Rios doesn’t have the courtesy to treat him with any decency. I know he’s busy being terrible on “Revolution,” but I’d love to see Billy Burke return with another quality performance as Phillip Stroh, though I suspect they’ll be plenty of time left in the Rusty trial saga so he shouldn’t rush back just yet.

What I’m Watching: Major Crimes (Season Premiere)

Major Crimes: Season 2, Episode 1 “Final Cut” (B+)

I wasn’t all that excited about this show’s second season premiere mainly because I had forgotten how clever and entertaining this show is, even without taking its ensemble into consideration. What was strongest about this episode was its focus on the celebrity culture of Los Angeles, utilizing its filmmaker as the ultimate example of someone who literally marries the same woman over and over and then cheats on her when she is pregnant with his child. Provenza chiming in with his thoughts on ex-wives was amusing, and I liked seeing his friendship with Flynn spotlighted by Flynn’s rather ridiculous-looking walking routine. Even Rusty was in good form in the hour, being irritating as always but showing some depth by agreeing to testify in the end with the condition that both Raydor and Provenza not be present. I’m not too impressed with new cast member Nadine Velazquez as Deputy D.A. Emma Rios, since, like Sykes in season one, she doesn’t seem to possess much intelligence and, also like Sykes, contrasts the strong female character of Raydor and Brenda before her by appearing less than capable. All in all, I’m very pleased to have this ensemble back, and while some of the supporting players, like Tau and Sanchez, didn’t get the opportunity to shine in this episode, I think there’s plenty of time for that over the course of this show’s much-expanded second season, which will feature a whopping nineteen episodes, up considerably from the show’s first season total of ten episodes.

What I’m Watching: Major Crimes (Season Finale)

Major Crimes: Season 1, Episode 10 “Long Shot” (B+)

This is a fitting finale for a show like this, employing one particularly intense case to close out the season with a bang. I liked the way that we saw glimpses of how the shooter set himself up while the team was investigating and piecing that together for themselves. This show hasn’t exactly settled on a specific format for portraying the commission of its crimes, but the different ways they’ve shown and revealed details over the course of the past ten episodes have all been effective. Filling the restaurant with police personnel to ensure the protection of their witness was amusing, and it’s a good thing since the determined assassin didn’t go down without a fight. The hot-button issue of a Muslim superintendent for a school system initially seemed like it was going to be central, but instead we got a much more far-reaching investigation that didn’t actually relate much to the crime itself. It’s disconcerting to think that the assassin was so easily able to gain contact information for the witness from police officers, and one would hope that such a scene wouldn’t take place in real life. Daniel’s return to the station seemed far too casual, and his dismay at the news that Rusty wanted him to give up all parental rights or face prosecution suggested that he wasn’t really a bad man, just not the right father for Rusty. I’m hopeful that, in season two, this show can allow Rusty to be a less central character, and can give Sykes just a bit more intelligence. Otherwise, I’m looking forward to this show’s return next year and presumably for years to come.

Season grade: B+
Season MVP: G.W. Bailey as Provenza

What I’m Watching: Major Crimes

Major Crimes: Season 1, Episode 9 “Cheaters Never Prosper” (B+)

Aside from Fritz, it’s hard to find an example of two law enforcement agencies working well together. That was certainly the case with the Las Vegas police officer whose partner was murdered, and, fortunately, Captain Raydor has a no-nonsense attitude about dealing with prickly people, highlighted most by her brazen order to send out a fraud warning to purposely let the criminals know that they were on to them. It was great to see Eric Lange, who was grumpy and mean all the time as Radzinsky on season five of “Lost,” as the man of many identities, who purported not to have committed any crimes despite possessing thirty different licenses, all bearing a different name. Last week, Provenza insisted that it’s always the husband, and it’s just often a love interest, in this case a frightened woman being stalked by an overeager police officer. As usual, Rusty’s plot was central but more prominent towards the end of the episode, as his father devalued his time and earned his contempt by blowing him off repeatedly. Seeing Rusty with a bruised face at the end of the episode was disconcerting, but it’s all but guaranteed that Raydor will fight tooth and nail to make sure that he pays for doing irreparable damage – mostly emotional – to this boy to whom she’s grown so close. To quote another Mary McDonnell character, in one of Laura Roslin’s most furious moments, “I will use every cannon, every bomb, every bullet, every weapon I have down to my own eye teeth to end you.”

What I’m Watching: Major Crimes

Major Crimes: Season 1, Episode 8 “Dismissed with Prejudice” (B+)

There’s nothing like extra facial hair to help distinguish a flashback. A mustachioed Tao was involved in quite an intense case, as a ten-year-old daughter’s testimony put her father in prison, and it was nice to see him spotlighted as he fought to right a wrong, convinced the entire time that he had been correct about his initial suspicions. The Major Crimes squad knew something was up from the start, from Sykes posing as a reporter to Provenza’s insistence that it’s always the husband. As far as cases are concerned, this one was rather spectacular, as Tao put together the facts and realized that the husband murdered not only his wife but also the man with whom she was having an affair, the man that he was in fact trying to accuse of the murder. Telling his daughter that he regrets not killing her too was harsh, but at least she can detach herself from him rather than mourning his being away from her. It’s fun to see Fritz participating, and also worthwhile to note that Jon Tenney directed this episode, a sign that he’ll likely be stopping be on occasion despite the unlikelihood of Brenda Leigh Johnson popping in for an appearance. I’ve come to expect at this point that the case will be wrapped up in full by a few minutes before the end of the episode before checking back in on Rusty, who, despite his best efforts to be argumentative, appears to be forging a legitimate connection with his father, which is sure to complicate his living situation and his guardian’s life as well.

What I’m Watching: Major Crimes

Major Crimes: Season 1, Episode 7 “The Shame Game” (B+)

It’s never a good thing when the founder of an organization devoted to helping human trafficking victims is found murdered. As tends to be the case, however, there’s more to the story than it initially seems, and it turned out that he was too aggressively pursuing his passion. The senator’s presence at the start indicated another ill-advised over-investment in a case by Assistant Chief Taylor, following in the footsteps of his predecessor, Pope, by playing politics to help keep the department running. The ruse he and Raydor concocted was impressive, and it sure succeeded in trapping the guilty man. It’s entertaining that a suspect breaking an interview room door while in the middle of a fit of rage actually exonerated him from the crime of which he was accused, since the real killer’s strength and actions didn’t match up. The arrival on the scene of Daniel Dunn, Rusty’s father, was rather abrupt and somewhat unexpected. His presence was most effective in helping to establish a rapport between Raydor and Provenza, something that is crucial to the success of the team but still needed some finessing up to this point. Rusty’s reaction to the news was expectedly panicked, and the episode ended on a powerful note with Rusty looking into the room and then running away when his father saw him watching. Having Rusty walk in just as the executive director of the human trafficking victims organization is talking about working with kids from the streets feels somewhat manipulative and contrived, and it’s good to see Rusty – and the writers – taking some steps to distinguish himself from just being a convenient statistic for the show to invoke.

Great news for fans of the show - it's been renewed for TNT for a second season!

What I’m Watching: Major Crimes

Major Crimes: Season 1, Episode 6 “Out of Bounds” (B+)

This is hardly the first time that the Assistant Chief has taken an inappropriate interest in a case because it related to his or her life personally. Taylor didn’t try to hide his connection, readily noting his child’s attendance at the school in question, and the aggressiveness with which he sought to close the case wasn’t actually problematic, just a bit more forceful and pushy than he’s otherwise been since gaining this post. Identifying the murder as a result of road rage or just one solitary person rather than a gang shooting was quite important, and the squad did a productive job of getting that done. Unfortunately, Sykes got herself quite injured as she sprinted to stop the victim’s brother from catching the latest suspect, and hopefully the dedication with which she ran after him and the aftermath of her beating will help her be taken more seriously by the rest of the team. It’s no surprise that it was the kid’s racist father, always presuming the worst of a certain type of people, though the execution of the discovery was well-handled, as Raydor realized that he was carrying around just the receipt and nothing else in his wallet so that he could handily provide an alibi for his son. It’s nice to see Sanchez spring into action when gang-related activities, his expertise, are front and center. It’s also quite welcome to see Rusty embracing his current situation with Raydor, deeming a meeting with his own relatives unnecessary since he likes where he is at the moment.

What I’m Watching: Major Crimes

Major Crimes: Season 1, Episode 5 “Citizens Arrest” (B+)

You can tell that it’s not going to be a positive episode when a kid is found dead in a barrel in the opening moments. This was an especially dark hour, however, that never got any less bleak as each new character proved more despicable than the previous one. Criminals that refuse to accept the authority of the government make things considerably more difficult, and D.D.A. Hobbs, Sanchez, and Sykes did their best to deal with that particular situation. Though she once again proved idiotic by not knowing when to keep her mouth shut and spilled the beans about Ben’s death to his friend, Sykes did redeem herself after Provenza kept touting her previous experience and teamed her up with Sanchez. Though she didn’t seem on board with Sanchez’s intimidation techniques, she was right with him in the van and on the ground when the action started. This wasn’t a good episode for fathers, one of whom didn’t treat his wife terribly well and another who shot his old son after realizing that the police had gotten to him. Provenza’s intimate knowledge of divorce papers, something he wouldn’t usually consider an asset, proved quite useful in determining who the kidnappers were. After more complaining about his situation, Rusty seemed to comprehend the gravity of the work Raydor and the rest of the team were doing, showing her the respect that she had wanted all along, and I think that the fact that her conversation with him about his father was off-camera means that this may represent a turning point in their relationship, which could help Rusty get off the notion of finding his family and set him in a more positive direction.

What I’m Watching: Major Crimes

Major Crimes: Season 1, Episode 4 “The Ecstasy and the Agony” (B+)

It’s always nice to see a stacked slate of guest stars from the greater TV universe. Two of them were playing very familiar roles, with Necar Zadegan appearing as yet another free-thinking Middle Eastern wife after her role as Dalia Hassan on “24” and Dylan Minnette as another trouble-making son after his part as occasionally alive son Rex on “Awake.” Here, they played mother and son, both suspected at different times of being guilty of killing the Israeli mob man slated for witness protection. The most notable guest star was Michael Weatherly in his first non-“NCIS” TV guest spot since that show started. As spiritual therapist Thorn, he was wild and entertaining, considerably over-the-top in a fantastic way. For once, Sykes held her questions for the appropriate time and didn’t ruin the squad’s plans to catch Avi in the act of trying to dispose of the gun, and, as has tended to be the case lately, there was a deal all ready to go to solve everyone’s problems quickly and efficiently. Though I still don’t think that Rusty needs to be a regular character on this show, having him start school and get into a fight after telling other kids the truth about his past is a strong way of further connecting him to Captain Raydor, who went to bat for him but expressed her disappointment at the way he was treating her at the same time. Perhaps not surprisingly, this show is so self-sufficient due to its ensemble that Raydor’s part doesn’t even need to be expanded. That said, it’s still fun to see both Jon Tenney and D.B. Sweeney as FBI agents.