Everybody Wants To Be My Enemy (3x05: Rage)
Oh, the misery. Everybody wants to be Buck’s enemy.
This week Han, Cil, and Rachel discuss Season 3 Episode 5 of 9-1-1, “Rage.” We run the emotional gamut from systemic high-stakes racial profiling to less dire grocery store domestic disputes.
The bad traffic stop with Michael, May, and Harry is one of the heavier, more nuanced things that the show has covered and we take a look at the heart of the storyline: how they have to operate differently in the world in order to stay safe, even from those who are supposed to serve and protect them.
We discuss the raw and heart wrenching conversations Michael has with both Bobby and Harry, delving into the meaning for our characters, but also how important the portrayal of this storyline is to show audience members who are not black Americans.
Meanwhile, Buck’s not just fighting for his job back, he's trying to regain control in a world that feels like it's slipping through his fingers. We dive into Buck’s psyche and explore how his feelings of isolation are exacerbated at the arbitration hearing when it becomes a family feud, not just for legal matters, but for the fragile dynamics of the 118.
Eddie's no good, very bad week(s) finally boils over into hands thrown in a parking lot, landing him in jail. We dig into the root cause of Eddie’s actions from his fear and worry for Christopher to his frustration and anger at the utter lack of control he’s experiencing lately.
As Buck seeks to apologize and reconnect, Eddie throws verbal darts and the ‘deadbeat dad’ card in the grocery store like it’s an Olympic event for emotional outbursts—like, can we not air our laundry in public?
Eddie’s sparing no sympathy while Buck’s looking out for himself.
📔 Articles Mentioned
📰 9-1-1 Boss on Athena’s ‘Authentic’ Family Crisis, What’s Next for Buck, TV Line
📰 ‘9-1-1’ Showrunner on Michael’s Harrowing Run-In With the Police, Buck’s Future at Station 118, The Wrap
Episode Title inspired by “Enemy” by Imagine Dragons feat. JID
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Music by DIV!NITY
Chapters
(00:00:00) Intro
(00:50:21) Welcome to Dispatch
(00:02:10) General Thoughts
(00:05:17) Jaws of Life - Deep Dive
(00:09:13) Red String Corner
(00:12:01) Flashover - Themes
(00:14:22) Who’s Cookin’? - Hen & Karen
(00:19:27) Michael, Harry, & May
(00:35:08) Athena
(00:43:32) Eddie
(01:04:26) Buck
(01:14:54) Where’s the Fire? - Scene Dissection: The Arbitration Hearing
(01:36:16) 118 at the Grocery Store
(01:40:29) Slow Burn - Buddie Divorce 1.0 (Grocery Fight)
(01:55:59) Take a Buddie With You & Outro
Transcript
This week we discuss the Grant family.
Speaker B:Getting racially profiled, Buck turning down millions.
Speaker C:Of dollars, and Eddie calling Buck a deadbeat dad in aisle five.
Speaker C:Have you ever watched something that completely rewired your brain chemistry?
Speaker B:A procedural network drama might not be your usual pick, but it's ours.
Speaker A:This is The Buddy System, a 911 deep dive podcast hosted by three friends who you have DMed each other enough character dissertations to earn a PhD in media literacy.
Speaker C:I'm Han, coming to you straight from the characters heads.
Speaker B:I'm Syl, bringing you to the observation deck.
Speaker A:And I'm Rachel, connecting the dots with my red string.
Speaker C:With our powers combined, no stone is.
Speaker A:Left unturned and no buddy is left behind.
Speaker B:This episode sponsored by Happy's rage room.
Speaker B:Welcome to Dispatch.
Speaker B:What's on call this week?
Speaker C: ,: Speaker A:All right, so we have some calls of the week, and they all have to deal with the guess it rage.
Speaker A:The first one is the happiest place on earth from Happy's rage room, where two friends enter a rage room to blow off some steam.
Speaker A:When one of them finds out her friend is having an affair with her husband, she chases her into a barrel with the sledgehammer.
Speaker A:Our next call is what the duck Activists storm a slaughterhouse to chain themselves to a machine belt in protest, but when it accidentally gets turned on, the mechanism causes one of the men to start choking.
Speaker A:Our next one is everything but routine, in which Michael, with Harry and May in tower, is pulled over at a traffic stop by two officers that very quickly goes south.
Speaker A:And our last call of this episode is road or parking lot rage, where the 118's grocery store run is interrupted when two cars in the parking lot keep ramming into each other like bumper cars and running over a fire hydrant.
Speaker A:How mad are we about this episode?
Speaker B:How what?
Speaker A:Mad are we?
Speaker B:I got you.
Speaker B:I got you.
Speaker A:I'm sorry, but mad as in like, we like it or mad as in, like, angry?
Speaker A:That's a terrible.
Speaker B:Mad for me.
Speaker A:So, guys, are we.
Speaker A:Are we angry?
Speaker A:Are we mad?
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:The police.
Speaker B:Actually, you're right.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:Mad about that.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker B:How dare you.
Speaker C:The rest of this objectively funny.
Speaker A:Yeah, it's kind of great.
Speaker A:Like, it's a kind of great episode.
Speaker C:It is a good episode.
Speaker A:Yeah, it's another one of those ensembles where, like, everybody gets, like, a little.
Speaker A:A little moment.
Speaker C:We even get to see that Maddie is still, you know, on her stalking bullshit at the end, so she got to also be there.
Speaker A:She was also here two seconds.
Speaker A:Yeah, Yeah.
Speaker B:I, I thought it was.
Speaker B:I thought it was a good episode.
Speaker B:Overall, I love that it continues setting up the storylines for the rest of the season.
Speaker B:I really enjoy the one and only part of the ancient buddy text.
Speaker B:The divorce era part.
Speaker B:No, the divorce era 1.0.
Speaker B:The grocery scene store.
Speaker B:The grocery scene store.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:I would like to go to the scene store.
Speaker A:Please give me some more of those.
Speaker A:I would like one buddy divorce scene.
Speaker A:I would like the scene store is.
Speaker C:What you think it is.
Speaker C:Sounds like a kink club.
Speaker C:The grocery store scene.
Speaker C:Wow.
Speaker A:The way I didn't notice when you said it at first, I was just like, yeah, grocery scenes.
Speaker B:Yeah, that's it.
Speaker B:That's all I got.
Speaker C:I think it's a good episode.
Speaker C:The cop stuff makes me really angry, but I.
Speaker C:I think it's.
Speaker C:It's handled about as well as a show like this can handle it.
Speaker C:Probably talk about it more later.
Speaker C:Eddie is insane.
Speaker C:He's insane.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:And I love him so much.
Speaker C:And Buck doesn't understand how lawsuits work.
Speaker A:No, no.
Speaker C:He doesn't understand how lawsuits work.
Speaker C:I don't know.
Speaker C:I.
Speaker C:I laugh a lot in this episode at parts that are probably not supposed to be funny, but I just laugh at Buck and Eddie a lot.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:They're just super embarrassing in this episode.
Speaker C:Yep.
Speaker C:We're just continuing that theme of them not being functional human beings really without each other.
Speaker C:So.
Speaker C:So it's part two.
Speaker A:Stands to reason.
Speaker C:Uh huh.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:I also thought this episode was really good.
Speaker A:I know it's.
Speaker A:There are bits and pieces that we always tend to go back to, namely like the grocery store.
Speaker A:Just like generally the way it handles the.
Speaker A:The traffic stop like or more like what it.
Speaker A:How it handles the after with Michael.
Speaker A:Talking to Harry, I think is really well done.
Speaker A:I think.
Speaker A:I think this episode does like balance, really like a lot of it juggles a lot.
Speaker A:But I think it does a good job with it.
Speaker C:Agreed.
Speaker A:Shall we get the Jaws of Life?
Speaker C:We're gonna need the Jaws of Life over here.
Speaker A:All right.
Speaker A:So with our Jaws of Life deep dive, I did find a couple interviews from Tim my near regarding this episode.
Speaker A:It's saying a lot of the same stuff.
Speaker A:One was from TV Line and the other was from the Rat.
Speaker A:So in these interviews, Tim says Lindsay Bolio, who's the writer of this episode and we know that she is still on staff even through season eight.
Speaker A:I think.
Speaker A:I think I speak for all of us, when we say, like, we are generally a fan of her work, like, I think we really do like her episodes.
Speaker A:So apparently she was new to the staff in season three, and she pitched the story of the run in with the police, with Harry and Michael and May herself.
Speaker A:And Tim said she's a black woman and it was a story she felt strongly about.
Speaker A:And it was a great way to get Michael back into the show because this is the.
Speaker A:Is the only time we see him is in episode one, I think, with the.
Speaker A:With the party.
Speaker A:And it was a great way to explore a relevant question in a balanced and sensitive way.
Speaker A:It just felt right.
Speaker A:He continues in one of the other articles speaking about the run in with the police scene, that he felt like it was something they needed to do, something they wanted to do, and he was confident that they could do it in a way that wasn't exploitative and was sensitive and put the audience into the point of view of somebody like Michael to really understand the gray areas and what that feels like.
Speaker A:And he also said they weren't trying to tell a story about police brutality.
Speaker A:They were telling a story of what it's like to be in Michael's position.
Speaker A:I think that's kind of like an important.
Speaker A:An important way to frame that story because I don't think it.
Speaker A:It would have done when it needed to do otherwise.
Speaker A:You know, it was if it.
Speaker A:If the.
Speaker A:If the rest of the story was not in like Michael's perspective specifically and then going to speak about Buck.
Speaker A:Tim was asked if there was any temptation to stretch out the lawsuit longer than two episodes for dramatic effect.
Speaker A:And he was like, honestly, no, not really.
Speaker A:Formula.
Speaker B:What I said, that's his formula.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Just like Eddie and Bobby can't be mad at each other for longer than like an episode and a half.
Speaker B:That's family.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And also about how, you know, Buck is told that he's won because the powers that be have bent to the threat of a lawsuit.
Speaker A:But in deciding not to take the settlement, Buck is going to have to sign a bunch of waivers and forego any blame and responsibility that he may lay at the foot of Bobby if he wants to come back and play on the field, which is what he wants to do.
Speaker A:But Bobby has other ideas, which I think is something we are kind of clued into at the very end there.
Speaker A:And then in a question about Eddie, the interviewer asked if the fight club is the solution to his problem or is it start of a whole new problem.
Speaker A:And I mean, we know the answer.
Speaker A:Tim Said I would definitely say it's not the solution and laughed.
Speaker A:So yes, that is.
Speaker A:That is pretty much it.
Speaker A:Additionally, he him also mentioned something about Athena in relation to Michael's storyline where he said also to kind of preview, we know Athena begins is coming up in just a couple episodes.
Speaker A:So he said that we're going to learn more about Athena's journey, her struggles, and her unique perspective as a woman of color in the LAPD who's been on the force since the 90s.
Speaker A:And then said if she hadn't taken the position she took, it would have been inauthentic.
Speaker A:And they were trying to tell a story about that gray area.
Speaker A:So they were just thinking about multiple sides of it.
Speaker A:I guess we can just like pop right into our red string corner.
Speaker B:I've connected the dots.
Speaker B:Different connect shit.
Speaker A:I think there were a couple.
Speaker A:A couple little foreshadowing details that I picked out.
Speaker A:I didn't really find more.
Speaker A:They're kind of foreshadowing.
Speaker A:They're kind of parallels.
Speaker A:Well, the foreshadowing one I thought was from the very beginning, the rage room call, where one of the ladies, I think her name was Denise, was wedged tightly in the barrel in the rage room.
Speaker A:And it's like, oh, a very tight spot.
Speaker A:Wedged in.
Speaker A:Can't move in.
Speaker A:Would you say kind of like a well?
Speaker A:A barrel is like a well.
Speaker C:I would say that they have nothing in common.
Speaker C:But you do you.
Speaker A:No, I'm.
Speaker A:Because like I've been picking up on like, like from the first episode, the lady in the trunk, like all of these people, like wedged in these very, like tight spaces.
Speaker A:That is difficult.
Speaker C:I know.
Speaker A:Get out of.
Speaker A:I'm just saying there's a bunch of those.
Speaker A:And then kind of the idea of like, if anything happens to me, contingencies, which is mentioned between Bobby and Michael.
Speaker A:So how that kind of floats the idea of, you know, other.
Speaker A:Other people looking after kids if something happened to one.
Speaker A:That's all.
Speaker A:No reason.
Speaker B:I don't have it on there, but I have it on my notes and it's low hanging fruit.
Speaker B:But the first call, literally that foreshadowed the.
Speaker B:The grocery fight.
Speaker A:I can't talk today.
Speaker A:The grocery fight.
Speaker B:Grocery store.
Speaker B:Well, I meant to say grocery store.
Speaker A:Okay, say it again.
Speaker A:Say it again.
Speaker B:It foreshadowed the grocery store fight between Buck and Eddie.
Speaker A:Best friends, right?
Speaker B:Best friend.
Speaker B:Oh, if you want to be a friend, bail her out or something.
Speaker B:And like they're like, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker B:She's like, I don't want her to bail.
Speaker B:I don't want favors.
Speaker B:I don't really remember the transcript, but honestly.
Speaker B:Yeah, that was.
Speaker B:Foreshadowed the.
Speaker B:The fight.
Speaker B:And it foreshadowed the.
Speaker B:The whole Eddie going to jail for, however, a night, couple hours.
Speaker B:I don't know.
Speaker B:I don't think they told us, actually.
Speaker C:He would never do anything illegal.
Speaker C:Eddie.
Speaker C:He has a summer star.
Speaker A:But then he was just going through some stuff.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:Number one, Eddie Defender.
Speaker A:So true.
Speaker A:He got us all beat going into defending any competition.
Speaker A:And your.
Speaker B:Your competition is.
Speaker C:You're losing.
Speaker A:You're losing, bro.
Speaker A:All right, let's talk about some themes.
Speaker A:I think it's pretty obviously, again, like 911 does so.
Speaker A:Well, just like the title, it's rage.
Speaker A:About anger.
Speaker A:Anger and.
Speaker B:And how you control it.
Speaker B:Because control is the other theme.
Speaker A:Oh, yeah.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:So there's that.
Speaker A:That tension of controlling your anger, letting it control you, letting go of the anger or letting it, like, take deeper root.
Speaker A:So I'm.
Speaker A:I mean, letting go is just always a theme.
Speaker A:Also.
Speaker A:I'm going.
Speaker A:That is my favorite theme.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:Your series theme.
Speaker C:It's.
Speaker A:It is the series theme.
Speaker A:And then you also have betrayals and broken trust.
Speaker A:So betrayals between best friends, familial betrayals, societal betrayals that you have between, you know, the community that's supposed to be kept safe from the police and the police who are trying to protect themselves and the betrayal in that way as well.
Speaker A:Additionally, keeping secrets or when secrets get out, maybe that leading to some betrayal and rage.
Speaker A:And all of these things are interconnected.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:It's like a little domino effect.
Speaker A:So what happens when.
Speaker A:When you keep secrets?
Speaker A:And what happens when those secrets are spilled?
Speaker A:The tea is spilled.
Speaker A:You can choose to be angry or you can choose to what, Let it go or just.
Speaker B:Well, I was.
Speaker B:You already said it.
Speaker B:Or you can just let it.
Speaker B:You can just unleash it, whatever it is.
Speaker A:Yeah, there's.
Speaker A:There's letting it go.
Speaker A:As in, like, drifting off, like goodbye, goodbye.
Speaker A:Or unleashing it, which is like, I think you trying to control the rage as.
Speaker A:But sometimes it ends up controlling you.
Speaker B:I don't know what the energy or the vibes are.
Speaker A:They are weird.
Speaker B:They're immaculate.
Speaker B:It's fine.
Speaker A:Immaculately weird.
Speaker A:Okay, that's it.
Speaker A:Does anyone have.
Speaker A:Else have anything else?
Speaker C:Well, you told me I could show up with just vibes, so great.
Speaker C:Here I am.
Speaker A:Great.
Speaker C:Honey.
Speaker C:Karen, let's go.
Speaker A:I would say they're the least rageful of the bunch.
Speaker B:Well, I think it's more like how hen internalizes her her rage more.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Because, like, she's.
Speaker B:So we.
Speaker B:We find out that the IVF treatment did not go well, had five or.
Speaker C:Six, like, successful embryos, but they have to test them before they can implant them.
Speaker C:And they all had defects or things wrong with them, so they all had to be terminated.
Speaker C:So like, they would have to start over again.
Speaker C:The whole process, all of them.
Speaker A:And that is a very expensive process as well.
Speaker B:Well, yeah.
Speaker A:And it takes a toll on Karen's.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:Emotionally.
Speaker C:Because it's a lot of hormones.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:So we see her.
Speaker A:You're right.
Speaker A:So she really does internalize that rage.
Speaker A:Like, she turns it in on herself that, like, she.
Speaker A:She thought there would always be more time and that.
Speaker A:And she's worried that, like, she.
Speaker A:She will continue to fail and kind of like losing that hope of being able to grow their family in this way.
Speaker A:And just like, you know, kind of anger at her own body, which is probably one of the worst angers, because it's not something that you can do anything about.
Speaker C:Like, there's only so much you can do.
Speaker C:She's doing what she can do.
Speaker A:And Hen says that too.
Speaker A:Like, you.
Speaker A:You did everything right.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:But Karen is like, her body has been fighting her every step of the way.
Speaker A:So it's like she's not even the one with the rage.
Speaker A:It's like her body is raging against her, which is so disheartening.
Speaker C:I also think Hen has some low simmering rage for all of the dumbass boys in her life because she's dealing with this very serious shit at home that she wants to be able to be there for, but she has to go do a fucking hearing.
Speaker A:Interpretation.
Speaker A:Hearing.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:Because Buck is suing and she's like.
Speaker C:And because Bobby didn't communicate and Buck doesn't know what a labor union is.
Speaker A:She's so much smarter than all of them.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:She's like, I have to go.
Speaker C:She's like, I'd rather have a fucking root canal than go do this.
Speaker C:Um, but yeah, I can't be.
Speaker C:Can't have today off and be with my wife.
Speaker C:I have to go do this.
Speaker C:Then she's annoyed with that whole process because she's like.
Speaker C:Like, why am I getting my previous job that has nothing to do with this thrown in my face, like, raked over the coals.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:And then in the grocery store, she's dealing with Chim being passive aggressive because he didn't know.
Speaker A:Oh, my God.
Speaker C:He.
Speaker C:He didn't know.
Speaker C:Like, he.
Speaker C:He needs to know everything that's happening at all times.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:And he's really upset about it.
Speaker A:And she's like, kimmy and I are the same.
Speaker C:This is.
Speaker C:I know.
Speaker C:And she's just like.
Speaker C:She has to deal with that.
Speaker C:And then she's like, bobby needs to get over it.
Speaker C:All of this is about Buck.
Speaker C:Oh, Buck.
Speaker C:And then she's like, oh, my.
Speaker C:She's just standing there like, why is everyone in my life a fucking idiot?
Speaker A:Like, yeah.
Speaker A:She's, like, dealing with problems.
Speaker C:Dealing with.
Speaker C:And then it's just like, you have to.
Speaker A:And I don't think she.
Speaker C:And all of your friends and your co workers are men.
Speaker C:And they're all being the worst versions of that.
Speaker A:They really are being the worst versions of that.
Speaker A:I also don't know how much, like, she's really letting people in about what Karen's going through.
Speaker A:Because one.
Speaker A:Like, that's.
Speaker A:That's a very private thing.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:So, like, she.
Speaker A:I don't think she really has anyone that she can kind of confide in about this, like, consistently.
Speaker A:I mean, she maybe buck about it.
Speaker C:In the next episode a little bit.
Speaker B:Oh, good.
Speaker A:I forgot.
Speaker A:I love that episode.
Speaker A:But, yeah, so.
Speaker A:So I think.
Speaker A:I think she.
Speaker A:I think hen also needs a little bit of an outlet, too, which is why.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:You know, Chimney's surprised that she ends up in the rage room later.
Speaker A:And it's like, you know, she's had a rough day, and I think she's had a rough couple of weeks.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:Maybe months, maybe years.
Speaker A:And she deserves to let it out.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:And I think.
Speaker A:I think she also has, like, some of the best, like, control over her emotions than anyone else does.
Speaker C:Well, yeah.
Speaker A:And she also, like, I think she is the best at realizing when it's best to let something go and when it's best to kind of, like, you know.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker A:Hold on to it a little more.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:She like it.
Speaker B:It.
Speaker B:It does suck for her to see Karen, you know, being.
Speaker B:Crying about, well, Karen.
Speaker B:So it just sucks for her, really, to see Karen is, like, holding on to this, like, rage and pain over her own body and thinking that it.
Speaker B:And blaming herself for it and then.
Speaker B:But, you know, she has to be there for her, and she can't also express any frustrations that she has.
Speaker B:Um, so it's great that she was able to do that in that rage room that they want to at the end there.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Utilize your resources.
Speaker B:She really had a tough day.
Speaker A:She did.
Speaker A:All right.
Speaker A:Shall we go into Michael and Athena and Harry and May?
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:So this is, I think, one of the heavier, more nuanced things that the show has covered.
Speaker C:And I think that they, like I mentioned earlier, just in general thoughts, I think that they handled it pretty well in kind of the space that they had for it, with the time allotted for it and in the format that they had for it.
Speaker C:And like I think Tim said in one of his interviews, like, it's not about police brutality, it's about looking at how this affects the people it's affecting.
Speaker A:Which I think was the best way.
Speaker C:To go about it.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:Because it's how the show works.
Speaker C:Because they were not.
Speaker C:We're not like talking about, like, this.
Speaker A:Isn'T a cop show.
Speaker C:Well, no, it's not a cop show.
Speaker C:But like when we address anything that's of this kind of nature, it's not looking at it as a whole.
Speaker C:It's looking at it as how it's directly affecting one of our characters.
Speaker C:So I do think that this was handled in a way that hopefully to some viewers, like, opened their eyes and let them see what this is like.
Speaker C:Because for someone who isn't a black person, especially a black man living in America, you have no idea what this is like.
Speaker A:And obviously we can't really speak to that or this kind of situation from a personal standpoint, because we are not.
Speaker C:No, obviously.
Speaker C:And like, I would, I would love to hear from any of our black listeners, like, what your thoughts are, like, on how they handled this.
Speaker C:Like, if you thought that it was done well, like, I.
Speaker C:It was.
Speaker C:I mean, the whole idea was from, from a black woman.
Speaker C:So like that I, I think helps.
Speaker A:Give it a little.
Speaker C:Helps give it like, helps like an.
Speaker A:Authentic point of view.
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker C:So it wasn't like, it wasn't just some white dude in a room being like, well, we should do this.
Speaker A:Especially because it was her idea.
Speaker C:Yes, it was her idea.
Speaker C:It came across in a way that I think.
Speaker C:I'm glad that they addressed something like this and they did it in the early seasons of the show because I think this isn't a cop show.
Speaker C:It is a first responder show.
Speaker C:And there's only one cop that does come across disingenuous, I think to have a cop, especially a black cop, and not address this topic literally ever.
Speaker C:It's really not addressed much ever again.
Speaker C:They did, they did address like police violence, gun violence in season eight.
Speaker C:It was handled terribly.
Speaker C:I did not like it at all.
Speaker C:So the juxtaposition of like, yeah, it's.
Speaker A:Interesting with that because they are very similar.
Speaker A:They're not the most similar, but there are similarities, aren't similarities?
Speaker C:And showing the audience, the real ramifications of how serious that is.
Speaker C:Like, and, and Athena shakes hands with that rookie cop like at the end, at his.
Speaker A:Here.
Speaker C:It's just.
Speaker A:Yeah, we're not really.
Speaker A:We're not here to talk about that one.
Speaker A:I think that, I think this is far superior to that in like every single way.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C: up in and this took place in: Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:Close in time with.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:There's a lot of current events that were happening and still happen.
Speaker C:It made a lot of sense for Mae to have this dance that she had and for Harry, for his age to not really understand, you know, why what happened happened and being scared and confused and the way that they portrayed Michael being angry because.
Speaker C:Not because of how he was treated, but because of them pulling a gun on his kid.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:And because he has to now take his kid out of being a kid and tell him how he has to operate around people who are supposed to keep him safe.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:And I, I thought that was like the best part of this was showing that conversation and showing, showing the conversation with Bobby beforehand too.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:Because I think that really got to the heart of like, for, for Michael himself.
Speaker C:Like why it's so upsetting.
Speaker C:So upsetting.
Speaker C:Because it's like, yeah, it sucks for him, but it's, it's his kid and he has to, he has to be a father in a different way than anyone who isn't a father to a black kid has to be.
Speaker C:And he has to.
Speaker C:To explain to a 10 year old that, yes, the police are supposed to.
Speaker A:Protect us, but like, you have to protect yourself.
Speaker C:You have to.
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker C:It's, it's not about like you being right, it's about being safe.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:And it's, it's fucking heart wrenching.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:I think, I think this between Michael and Bobby and Michael and Harry is some of the most like, nuanced television you're gonna see.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Because it takes so much care to really like, not just like explain off the page, but really get into the, the why and Michael's perspective especially I do like that conversation with Bobby because you get that other perspective that Bobby also acknowledges that he's never going to understand from a firsthand basis, but he is sensitive to it and aware of that kind of stuff.
Speaker C:And I think it was a good perspective to have.
Speaker C:And, and I think.
Speaker C:Which is like the perspective that a lot of white people have about anything regarding racism, which is just like, well, it's.
Speaker C:It's 20, whatever.
Speaker C:Like, that's not really a thing that happens anymore.
Speaker C:Like, society has progressed past that and we haven't.
Speaker C:That's some people's realities that we haven't.
Speaker C:Like, just because we're not segregated anymore doesn't mean, congratulations, racism is over.
Speaker A:It'd be nice if it worked that way.
Speaker C:Yeah, would be great.
Speaker C:So, yeah, basically, I think this was handled really well, but I would.
Speaker C:I would love to hear the listeners, like, opinions on this and if you have thoughts or feedback, especially as a black person, to, like, know your thoughts on this.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:Or as a person who maybe didn't know as much about this and maybe this story helped you understand because, like, as someone who grew up, like, in a very white area, but because my dad's from Baltimore, I went to Baltimore a lot and had, you know, like, family and friends who weren't white.
Speaker C:You know, I got to see people who were different from me and, like, hear other perspectives growing up.
Speaker C:But there are a lot of people in this country who grow up without knowing or getting to know people who are not also white and so don't really know about these experiences.
Speaker C:So.
Speaker C:Yeah, I would just love to hear people's opinions on it.
Speaker A:And, like, TV can be one of those really fantastic ways to broaden one's horizons and open their eyes to lives and perspectives that aren't theirs, you know, because even though it may be a fictional character, it still reflects reality and some people's in real life experiences.
Speaker A:So I think that is.
Speaker A:That would be a great, like, way to open the door to that as well.
Speaker A:Which.
Speaker A:Which is why it's so important for shows to address these kind of things.
Speaker A:And I do also want to say about the.
Speaker A:The Michael and Harry talk, I think it's.
Speaker A:I think it is so interesting because it kind of picks up on, like, just to talk about character stuff for a minute.
Speaker A:Yes, it kind of picks up on a similar thread that we've seen with Michael and his concern for Harry and wanting him to be a kid.
Speaker A:Because we saw that last season when I'm forgetting the episode at the moment, but it was Michael being angry at Bobby because Harry thought Bobby was so cool and a fireman.
Speaker A:And Michael got frustrated.
Speaker A:That was another episode that had to deal with anger.
Speaker A:But Michael got frustrated because he wanted Harry to live in his kid bubble of superheroes and comic books.
Speaker A:And I know we had a discussion about that then, but it even harkens back to, like, the very beginning of season two with the earthquake when, you know, we, we talked about resiliency of kids and how like they may not be as, as fully aware of the world going on around them.
Speaker A:And so through Harry and his like, little journey in these last couple seasons, I think we start to see like how the real world, I guess you could say, like starts creeping in and bursting that bubble of childhood.
Speaker A:And even when parents are so like protective in like a good way too.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:It can't always shield them from the realities of life.
Speaker A:And that's just an unfortunate.
Speaker A:But it is, it's a lot of how you deal with it.
Speaker A:And I think, I think Harry was asking some of the incredible questions too, like 10 year old curiosity and just like, just so smart, like why are we different?
Speaker A:And like, aren't they supposed to keep us safe?
Speaker A:And it's just like sometimes that like childlike sense of wonder or that childlike perspective also helps make you go, oh, didn't think of it in that way because it really gets down to like the very like brass tacks, like very simple, in simple kid terms.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:So I, I think, I thought that was like an interesting thread that we're seeing between Michael and Harry's relationship as well.
Speaker A:Continued.
Speaker A:I think that's beautiful.
Speaker B:I think it also ties back into the, the earthquake too, where he, I mean, I know like this, the earthquake versus this, this, you know, like this episode covers a very serious issue.
Speaker B:But the earthquake, what happens in the earthquake, you know, like as a child he, he's like, I don't, I don't have to go to school.
Speaker B:It's very childish.
Speaker B:And meanwhile, Michael is trying to show him the, the lesson that there are people that need help and there are people that are suffering.
Speaker B:It's not just about, oh, you don't get to go to school.
Speaker B:Like, and I do enjoy seeing that kind of parenting from Michael to a kid, you know, to, to his kid like this.
Speaker B:Because these are, these are some serious life lessons.
Speaker B:And even though, even though it does shatter that the bubble that he's in as a child, it's still, it just shows kind of parent that Michael is and how, and what kind of kid Harry is, you know, like, and I think it really, like all of these lessons are really going to help him learn, help stay with him, help him learn, help him grow.
Speaker A:Unfortunately, he just has to learn those lessons very early.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:And which is very unfortunate.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:It's not something that he, he should have to be learning as a kid or that anyone should have to be learning.
Speaker C:Unfortunately.
Speaker C:But I think that the way that, that Michael has the conversation with him is.
Speaker C:Is the most gentle, straightforward way that he could have done it in a way that tried to make him.
Speaker C:Try to instill the knowledge to keep him safe while still making him feel safe.
Speaker A:I think that's a great distinction to make.
Speaker A:He was making sure that Harry knows how to be safe without instilling fear in him necessarily.
Speaker A:Because.
Speaker A:Because the focus was on like, being safe and, and don't.
Speaker C:And a lot of just affirmations of like what?
Speaker C:Well, you said we weren't different.
Speaker C:You aren't different.
Speaker C:But they're going so very much saying this is how some people will perceive you and they are wrong and they don't know how amazing you are.
Speaker A:And these are all the reasons why you are amazing.
Speaker A:And don't you forget it.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker C:So I just.
Speaker C:I just thought that was handled really beautifully.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:A plus parenting.
Speaker C:A plus parenting.
Speaker C:And just the, the whole scene itself of, of the.
Speaker A:The traffic stop.
Speaker C:Yeah, the traffic.
Speaker C:Traffic stop, whatever you want to call it, whatever.
Speaker C:The acting in that from.
Speaker C:Oh, from the kids is crazy good.
Speaker C:It's crazy good.
Speaker C:I may mean the whole episode, but especially like, that's a really heavy, big thing to do.
Speaker C:And they ask out of the kids.
Speaker A:And they keep giving kids like very.
Speaker A:I know, like, like bestowing on them a lot of.
Speaker A:A lot of trust.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:For heavy scenes like this and, and just in general, like that whole scene where it is the pullover, like it.
Speaker A:The.
Speaker A:The decisions that were made.
Speaker A:The tension starts ramping up immediately from that first shot of Officer Reynolds.
Speaker A:Like, you're like the camera is behind him and he already has like, his hand.
Speaker A:His hand on his holster.
Speaker A:And the music is already very.
Speaker A:Just kind of like uneasy.
Speaker A:So the whole production of this also, I think puts you in the perspective of Michael and May and Harry when he wakes up from the back of the seat to like, be like, you are tense.
Speaker A:There's something going on here.
Speaker A:You don't know what's going to happen, but you know, it's probably not going to be good.
Speaker A:So just like the production on that whole thing I think is very effective because it really puts you in and their, Their point of view.
Speaker A:Michael and Harry and Mace.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:But it is just crazy to like, be plunged into like, Michael's point of view and like, as.
Speaker C:As someone who has and never will have to.
Speaker C:To.
Speaker C:To deal with what he's had to deal with to.
Speaker C:And I've, you know, have many traffic incidents like in my teens and early twenties.
Speaker C:That I'm like, I absolutely have mouthed off to police officers and I never had.
Speaker C:Because they're stupid and they say stupid stuff.
Speaker C:So I say stupid stuff back to them.
Speaker C:But you know what I mean?
Speaker C:Like, I never had my parents and have to explain to me that that could get me killed.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:So it's insane to see him have to basically ask, act like he's an.
Speaker A:In a, like hostage, he's done something wrong without having done anything.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And like he says to, like, he says to Bobby, like, it.
Speaker A:He doesn't want to prepare his son for something that shouldn't be their responsibility.
Speaker A:And that's exactly what it is.
Speaker A:Because it's, it.
Speaker A:It's taking on this extra responsibility that should not be there because it should just be like inherently, you know.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:And that whole thing like happened so fast.
Speaker A:I can only.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:And it was so fast.
Speaker C:Only imagine having, I think having May like record it and then later, like when they're back home or talking about how she was going to post it felt like very realistic.
Speaker C:And then.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:Her mom being like.
Speaker C:And not even as a police officer being like, I don't want mom, I don't want you and Harry to have this follow you around forever.
Speaker A:Which is a very fair, like thing.
Speaker C:To say because Michael was like on May's side until he was like.
Speaker C:Okay.
Speaker C:No, you're right.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:But it is very interesting like how once they get home and they're talking about this with Athena, it's like Athena's not being their mom really.
Speaker C:She's being a cop.
Speaker C:And she's trying to explain what it's like from their point of view.
Speaker C:And I, like, I don't know.
Speaker C:I try really hard to like objectively see where she's coming from.
Speaker C:I do like Athena.
Speaker C:I just hate that she's a cop.
Speaker A:I, Yeah, I, I understand why she takes this stance that she does because she does see it from that other side.
Speaker A:How.
Speaker A:And I think she is being like, she sensitive to them, but like.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:She knows that it's not really the time.
Speaker A:It's not really the time or place for that.
Speaker C:No.
Speaker A:For her to play the.
Speaker A:The devil's advocacy in that way.
Speaker C:But like we have seen this season her pull her gun in situation where she really didn't need to.
Speaker C:So, you know, she is one of them.
Speaker C:She is, you know, she's not like, she's not committing police brutality and like racially profiling people, but she is being reactionary and she is, it's supposed to, protective and she Says it's.
Speaker C:It's protect and serve them, not protect and serve yourself.
Speaker C:So I thought it was very interesting to, like, show the juxtaposition of, like, how she was responding in that situation with her family where they really needed her to be.
Speaker A:Mom.
Speaker A:Officer.
Speaker A:Sergeant.
Speaker A:Yes, Grant.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:And then to see what she does to the officer, which is typical.
Speaker C:Which is another.
Speaker A:Grant.
Speaker C:Which is another abuse of power.
Speaker C:She does this a lot.
Speaker A:She does.
Speaker C:You know, but I think what she did was she was making her point, and I think she was like, well, this guy abuses his power consistently with.
Speaker C:With black.
Speaker C:All black people.
Speaker C:And she's like, I'm going to give.
Speaker A:Him a taste pattern of behavior.
Speaker A:It's like.
Speaker C:And our boss is straight up with her, like, you know, nothing.
Speaker C:I.
Speaker C:Like, I'd love to say that something would happen, but he stopped short of doing anything truly awful.
Speaker C:So no repercussions really happen.
Speaker A:Nothing can stick.
Speaker A:And it's like, it's so unfortunate.
Speaker C:Shows that there's something wrong with.
Speaker C:With the system.
Speaker A:Because even.
Speaker A:Even if you have, like, all of these infractions, if.
Speaker A:If you're not going.
Speaker A:If you're not crossing X line.
Speaker C:Yep.
Speaker A:You know, which, like, is not what you want to happen, but I think.
Speaker A:I think it's kind of like to.
Speaker A:To put up like a.
Speaker A:A traffic light somewhere sometimes.
Speaker A:Because getting out of my neighborhood is kind of difficult.
Speaker A:I've heard through the grapevine.
Speaker A:I don't know how, like, true or accurate this is, but I've heard that possibly, allegedly, sometimes they won't.
Speaker A:They won't put up a traffic light until there are like, three incidents of a certain caliber or something like that.
Speaker C:Yeah, it's that or I think there has to be enough people bring it up, like, at a.
Speaker C:Yeah, it's like.
Speaker A:It'S like a.
Speaker A:Reactive.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:It's like, why do you have to.
Speaker A:Why does this have to then be reactive instead of proactive, where, like.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Preventative.
Speaker A:Where someone doesn't get hurt because.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:It's what you're trying to prevent in the first place.
Speaker A:So it's just a weird, broken aspect of the system in general.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:But I do like what she says.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:To him.
Speaker A:When she takes it upon herself.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:She says, humiliating, isn't it?
Speaker C:Being treated like a criminal, singled out for no good reason, harassed by a police officer with questionable motives.
Speaker C:He's like, I can report you.
Speaker C:This is retribution.
Speaker C:And she says, if it was retribution, I would have done it when your kids were in the car.
Speaker A:Not wrong.
Speaker C:Yep.
Speaker C:And then he does say, I really am sorry, Sergeant.
Speaker C:And he looks.
Speaker C:He looks apologetic for, like, the first time in that entire interaction, but still, this man.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Because the thing was also during.
Speaker A:During the stop with.
Speaker A:With Michael when.
Speaker A:When they said, you know what?
Speaker A:Have a good night.
Speaker A:There is no apology.
Speaker C:No.
Speaker A:There.
Speaker A:And I think that's also maybe something else that we see thematically, like lack of apology or.
Speaker A:Or questionably disingenuous apologies.
Speaker A:Because.
Speaker A:Is he apologizing because he apologizes to Athena and he says, like, he didn't realize it was her family, but is he.
Speaker A:Is he sorry that it was her family?
Speaker A:Someone else who's in the force, Is it sorry that he got caught?
Speaker C:That's what he says.
Speaker C:Because he says, I didn't know that was your family when we made that stop.
Speaker C:And she said, oh, they were lucky.
Speaker C:Then somebody else's family.
Speaker C:They could be making funeral arrangements right now.
Speaker C:That's.
Speaker C:And it's very true.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:That's what de.
Speaker C:Escalated them was him saying that my wife is a.
Speaker C:Is a sergeant.
Speaker A:So then the.
Speaker A:The remorse is less about the action that was taken and more about just the fact that it happened to be someone related to someone on the force, which is also not a true apology and someone who has learned their lesson.
Speaker A:But maybe after that incident with Athena, maybe he wanted to turn over a new leaf.
Speaker A:One can only hope.
Speaker A:One can also doubt it.
Speaker B:Anyway, I hope he gets suspended without pay.
Speaker C:I hope he gets fired.
Speaker B:Fired.
Speaker A:Sorry.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:Because I think that he did get suspended or something.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Like, there was an investigation.
Speaker C:He was suspended.
Speaker C:Investigation.
Speaker C:But yeah, that's.
Speaker A:I would hope that the investigation uncovers.
Speaker C:Like, this pattern of behavior if it was realistic.
Speaker C:Nothing happened to this man.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And also at the very end, when the.
Speaker A:The rookie who.
Speaker C:Who was with officer realism in this show.
Speaker B:Said, what is realism on the show?
Speaker A:Oh.
Speaker A:Oh, triggered.
Speaker C:We do get.
Speaker C:I don't.
Speaker A:I.
Speaker C:We can't keep this in.
Speaker C:This just made me giggle because I was looking at it to talk about it.
Speaker C:Our first do better.
Speaker B:Oh, yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:Why can't we keep that in.
Speaker C:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker C:But.
Speaker C:But she has the talk with the rookie who does seek her out to.
Speaker A:Apologize, which is a good move.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker C:But he's defending himself because he's like.
Speaker C:It was just instinct.
Speaker C:Like, I didn't see him in.
Speaker C:In the car.
Speaker C:And she's like.
Speaker C:When we say protect and serve, I mean the community, not ourselves.
Speaker C:And then says, like, she remembers being a rookie and, like, not knowing what you're walking up on and not sure, like, what to do when you get there, and it's natural to follow your partner's leader, like, your superior's lead.
Speaker C:But, like, don't follow it off a cliff.
Speaker C:Do better.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:So hopefully she got through to that guy, but, yeah.
Speaker A:I don't know.
Speaker C:I wish.
Speaker C:I wish we saw more on the show.
Speaker C:Her.
Speaker C:And I know it's not, like, maybe realistic or interesting for general audiences.
Speaker C:I wish we saw more of her doing this kind of thing of, like, seeing shitty stuff happen and calling it out when it happens.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:Because, like, I feel like that would be showing nuance, her being a police officer who is also a black woman.
Speaker C:Like, not that I want to see, like, police officer in general, but, like.
Speaker B:I like her detective stuff.
Speaker B:That's more fun.
Speaker C:I do like her.
Speaker A:Exactly.
Speaker A:I think.
Speaker A:I think she is most effective, like, at her job when she's doing her detective stuff.
Speaker A:I would love to see a true storyline going forward of her taking on a rookie and training them to do things the right way and with the best intentions because she would be a good mentor.
Speaker A:Kind of.
Speaker A:Kind of like her and Bobby.
Speaker A:I would love to see both of them.
Speaker C:I don't want to see other cops regularly, so I've got.
Speaker A:I know.
Speaker A:No, but, like, is there a reason.
Speaker B:Why she can't be a detective, or is it just, like.
Speaker C:Because then she won't be on the calls unless it's like.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:An active crime scene.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:And she.
Speaker A:She doesn't always get to go where she wants to go, and.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:But she is essentially a detective.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:It's pretty much what she's.
Speaker C:Whatever she wants to be that day.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:And I love that someone start talking about her.
Speaker C:Ma' am.
Speaker A:Let's.
Speaker A:Let's Eddie Max, y' all.
Speaker B:That's a great transition.
Speaker C:Let's Eddie Max, y' all.
Speaker A:That was the best transition I've ever transitioned.
Speaker B:We should all just see let's Eddie Max, y' all.
Speaker B:I'm sorry.
Speaker B:That's it.
Speaker C:That's the show.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:Don't even need a trailer anymore.
Speaker C:It's just us and that sound bite.
Speaker B:Eddie.
Speaker A:That's it.
Speaker A:That's the show.
Speaker A:Goodbye.
Speaker C:Thanks for coming to our TED Talk.
Speaker C:So Christopher's doing a lot better in this episode.
Speaker A:So much better.
Speaker C:Which means that he needs Eddie less, which means that now Eddie has to fall apart because he.
Speaker C:Christopher doesn't need him and he can't talk to Buck, so.
Speaker A:So Eddie is not doing great.
Speaker C:No, he's not.
Speaker C:No, his.
Speaker A:Because Eddie is so nervous.
Speaker A:Like.
Speaker A:Like, Christopher's making a lot of Progress.
Speaker A:He's not.
Speaker A:He hasn't had a nightmare in a week.
Speaker A:And like, the doctors said that it would be good for him to go to a party and a sleepover, which I think would be huge, because if you're having nightmares, like, you'd be.
Speaker A:You as a parent, you'd be so scared about your kid going and going to a sleepover.
Speaker A:But Chris is.
Speaker A:Chris is like, yeah, I'm.
Speaker A:I.
Speaker A:I want to do it.
Speaker A:I'm gonna do it.
Speaker A:And Eddie always trying to take into account what Christopher wants, and in this case, he is successful because he's like, are you sure you want to go?
Speaker A:And Chris is like, yeah.
Speaker A:So he is checking in with Chris about that.
Speaker A:Eddie is.
Speaker A:Eddie's not.
Speaker A:Not so okay.
Speaker C:He.
Speaker A:He is a little anxious, especially because apparently he emailed the other mom, and he's like, did you get my emails?
Speaker A:And she said, yes, they were very detailed.
Speaker A:So he is obviously not as chill as he's trying to let on, or at least not as chill as.
Speaker A:As Christopher is, because, again, kids, they're resilient.
Speaker A:They.
Speaker A:They bounce back like that.
Speaker A:Eddie has all of these other things going on in his head that.
Speaker A:That he's nervous about for Christopher.
Speaker A:Not for himself, for Christopher.
Speaker A:But I love the other mom.
Speaker A:I think her name is Tasha.
Speaker A:She's like, he's gonna be okay.
Speaker A:And I'm just like.
Speaker A:The DS family motto is so sweet.
Speaker A:So I think that that gets.
Speaker A:That, like, gets.
Speaker A:Gets.
Speaker A:It sinks in a little.
Speaker A:A little more.
Speaker A:But of course, he channels his anxieties into rage because of the stupid guy accusing him of parking in a handicapped parking spot.
Speaker A:Because he's not handicapped.
Speaker C:This guy isn't handicapped visibly.
Speaker A:No.
Speaker A:So it's.
Speaker B:It's.
Speaker C:He had knee surgery three years ago.
Speaker A:And is still wearing the bracelet.
Speaker A:And I think.
Speaker A:I think at first, like, generally, Eddie is a little justified in his irritation, because I think at the beginning, that is what it is, and he has.
Speaker B:A silver star, so he can't do anything wrong.
Speaker A:And his silver star is why he gets out of jail.
Speaker A:Let's be real.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:So it's like, I.
Speaker A:I do think Eddie is kind of justified in his irritation.
Speaker A:Not necessarily the.
Speaker A:The physical altercation, but his.
Speaker A:His irritation about this guy who's, like, accusing him of taking advantage of things just because Eddie is not visibly handicapped, which, you know, one is just, like, a really stupid thing to assume of everyone else.
Speaker A:And second of all, like, Eddie does explain.
Speaker A:He says, my kid has cp.
Speaker A:I'm just dropping him off.
Speaker A:Eddie was there for, like, Five minutes.
Speaker A:And this guy was probably there before him.
Speaker A:Like, oh, I have, you know, just like the entitlement, I think, may also have been a theme in this episode.
Speaker A:Yeah, should have thought about that.
Speaker A:So this guy is being super hypocritical about Eddie's entitlement, but he's feeling into anyways.
Speaker C:Just side note, don't assume that you know why the someone is in a handicapped parking spot.
Speaker A:Exactly.
Speaker C:I've never had someone come at me.
Speaker C:It's gonna happen one day.
Speaker C:I know it is.
Speaker C:Like, I've seen it happen to people on, on TikTok who have, like, more invisible disabilities.
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker C:But I have it for my fibro and my, like, herniated desk and nerve pain.
Speaker C:Because sometimes I literally just like, can't.
Speaker C:I can't walk very long.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:Or very far.
Speaker C:And then sometimes I have days where I wake up and like, my foot just doesn't want to work.
Speaker C:I have to use a cane.
Speaker C:But like, sometimes I look like I'm moving fine.
Speaker C:But it doesn't, it doesn't mean that I don't need the handicap parking spot.
Speaker A:You just never know.
Speaker A:So it's like, it's impolite and just wrong to assume that, that people are like, off the bat, like, taking advantage of the system.
Speaker A:Most people don't.
Speaker A:There are the few that do.
Speaker A:This rude guy is one of them and is so like, I, I wrote down, he's like, selfishly self righteous about it.
Speaker A:This is so stupid.
Speaker A:Because he's taking advantage of the system as well.
Speaker A:Well, and, and if he has a.
Speaker C:Handicap tag, he knows that you have to get a doctor to sign off.
Speaker C:Sign off to even get one.
Speaker C:So he's just full of shit.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:So he, he accuses Eddie that it, like, must be so nice for people to rule the world.
Speaker A:And then he says something about like, you know, you must be like one of those people who put dummies in their passenger seat for carpoolings.
Speaker A:And this is, I think, the instance where, where Eddie, because he's on a little bit of like a hairpin trigger.
Speaker A:And so he, he called Christopher stupid.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:He implied that he had like a mental disability.
Speaker C:Like, he said, my kid has CP and I just dropped him off.
Speaker B:Regardless.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:Eddie can't do no wrong.
Speaker A:He has a silver star.
Speaker A:But, but he is.
Speaker A:I don't condone.
Speaker B:I mean, I don't condone.
Speaker B:I do condone his actions in this episode.
Speaker C:No.
Speaker C:Yeah, he's fine and.
Speaker A:Well, I don't know.
Speaker B:Not the fight club stuff, but this.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:So sure.
Speaker B:I don't care.
Speaker A:So, like, because of boxing gym.
Speaker A:I know.
Speaker A:Be like Matt Murdock.
Speaker A:Hello.
Speaker A:So because.
Speaker A:Because of Eddie's anxieties and his frustration that he can't talk to Buck because of the lawsuit and everything like that.
Speaker A:He is a little bit on a hair.
Speaker A:On a hairpin trigger.
Speaker A:And so he reacts like, I think more viscerally than he would otherwise.
Speaker A:I think that is fair to say.
Speaker A:Kind of.
Speaker A:Kind of like Bobby at the duck farm.
Speaker A:Like, don't usually see Bobby act out with anger.
Speaker A:We've seen it a couple times, but it's.
Speaker A:It's very few and far between.
Speaker A:So he gets tossed in jail for engaging in a physical altercation with this dum dum.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And Lena is the one to bail.
Speaker B:Him out because he couldn't call Buck.
Speaker A:Because it's stupid lawsuit and he wasn't going to call Abuela.
Speaker B:No.
Speaker B:Order 118.
Speaker A:So we start to see.
Speaker A:This is where Lena kind of puts the.
Speaker A:The idea of.
Speaker B:Doesn't Lena just call him out that he's on a trigger?
Speaker C:Hairpin trigger, Hairpin trigger, something like that.
Speaker C:She's like, you need a healthy outlet.
Speaker C:And then takes him to an illegal fighting ring.
Speaker C:And I'm just like, listen, listen.
Speaker C:You can have your.
Speaker C:Everyone has their own unhealthy coping mechanisms, but when you're giving advice to your friends, you're not.
Speaker C:You're not like, here's this unhealthy thing that works for me.
Speaker C:You're like, do as I say, not as I do.
Speaker C:So she should have been like, here's a gym with boxing or Muay Thai or like, I don't.
Speaker C:I just.
Speaker C:The fact that she's like, here's.
Speaker C:This will be.
Speaker A:It's just.
Speaker C:I can't stand her.
Speaker A:Is it.
Speaker B:Isn't it like, she even.
Speaker B:I hate to do this.
Speaker B:This is not my mo.
Speaker B:Did she even tell him, hey, you can do this too?
Speaker A:Not in so many words, but at the.
Speaker A:At the fight club, like, she had her name in the ring and they called her up and she.
Speaker A:And Eddie was so surprised about it.
Speaker C:And then when he almost kills a man there, she's like, this was supposed to be a healthy outlet.
Speaker C:So like, she knew that she was introducing it to him to have him do it.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And like, isn't it kind of not great to bail your.
Speaker A:Your friend out of jail?
Speaker A:And then so he's already in some legal hot water and introduce him to more illegal activity that.
Speaker A:I mean, Eddie, use your brain.
Speaker A:Use your brain.
Speaker B:But he does stupid things.
Speaker A:But he does stupid things when he doesn't have.
Speaker B:I was just gonna say he does do illegal activities.
Speaker B:Well, petty crimes.
Speaker A:You know what?
Speaker A:That's fair, actually.
Speaker B:But they're for Buck, actually, the ones that I have seen.
Speaker B:So.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Or heard of.
Speaker A:So, like, Lena's trying to get him to, like, relax because he keeps checking to see if Christopher needs him, and he doesn't.
Speaker A:So he.
Speaker A:So Eddie is feeling not as useful.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker B:And that really goes into not feeling like he can control any, like, situation that could be going on with Christopher.
Speaker B:Christopher right now is kind of like, I'm at a sleepover.
Speaker B:I'm not texting.
Speaker B:Like, I'm his.
Speaker B:You know, Christopher is probably, like, his mind is completely occupied.
Speaker B:He is having fun.
Speaker B:And then Eddie's over here, just still worried.
Speaker B:With.
Speaker B:Again, there's the.
Speaker B:The anxiety that I don't think we really get to see as much in earlier seasons as we see in later seasons.
Speaker B:But, like, that.
Speaker B:That there is that anxiety that's, like, underneath.
Speaker B:That's being slowly but surely brought up, but it turns into all the actions that he takes afterwards.
Speaker B:And really, like, Christopher not texting him really is like, Christopher not needing him right now, but he can't.
Speaker B:But he can't be sure what is actually going on with Christopher.
Speaker A:So, yeah, things.
Speaker A:Things are feeling out of control for him, and it.
Speaker A:And honestly, it probably had started.
Speaker A:Let's be real.
Speaker A:He.
Speaker A:He.
Speaker A:Eddie is someone who really values being able to be in control of things.
Speaker A:That's one of the reasons why he appears, hears, and comes across so competent because he knows how to control situations and why.
Speaker A:One of the reasons why he's typically so calm under pressure because it's a way for him to help control the situation.
Speaker A:And I think the whole stuff with Shannon, the tsunami, Buck's lawsuit has.
Speaker A:Is exact.
Speaker A:Exacerbated.
Speaker A:Yeah, I was, like, exacerbated.
Speaker B:I was gonna say exasperated.
Speaker B:I wasn't gonna be any help.
Speaker A:No, it's fine.
Speaker A:It has exas.
Speaker B:Exacerbated.
Speaker A:God dang it.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker B:I gave you the disease today.
Speaker A:It's fine.
Speaker C:Lord.
Speaker A:Exacerbated.
Speaker A:I did it.
Speaker A:His feeling of not having control of things.
Speaker A:Like.
Speaker A:Like, things are slipping out of his control, and he's not able to do anything about it.
Speaker A:Literally not able to do anything about it.
Speaker A:Stuff like Buck.
Speaker A:Stuff like Chris when he's not there, like, the whole tsunami thing, the stuff.
Speaker B:With Shannon, he can't control the things that.
Speaker B:That are happening to Christopher.
Speaker B:He can probably still feels terrible about, like, not being able to keep Christopher Safe shielding him away from the trauma.
Speaker B:Yeah, it's.
Speaker B:It's almost like maybe he feels like he.
Speaker B:He wasn't able to put Christopher and his needs first in this situation because.
Speaker A:He can't control a natural disaster.
Speaker B:No.
Speaker B:And it's really funny because, like, he says that to Buck in the previous.
Speaker B:Previous episode.
Speaker C:Said what?
Speaker A:It was in 303, I think, like, 303.
Speaker B:I'm sorry, 303.
Speaker A:Where he's like, it was a natural tsunami.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:It's a natural history.
Speaker B:But, okay, take the words that you just said to him and apply it to yourself, man.
Speaker A:It doesn't do that.
Speaker B:I know he doesn't.
Speaker A:But it's also interesting because, like, speaking of natural disasters, the first one that we see him in, in season two with the earthquake, he is also very kind of anxious about checking his phone, making sure Christopher is okay because he's not there.
Speaker A:So it's not like this is a new way for Eddie to react about something.
Speaker A:It's just compounded with all of the traumas that he's.
Speaker A:That he and Christopher have been experiencing.
Speaker A:So it's like this spiral of a loss of control in his mind.
Speaker A:And what's a good way to regain control is.
Speaker A:Is especially something that's, like, so, like, conceptual and not physical.
Speaker A:He finds that control in.
Speaker A:In physicality, in fighting.
Speaker A:Because he can control his body if he can't control the world around him a little bit.
Speaker A:Which is also maybe kind of an interesting thing to look at in relation to Buff and how also sometimes feels only useful for his body and how those are, like, parallel but mirrored opposite.
Speaker A:That just occurred to me.
Speaker C:Lena does say, quote after Eddie says, what am I missing besides fake fight club?
Speaker C:This is your idea of helping me?
Speaker C:She says, you're a powder keg.
Speaker C:You beat up a guy over a parking space.
Speaker C:But a place like this could be a healthy outlet for your issues.
Speaker A:This is also obviously the reason why they cast Round.
Speaker A:Ronda Rousey.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:In this role.
Speaker A:They had this planned out.
Speaker A:And, you know, it's.
Speaker A:It's also just another.
Speaker A:Another little from.
Speaker A:From real life.
Speaker A:Own.
Speaker A:Own life.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Because he was also an MMA fighter.
Speaker A:So it's cool that he gets.
Speaker C:Still is.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Because it's cool that he gets to use his MMA like, skills and abilities in this role, but it's also like, oof, poor Eddie.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:So I know we're gonna talk about the grocery store in Slow Burn.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:And we're gonna talk about the deposition in Scene Dissection.
Speaker A:So I guess really we can Just kind of like for Eddie, skip ahead to the very, very end where he is doing the monologue.
Speaker A:I think it's the first time Eddie does the monologue.
Speaker C:It's one of the only times.
Speaker A:More, please.
Speaker A:So, yeah, so he's speaking about rage and how our lives are out of control.
Speaker A:And when you feel helpless, powerless, weak, which I know like powerless, I think is also one of the episodes at the very end of the season.
Speaker A:So powerlessness and control is also a theme.
Speaker A:It needs, it builds and it needs an outlet.
Speaker A:So what happens when we let it take over?
Speaker A:Do we gain control by unleashing our fury?
Speaker A:Or have we crossed a line we can't come back from?
Speaker A:And that's overlaid with Eddie getting himself into the ring.
Speaker A:Well, there wasn't a ring, there was a fence.
Speaker A:And, and kind of taking on this, this outlet and seeing that maybe he's, he likes it a little too much or maybe it's letting things out that in a way that is not product like actually productive for him because it's going to start a spiral created by everything else, like the little whirlpool of stuff around him.
Speaker C:Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker C:I just, I.
Speaker C:We've talked about this before, but.
Speaker C:So like when he chooses to do things for himself, it really feels like he's punishing himself.
Speaker C:Like this is just self harm in the way that like Buck does self harm, you know, non traditional ways of how you would think of self harm.
Speaker C:Yeah, no, it is, it's, it's different forms of self destruction.
Speaker C:So I don't know how conscious it is already, but it really does feel like he is just trying to punish himself.
Speaker C:And like right now I'm like, see, punishing himself because like, because of the Shannon stuff and not being able to be there for Chris.
Speaker A:Everything all into one.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:No, but it is, I think it is proven and I know and I kind of wanted to talk about it in the, in the scene dissection, but there is a, a, it's not really a throwaway line because these lines are never throwaway lines.
Speaker B:But you know, when the lawyer's asking him, don't you think you should have seen a counselor or something?
Speaker B:You know?
Speaker B:Yeah, I was like, well, first of all, what did I say?
Speaker B:Actually, hold on.
Speaker B:The answer is no.
Speaker B:The answer is no.
Speaker B:He wasn't going to see a counselor because Shannon, Shannon just died, right?
Speaker B:Shannon just died.
Speaker B:He has to be there for Chris.
Speaker B:Tsunami just happened.
Speaker B:He has to be there for Chris.
Speaker B:There's no time to see a fucking counselor.
Speaker B:At that point.
Speaker B:And, and even so, again, like, there's no time to see a counselor and he has to be there for Chris because he's always going to put Christopher first.
Speaker B:And now that he has maybe a moment of not having to do that, he doesn't have to do that because Christopher is enjoying himself at the sleepover.
Speaker B:He does do something for himself, but it's not a healthy, it's not a healthy outlet.
Speaker B:He's not gonna see, he's not gonna see a counselor.
Speaker B:And it, it really is, I, I, I agree with this that it is self harm and it is punishing himself.
Speaker B:Even though it's like he thinks that this, this will help him, but it's like it's just not, I don't even, I don't even have the word.
Speaker B:It's not a productive way to help, help himself.
Speaker A:And yeah, really, you're spot on.
Speaker B:And so, because I do think Hannah's right where it's, it is self harm because he, he wasn't able to control any of this, these situations, but these are just things that happen in life and he just doesn't come to terms with that at all and can't even deal with it.
Speaker B:So definitely, definitely it's a way of punishing himself.
Speaker A:That's also, I think another lesson that Eddie needs to learn is the lesson about like letting things go.
Speaker A:He can let things go on the job, but the stuff, what he can't let go is stuff in his own personal life.
Speaker A:And because again, we see him, what, five years later still in season eight, not being able to let things go.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:And that's what perpetuates all of the trouble that he finds himself in.
Speaker A:And also to the point of like the self harm, what we were just saying about like, he may feel in control because, because it's like a physical thing and he, he may be in control of his body sort of thing, but he's also taking hits too.
Speaker A:So that is like a form of punishment and, and a lack of it.
Speaker A:It's like a pseudo sense of control.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Because he feels like if he like lands this punch or like gets this hit or like dodges this or whatever that like he's in control, but he's also not in control of the other fighter and he's at the mercy of them as well.
Speaker A:So it really is just like not true control.
Speaker A:And he's just kind of trying to convince himself or that he is, he.
Speaker B:Knows he can win.
Speaker B:He's just prolonging the fight before he knocks him out.
Speaker A:True.
Speaker A:Which.
Speaker A:Which is also a form of harm and, like, literal self harm and just one.
Speaker A:One more brief thing, and then we can move on.
Speaker A:I also think it's kind of interesting that if we're talking about Eddie's sense of control and physical fighting as a form of self harm for him, how these kind of, like, fight clubs, MMA is.
Speaker A:Is typically looked at in a very masculine type of way.
Speaker A:Now, of course, we have Lena and Ronda Rousey's character, who is a woman fighter and does that.
Speaker A:Which.
Speaker A:Which, like, kind of goes against the grain, I would say, a little bit.
Speaker B:But just.
Speaker A:Just to look at, like, a very typically, like, macho, masculine kind of performance, in essence, and that is how Eddie tries to take control but also hurt himself is kind of interesting as well in.
Speaker A:In that lens.
Speaker A:Like, why.
Speaker A:Why do you feel like you have to hurt yourself with something so toxic Masculinity.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker B:Mm.
Speaker A:That might be something.
Speaker A:That's all I have on that at the moment, though.
Speaker A:Oh, Eddie.
Speaker B:Oh, Edmundo.
Speaker A:We would bail you out of jail.
Speaker C:We would.
Speaker C:Then we would drive you straight to a therapist.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker C:Okay.
Speaker C:Buckaroo.
Speaker A:Oh, boy.
Speaker C:Really have made yourself an island, sir.
Speaker A:He has.
Speaker A:He's so lonely.
Speaker A:Lonely.
Speaker A:I'm so lonely.
Speaker A:I have nobody.
Speaker A:Wow.
Speaker C:So we're gonna talk mostly about Buck and scene dissection and slow burn.
Speaker C:But I do want to talk about his meeting with the lawyer, because this lawyer did not get a proper read on him at all.
Speaker A:That.
Speaker A:I mean, that lawyer was doing his job, but he's very much, like, out for himself.
Speaker C:Yeah, but if.
Speaker C:If he was out for money, he should have spent five minutes with this guy and knew that he wasn't going to take a settlement even for millions of dollars.
Speaker B:I think he just didn't listen to his client at all.
Speaker A:Not at all.
Speaker B:Because he was just.
Speaker B:Because Buck, the ent time in the last episode, I think he was just like, I.
Speaker B:He was basically talking about getting his job back.
Speaker B:Getting his job back.
Speaker B:And, like, this lawyer just did not listen to what the client wanted.
Speaker B:Honestly, he should have.
Speaker B:He should have been upfront about, like, you know, we're gonna sue for this amount of money or.
Speaker B:Or.
Speaker B:Oh, no, wait.
Speaker C:Well, they weren't suing for money.
Speaker C:That's just what the department wanted to settle because they didn't want the bad press.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:So.
Speaker A:So would you say that the.
Speaker A:That Buck, who is seeking for someone to advocate for him, the lawyer, was not doing his job in advocating for his client the way that Buck would have wanted to?
Speaker A:He did in, like, A legal sense, I guess.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:I mean, I think he did it in the way that he could have.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:But it's not.
Speaker A:It's not the kind of advocation that Buck was.
Speaker C:No, but, like, Buck also didn't really listen to this guy who was upfront with him at the end of episode four that was like, they might not, like, if we don't win, you might never work as a firefighter anywhere again, let alone lafd.
Speaker C:And he's like, but if I do.
Speaker C:But if I do win, I could.
Speaker C:And I could be back at the 118.
Speaker C:It's like.
Speaker C:So you're saying there's a chance, basically.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:That one track mind.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:And Buck showed that he, like, understood that, I think in Maybe in abstract, because he says, oh, they would see me like a squeaky wheel.
Speaker A:So I think in his mind, he's gonna be like, I'm gonna be the unsqueakiest wheel that ever wheeled.
Speaker A:You know, I'm gonna be the oiliest wheel of all the wheels.
Speaker A:But that's not how.
Speaker A:That's not how that works.
Speaker A:And he obviously didn't understand when.
Speaker A:When the lawyer was also, like, you can't speak to anyone even tangentially related to the 118, because we'll talk about that with the grocery store stuff.
Speaker A:But yeah.
Speaker A:So the lawyer is.
Speaker A:Is also a little, like, kind of put off.
Speaker A:Like, I just got you millions of dollars also.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:Hello.
Speaker A:Millions of dollars.
Speaker C:That's millions of dollars.
Speaker C:And he's like, I don't want millions.
Speaker C:I want my job back.
Speaker C:That was the whole point of doing this.
Speaker C:And Chase, I think that's the lawyer's name is like, but you'd be a millionaire.
Speaker C:Congratulations.
Speaker C:You never have to have a job again.
Speaker A:That is the last thing Buck wants.
Speaker A:Buck needs.
Speaker A:Buck needs a job.
Speaker A:Buck needs this job.
Speaker A:Because if Buck doesn't have this job, then he just ceases to exist.
Speaker A:He.
Speaker A:He is the person that wants to work hard for the rest of his.
Speaker B:Life, just wants his family back.
Speaker B:He just wants his house back.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And the.
Speaker A:So the lawyer is also saying, like, you think they'll welcome you back?
Speaker A:Like.
Speaker A:Like, how.
Speaker A:How obtuse are you?
Speaker A:Because all of he utilized.
Speaker A:And I guess this is starting to go into scene dissection.
Speaker A:But the lawyer was like, you told.
Speaker B:You told me things.
Speaker B:You basically.
Speaker B:That.
Speaker B:He basically told him things that.
Speaker B:That he used and weaponized against them.
Speaker B:Basically eviscerating them during that hearing.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:Not to toot my own horn, but I raked your friends over the Coals pretty hard.
Speaker C:And Buck's just like, I told you that stuff.
Speaker C:So.
Speaker C:Not that you would use it.
Speaker C:It was just information.
Speaker C:What happened to attorney client privilege?
Speaker C:And he's not gonna use it saying that word, but I don't think you.
Speaker C:It means what you think it means.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:So Buck is like, you know, this doesn't feel like winning because it's not the outcome that he wanted.
Speaker A:And the lawyer, understandably, is like, well, this might be as close as it's gonna get, so what do you want to do?
Speaker A:And he really puts the.
Speaker A:Puts the ball in Buck's court.
Speaker A:So, like, Buck has, like, regains control of this a little bit, but I think we'll see in the coming episodes that he.
Speaker A:That he doesn't quite have control of the situation, and he's still kind of at the mercy of.
Speaker A:Of, let's say, like, Bobby and his decisions.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:But, like, he drops it, of course.
Speaker C:Because he doesn't care about the money.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:Because he just cares about the job.
Speaker C:I also just keeps falling in under more points.
Speaker C:Under.
Speaker C:He is a trust fund kid for me.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:I don't care how much you love your job.
Speaker C:Like, I feel like, give me the job and the money.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:Give me both.
Speaker A:Like, you could have both.
Speaker A:Like, the way.
Speaker A:The way the brass kind of, like, backed off and was like, they don't want to deal with the headache and the bad press.
Speaker B:Mm.
Speaker A:Buck very, very likely could have gotten both.
Speaker C:Could have had both.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:And the fact that he just, like, turned the money away, like, completely.
Speaker A:I think one does.
Speaker A:Does allude to the fact that he's probably a trust fund kid and also shows, like, how.
Speaker A:How much.
Speaker A:It just, like, doesn't even occur to him.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Because he.
Speaker A:Because he values the people over the monetary so much.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:So then we see the end of the episode.
Speaker C:He is at the rage room, and Bobby called him, like, invited him there.
Speaker C:And Buck's, like, very, like, reservedly, like, hopeful, excited because he's.
Speaker C:He's like, oh, I'm getting my job back.
Speaker C:But Bobby's.
Speaker C:Bobby's basically like, you're gonna regret this.
Speaker C:Not so many words.
Speaker A:Yeah, it's.
Speaker A:It's so interesting because Bobby is so.
Speaker A:Again, kind of.
Speaker A:Well, he does kind of like, how.
Speaker A:Oh, did I freeze?
Speaker C:No, I just was gonna say it wasn't so many words because Buck says, you won't regret it.
Speaker C:And Bobby goes, you might.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:My house, my rules.
Speaker B:Remember that out here with the.
Speaker B:I don't even know if we can call it that, but tough love parenting.
Speaker C:That is my house, my rules.
Speaker C:You live under this roof, you'll abide by my rules.
Speaker A:Home by 10, lights out by 11.
Speaker B:Give candy to kindergarten.
Speaker B:I mean, kindergarten.
Speaker B:Give candy to these Halloween trick or treaters.
Speaker B:Yeah, you're not going on calls.
Speaker B:You are man behind.
Speaker C:Yeah, but it.
Speaker A:But it is really interesting to see this scene as well, especially with what happened in the last episode.
Speaker A:Because, like, we spoke about when Buck was at Bobby and Athena's for dinner, Bobby was just, like, very kind of, like, almost removed, like, factual.
Speaker A:Like, I'm a captain of 20 other firefighters.
Speaker A:There's.
Speaker A:There was no, like, warmth there.
Speaker A:And again, with this, there was no warmth there, I think, because maybe his hand was forced a little bit.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:So Bobby is also feeling maybe a little loss of control because he's like, yeah, it's nice to see you.
Speaker A:You're gonna get a call, and they're gonna tell you that.
Speaker A:That you're being reinstated to active duty.
Speaker A:Because.
Speaker A:Because the brass decided.
Speaker A:The brass decided, not him.
Speaker A:That they didn't want the headache and they're afraid of the bad press.
Speaker A:And while Bobby was given the option to transfer Buck after everything that Buck put them through, which is kind of maybe a little hypocritical for.
Speaker A:For Bobby to say, because Bobby was putting Buck through all of this as well.
Speaker A:You know, the shoe on the other foot.
Speaker A:But he just.
Speaker A:He just, like, delivers this so kind of, like, coldly and disappointedly.
Speaker A:And, like, it's not awesome, but I.
Speaker B:Think it's also tied into.
Speaker B:I know it's, like, cold at the end there, but I think it's tied into his conversation with Michael about trying to protect your kids.
Speaker B:And it's also very apparent with, like, the.
Speaker B:What's the.
Speaker B:What did we call this called?
Speaker B:The second one with the ducks.
Speaker B:What.
Speaker B:What is it called?
Speaker B:I don't know.
Speaker B:Duck farm.
Speaker C:What?
Speaker C:The duck What?
Speaker A:The debt.
Speaker B:Oh, I'm not gonna even say that.
Speaker B:Anyway, it's also tied into the.
Speaker B:Like.
Speaker B:It's more explicit.
Speaker B:I feel like it's.
Speaker B:It's very explicitly said if you pay attention in the.
Speaker B:In the duck farm call.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Where he's reprimanding the owner for not shutting because he was able to shut down down that machine.
Speaker B:But he says, you know, they're just idiot kids.
Speaker B:They could have died.
Speaker A:Which Buck is his idiot kid.
Speaker B:And it's projection.
Speaker B:Absolutely.
Speaker C:But again, you could have done that the whole time.
Speaker C:It could have just reinstated him and made him be man behind.
Speaker C:Yeah, he would have been unhappy, but he would have been way happier than he is now because he would be back with the 118.
Speaker B:And it helps because, like, Bobby.
Speaker B:That's a way for Bobby to keep him safe.
Speaker B:Because, like, that's.
Speaker B:That's really what it is.
Speaker B:He just doesn't want to see him get hurt.
Speaker B:He's just going at it the.
Speaker B:In the worst way.
Speaker C:That hurts him.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Like that.
Speaker A:Still, that would have probably been a good compromise to have Buck be there, but be the man behind because, like, he'd still be, like, under Bobby's roof, Right?
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker A:And Buck might be, you know, pissed off about it, but at least he'd say, still be there.
Speaker A:And I feel like so much of the lawsuit is because he felt like he wasn't wanted.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:There anymore.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Maybe.
Speaker A:Which is.
Speaker A:Maybe it's not true.
Speaker B:Maybe Bobby.
Speaker B:Maybe if you showed him that you cared a little bit more.
Speaker B:Do more.
Speaker C:Say more.
Speaker A:Do more.
Speaker C:Say words, bro.
Speaker A:Word like you've never worded before.
Speaker C:Don't just call him kid.
Speaker C:Let him know that he is your kid.
Speaker A:Ridiculous.
Speaker C:Hey.
Speaker B:Where'S the fire?
Speaker A:I think we can just, like, go straight into our scene dissection.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:Which is going to deal with the arbitration hearing, where we see.
Speaker A:It's another one of those sequences where we see everybody kind of, like, sequentially.
Speaker A:Kind of like how they did in the end of season two when everybody came over to Bobby while he was suspended.
Speaker A:And I love when they do that because the.
Speaker A:The way they thread all of these.
Speaker C:Together, it reminded me of Ocean's 911.
Speaker B:Yeah, that too.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Like.
Speaker A:Like these.
Speaker A:These scenes where they have, like, everybody kind of, like, one.
Speaker A:One by one.
Speaker A:But the way the.
Speaker A:The dialogue kind of, like, blends into each other, I think is real.
Speaker A:Always done really, really well.
Speaker A:But we see everybody is very, very not happy to be there.
Speaker A:Nobody's happy.
Speaker A:Buck looks like a kicked puppy.
Speaker C:He sure do.
Speaker A:Isn't that.
Speaker A:Isn't that the scene where Oliver tweeted one time, like, went, when you want to be told that you're a good boy, but you just, like, pissed on the carpet?
Speaker C:It might be.
Speaker C:It might be.
Speaker A:I'm pretty sure, because that is, like, pretty accurate.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:So just.
Speaker C:Just to set up.
Speaker C:No one's happy to be there at this arbitration.
Speaker C:And it's.
Speaker C:It's not just because, like, they don't want to be there, period.
Speaker C:It's.
Speaker C:Bobby and Athena were supposed to, like, go on a trip.
Speaker C:Hen wants to be home and spend the day with Karen.
Speaker A:Like.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:Like, this is actively getting in the way of people's Plans.
Speaker C:So they're, they're a little salty about, a little angry.
Speaker A:And it's also so harsh because they have Everybody of the 118 sitting across from Buck and Buck is next to his lawyer.
Speaker A:And everyone from the 118, I'm assuming is with like some sort of like union appointed lawyer or union rep or something like that.
Speaker C:I'm sure it's a department lawyer.
Speaker C:And he, he, every time especially chimney opens his mouth, he's just like, this is not good.
Speaker A:This is not good for us.
Speaker A:No, it.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:But what I, what I was about to say was like to have everybody seated across from Buck and have to like look Buck in the eyes and for Buck to like be at like point blank range of the rage that everybody is directing at him.
Speaker A:Like he is getting like full brunt.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:Of like all of, all of the, the negative vibes that are aimed in his direction.
Speaker A:And he.
Speaker A:I think, I think Buck hates that.
Speaker B:It'S always going to be so uncomfortable being in that position, you know?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And I think he.
Speaker A:It's not that he realizes, but maybe he does realize like how kind of serious this is or how serious everyone else is about.
Speaker A:How about their like distaste for it.
Speaker A:And he's really kind of like understanding the, the gravity of the situation of pursuing a lawsuit.
Speaker A:This is very serious.
Speaker A:He's like, well, can't kind of be undone now.
Speaker A:They have to follow through with it a little bit.
Speaker C:What this is doing for him is affirming what he thought.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker C:In the last episode, which is that everyone just agrees with Bobby.
Speaker C:No one thinks he should be back.
Speaker C:No one wants him back.
Speaker C:But he does, he does find it very uncomfortable because I truly did not think that he thought that that information would be.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:No.
Speaker A:Weaponized against.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:So he's very.
Speaker C:His eyes keep getting huger and huger with each thing.
Speaker A:Like he's almost, he's almost.
Speaker A:He's shocked and.
Speaker B:Because A little shame.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:That like he told everybody's dirty laundry, basically.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:In what was.
Speaker A:In what was supposed to be in confidence but is obviously not weaponized.
Speaker A:Didn't understand what was actually supposed to go on here.
Speaker A:So should we, should we like go through everybody's little part of the hearing and I guess like, technically Buck wasn't fired.
Speaker A:But it, but the lawyer does emphasize that it was like a de facto firing because even though Buck still has a job, he's barred from all components of firefighting duty.
Speaker A:Which like.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:Is understandable.
Speaker A:That is inherently like a de facto firing.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:So, like, he has legal room to stand.
Speaker A:That's the thing.
Speaker A:He just doesn't want to be standing on that island alone.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:And.
Speaker B:And just to add, like, the kicker is unequal treatment from Bobby, basically.
Speaker C:And that is.
Speaker B:It is a case.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:Because all of this is crazy.
Speaker C:Like, especially chimney stuff where it's like.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:So you had a rebar through your head and you were stabbed.
Speaker C:And how long before you were back at work?
Speaker C:Both times?
Speaker A:About a month.
Speaker C:Oh, under a month.
Speaker C:You're a fast healer.
Speaker A:So, like, that really with Chimney, Bobby had established that pattern of letting someone with serious injuries back.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Into the job with less than a month.
Speaker A:And, like, we all know that it is deferential treatment, or what Bobby thinks is defer.
Speaker A:Deferential.
Speaker A:Because Bobby is Buck's dad.
Speaker A:But it in, like, the opposite way.
Speaker A:Like, he's protecting Buck.
Speaker A:So he is treating him differently.
Speaker A:But not the way.
Speaker A:Not the way it should be.
Speaker B:No.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And then.
Speaker A:And Bob.
Speaker A:So Bobby is.
Speaker A:They claim it's, like, discriminatory and unequal treatment under Captain Nash, which is like.
Speaker A:That sounds much more like Gerard than.
Speaker C:It does Bobby, but he says unequal treatment.
Speaker C:I don't treat Buck any differently than I do any other firefighter under my watch.
Speaker A:Exactly.
Speaker A:Which is an absolute lie.
Speaker A:But I think Bobby's lying to himself.
Speaker C:You wouldn't be doing this to anyone else.
Speaker C:You wouldn't be doing this to anyone else.
Speaker A:I think Bobby's lying to himself in that.
Speaker C:Oh, yeah.
Speaker B:That.
Speaker A:That, like, his blinders are on and he doesn't really understand that he's projecting so much of himself and his kids onto Buck.
Speaker C:Oh, yeah.
Speaker A:And I was, like I said in my notes.
Speaker A:Yeah, you do my guy.
Speaker A:You're literally dating him so hard right now.
Speaker C:Yeah, you do.
Speaker C:My guy is right.
Speaker B:And the juxtaposition is insane.
Speaker B:Also, I know we kind of glossed over Chimney real quick.
Speaker B:Poor Chimney.
Speaker B:Because he, you know, he finds out about the.
Speaker B:About the relapse.
Speaker B:He makes a snide rig mark at, like, not a sniper mark, but he does make a remark at the grocery store.
Speaker B:Yeah, well, there's the grocery store, but there's also the one where he was, like, at the duck farm thing, where.
Speaker C:He was like, oh, right, right.
Speaker C:That's what I meant.
Speaker C:Sorry.
Speaker C:Where he's like.
Speaker C:So it happens when you withhold information from your team.
Speaker A:How's that working out for you?
Speaker A:Yeah, so that also, like, even.
Speaker A:It's such a little thing, but even for Chimney, that goes towards, like, the theme of.
Speaker A:Of betrayal a little bit because it's also like, that happened so long ago.
Speaker A:And yes, it's because he was recuperating from the rebar literally, like one episode prior.
Speaker A:But, like, he wasn't let in on that information.
Speaker A:So even though, like, Bobby has been a little more, like, forthcoming, still not.
Speaker C:Would have been good information for him to know, considering he's the person that effectively made Bobby changed his mind about killing himself once he saved 148 people.
Speaker C:So would have been probably helpful for him to know that he had recently relapsed.
Speaker C:You know, that's his.
Speaker C:That's his mentor.
Speaker C:That's his friend.
Speaker C:And the fact that, like, Buck knew and he didn't probably irritates him.
Speaker C:He's probably irritated that Hen didn't tell him that too.
Speaker C:I think it's just like, I think I would be upset too.
Speaker C:Like, I think I would understand because it's like, it's a very personal thing that you're probably just like, don't go around telling people.
Speaker C:But.
Speaker A:And Hen was probably like, it's not my thing to tell.
Speaker C:Yeah, exactly.
Speaker A:Which, like, I get that.
Speaker A:But, like, it should.
Speaker A:Bobby.
Speaker A:Bobby, you know, getting in this pattern of like, not telling people things like this.
Speaker A:Who else does that sound like?
Speaker C:Unfortunately, like his mirror.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:So that's.
Speaker A:That's on Bobby.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And that also kind of puts chimney on, like, the back a little bit with.
Speaker A:With feeling a little.
Speaker A:A little bit betrayed and.
Speaker A:Because he didn't know about that and he should have known about that.
Speaker A:And that was like, oh, wow, that was in season one.
Speaker C:Yeah, it was a year and a half ago for them.
Speaker A:And to.
Speaker A:To that extent also, they do bring up Bobby's alcoholism as a chronic condition.
Speaker C:Health condition.
Speaker C:Which it is.
Speaker A:Which it is.
Speaker A:It very much is.
Speaker A:But oh, my gosh, the way Buck's eyes at this point looks at the lawyer when he says he's like Looney Tunes.
Speaker C:Slick cartoon eyes.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:Like they popped out of his head.
Speaker A:Like, I did not tell you that.
Speaker C:Just.
Speaker A:You are not supposed to say that.
Speaker A:No, no, no.
Speaker A:And yeah, it's like.
Speaker A:It's like Buck is kind of feeling betrayed by his lawyer for weaponizing that kind of stuff.
Speaker C:But he.
Speaker A:He's also, I think, still.
Speaker A:You said, feeling shame.
Speaker A:Yeah, shame and embarrassment because he broke some of.
Speaker A:Some of the trust by telling this guy all of that as well.
Speaker A:It wasn't his intention to use it, but, I mean, the lawyer's gonna do his job.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:And so they, they bring it up, which is obviously not Bobby's Finest moment.
Speaker A:But he.
Speaker A:He kind of.
Speaker A:He does kind of take it on the chin and says, like, yes, this is all true, all that stuff.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And then they also talk about Bobby's suspension.
Speaker A:So that's also related and how that's even relevant because it illustrates how everyone except Buck is allowed to return to the job no matter, they said, the injury or infraction.
Speaker C:Yep.
Speaker A:So not just injury, but, like, all of it.
Speaker A:But that was even, like, the higher.
Speaker A:The higher brass to make that decision for Bobby.
Speaker A:So they.
Speaker A:So they're really going in and twisting the knife and.
Speaker A:And I guess going over to Hen, you know, because they're talking about the blood thinners that Buck is on, and apparently she sold that brand while she was a pharmaceutical republic.
Speaker A:And they used her sales pitch against her, which I don't think was exactly fair, but I understand why, why they utilized why.
Speaker C:But I think this was, like, the flimsiest.
Speaker A:That's.
Speaker A:That really is the flimsiest.
Speaker C:But, like, Ken didn't have an NDE or, like, a mental health.
Speaker C:No thing that to really refer to.
Speaker A:I did.
Speaker C:This was, like, all they could do.
Speaker A:I did think it was smart of them, though, to bring back in.
Speaker A:Into the consciousness, like, her previous experience as a pharma rep, because again, there the lawyer is kind of drudging up every.
Speaker A:Everything, all of the skeletons in everybody's closets, all of the dirty laundry.
Speaker A:So they were very thorough.
Speaker B:Kind of off topic.
Speaker B:Is this the season where she decides to become a doctor?
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker A:Yeah, I think at the end.
Speaker A:So that.
Speaker A:That does play into.
Speaker C:Speaking of which, she says.
Speaker B:She does say that.
Speaker B:I think that she's not a doctor.
Speaker C:He says.
Speaker C:He says, in your sales pitch to your doctor clients, was it your contention that these medications would allow patients to resume their normal lives?
Speaker C:And she says, I was a sales rep, not a doctor.
Speaker C:So it's a little bit of foreshadowing there.
Speaker A:Yeah, they really are, like, planting that seed pretty well.
Speaker A:I guess.
Speaker A:That brings us to Eddie Lord, who is, I think, the most visibly pissed off.
Speaker C:Well, like, he.
Speaker A:Like, he's doing the worst job at, like, pissed off.
Speaker B:The image of pissed off right here in the dictionary.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:Like.
Speaker A:Like, everyone else is kind of like.
Speaker A:I mean, Chimney is being his personable self, but, like, Bobby and Hen, of course, are being very professional.
Speaker A:A little, like, aloof.
Speaker B:No, I felt like.
Speaker B:I felt like Chimney was like, the more, I guess, kind of honest about his experience.
Speaker B:And then he was very forthcoming.
Speaker B:He was very forthcoming and, like.
Speaker C:And I think he.
Speaker C:He saw the point as it was being made, I think.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:And then he was the only one.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:And then I feel like hen was the more, like, pragmatic, but also, like, what's the other word that I want to use for this?
Speaker B:I don't know.
Speaker B:I.
Speaker B:I just think that she was just very factual and pragmatic and in her responses.
Speaker B:And then Bobby.
Speaker B:Bobby was more full of trying to.
Speaker C:Defend himself, really bending his actions, his reasoning.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:And then there's Eddie.
Speaker B:Defensive.
Speaker A:He was very defensive.
Speaker A:Which is so interesting because you would think in a kind of, like, very professional setting like this, that, like, calm competency would turn on that, like, liquid switch.
Speaker A:And I think that really speaks to how much this separation from Buck is really messing with his, like, general sense of being.
Speaker A:He is doing the worst job at, like, putting a lid on his anger.
Speaker A:It is so thinly veiled.
Speaker A: His little, like, Sassmaster: Speaker A:It's coming out a little bit because.
Speaker A:Yeah, because he says, like, you know, being a field medic doesn't qualify him to comment on Buck's medical status, but it does make him understand the chain of command, which sounds so similar to, like, I'm familiar with the ordinance.
Speaker C:It sounds familiar to him being like, oh, I just realized this was foreshadowing.
Speaker C:Maybe I said this in that episode.
Speaker C:I can't remember in 301, when he's like, my dad told me, like, to just suck it up.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:You know, that's kind of the what it's giving.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:About Buck, like, wallowing.
Speaker A:And Eddie continues, and he says, so if Bobby says he's not ready, he's not ready.
Speaker A:Which I think that's what really clued me into, like, okay, so this is absolutely falling into what Buck.
Speaker A:Like, what we discussed in the last episode with thinking that everyone else would have been on Bobby, too, if they knew.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker C:Yeah, but they don't know Bobby's reasoning.
Speaker A:No, they don't.
Speaker C:It's not the blood thinners.
Speaker C:That's an excuse.
Speaker A:So I was also, like, I think I wrote this down somewhere as well.
Speaker A:But, like, so that was a question that came up for me, too.
Speaker A:It's like, I don't think that the rest of the 118 is privy to any of the reason Bobby gives Buck or.
Speaker A:Or the real reasons why.
Speaker A:Why Buck is not able to come back to work.
Speaker C:They.
Speaker A:They probably just heard people up at the top said no, and they probably took it at face value because why would Bobby lie to them about this?
Speaker A:And they're not going to question it.
Speaker A:But this is the instance where Eddie is like, yeah, if Bobby says he's not ready, then he's not ready.
Speaker A:And that is like, oh, knife through the heart for Buck.
Speaker C:And then Chase says, were you ready, firefighter Diaz, to return to work after your wife's death?
Speaker C:And he says, that's my business.
Speaker C:And Chase is like, it's also your captain's business.
Speaker C:He never suggested you take some time, see a counselor.
Speaker C:And that's when it's like, well, he wasn't there, because I think he would have.
Speaker C:I think he would have if he was there.
Speaker A:Yeah, but they couldn't be, like, two men down.
Speaker B:No.
Speaker A:So big.
Speaker A:Big yikes.
Speaker A:You would.
Speaker A:You would also think that after, like, the tsunami and stuff, and after Bobby was reinstated, that he would insist that Eddie go to a department counselor.
Speaker C:No, because Bobby is so up in his head about this Buck thing.
Speaker C:Like, he's not seeing much else at the moment.
Speaker C:He even blames Athena at the beginning of the episode.
Speaker A:Oh, yeah, we forgot to talk about that.
Speaker A:Yeah, that.
Speaker A:That irked me.
Speaker C:It irked me, too.
Speaker C:It hurt her.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Because it was like, no.
Speaker A:Bobby says, none of this would have happened if you hadn't invited Buck over for dinner.
Speaker A:And I'm like, hello.
Speaker C:No.
Speaker A:Where's the accountability?
Speaker C:Exactly.
Speaker A:This was.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:This is where I wrote this down.
Speaker A:This was my question.
Speaker A:Like, wasn't Bobby supposed to have told Buck about this anyways?
Speaker A:Which is why Athena thought that he said something when Buck came to drop off the evaluation.
Speaker C:I don't think he was going to.
Speaker C:I don't think he was gonna keep trying to blame the department until he was off those blood thinners.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:I really don't think he was ever gonna try and explain it.
Speaker C:He was gonna try and get away with it until he was off.
Speaker B:I need you to.
Speaker B:Captain up.
Speaker B:Or dad up.
Speaker B:Or dad.
Speaker B:Captain up.
Speaker C:Captain dad.
Speaker C:Your boss, dad.
Speaker B:And take accountability.
Speaker B:That's where the captain comes in.
Speaker C:Come on.
Speaker A:It's that hypocrisy again, a little bit, and lack of remorse and lack of apology that, like, I don't want to align Bobby with, like, the rotten, like, officers, but there.
Speaker A:There was such a lack of remorse for a while for both of those.
Speaker A:Like, Bobby still hasn't said sorry.
Speaker C:He was never gonna take accountability for this being the situation that they find themselves in.
Speaker C:As if.
Speaker C:Like.
Speaker C:As if it's not his fault for not being honest and open and communicating with Buck or doing literally any other option than keeping him away from the job because he's scared.
Speaker A:That's why they're in this mess because Bobby didn't communicate what we talked about in the last episode.
Speaker A:That communication and vulnerability.
Speaker A:If Bobby had just explained to Buck be been a little vulnerable and say, like, this is why I'm so worried.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:About you.
Speaker A:And why I'm hesitant to have you come back, then Buck would have been able to, like, they would have been able to talk it out.
Speaker A:And none of this would have come.
Speaker C:To a compromise, maybe avoided.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Like that thing we were saying earlier about, like, maybe just having him be man behind for a while.
Speaker A:This is Bobby's fault.
Speaker C:Yep.
Speaker A:I hate it.
Speaker A:I hate saying that because I love Bobby so much and, like, his intentions are good.
Speaker A:The way he went about it was just so bad.
Speaker C:He's being an overbearing parent to a.
Speaker A:Almost 30 year old and he's suffering the adult consequences.
Speaker A:Yep.
Speaker C:Legally.
Speaker A:And if it were anyone other than Buck, they probably would have taken the money.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:Oh, and then at the very end, we see them all gather together as a unit, as a team.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker A:And enter the elevator.
Speaker A:And Buck looks like he's about to try to catch the same elevator.
Speaker A:And I forget who it was that presses the button and.
Speaker A:And gets the doors to close.
Speaker B:And chimney.
Speaker A:Chimney.
Speaker C:She said chimney.
Speaker C:She didn't sneeze.
Speaker C:Jesus.
Speaker A:That's really funny.
Speaker A:We're on fire tonight.
Speaker C:Like, call the 118.
Speaker C:Put us out of our misery.
Speaker A:That is actually really funny.
Speaker A:Honest mistake.
Speaker C:All right.
Speaker B:Anyways, chimney.
Speaker A:Chimney closes the doors.
Speaker A:And Buck looks like he's about to.
Speaker A:To try to reach the elevator.
Speaker A:Like.
Speaker A:Like, hold it, hold it.
Speaker A:Wait for me.
Speaker A:Wait for me.
Speaker A:Because that's his team, that's his family, and they're all just so, like, I.
Speaker B:Think that he wanted to take the opportunity to apologize.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:Which is what he.
Speaker A:And it's also not the right time or place.
Speaker A:They just got raked over the coals legally there.
Speaker A:And they're.
Speaker A:They're kind of exhausted and fed up and just can't deal with right now.
Speaker A:And he looks so downtrodden about that because the reality of the situation is setting in.
Speaker A:He's like, oh, no, I may have lost them for good.
Speaker A:Which I think is another one of the reasons why he's so emphatic about not taking the settlement.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:I think I will just say we didn't really, like, have a separate section for this and not enough to talk about in their own sections.
Speaker C:Just everyone else's reaction.
Speaker C:Everyone else in the grocery store.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Oh, my God.
Speaker C:Wait, we forgot to talk about Eddie in The grocery store not relating to Buck.
Speaker C:We completely forgot about that.
Speaker A:I.
Speaker C:Okay, so he's talking.
Speaker C:He's talking to Lena, and she's like.
Speaker C:So they.
Speaker C:He just dropped it and not Buck dropping it.
Speaker C:The guy who he punched is dropping the charges.
Speaker C:And it's like, yeah, apparently, like, he had surgery three years ago.
Speaker C:And once they compared, like, his history against my service record, and she was like, captain America wins a get out.
Speaker A:Of jail free card.
Speaker B:Mm.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:That really is.
Speaker B:Eddie has a sore star card.
Speaker C:I know.
Speaker A:Just put it on his shield.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:And then he will be like, wait, does that mean my thing can be, like, for Eddie too?
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:Oh, my God.
Speaker C:Sure.
Speaker B:You gotta send.
Speaker B:You gotta center that silver star.
Speaker B:You gotta show.
Speaker B:You gotta be proud of it.
Speaker B:It gets you out of binds.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:So it's that.
Speaker A:It's that continuation of Eddie being seen and this, like, reputation that precedes him.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Which does, granted, come in handy and stuff like this.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:But it's also like, the guy's knee surgery was three years ago, and he's still trying to.
Speaker A:To game the system like that.
Speaker A:So also, we see in this episode a lot, like, the system is kind of broken.
Speaker A:Multiple systems.
Speaker A:But Lena's response to Eddie saying, you know, the.
Speaker A:The guy had surgery three years ago.
Speaker A:Lena says, but not letting it go because that's healthy.
Speaker A:I'm just like, oh, that is.
Speaker A:That's basically all of Eddie.
Speaker A:That's his entire character.
Speaker A:He can't let things go.
Speaker A:And that's not healthy.
Speaker C:Nope.
Speaker A:Nope.
Speaker C:And think.
Speaker C:Speaking of letting things go, Hen says, I just think Bobby needs to let go of being pissed off a buck.
Speaker C:And Chimney's like, I know that.
Speaker C:So does Bobby.
Speaker C:And she's like, how do you figure?
Speaker C:And he says, what do you think this whole shopping trip is about?
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Because Bobby's being, like, militant about this.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:Like, okay, we're gonna attack in this way.
Speaker C:The way he's like, mistakes were made.
Speaker C:Last couple times we were here, mistakes were made.
Speaker C:This is not gonna happen again.
Speaker A:That is the most stressful grocery run.
Speaker C:Jimmy's like, this is.
Speaker C:This must be what the invasion of Normandy felt like.
Speaker A:Dramatic, yet so true.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:Because it does.
Speaker A:It does kind of feel like a world war in.
Speaker A:In their world.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:But I really do think that, like, Hen, while not thrilled at the arbitration, was not impressed with Buck.
Speaker C:She is just very much like.
Speaker C:Like, Bobby needs to get over it.
Speaker C:We need to just, like, get past this.
Speaker C:And I think Chimney is there too, but, like, maybe a step further, because I think Chase bringing up all the stuff about Chimney's own injuries and stuff made him go, oh, he isn't actually treating him quite the same.
Speaker A:Which, like, no one else necessarily would have that little light bulb moment, because that.
Speaker A:That's specific to Chimney and their case about it.
Speaker A:So I think he is.
Speaker A:I think he is a little more privy to understanding, like, the situation from multiple perspectives, maybe more than.
Speaker A:Than anyone else's.
Speaker A:It doesn't mean he agrees with it, but he's like, okay, I see what they're doing.
Speaker A:And like, yeah, they might have a case, actually.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:Perspectives.
Speaker A:That was another theme that I meant to bring up earlier.
Speaker A:Seeing things from different perspectives or.
Speaker A:Or seeing things only in your perspectives, because we will speak about that momentarily.
Speaker C:I think that's all.
Speaker C:I just wanted to touch base on everyone outside of the Buck and Eddie of it all at the grocery store before we head into that, because that's pretty much our entire slow burn section.
Speaker C:So.
Speaker C:Knock, knock, Buck.
Speaker C:Time to pay that child support.
Speaker C:Your wife is at the grocery store and she has not gotten that alimony check.
Speaker A:Buck really is acting like a deadbeat dad.
Speaker C:Oh, my God.
Speaker A:This is so.
Speaker A:This is literally, like, the most awkward run in ever.
Speaker A:And it's completely orchestrated by Buck.
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker A:He knew where they were going to be.
Speaker A:He knew exactly when and.
Speaker C:Yep.
Speaker A:And he's like, I'm.
Speaker A:I'm gonna meet up with them and I'm gonna apologize in the grocery store.
Speaker C:Oh, boy.
Speaker A:And hen and Chimney.
Speaker A:See right through it.
Speaker A:They're just kind of like on the sidelines.
Speaker A:Lena's on the sidelines.
Speaker A:Bobby even, I think, is a little on the sidelines here, where he's just staring.
Speaker C:Everyone's just staring at them.
Speaker C:Like, yeah, the.
Speaker B:Liam is just.
Speaker C:She's just like.
Speaker C:I thought that he was fruity, but this is.
Speaker B:This is that.
Speaker C:That's exactly.
Speaker A:She's like, I got a front row seat to this piping hot tea.
Speaker B:This is her reality TV show.
Speaker A:Bird's Story is on her telenovela.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And I think it's interesting because it seems like Bobby was going to, you know, it was going to be like a Bobby and Buck kind of showdown or.
Speaker A:Or reunion in some way, because Bobby is like, you know, kind of isolated, like, what are you doing here?
Speaker B:Bobby pulled up with that shopping cart, like, what are you doing?
Speaker C:Are you doing here?
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker C:And Buck can't even get a full sentence out.
Speaker C:He's just like, I came here to apologize.
Speaker C:I never meant things to get so out of hand.
Speaker C:And you can see, like, in the periphery Eddie's already like, I know he.
Speaker A:Is so not here for this.
Speaker A:No.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And it's funny.
Speaker A:So again, I think it was really supposed to be like a Buck addressing everybody, but.
Speaker A:But even more so Bobby, until Eddie just, like, comes into the middle here and is like, what do you think was gonna happen?
Speaker A:Like, he just takes center stage in this whole thing.
Speaker A:And I think everybody was a little, like, taken aback by.
Speaker A:Because again, I don't think they've seen Eddie as openly pissed off about anything because they still.
Speaker C:Oh, especially because they're frickin frack.
Speaker A:Like they're two peas in a pod.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:So for.
Speaker A:For Eddie, one, To lose his cool in a way that nobody has seen before, to lose it at Buck, everyone's just kind of like, it's going on.
Speaker A:And like, the way Bobby was looking at Eddie in this as well at the very beginning, it's like I kind of thought it was Bobby maybe realizing that he's not the only one who's been suffering and who's been angry and not letting it go.
Speaker A:He's like, oh, this is kind of affecting Eddie just as much, if not maybe more.
Speaker A:I think Bobby really is kind of surprised about that too.
Speaker A:In.
Speaker A:In a funny way, like, he didn't put himself in Eddie's perspective.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:He didn't put himself in anyone's perspective of how this would have affected.
Speaker A:No, anyone.
Speaker A:Neither Buck or Bobby did.
Speaker A:But.
Speaker A:But Eddie is pissed.
Speaker A:Pissed off.
Speaker B:Well, you would.
Speaker B:And I don't blame him.
Speaker A:Understandably.
Speaker B:It's understandable because, like, when you think about it.
Speaker B:So, like, the only other person that could have related to, like, the whole Christopher being traumatized by the tsunami of it all would have been Buck.
Speaker B:He couldn't.
Speaker B:So he couldn't talk to Buck.
Speaker B:He couldn't talk the fuck about.
Speaker B:About Christopher.
Speaker B:Couldn't even visit Christopher even if Christopher had asked.
Speaker B:And then there's the whole, like, he couldn't even call him to bail him out of jail.
Speaker A:My God.
Speaker A:Which is the funniest line in the whole.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:So it's like he.
Speaker A:Eddie really kind of reams into to Buck about, you know, not only can I not talk to you, Chris, do you know how much Christopher misses you like a.
Speaker A:Like a deadbeat dad?
Speaker A:Like, you're not around anymore.
Speaker C:And it's just so funny, though, the way he's wording it.
Speaker C:It's all literally just him being like, I miss you.
Speaker C:Like, that's why he's angry in the most angry way.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:Because, like, I know this is a controversial Line in the fandom.
Speaker C:I guess people don't like it.
Speaker C:Getting harped on and getting brought up all the time.
Speaker B:You're exhausted.
Speaker C:Why are you so pissed at me?
Speaker C:He's like, because you're exhausting.
Speaker A:No, he's only exhausting because he's running through Eddie's mind all day.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker C:Eddie is exhausted because his life is really hard without bucketed.
Speaker C:He is exhausted because he doesn't have his support system.
Speaker C:Buck is his support system.
Speaker A:It's not.
Speaker A:I don't think Eddie means it in the way that, like, Buck is exhausting.
Speaker A:Buck is too much.
Speaker A:That is not how he means it.
Speaker A:Eddie is.
Speaker A:Eddie thinks Eddie is.
Speaker A:You're right.
Speaker A:Eddie is exhausted because he doesn't have Buck to lean on.
Speaker A:So he has to do so much more to try to make it feel like he has control over his life.
Speaker A:That it.
Speaker A:That would be something that is exhausting.
Speaker A:But so much of that is revolving around the fact that he can't lean on Buck.
Speaker A:He just, like, makes that equation.
Speaker A:I think.
Speaker A:Not very astutely.
Speaker B:No.
Speaker A:But.
Speaker A:But he's also like.
Speaker C:Because it's like, we all have our own problems, but you don't see us whining about it.
Speaker C:No.
Speaker C:Somehow we just managed to suck it up.
Speaker C:Why can't you?
Speaker C:And Chimney's like, hey, he didn't.
Speaker C:He's like, that's kind of harsh.
Speaker C:He didn't ask to be crushed by a ladder truck.
Speaker A:Which is true.
Speaker A:Chimney is really taking like that.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:That mediator.
Speaker A:Middle.
Speaker A:Middle role there.
Speaker A:Which makes sense.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:Which is really the only time anyone interrupts this whole thing.
Speaker C:Because he's like, okay.
Speaker A:That is the only word anybody else can get in edgewise.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:First of all, no, Because Eddie is on.
Speaker B:He's on his rant.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:He's.
Speaker C:He is angry.
Speaker C:And he hasn't been able to talk to Buck.
Speaker C:And he's mad about it.
Speaker A:He's got it.
Speaker A:He's gotta let it out.
Speaker A:That rage was building and building.
Speaker A:Kind of like, oh, like last season.
Speaker A:Something about something.
Speaker A:Something under pressure.
Speaker A:Something.
Speaker A:Something.
Speaker A:It's gotta go somewhere.
Speaker A:So I think that.
Speaker A:I think just like Eddie under pressure is pretty indicative of his entire character as well.
Speaker A:And then we get the whole thing about, you know, not only can Eddie not talk to Buck, Christopher like, Buck can't talk to Christopher.
Speaker A:And Buff's like, I didn't realize it would.
Speaker A:It would, like, preclude me from doing that.
Speaker A:I'm like, the lawyer literally said that last episode.
Speaker A:Like anyone tangentially related like, you would be.
Speaker A:I Don't.
Speaker A:I don't think.
Speaker C:I don't think it really would have mattered if he spent time with Christopher.
Speaker A:But the fact that, like, that he didn't reach out to spend time with Christopher and.
Speaker A:Well, probably because he would have had to talk to Eddie, so that would have been very difficult to do also.
Speaker A:It's like they would have had to communicate through Carla, like a shared custody agreement.
Speaker B:Oh, my God.
Speaker A:No, really?
Speaker A:Because if he couldn't talk to Eddie.
Speaker C:But he's like, I can't even talk to you because of the lawsuit.
Speaker C:Do you have any idea how much Christopher misses you?
Speaker C:How could you?
Speaker C:You're not around.
Speaker C:And I'm like, you're using Christopher as a shield right now.
Speaker C:Like, I'm sure Chris does miss him.
Speaker A:But it's like, oh, he's projecting too.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Oh, yeah.
Speaker C:I don't know.
Speaker C:We had a whole episode where he didn't mention Buck one time and Christopher was there a lot.
Speaker B:Yeah, he's the one who mentioned Buck.
Speaker C:Yep.
Speaker B:Not Christopher.
Speaker C:So I don't know.
Speaker C:I think it's.
Speaker C:I think you're using your child as a shield because you're angry because you miss your best friend.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And the whole, like, I couldn't.
Speaker A:Couldn't even call you to re.
Speaker A:To bail me out of jail if that was something that happened.
Speaker B:Embarrassing.
Speaker A:Lena looking on, just being like, couldn't even call her.
Speaker C:Bail me out of jail girl.
Speaker C:Which we know would have been his first phone call.
Speaker C:That's not how he worded it to Lena.
Speaker A:100.
Speaker C:But like, this is being like, that's my.
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:Give us all the fresh out the slammer edits.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And the thing is too.
Speaker B:To.
Speaker A:To kind of.
Speaker A:Since this is slow burn, I'll just kind of bring this into when.
Speaker A:When Lena does bail him out of jail and he says I couldn't.
Speaker A:I wouldn't.
Speaker A:Absolutely not.
Speaker A:Calling Abuela.
Speaker A:I'm not going to call the 118 because that's his job and he likes to keep his private life and job separate.
Speaker A:That compartmentalization, which is quickly going out the window.
Speaker A:I couldn't call the 118 and I can't talk to Buck now.
Speaker A:It could be.
Speaker A:And I'm just going to say this.
Speaker A:It could be because, yes, Buck and the lawsuit and all that stuff, but it's.
Speaker A:He's specifically.
Speaker B:He's at a different level.
Speaker A:Like, he's.
Speaker A:He's calling out Buck as like, separate, different.
Speaker A:More important than the 118 as a whole.
Speaker B:Where have we seen this before?
Speaker B:I Feel like we saw this recently.
Speaker A:We did, yeah.
Speaker A:Something.
Speaker A:Something similar about, like, Eddie singling out Buck and then the rest of the 118.
Speaker C:The confession.
Speaker C:Oh, yeah, well, it wasn't the 118, but it was like I.
Speaker C:Well, yeah, was.
Speaker C:I lied to everyone.
Speaker C:My girlfriend, my best friend.
Speaker C:Oh, there's several times where I think.
Speaker A:There was also another one when he's talking about, like, moving as well, but.
Speaker A:But there's this continuous singling out of Buck on.
Speaker A:On a higher pedestal, a higher, like, level of importance than everyone else.
Speaker A:Everyone else is still important, but, like, takes.
Speaker A:Takes priority.
Speaker B:I think it's just the fact that he.
Speaker B:Because he.
Speaker B:He wasn't planning on telling Buck anyway, but, like, I feel like at the end of the day, he didn't want to tell the.
Speaker B:Anyone at the 118.
Speaker A:Oh, the stuff about him moving because he wasn't ready to tell the rest of everybody yet.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah, that's putting.
Speaker A:That's putting Buck on a.
Speaker A:On a different.
Speaker A:In a different category.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:And then Buck asks, why can't they see his side of this?
Speaker A:I think Chimney is seeing a little bit more of his side of this.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:And Eddie is like.
Speaker A:Because that's all you see.
Speaker A:So that.
Speaker A:That aspect again, of, like, you know, not being able to see it from another perspective and.
Speaker A:And Buck is so blinded by his.
Speaker A:His betrayal.
Speaker A:Oh, this is where I put it that I don't think the rest of the 118 is privy to knowing that it was Bobby who was.
Speaker A:Who was jamming.
Speaker C:I think they.
Speaker C:I think they know now with the lawsuit, but I think.
Speaker C:I think the reason is the blood thinners.
Speaker C:We know that's not the reason, but.
Speaker A:Yeah, so it is really very much a lover spat in public.
Speaker A:And everybody around them knows it.
Speaker A:They've never.
Speaker A:They've never seen Eddie react in such a way.
Speaker A:It's surprising.
Speaker A:Everybody is clued in, I think, to Eddie and Buxom, more profound bond, shall we say, than they were before.
Speaker C:So, like, the.
Speaker C:And then the cars are, like, running into each other outside.
Speaker A:Oh, my God, it's.
Speaker A:I absolutely love that juxtaposition of, like, this.
Speaker A:This tension growing and this.
Speaker A:This fight and this fight and then just these cars in the parking lot, like, ramming into each other like.
Speaker A:Like bumper cars is so funny.
Speaker A:And I kind of wonder how much further this argument would have gone if not for.
Speaker A:For them being interrupted by.
Speaker C:By that probably would have been until Eddie said something crazy and Chimney again and be like, okay, and we're walking.
Speaker A:I would not be Surprised?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:Hen says someone should stop her about like the, the people like out in the parking lot running into each other and she's like, those two or those two?
Speaker C:These two are those two.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:Like both.
Speaker A:Do you think this is one of those moments where Hen is like, oh, okay, they should just kiss then?
Speaker C:Probably.
Speaker B:Absolutely.
Speaker A:She's like, I see what's going on here.
Speaker A:This is, this is not straight behavior.
Speaker A:No, this is not platonic behavior.
Speaker C:Friend in the grocery store like this.
Speaker C:It's really, you're not suing your friend.
Speaker A:It's really unhinged, the fact that it.
Speaker B:Is at a grocery store.
Speaker B:I mean, that's where most lovers spat happen.
Speaker B:Not most, but I mean, that's where the domestic.
Speaker C:They're in ikea.
Speaker A:I mean, it's also kind of close to a kitchen.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:You've got the ingredients for the kitchen.
Speaker A:So yeah.
Speaker A:You know, their heart to hearts are of, of the show are always in the kitchen.
Speaker A:But it's tangentially related.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:Somehow.
Speaker C:But it's just like, you know, do you have any idea how much our kid misses you?
Speaker C:That's, that's all it is.
Speaker C:Do you?
Speaker C:I miss you.
Speaker C:I can't talk to you.
Speaker C:Do you have any idea how much our kid misses you?
Speaker A:And, and Buck is like, no, I didn't actually.
Speaker A:And he does not.
Speaker C:No one missed me.
Speaker C:That's why I'm suing.
Speaker A:Hopefully he got into, got into his little noggin.
Speaker A:So, so that was pretty gay.
Speaker C:That was really good.
Speaker A:Also.
Speaker A:I think the only other thing I have to put in here, I, I, I mentioned it very, very briefly in like, foreshadowing, but the, I know we're not quite there yet, but since Bobby and Michael spoke about, you know, Michael was saying to Bobby that Bobby, he's so glad that Harry and may have Bobby because if anything were to happen to him, to Michael, he knows Bobby would love his kids as his own.
Speaker A:And how different that is when you compare it, because that is obviously very like, actually platonic.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Because Bobby and Michael are bros.
Speaker A:You know, they're, they're besties.
Speaker A:We love their bestieism.
Speaker A:But how different is that to Eddie saying almost the same thing, but it.
Speaker C:It just after keeping a secret for.
Speaker A:A year, but, but having a secret for a year, but having it feel so much different.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:It's not just, it's not just like, I'm so glad.
Speaker A:I'm so glad the kids have you.
Speaker A:I know you would love them like, like your own.
Speaker A:Eddie says something very similar with, with like, I know you would fight for him the hardest.
Speaker C:Nobody will fight for my son as hard as you.
Speaker B:Yeah, it's the singling out.
Speaker B:So you're the only one that would fight for him.
Speaker A:That is, that is also interesting.
Speaker A:We'll obviously revisit that.
Speaker A:Can't wait much later on.
Speaker A:But, but that does also kind of start floating that idea of like contingencies in like a will or, or a wish fulfillment sort of thing of taking care of kids.
Speaker A:And it really, it really does again put Buck in the role of parent for Christopher.
Speaker A:Because this is, this is a lover's pat.
Speaker A:This is, this is a custody thing.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Between two parents.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:So just, just another one of those things about how Buck, Buck is Chris's parent as well.
Speaker C:Yes, that's, that's what they're setting up this season.
Speaker C:Continue to do so it doesn't stop.
Speaker B:Remember, don't join an illegal fight ring.
Speaker C:But if you do, take a buddy with you.
Speaker C:Thank you for listening to the Buddy System podcast from start to finish.
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