I'm disappointed in some of the criticism of this episode. We need to start with the fact that these are two pretty flawed characters. Holder is a former meth user; Linden has so much baggage she could work for Samsonite. When she killed Skinner, it was in a rage. If you accept that, you can also accept the fact that she is her worst critic. She is utterly and hopelessly on the side of right. Her actions may have been sloppy and poorly thought out, but that whole business of putting a gun in the hand of a person has led to more convictions than we can imagine. Now she is a murderer, at least in the eyes of the law. She shot a defenseless man, as despicable as he was. I think it becomes pretty easy for one detached from such an episode to say what they would have done. I remember my junior high kids talking about what they would do if they ever had a gun pointed at them. If this has ever happened to you (and it has to me), you will think quite differently. I've never taken a life either, but I can't imagine the horror of it.
So we begin the next season with guilt oozing out of the pores of the characters. They have disposed of a body and are on edge. They are more sullen than usual and the other people in their lives are beginning to look at them. So now they investigate a horrible murder. A rich family has been decimated by a murderer. Four members of this affluent family have been executed, including a ten year old girl. The eldest, a son, is the lone survivor. He has injuries to his head, blunt force trauma, and can't remember anything. Holder already has him convicted, even though there is little other than his presence that makes him a suspect. He has been attending a military academy (one of those where kids are sent to get them straightened out) run by a by the book woman who is obviously up to something. She commands the "troops" like a career Marine. Linden has her doubts. There are two issues going on. LInden was supposed to get rid of the murder weapon and the cartridge. She has foolishly left them on a table in her house. Holder has news as well. His girlfriend has announced her pregnancy. He didn't take the news well, but he has begun to become sort of maternal. Two things take place in the last minute that will shape how things proceed. I am so hooked. I see that the overall rating of this piece is 8.6. I hope that a couple more people weigh in on this in print.
So we begin the next season with guilt oozing out of the pores of the characters. They have disposed of a body and are on edge. They are more sullen than usual and the other people in their lives are beginning to look at them. So now they investigate a horrible murder. A rich family has been decimated by a murderer. Four members of this affluent family have been executed, including a ten year old girl. The eldest, a son, is the lone survivor. He has injuries to his head, blunt force trauma, and can't remember anything. Holder already has him convicted, even though there is little other than his presence that makes him a suspect. He has been attending a military academy (one of those where kids are sent to get them straightened out) run by a by the book woman who is obviously up to something. She commands the "troops" like a career Marine. Linden has her doubts. There are two issues going on. LInden was supposed to get rid of the murder weapon and the cartridge. She has foolishly left them on a table in her house. Holder has news as well. His girlfriend has announced her pregnancy. He didn't take the news well, but he has begun to become sort of maternal. Two things take place in the last minute that will shape how things proceed. I am so hooked. I see that the overall rating of this piece is 8.6. I hope that a couple more people weigh in on this in print.
