This episode has a much faster pace than the other episodes so far, which is great, and the "case" feels much more rooted in the characters as Cordell is forced to go back into his undercover role. Seeing Jared switch from Cordell to Duke and back was so good. Jared has always impressed me with his ability to play different "versions" of a character (he does it several times in Supernatural to great results) and this is yet another excellent instant of that. We get to see more of what Cordell's life was like during the months he was away from his family, in addition to building more on his relationship with Micki and, in the end, his children. I especially love the moment after he yells at August when Micki grabs his hand and reassures Cordell that August will forgive him. Their dynamic as partners is quick becoming one of my favorite parts of the show. She grounds Walker, centers him on his job and the task at hand, and I think that's something he really needs when he's struggling to find his footing again with his family.
As I mentioned in my ep 4 review, I do find it extremely frustrating that August had to go digging and invading his dad's privacy, as Cordell may not have had to return to being Duke otherwise and none of August's worries about Cordell leaving again would have been stirred up. Something I realized when discussing the episode with friends afterwards, though, is that Liam explicitly states in the first (or second?) episode that August has been doing everything in his power for the whole time Cordell was gone to keep from rocking the boat. So now that Cordell is home, all of August's locked up and shoved down emotions are breaking free as he struggles to cope with his mother's death, his father's absence, and now his overwhelming fear that his father will leave again. August clearly is dealing with some abandonment issues that I hope will be addressed as the series moves forward. I have hopes that they will be, with the way the show is centering more on the family and their dynamics than on cases the way many cop-centric shows do.
As I mentioned in my ep 4 review, I do find it extremely frustrating that August had to go digging and invading his dad's privacy, as Cordell may not have had to return to being Duke otherwise and none of August's worries about Cordell leaving again would have been stirred up. Something I realized when discussing the episode with friends afterwards, though, is that Liam explicitly states in the first (or second?) episode that August has been doing everything in his power for the whole time Cordell was gone to keep from rocking the boat. So now that Cordell is home, all of August's locked up and shoved down emotions are breaking free as he struggles to cope with his mother's death, his father's absence, and now his overwhelming fear that his father will leave again. August clearly is dealing with some abandonment issues that I hope will be addressed as the series moves forward. I have hopes that they will be, with the way the show is centering more on the family and their dynamics than on cases the way many cop-centric shows do.