Blink

I've become accustomed, finally, to the modern TV series technique of mixing story lines and arcs within each episode in a sort of ADD attempt to keep the viewer interested. (As an inveterate TV addict since childhood in the '50s I prefer the old-fashioned one-story, linear approach as was so successful in 30-minute dramas, resembling short stories.)

And this arfully written and directed segment of the Canadian cop show rewarded that techinque and its use of misdirection, as the politics and goings-on at the station house cleverly distracted the viewer from the tense, almost happenstance stand-off in a diner. Latter whips up intense suspense and puts the stars through a ringer in a memorably dramatic fashion. If that were the sole story line, I suspect the impact would have been diminished.

Not a regular viewer of this show when first aired, I caught up with this segment on a Saturday night ABC set of re-runs (including an excellent "Scandal" vignette from yesteryear) and even as stand-alone entertainment it held up quite well, thanks to the non-starry but highly talented cast.