An investigation involving the murder of a local singer uncovers details that reopen a strikingly similar decades-old cold case. The team rallies around Soto after she is passed over for the captain's chair. When a social media stunt turns deadly, Morgan and Karadec head to a content house to track down answers. Meanwhile, the team adjusts to Captain Nick Wagner's new role, and Ava seeks out more information on Roman's disappearance.
"Behind the Music" was written by Marqui Jackson & Nicole French and directed by Todd Biermann
Has the team taken more unnecessary risks since Morgan began consulting? It's dangerous every time she goes out in the field. She doesn't abide by the police mentality. She doesn't process news the same way. They operate in a system where they want to advance. They must abide by the rules and play nice in order to rise through the ranks. Gossip around the precinct is that Soto had the inside track to become captain. She doesn't receive the promotion. Morgan knows she's upset. Soto can't let it show. Instead, she has to focus on closing the cases her unit is working. The team is still required to do their jobs. Morgan helps a great deal. She's also grateful Karadec kept her away from the raid to arrest the killer. He ended up in a standoff where he was forced to fire his gun. Karadec knew he would make the shot. He follows the same routine every morning. He was prepared for this moment. He advocates to return to work right away. He wants to bend the rules so he can finish the case. Morgan has influenced him in that way. It also results in a pointed comment from Internal Affairs. Procedures are being challenged and changed. That's good in some instances. They come in friction with the forces that want to keep them as is because it benefits them. And so, Soto isn't promoted.
Has the team taken more unnecessary risks since Morgan began consulting? It's dangerous every time she goes out in the field. She doesn't abide by the police mentality. She doesn't process news the same way. They operate in a system where they want to advance. They must abide by the rules and play nice in order to rise through the ranks. Gossip around the precinct is that Soto had the inside track to become captain. She doesn't receive the promotion. Morgan knows she's upset. Soto can't let it show. Instead, she has to focus on closing the cases her unit is working. The team is still required to do their jobs. Morgan helps a great deal. She's also grateful Karadec kept her away from the raid to arrest the killer. He ended up in a standoff where he was forced to fire his gun. Karadec knew he would make the shot. He follows the same routine every morning. He was prepared for this moment. He advocates to return to work right away. He wants to bend the rules so he can finish the case. Morgan has influenced him in that way. It also results in a pointed comment from Internal Affairs. Procedures are being challenged and changed. That's good in some instances. They come in friction with the forces that want to keep them as is because it benefits them. And so, Soto isn't promoted.
The case the team works has a fascinating premise. Raina makes a 911 call witnessing a murder and fearing for her life. When the police respond, she denies it happened. A few hours later, she's dead. It's too coincidental to be believed. Learning she had dementia sends the investigation into the past to determine when she saw this crime. On New Year's 2000, Greta was killed in a similar way. The team is tasked with solving both cases. It's revealed that Greta's killer didn't also kill Raina. In fact, the discovery of Greta having a daughter basically made the twist obvious. Lucy was so involved researching the backstory of these people not to be involved as family. She didn't mean to kill Raina. The action still occurred. She will be punished for it. That creates a story with a great premise that didn't fully live up to its potential. The details always matter. The specificity of the main cast and their dilemmas make the story compelling. They grapple with the demands of this job. It shapes them in unexpected ways. The narrative needs more inspired and unpredictable moments to match that energy.
Grade: B
"Content Warning" was written by Katie McElhenney and directed by Pete Chatmon
Captain Nick Wagner is intrigued by Morgan. He's essentially presenting himself as a mystery. He's inviting her in to figure out what he's up to. She purposefully avoids him. She doesn't handle change well. She challenges authority. That's who she has always been. This is nothing new. Soto does her best to set realistic expectations. Nothing about the job is going to change. However, Wagner wants to meet with every member of the precinct. Those play out to varying degrees. He only wants to talk to Karadec about Morgan. He remains aloof throughout the exchange. Meanwhile, he encourages Daphne to pursue the sergeant's exam. He believes she would be a good fit for a promotion. Oz states that his meeting changed his perspective. Others would understand after they went through the experience. That didn't really play out. With Morgan, she wants to avoid the hassle of getting to know someone new. In the end, she still makes plenty of assumptions about who he is. The audience can't really get a good read on him either. That's frustrating. His presence doesn't alter the storytelling in any significant way. The characters simply have to be on their toes more at the precinct. That could create something fascinating in the future. It's too soon to tell.
Captain Nick Wagner is intrigued by Morgan. He's essentially presenting himself as a mystery. He's inviting her in to figure out what he's up to. She purposefully avoids him. She doesn't handle change well. She challenges authority. That's who she has always been. This is nothing new. Soto does her best to set realistic expectations. Nothing about the job is going to change. However, Wagner wants to meet with every member of the precinct. Those play out to varying degrees. He only wants to talk to Karadec about Morgan. He remains aloof throughout the exchange. Meanwhile, he encourages Daphne to pursue the sergeant's exam. He believes she would be a good fit for a promotion. Oz states that his meeting changed his perspective. Others would understand after they went through the experience. That didn't really play out. With Morgan, she wants to avoid the hassle of getting to know someone new. In the end, she still makes plenty of assumptions about who he is. The audience can't really get a good read on him either. That's frustrating. His presence doesn't alter the storytelling in any significant way. The characters simply have to be on their toes more at the precinct. That could create something fascinating in the future. It's too soon to tell.
Elsewhere, Morgan and Karadec find themselves in a content house investigating a murder. The entire case isn't set in this location. That's a good thing. It comes across as a broad venture into this world. Plus, it's been done in numerous procedures already. The show had to add its own twist to it. That results in the victim actually being an investigative reporter. She went undercover in order to expose a dangerous product. However, the leap from the world of content creating to a drug smuggling operation is largely out of personal animus. She held a grudge over being doxxed many years ago. The person who ruined her life wasn't some criminal mastermind. She had a vendetta against him. That jeopardized the people actually pulling the strings. That's fine. It's nothing stellar. As such, the story easily drags on. That provides more time for Morgan and Eva to deal with Arthur. He doesn't have any more information about Roman. He was simply a trusted friend. He misses Roman too. He would do anything for him. That already results in a backpack full of potential clues and Ava once again being annoyed by her mother. Again, that may matter eventually. It's not the most fulfilling right now.
Grade: C+
