Mickey challenges the dubious traffic stop that landed him behind bars, as Haller and Associates strains under the weight of his looming murder trial. A combative bail hearing puts Mickey in the crosshairs of the Sheriff's Department. Cisco hatches a sweet scheme to bypass a backlog at the crime lab.
"7211956" was written by Ted Humphrey & Dailyn Rodriguez and directed by Ted Humphrey
Haller and Associates knows Mickey has been set up for the murder of Sam Scales. They just don't have any viable leads for who did it. The case against Mickey is even more damning than he initially realized. Sam was apparently murdered in Mickey's garage while he was sleeping. All the evidence points to Mickey. It would be too outrageous to believe anyone else was capable of this crime. It should be ridiculous that Mickey kept the body in his car for an entire day. That's not enough reasonable doubt to ensure his freedom. He insists he can survive two more months in prison. He's not interested in arguing over bail. He doesn't want to financially ruin the firm even more than he already has. He's focused on the motions to suppress. He was pulled over as a result of an illegal search. The prosecution wants to limit the evidence to the footage showcasing the moment he was pulled over. Mickey wants to broaden the search. That's where Cisco realizes Officer Collins decided to follow Mickey before knowing about the missing license plate. That's enough to invigorate Lorna. It's the first solid lead to proving Mickey's innocence.
Haller and Associates knows Mickey has been set up for the murder of Sam Scales. They just don't have any viable leads for who did it. The case against Mickey is even more damning than he initially realized. Sam was apparently murdered in Mickey's garage while he was sleeping. All the evidence points to Mickey. It would be too outrageous to believe anyone else was capable of this crime. It should be ridiculous that Mickey kept the body in his car for an entire day. That's not enough reasonable doubt to ensure his freedom. He insists he can survive two more months in prison. He's not interested in arguing over bail. He doesn't want to financially ruin the firm even more than he already has. He's focused on the motions to suppress. He was pulled over as a result of an illegal search. The prosecution wants to limit the evidence to the footage showcasing the moment he was pulled over. Mickey wants to broaden the search. That's where Cisco realizes Officer Collins decided to follow Mickey before knowing about the missing license plate. That's enough to invigorate Lorna. It's the first solid lead to proving Mickey's innocence.
The entire system is set up to treat Mickey as nothing more than a number. If something happens to him in prison, no one will protect him. The guards are indifferent. They refer to the inmates by their numbers. Mickey eagerly looks forward to seeing Maggie and Hayley. And yet, they can't hide from the brutal reality of this situation. They can't be distracted by talk of college classes. It gets to Mickey. He's so confident in talking about the tree and the axe. He's ready to attack the case against him. He has a fire in doing so. The system crushes his soul. It leaves him struggling to remember his quest to clear his name. It's brutal and psychological. The prosecution team plays games in the hopes of keeping everything secretive for as long as possible. Mickey and Lorna know how to get what they want. It's a fight every step of the way. They demand more. The judge reminds Dana about the purpose of discovery. Mickey hasn't waived his right to a speedy trial. Yet none of this is set up to occur quickly. Maggie is aware of that. Everyone else must adjust their expectations according. Mickey sees a new side of the system now. That may make him a better defense attorney later. Right now, it's his life on the line.
Grade: B
"Baja" was written by Matthew Lieberman and directed by Ted Humphrey
Everything hits different with Mickey as the defendant. Mickey is enduring it all from a new perspective. That's frightening. His beliefs of what's possible suddenly change. He doesn't want the case dismissed on a technicality. He comes to that realization while questioning Collins on the stand. He has to strive for innocence for his family. He can't let them down. Everything he does is for them. He previously thought not guilty was the best he could do. He demands more. He successfully proves that the sheriff's deputies have been listening in on his privileged calls. He orchestrates a scheme with Lorna and Cisco to catch them. As a prosecutor, Dana is entirely presented as someone who will break any rule in order to secure a conviction. That's frustrating to Maggie as someone who believes in honestly working within the system. It's so easy for corruption to prosper. Mickey will face consequences for doing so. Initially, he believes any fallout comes from how he embarrassed law enforcement in Julian's case. The firm still awaits final payment from that injury. Mickey can't deflect from the reality of the situation. The focus is entirely on him. He wants a distinction between defense attorney and defendant. There isn't any. Everything is more personal because he's fighting for his life. That makes the threats he delivers to others even more extreme. It's foolish for him to expect anything else.
Everything hits different with Mickey as the defendant. Mickey is enduring it all from a new perspective. That's frightening. His beliefs of what's possible suddenly change. He doesn't want the case dismissed on a technicality. He comes to that realization while questioning Collins on the stand. He has to strive for innocence for his family. He can't let them down. Everything he does is for them. He previously thought not guilty was the best he could do. He demands more. He successfully proves that the sheriff's deputies have been listening in on his privileged calls. He orchestrates a scheme with Lorna and Cisco to catch them. As a prosecutor, Dana is entirely presented as someone who will break any rule in order to secure a conviction. That's frustrating to Maggie as someone who believes in honestly working within the system. It's so easy for corruption to prosper. Mickey will face consequences for doing so. Initially, he believes any fallout comes from how he embarrassed law enforcement in Julian's case. The firm still awaits final payment from that injury. Mickey can't deflect from the reality of the situation. The focus is entirely on him. He wants a distinction between defense attorney and defendant. There isn't any. Everything is more personal because he's fighting for his life. That makes the threats he delivers to others even more extreme. It's foolish for him to expect anything else.
The team stumbles upon more obstruction within law enforcement. They are investigating multiple conspiracies. They want to know who killed Sam and framed Mickey. Evidence has gone missing. Mickey knows what to look for. His adversary needs to be just as efficient. At the moment, all that the opposing side has going for it is mystery. Mickey doesn't know precisely what forces he's targeting. He wants to celebrate. He's released on bail. He's home with Hayley. Yet he can't escape the horrors of this case. This is his life now. Maggie gets to return to her job and new boyfriend. Lorna has a divorce case keeping her busy. Izzy makes time to see where a new relationship goes. Everything happening with Mickey connects these characters. Nothing comes easy for any of them. They lean on each other for support. Right now, they are simply engaging in the plot mechanics that keep the mystery chugging along. It's noteworthy how connected Maggie is after making her break from the District Attorney's office in Los Angeles. She can't help but worry about Mickey. That's not entirely fair to her new relationship. She doesn't completely overlook Jack. She's engaged in his life too. She notices the pattern. Everything has shifted. And so, she's become a prominent character again.
Grade: B-
