Rookie Blue recap: Put to the (integrity) test
|Well, Rookie Blue fans, the sh*t hit the fan for one of 15 Division’s own. Well, I guess technically, he was an outsider, but Peck #2 had been around enough to be considered part of the family. Which is why the betrayal hurts so much more, right? What’s the quote? “The saddest thing about betrayal is that it never comes from your enemies. It comes from friends and loved ones?”So accurate this week.
It’s been a great season for Adam MacDonald to sink his teeth into, so you’ve got to love him for that. (High five to my fellow Montrealer for some major character work!) When you think back to his smaller stints in past seasons, you remember the shadiness of his character. The slight feeling that he’s dodgy. It’s been seeded out from the beginning; or at least in hindsight, it feels that way.
The fallout from this plot line will make for great drama as we dig in for the final few episodes. (Perhaps the final few episodes EVER?!) To the recap!
Waking up with regrets
Oh, Traci, we’ve all been there. Well, not “in a relationship with a dirty cop” there, but “waking up next to a guy with regrets” there.
Make me an offer I can’t refuse
Well, well, well, what have we here, you ask? Commissioner Santana rolled up to offer newly badge-less Oliver Shaw a job as head of security at a buddy’s tech company. You know, provided he leaves quietly, retires his badge, and avoids a whole Internal Affairs investigation.
Trouble in paradise
Nothing like dropping “I’m Internal Affairs” into a conversation to blow up a relationship. Nick cannot catch a break in the romance department either. Maybe we pair him up with Traci after this? Just to fast forward to the end of these two this week, Juliet gives Nick a piece of her mind about integrity and her work busting dirty cops, and then walks away. So…while I’d like to say they’re dunzo’d, I’m giving them a solid “unresolved” label.
Got anything you’d like to share with the class?
Believe it or not, this is Traci NOT telling Andy that Chris Klem ID’d someone other than Oliver Shaw as “Oliver Shaw.” This is a pretty pertinent detail, n’est pas? Instead, she goes off into gangland homicide investigations with this schmuck:
DOV+CHLOE 4EVA
You guys loooooove each other. Just beeeeee together. (I’m willing it to happen by the season’s end. I’ve decided.)
Now, Diaz!
Diaz: What the hell does he want with me?
Gail: Maybe it’s the fact that you were boning his wife?
Diaz: That’s not funny.
Gail: That’s a little bit funny, don’t you think!
My undying love and a unicorn to the first person who sends me a GIF of Gail squishing and slapping Chris’ cheeks. (Also, Gail was on the money: it WAS because Chris was boning his wife!)
“Whatever it is, I’m in”
Gail, you are queen. As is Andy “We get caught, I’ll wear it” McNally. Badass bosses. Nick and Dov, you guys are cool too. Awww, the gang’s in it together!
Would any of us really pass an “integrity test”?
Juliet’s IA insider knowledge means she gets to join Andy and the gang in this risky “sting” – aka the “Integrity Test” – to set up Commissioner Santana using fake information about the hard drives that blew up in the bombing. Yes, Juliet! Redemption and teamwork look good on you.
Meanwhile in Murderland
I give you, Super Sketchy Steve.
And the two women who are like, “Dude, why you being so damn sketchy!?”
You say “Trojan Horse,” I say “Total Patsy”
Poor Duncan hasn’t really had a great time of things at 15 Division–largely due to his own incompetence–and is therefore oft on the outskirts of the action, desperate to be one of the cool kids. Which means he really was the perfect mark for the cool kids to use in their plan to seed out bogus intel. “I give him an hour,”–Andy, who is far too generous in her estimate.
#FRIENDSHIP #BROMANCE #SQUADGOALS
That is all.
LESS THAN AN HOUR LATER! (I ASSUME.)
Have I mentioned that Duncan is also DESPERATE for the admiration and approval of his stepfather, Commissioner Santana?
Yeah, the kid never had a chance of keeping something “covert.”
Live bait
Nick’s brother has agreed to posing as “Mr. Mason” in the grand charade that is the lengthy integrity test to set up Santana…
Who coincidentally heard through the grapevine that this new witness was in the station and giving a statement. Naturally, the Commissioner decided it’d be wise to listen in on the whole thing. Totally legit right, Dov?
Speaking of totally non-legit cops…
Steve made a random detour and told Traci to wait in the car…which she did for a hot second:
…so she could go through Steve’s phone to see about that sketchy call. When that went nowhere, she got out:
Steve wasn’t too happy about it.
Like, really unhappy.
Kiss and make up?
Sam and Oliver have spent the day at the Black Penny hashing out the events of the past 24 hours, Commissioner Santana’s private sector job offer, and more. Oliver did not seem too optimistic about his fate, especially factoring his early days when Santana was his training officer.
Keep Calm and Act Totally Natural
Andy’s inner monologue: “just keep your hands in your pockets and look chill.” Have you ever walked around with your hands in your pocket, kept them there for a conversation and then walked away with them still there? It feels like it’d be super awkward and the opposite of natural.
Oh, FYI, Santana proved himself to still be a minor sociopath, making veiled threats while telling Andy how Oliver Shaw took the desk job to keep her on the force.
*Shrugs*
Random homicide detective is as confused as the rest of us about Steve Peck helping catch a killer.
His explanation: the dead guy was his CI (“confidential informant” for those not hip with the lingo). As was Troy Baxter. And then he apologized for keeping things from her because he hated lying to her.
The above isn’t actually Traci’s initial reaction to all this; I just REALLY felt the need to share this image with the world.
Bad call. Terrible call. The worst.
DAMN IT, NICK. Do not abandon the set-up for some robbery on King St. West. Why you gotta be the guy who’s always doing what “right”?
At least Gail knew this was a terrible idea.
20 minutes where no one’s watching the warehouse is 20 minutes too long
Off Andy went to see if she can catch a dirty cop, armed and ready for anything:
More inner monologue: “I got you Santana. Yeah you Santana…Wait, Steve?”
#ConfusedAndy
Mansplaining FTW
For your handy reference while you listen to Steve tell Andy why he’s at the warehouse:
That crushing moment when you realize Steve Peck is the dirty cop you’re looking for
Crushed.
Master manipulator
The many faces (and emotional manipulations) of Steve Peck. (Give it up for Adam MacDonald once again. Not just a set of cute baby blues, the man’s been doing a killer job.)
From vulnerable and wide-eyed “honesty” to…
Cocky jackass: “What are you going to do? Shoot me?”
Busted
Times two.
“I can’t just be friends”
Rookie writers, weren’t there enough broken hearts in this episode without this?! THEY LOVE EACH OTHER. JUST TELL EACH OTHER.
Diaz’s romance woes ending with a whimper instead of a bang
No outrage or fisticuffs.
Just a quick “I know. I’m starting a new life with my girlfriend. Bang my soon-to-be-ex-wife whenever.” So disappointing.
All’s Well That Ends Well
Oliver Shaw has been cleared of all charges. Hooray! Now someone nudge him off his bar stool and tell him to cheer up.
And that’s a wrap! Bad guys in cuffs. Good guys still innocent. All of this tied up with a bow…for now. Hit the comments if you need to lament the downfall of Steve Peck or celebrate the wonder that is Oliver Shaw!
Rookie Blue airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on Global in Canada and in the US on Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.
This episode was amazing! I can’t believe how great the RB writers are because Season 5 (lets call a spade a spade and disregard this whole season 6 thing) has been incredible. The twists have just kept on coming and i’m a bit sad that it’s going to end pretty soon. Btw, is it too much to wish every one was coupled up and happy and void of any crushing betrayals?
Awesome recap. Thank you so much.
I feel like Katharine Isabelle is too recognizable an actress to just be a “random homicide detective” that has to be leading somewhere