Monday, December 10, 2007

A 'Cold' History Lesson

They say those who don't study history are doomed to repeat it. Whenever Cold Case takes us for a journey back in time, it's packed with things I hope we never repeat. Last night's history lesson focused on our country's shameful practice of placing Japanese-Americans into internment camps during WWII. It's one thing to read about it in a history textbook, but it's another to watch characters go through that painful chapter in our history. I watched Ray and his family register and check in to their shared shanty, and I found myself outraged that this country put its citizens through such unfair and discriminatory behavior (on more than one occasion, I'm afraid). Of course, all of that is in the past where it will hopefully serve as a warning for our present and future. In the end of Ray's tragic story, it wasn't the internment camp that got him killed. It was old-fashioned hate brought on by the horrors of war. Well that, and a good shove down a nasty flight of stairs during a heated fistfight. I wasn't sure how the CC writers were going to find an appropriate song to close the episode. After all, it wasn't just Ray's murder, but also Billy's death and a family's pain that needed to be wrapped up just right with the fitting musical wrapping paper. There was no closing song, though, just the beautiful underscore playing underneath Billy's moving words in that letter he wrote to his father right before his death. Yet another well done break in the usual formula. This show knows when to take the right risks.

One risk they thankfully didn't take was having Stillman (a.k.a. the best boss EVER!!) retire. I had a split second panic attack when Scotty told Lilly that Stillman had turned in his retirement papers, but I quickly recovered when my sensible side kicked in and reassured me that CC would never do something so wrong. I did love, though, that it was Lil who got Stillman back in the game. First, she "accidentally" left that file on the bar next to him. She knew he'd read it and do some of his own investigating. Then, she ambushed him at the bar and gave him a good dose of "these are the people we fight for." By the end of the episode, he was moving back into his comfy office. Nice job, Lil! Speaking of Lil, how awesomely "wink, wink" was that conversation between her and Scotty about dating ADAs??!! They both should know! Oil and water, indeed. And now I'm jonesing for some ADA Kite and Lilly. Cold Case scores again and moves to 11-0 on the season.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I had a little bit of a hard time with this one. Of course the actors playing the parts were way to young again. But I thought Billy's best friend being the murderer was a little far-fetched. He grew up with that family and I just don't think he would have turned on them the way he did. This one was not one of my favorites. It was just okay for me.

Anonymous said...

Have to say I really enjoyed this one ... I am always overly partial to cases from the 40s. And the gals who wrote this one came from The Closer, soooo, I think that made me even more partial. ;) And I am all for the return of Kite. :) I swear I have completely reversed my opinion of him (after initially disliking him in the first season). Lord knows Lilly could use a decent bloke to lighten up her spirits at home. Still wondering if we could clone Fritz from The Closer. ;)