'Rookie Blue' Episode 4.01 "Surprises"
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I think the wait between seasons of my favorite rookies in blue is entirely too long. I propose we start a petition asking for either more episodes per season or less time in between seasons. I don’t think that is too much to ask for, do you? Of course you don’t. No real Rookie Blue fan would think that it’s too much.
As often is the case with shows that left off with a cliff-hanger from the season before or when there is a time jump the first episode back is spent wrapping up said story so they can get on with the business of telling this seasons stories and this episode was no different. ‘Surprises’ starts off surprisingly (no irony or pun intended) light with Andy and Nick playfully flirting besides a pretty swanky pool. If you’re a first time viewer or perhaps were unaware that the two rookies had gone on an undercover assignment at the end of last season you may have been led to believe that they really were a couple. Of course that thought would have been cut dramatically short when a couple of gun wielding thugs bust up the happy couple’s goodbye to inform the unsuspecting gang, which just so happens to consist of Andy, Nick, and two drug dealers, that they have been encroaching on their territory and they need to stop.
Oh, but wait a minute that was all a set up too, because as it turns out the thugs were also undercover police officers who were hoping to spook the actual drug dealers into making a mistake. Too bad for Andy, because as we’ve learned she is a freaking magnet for getting into trouble and this time was no different. Now you would think that A) after all the times she has gotten caught being cop sneaky by the perps that she would be better at snooping and B) to never leave her back to the door. I mean come on has she never watched an episode of Cops or NCIS? It’s Cop 101. Probably not, but whatever. Although it would probably be a good idea if she took a refresher course in how to snoop without getting caught. I’m just saying.
Meanwhile the rest of the gang from 15 Division have been living life as usual. Swarek is jogging and drinking green tea. Don’t ask, I don’t know. My theory is that his new girl friend (sorry didn’t catch her name and really don’t feel like searching out IMDb right now) is really an alien that implanted alien like thoughts into Swarek’s mind. If you think about it it’s really the only explanation that makes sense. Oh yeah and did I forget to mention that Swarek’s a detective now, because he is. No, really he is. I promise. Our boy went from being devastated over the loss of his best mate Jerry and regretting his break up with Andy to a health conscious detective with a new chippy on his arm. Excuse me while I go collect myself.
I’m just going to say it now Chris is not allowed to transfer. He belongs with the rest of the rookies. Yes, I know he has a kid and a family and yada yada yada. Whatever. I don’t care. I’m putting my foot down, and it says that he stays. I think I just implied that my foot talks. Oh well. I do however agree with Chris in that a celibate Dov is not a fun Dov. I can not even begin to wrap my head around a celibate Dov. The one thing I have always loved about him is that he had this annoying sense of self-assurance in any circumstance that came his way. I miss that Dov. I miss the Dov that found a friend and possibly more in Gail. I know she’s with Nick, even after punching him in the face upon his return. Not that I blame her in the least. But I can’t help it I ship Dov & Gail. Always have and probably always will.
As season premiere’s go ‘Surprises’ was one of the better one’s produced. It wrapped up the undercover story without making it feel rushed and the partner chemistry between Nick and Andy was enough so that we really felt as though they had been working closely together for the past 6 months. In fact the chemistry was so palpable between the two of them in those first few scenes that I started to find myself shipping them. I know, I know. Andy belongs with Swarek, but does she really? I wouldn’t mind seeing a few relationships shake up this season.
Even though I understand the need to be so completely focused on the undercover operation I wish we had gotten to see a little bit more of Dov, Chris, Gail, Traci, and my favorite officer Oliver Shaw. The episode ended with me not really knowing where they had been or where they were headed. I love the character of Andy, but sometimes I feel the show gets a bit too Andy happy, and I would love to see more sharing of the screen and story time. For instance I really want to know how Traci has really been doing since Jerry died. For a woman who lost her fiance 6 months previously she was oddly chipper. Luckily we have 12 more episodes to go before we have to say goodbye to Rookie Blue for (hopefully) another year.
Stray Observations:
Whenever I see Louis Ferreira, who was the leader of the undercover mission, I have Dawn of the Dead flashbacks.
Sunshiny Gail is really freaking creepy.
If there’s a cylon on your show you know they’re a bad guy. Especially if it’s Number 5.
Where in the hell was Noelle? She had better be back or I’m going to be so mad and stomp my feet and possibly storm into my room and slam the door in a huff.