Scorpion embraced all things nerd and headed to the Renaissance Festival to celebrate Sly's 25th birthday and all of the teams eccentricities.
There was only one matter to tend to before the revelry could begin: Sly's initial plea to have the case against Cabe dismissed, on the basis that, had Cabe not uncuffed Collins, then Collins would have been tortured by electrocution and as such suffered a violation of his 8th Amendment rights. Sly's performance as a lawyer was as breathy, nervous and average as could have been expected from his first foray into a courtroom, but no amount of fumbling would have altered the outcome - there wouldn't be much drama to Cabe's situation if the writers gave him such an easy out, would there?
Including this as the episode's opening scene was not only a smart move (it was the right time to see the courtroom end of this Cabe/Sly storyline take shape), but a nice piece of foreshadowing for a critical obstacle later in the episode.
But first, the Scorpion team headed off to the Renaissance Festival for Sly's birthday, a setting that spurred on some great character work. Most significantly, that character work was done within the two main romantic relationships, #Quintis and #Waige. Firstly, the former: questions over when the first Scorpion baby might arrive have lingered on the lips of the team since Happy's false alarm in the beginning of season 3, but deliberate headway is now being made towards that endgame with Happy and Toby's continuing attempts to conceive. Although, while a hayloft may have been a choice venue for a festival fumble, I suspect a pregnancy mightn't arrive until much later in this season. And a prolonged wait for such a joyous and momentous occasion will only make the audience root for the pair more than they already do, and it's to the writers' credit that they are holding back somewhat right now. (Though they aren't holding back on the "Happy's costumes" gag, although Toby's arousal at Happy's executioner outfit is somewhat disturbing.)
Secondly, #Waige. Before "Faire Is Foul", Walter and Paige were seven episodes into their new relationship and the couple had failed to click, due to their differing personalities, interests and the difficulty of a genius dating a non-genius and vice versa. In fact, Paige's near episodic frustration with Walter's inability to understand the demands of a romantic relationship - while justified - hasn't been the easiest thing to watch as a viewer and fan.
But this episode marks a turning point in the relationship. (Or rather, it appears to: remarking that this is a turning point before seeing any future episodes is pure speculation.) Paige finally vocalises (to Toby, in an impromptu counselling session) her frustration at having to constantly impart "boyfriend lessons" to Walter, but this coincides with Walter - in his noble but ultimately ill-advised attempt to make a grand gesture of love - independently learning a valuable lesson about how to communicate his feelings. With the pair now both having recognised their early problems and begun attempting to minimise them, the relationship can hopefully move forward. It shouldn't be completely disconnected from this unique dynamic, but a more heartwarming unity would be a nice step.
But despite the progression of #Quintis and #Waige, "Faire is Foul" was Sly's episode. After floundering somewhat in court, Sly makes amends by effectively motivating a motley crew of renaissance nerds to help Scorpion defeat some heavily armed bikers intent on stealing crucial evidence in a murder case from the nearby evidence lockup. In doing so, Sly redeems himself for his courtroom stumble, and Scorpion return to the garage to enjoy themselves on their friend's birthday.
From me and all the fans: happy birthday Sylvester!
RATING: 9/10
POINTS OF NOTE
- Chair of Blades? Could a Game of Thrones reference be any less subtle?
- Walter and Paige dressed as Robin Hood and Maid Marion was an extremely pleasing choice.
- "Come heck or high water?" Is the word "hell" censored by American broadcast networks and if so ... why?
- "Also, don't mention her booty." Worked for Jake in Brooklyn Nine-Nine during a proposal scene, why couldn't it work for Walter in a song?
- Cabe brutally jousting a biker to the ground was so satisfying - and the finishing touch on a brilliant Renaissance Festival episode.
No comments:
Post a Comment