It's fun to see a show that's boxed in by a formula do something a little outside that box. Such was the case with this week's Cold Case. The formula was still there (complete with the "who's the least likely suspect" game), but the story was just a smidge outside of the usual for this show. And it was enough to make me sit up and pay attention. Although about halfway through it, I found myself wishing we were working on Jeffries' case.  And that's not a knock on the episode, but a compliment to the intrigue the show created surrounding the missing girl he never found.  I have a feeling that case will make a re-appearance soon (fingers crossed). Anyway, I enjoyed this horse racing tale and found the move outside of CC's comfort zone to be fun.  And of course, there was also that funny conversation about whips and crops between Lil and Scotty.




Like many of you, I like to watch the Triple Crown. I'm not one for the pomp and circumstance surrounding it or the gambling on it, but I do enjoy the shear athletic power that these Thoroughbreds possess. You can see their drive to win in their eyes, so like Sonny, my heart broke for ---- and then it downright crumbled when we learned about the insurance fraud! How much did I hate that owner and want him to be the killer?? At least he's sitting in jail for insurance fraud. And, this wasn't the only horse he did it to!! Sick.

Speaking of sick, Jose needed some serious help for that raging gambling addiction he was nursing. There's being upset when your horse loses, and then there's being so upset when your horse loses that you take a metal rake to the back of the jockey's head. Apparently, it doesn't even matter if aforementioned jockey is your father!!! Just wow. This was a weird resolution for me. It's not that the show didn't provide plenty of evidence to show how emotionally messed up Jose was, and therefore, a believable killer, but at the same time, I had a bit of a hard time accepting the son killing his father as violently as he did. Then again, addiction is a powerful force.  LOVED the mystery surrounding the will and the final reveal.  Also LOVED that hilarious whip/crop scene between Lilly and Scotty.  Who knew Lil was such a horse racing enthusiast?

Overall, another "good" outing. CC moves to 6-0 on the season.  Screencap courtesy of RichE at Kathryn Morris UK. More at Pass The Remote...

I've been complaining about Cold Case's lack of a strong doer this season (although, the problem can be traced back several seasons).  This week, I thought the show did a better job of picking someone who seemed like a plausible killer.  It's not that Iris was the most convincing murderer, but the show made a pretty strong case for her and provided a decent motive.  I'm not sure that I can see her sabotaging Vivian's plane knowing it would kill her (especially since it wouldn't look good for the WASPs to lose another pilot -- and their best one at that).  One thing that I found to be quite excellent about this outing, though, was its subject matter.  I'm embarrassed to say that I was unaware of the WASPs prior to this episode.  I knew that women helped out in wartime in many different ways, but I didn't know about the women who flew non-combat flights for the Army Air Force.  Interesting subject matter and a nice slice of history that paved the way for the many women in the military today (pilots and otherwise).

Other developments were a bit mixed, though.




Lilly versus Moe is quickly becoming a game of chicken.  I can't see Moe blinking first, and let's face it, he has nothing to lose.  His career is gone.  Hers is not.  If she keeps following him, threatening him (and we know she won't stop with his good credit) and bringing new meaning to the term "side arm," then he's simply going to do everything he can to take her down.  I know the guy tried to kill her and then got off on a technicality, but seriously, it's not worth it, Lil.  There has to be a better way to mess with this guy that doesn't mess with her career.  If we ever see Saccardo again in person, maybe he'll have some suggestions.  He doesn't strike me as the "always on the up and up" type.

The Scotty and his mom story is getting more mysterious by the episode.  It certainly seems that she's dealing with some sort of health issue, but why not just tell her family?  Going through an illness or injury is incredibly difficult even with family by your side (I know, I have a loved one battling an illness as I write this), so why make things worse by going through it alone?  Because she doesn't want her son and husband to worry?  They deserve to know and I hope she reconsiders.  In the meantime, couldn't Scotty simply look at what discipline of medicine the doctor practices?  Those building directories normally include the practice speciality alongside the doctor's name.  Jus' sayin'.

[/nitpick]I've been to Wilmington, Delaware.  It has a lot of things, but what it doesn't have is MOUNTAINS!!  The second this episode started and the locator told us it was Wilmington and I saw those mountains in the background, it took me right out of the story.  I know the show is no longer taking trips to Philly to shoot scenes on location due to budget cuts, but a little attention to detail of terrain isn't asking too much, right?[/nitpick]

Overall, another good episode of Cold Case moving the show to 5-0 on the season. More at Pass The Remote...