Directed by: Jon Tenney
Written by: Jim Leonard
First aired: October 1, 2012

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An old case comes back to haunt Mike Tao as a murder conviction gets overturned. The team works hard to prove he was right all along and to make sure that the right person is brought to justice. Meanwhile, Rusty gets to meet his father.

This time, it is Mike Tao’s turn to be the center of the episode’s and his Captain’s focus. If I am not mistaken, this is the first episode where Captain Raydor interviews suspects with Lieutenant Tao. She also tries to get the FBI to foot the bill for flying the wife of one of their suspects to Los Angeles. The silent exchange between Raydor and Tao that ensues makes me happy, especially when you pair it with the one towards the end where Raydor allows Tao to arrest their main suspect—again—and the smile she gives him there.

The sweet dynamic between Provenza and Sykes that has begun to appear in earlier episodes continues in this one. Sykes is back from medical leave after having been beaten up in episode six, and treats everyone to her delightful sarcasm and her sunny outlook on life.

Detective Sykes also benefits from Provenza’s vast experience as a homicide detective, as he shares with her and everyone else his favorite theory. It is one we will hear a lot of in the episodes to come, as it turns into something of a running gag.

The main plot part I want to focus on is once again Rusty. I know, I know, haven’t we seen enough of him on the show? Probably, yeah. But I like to spend so much time on him, because during these early episodes, he gives us so much insight into Sharon’s character, and the dynamic between the two is really special. So bear with me, please?
As Rusty prepares for meeting his father, he comes to Provenza for help with his tie. Of course, Andy can’t resist a little jab about Provenza’s taste in ties:

In the scene that follows we see how fond the team has grown of Rusty, as Buzz takes the question of Windsor vs. half-Windsor off Provenza’s hands, and the two men advise the boy on how to approach his sperm donor, with occasional additions from Flynn, who pipes in from Electronics.

Rusty obviously struggles with trusting his father, and the post-dinner scene at the condo seems painfully awkward. Not sure if it’s genetic, too, like the sarcasm that Sharon mentioned as a common trait, or if it is coincidence that both father and son appear to be a little inept when it comes to communicating effectively. It takes Sharon’s help to give them something to talk about before Dunn finally leaves. Rusty’s thank you for the dinner invitation only comes after Sharon wordlessly prompts him, which is such a mom move. The conversation Sharon and Rusty have after Dunn is gone shows how much they both dislike the situation. Sharon openly says—for the second time—that she doesn’t trust Dunn, but she still urges Rusty to try and get past this feeling, because she knows that, legally, Dunn could, and probably will, take him away from her.

Trust is such a big issue for Rusty—not at all surprising after what he’s been through—and I love that his relationship with Sharon is at a point where he can trust her, even when things get tough. Once again, we see how the case ties in with Rusty’s story line when Sharon points out that not all fathers are created equal, a statement that brings to mind the horrifyingly inadequate father they sent back to prison as they closed their case. It also might be seen as a hint at her husband and his relationship with their kids, especially when she adds that Daniel doesn’t seem to be reaching out because he needs to but because he wants to. We don’t know it at this point, but once Jack Raydor shows up in season 2, we’ll learn that Sharon obviously has some experience with fathers who don’t reach out unless they’re forced to.
It becomes very clear in this scene, but even more so in the last one, how Rusty managed to worm his way into Sharon’s heart. She doesn’t like Daniel, not because he is a bad man—at least as far as she knows at this point—but because his presence in Rusty’s life means she might lose him. That last scene always breaks my heart a little. She makes sure to encourage Rusty and to give him a little bit of security by putting a deadline on the whole event (be home by eleven because of school), but once the door is closed behind the two guys, her emotions are readily apparent.

There is one short moment during an interview when we get a little glimpse into what Sharon’s marriage might have been like. It’s one of those blink and you miss it things where we learn about Sharon’s life and her past through other people’s stories. It’s a nice way of revealing character background, but I would have liked to see Sharon’s life addressed in a more direct way at least once in a while. But at least now we know a little more about what kind of rotten husband Jack was.

Also…counting Sharon Raydor’s many different cups is a fun thing to do while watching Major Crimes. She seems to have a little obsession in that area that I wish we had learned a little more about. How did it start and why? Are some of those cups presents from her kids or did she buy all of them herself? Does she get teased about her obsession by her loved ones? I have so many questions…

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