Bull Review: Reckless (Season 2 Episode 21)

Bull Season 2 Episode 21, “Reckless,” leads into the season finale with a lot of unpacked emotions and a case that could go in any direction.

Everyone is feeling a lot of feelings in the penultimate installment of season two. And for quite a while those emotions are, well, kind of strange.

We can understand, especially in light of the hints of backstory dropped recently, why Benny telling Bull that his (Benny’s) sister/his (Jason’s) ex-wife getting remarried would be a big revelation. Yet the entire plot leaves a looming feeling that something more is going on.

Set aside what Bull himself does in this episode for a second. It turns out that Benny and Marissa have been concerned about his behavior for quite some time. And they tell him as much with a lot of detail.

Thing is, we’ve barely gotten glimpses of this concern through the rest of the season. For them both to suddenly unpack everything in such heavy scenes seems very abrupt– and acts as argument one for there being more than meets the eye.

They do both have hefty emotional triggers for what they express. Marissa picks up Bull after he’s been arrested. Benny is unwillingly staring down the barrel of a death penalty trial in major jeopardy. Still, they both discuss much more than a single event. Just how long have they felt this way?

Even more odd is the fact they both apologize for their outbursts shortly later, despite having made some good points. Sure, Bull cleans up for a day, but can we be sure it will last? And sure, he has reason to stand by his case, but is it enough?

As for that case: the looming question of the episode, and the one that gives so much legitimacy to the concerns about Jason, is why he takes it up so passionately, motivated by a smile, a stick of gum, and a handkerchief.

True, it doesn’t take long for us to get a strong personal push to believe in Elliot, but even when we have difficult cases, the team generally unites around them. Here, their own doubts make for a rocky approach even outside the courtroom.

Jason also develops a bond with Elliot that itself goes beyond what would normally be logical with such a brief relationship. Whatever is drawing Bull in so passionately and so quickly is the second reason we have a lot more to find out.

Finally, we do see him interact with his ex-wife. It’s a moving scene, of course, and from it we can believe that Jason may have been plagued with enough mixed emotions to drink himself into trouble. But can it explain the apparent long-term issues he has?

Coming into the season finale, we are promised an ending to this case that we will not see coming. That seems to suggest something other than just a win or a loss. And, hopefully, whatever more is going on will be explained as part of it.

Other Notes

I want to see more of Benny’s lady friend. I feel you, fellow early-thirties woman often mistaken for a teenager

That twist with the not-girlfriend is…something. I suppose it winds up being worth having her testify, albeit in a painfully roundabout way.

Speaking of, Elliot’s muteness is casually handled, and I think it works very well. Shame not-girlfriend has no idea what the term even means.

What did you think of this episode of Bull? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Bull airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on CBS.

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