Bull Review: Parental Guidance (Season 3 Episode 17)
Bull Season 3 Episode 17 “Parental Guidance” brings an extreme survivalist’s son back into society after a lifetime away from its morals.
The idea of isolation from the world has long been a theme in fiction, as have the consequences of that isolation. From The Jungle Book (a generally idealized upbringing) to Lord of the Flies (not so much), those consequences can be all over the map.
When that isolation leaves a child with a single source of human contact, and one who teaches that the proper response to any contact is “kill or be killed”, we can guess that he won’t end up on the positive side of the scale.
Such is the case for Lucas, forced suddenly into a world he doesn’t know. He is indeed a product of what his father has done, though it takes time for that point to really be nailed down.
I often question Bull’s relentless pursuit of a single angle, but that seems especially poignant here. For one thing, while Lucas’s outbursts do reflect poorly on him, they should also make any good defense consider if he’s even fit to stand trial.
For another, we know that Lucas didn’t actually kill anyone. His father has already died for the murder he committed. TAC should at least try to challenge the idea of passing that charge on just to be able to punish someone.
Also, common as very convenient coincidences are, the idea that, in one of only three days spent in a church, the only Sunday school class that Lucas has ever attended would discuss the sin of murder, is just way too convenient.
Meanwhile, it takes more than half the episode before the team fully devotes itself to presenting Lucas’s father as a complete antagonist. It might be unpleasant for the man’s son, but as we soon learn, it is very necessary.
Thankfully, once we do learn that the mother Lucas has been told committed suicide is alive but not at all well, we get on track with the kind of angles they should be pursuing.
In spite of the forced believability of the church angle, I do like that the one lesson took. Luca’s subconscious rejection of his father’s immorality is a nice twist that plays out well.
As for him going to live with that family who once briefly protected him, it sure sounds nice on paper. But this young man is going to need a lot more help than that. For the sake of all involved, I hope he gets it.
Outside of the case, we finally fulfill my wish of looking into the non-work lives of team members besides Bull himself. Specifically, this means Marissa and Greg questioning whether they want to be parents.
I like seeing the question of whether to have kids presented as one that isn’t only complex and emotional, but also one that has no right answer. As Taylor points out, Marissa can be happy either way, and that’s a gift in itself.
There’s a lot of weight here, given the backgrounds of the characters. Still, my instinct is that these two will wind up giving parenting a try. Now, with an iffy fate after this season, it’s just one more thing the show need to give us some form of closure on.
What did you think of this episode of Bull? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Critic Rating:
User Rating:
Bull airs Mondays at 10/9c on CBS.
Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!
Caitlin Wyneken
Caitlin is an elder millennial with an only slightly unhealthy dedication to a random selection of TV shows, from PBS Masterpiece dramas to some of the less popular series on popular networks. Outside of screen time, she's dedicated to the public sector and worthy nonprofits, working to make a difference in the world outside of media.