Whiskey Cavalier Review: Mrs. & Mr. Trowbridge (Season 1 Episode 4)
Never has an episode title been more intriguing than that of Whiskey Cavalier Season 1, Episode 4, “Mrs. & Mr. Trowbridge.” The cliché says opposites attract, but there are opposites, and then there is oil and water.
Frankie and Will’s place on this continuum depends on the day (along with Frankie’s mood, whether Mercury is in retrograde and how many times Will has talked about his feelings), so their multiple-day undercover gig as a happily married couple makes for a rather eventful hour.
We’re back in France for this one – which you’d think would give Will the feels after the whole Gigi thing, but he is laser-focused on the mission at hand. Chill Will should come as a surprise, but it makes perfect sense given the setting. The ultimate display of love set against a scenic French backdrop is probably the background on Will’s iPhone. For Frankie, however, it is her nightmare.
SCOTT FOLEY, LAUREN COHAN, ERIKA KAAR, JOE DOYLE
Our resident introvert is a trained assassin, one of the CIA’s biggest badasses and according to Susan has even “toppled military regimes,” but a simple wedding is her most frightening assignment to date. Sure, that makes sense.
No, really, it makes perfect sense. Socialization is scary, Boo, I feel you. Antisocial high-five. See what I did there?
The fake marriage between she and Will is rocky. Similar to a real relationship, it is extremely love-hate, but the mere act of them kissing makes it downright confusing. The fake kiss at the wedding reception is hot and shows that there is definitely chemistry between them, but the almost-kiss on the blanket is weird.
Emotions buzz around Will’s head like a swarm of bugs; it makes sense if he wants to kiss Frankie. I struggle, however, to wrap my head around Frankie wanting to kiss Will this early in the series. The walls around Frankie’s feelings make the one from Game of Thrones look like a small fence, so it would presumably take a lot more than one moment with her partner to bring those defenses down.
SCOTT FOLEY, RAZVAN VASILESCU
If we play Devil’s Advocate, though, Frankie is protective of Will. She cut Ray’s brakes in Season 1, Episode 2, “The Czech Stop,” so there’s no doubt that she is budding feelings for him. The question at this point is whether this will be a slow burn or a quick flame.
Speaking of slow burns, that’s exactly what it’s going to be with Jai and Edgar’s friendship. Jai’s fashion sense and technological savvy are dazzling, but his personality kind of sucks. He really does not play well with others – to the point that it’s making Frankie look like the Anna to his Elsa.
The microscopic nano-trackers in the champagne are so cool, though. Jai has me wondering where the line is between the actual spy gadgets and the imaginary spy gadgets that just sound really cool. Also, he and Edgar’s synchronized sip in response to the fake-kiss is everything. There is hope for Jai, yet.
SCOTT FOLEY, LAUREN COHAN, JOE DOYLE, ERIKA KAAR, RAZVAN VASILESCU
Although he is relatively quiet in this episode, Edgar continues to shine as one of the show’s funniest characters. Singing to the General’s guard is hilarious, and you can almost see Tyler James Williams laughing as he walks out of frame.
Leaving Susan home is both good and bad. It’s bad because leaving someone home is the opposite of squad goals, but it’s good because it gives Ray a chance to begin his redemption tour. His pep talk is exactly what Susan needs to bring the case home.
If Ray redeems himself to the point of Will’s forgiveness, there is no doubt he will be jealous of Susan for replacing him as Will’s BFF. Though, it sounds like Ray already is a bit envious.
JOE DOYLE, LAUREN COHAN
The episode as a whole is funny and jam-packed with action but is just kind of “meh” overall. There is so much happening that no one moment or scene stands out more than the rest; there are just a lot of equally funny moments interspersed throughout.
Plus, the flirtation between Will and Frankie adds a layer that makes it hard to focus on the rest of the episode. Analyzing the “will they/won’t they” of it all is impossible when Will is trying to outrun a plane with the European version of a smart car.
We’ve only known these characters and universe for four episodes, but have already learned and seen so much. The episodes since the pilot are amusing and fun, but none are capturing the magic of the show in the same way the pilot episode does.
Hopefully, Will, Frankie and the rest of the team figure themselves out fast, so we can go back to focusing on the comedy and the comedy alone.
What did you think of this episode of Whiskey Cavalier? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Whiskey Cavalier airs Wednesday at 10/9c on ABC.
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Gina Zippilli
Gina is the co-host of Meet Us At Molly’s, the first-ever Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, and Chicago P.D. podcast. Outside of One Chicago, she has never met an ensemble-driven cop show, post-apocalyptic drama or true crime whodunit she has not liked.