Whiskey Cavalier Review: Spain, Trains and Automobiles (Season 1 Episode 7)
Will’s old military buddy’s radioactive side hustle takes the team to Spain in Whiskey Cavalier Season 1, Episode 7, “Spain, Trains and Automobiles.”
Do you smell that? Is it love in the air? Oh, no—it’s just plutonium. I’m picking up strong hints of love, though, as there are three potential couples circling each other in this episode.
Let’s start with Frill, or is it Wankie? Cavalier Tribune? Fiery Whiskey? Devising a ship name for Frankie and Will is going to be harder than I thought. Anyways, addressing their attraction so soon into the series was originally off-putting, but their flirtation is far easier to stomach in this episode because it’s mutual. It’s cute, even—like, sickeningly so.
You’ve really got to trust someone to get wine-drunk around them, so this scene goes far beyond a simple wine-down. It symbolizes the strength of their relationship, and maybe even that it’s stronger than Will and Emma’s.
Emma has every right to be upset with Will for not only letting Ray pluck her from her existing mission but for the suspiciousness surrounding he and Frankie’s rendezvous. I just do not like Emma, though. She’s a sweet, badass she-Will in every way, shape, and form, but is already being reduced to the jealous girlfriend. A stick in the mud, if you will.
A less intense couple in the making looks to be Tina Marek and Standish. Now that we’re past the whole one-legged sleeper hold, Marek is actually pretty cool.
Not many couples get multiple meet-cutes; they get two, and it’s impossible to tell which is cuter. The hot cocoa basketball run-in is great as Marek firmly voices her interest in getting drinks, but the surveillance date Susan sets up is equally great because they relax and have a great time together.
They seem to regain smooth sailing at the end, but it’s still worth talking about their first attempt at drinks. Standish has an original song he sings to keep himself calm because of course he does, but it’s not even the funniest thing about the date.
The exposed chest, the Flava Flav style necklace, the story about his tech knowledge being his cover and Jai then stating that he’s taking Standish’s gun away are all laugh out loud-worthy moments. Standish is a mess, but he’s our mess, dammit.
Is it me, or is there something brewing between Susan and Ray? These two have an understanding, but I can’t tell if it’s because they’re attracted to each other, or because Susan is an expert in getting in people’s heads. I wouldn’t mind these two, the more I think about it. Will would, though. A lot.
Oh, and Marek’s friend, Kenny. Was that solely for comedy or an implication that Ray is bisexual? Either way, just tell me more. If I’m being honest, I’m still not completely over Josh Hopkins’ character, Liam, being killed off on Quantico. Now that we have Hopkins here on Whiskey Cavalier, I would like to see Ray rounded out and redeemed. Is that so much to ask?
So, we get a wine-fueled something between Will and Frankie and TWO meet-cutes between Marek and Standish. Just when you think the episode can’t get any better, we also get a Felicity reunion as Dash Mihok plays our villain of the week.
Mihok is a seriously underrated actor who makes Jimmy detestable, but also amusing. The character also allows us to see a new side of Will as it turns out he is capable of hating someone other than Ray.
Frankie calling Will a “choir boy,” though. That made me chuckle.
Can we talk about the action? The cold open was a wild West-esque fight scene, for crying out loud! I was never that kid growing up who loved the explosions, or the harrowing hang off the side of a building, but I’ve somehow turned into that adult and I think I have this show to blame for it. Or thank. Oh, what, like you don’t want to be Frankie for Halloween, too? Don’t judge me.
Not everyone gets out of the action scenes unscathed, though. Yes, Will tweaks his shoulder, but I’m more talking about Jai’s broken nose– because it’s hilarious. The team messing with him about it through the first half of the episode shows their bond. Nothing hallmarks a strong team like roasting the hell out of each other.
Jai also has the funniest line of the night when he confesses to Marek that he “only listen[s] to showtunes.” Same, Jai, same, but my question now is which Whiskey Cavalier teammate Jai takes down in “Cabinet Battle #1.” I bet Standish would rap a killer Jefferson.
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.
One thought on “Whiskey Cavalier Review: Spain, Trains and Automobiles (Season 1 Episode 7)”
The set-up and action was fun; however, the technical errors were… awkward, at best. First, a nuclear explosive device would require at least 50 lb of fissile matter, which would be about the size of a candlepin ball. Were it totally inert, it would take two people to lift for more than a short distance. And even sliver-sized amounts of plutonium are never handled directly… back in the lab (my degree is in nuclear engineering), a sample the size of a communion wafer was handled with 12″ long tongs…
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