Bull Review: When the Rains Came (Season 3 Episode 21)
Bull Season 3 Episode 21, “When the Rains Came,” tackles the failings of our prison system through the tragic consequences of a guard’s decision.
It’s been a while since we’ve seen Bull tackle a current social justice issue through a case. These are generally some of the strongest episodes each season, and I’ve missed them.
This time, we look at how the prison system treats those stuck inside it. Coming at the issue indirectly, not through an inmate, but a guard accused of leaving two prisoners to die is a risky choice. It works in some ways, though not so much in others.
Ralph works as an underpaid prison guard stuck in his post during a hurricane. He leaves to save his family, and two prisoners drown in the abandoned facility. Tragic as that is, it’s a pretty standard case here.
Of course, learning that Ralph didn’t actually save his wife and kids, but a bag of money meant to put them out of debt is…also something that shouldn’t surprise us too much, at least by season 3.
Did I mention that Ralph is also Taylor’s brother-in law—husband to her very pregnant sister and father to two young children? This, as Bull says, is about the only reason we stick around when all this news hits the fan.
Things get very bad. Ralph lies on the stand, is guilty of earning dirty money and tries to frame a prison guard who saw his cellmate die as a liar. The self-pity that follows is hard to empathize with in the moment, especially for Bull.
As I’ve noted with other episodes, I do appreciate the complexity in having a client who is not 100% sympathetic. That Ralph has such flaws and that the “other side” has a pretty strong point makes the issue explored that much more relevant.
Unfortunately, I feel it drops this ball a bit to win the case only by persuading the opposition into a mistrial. Bull telling the prosecution they cannot win feels ingenuine and may indeed be completely untrue. He has made people believe far more, after all.
I do like that Bull never drops his attitude toward Ralph after learning the truth. I especially like him pushing the donation of that stashed money to the families of the victims. Fair play to him, Ralph owns up to this as well.
What lingers above all is the fact that the system’s policies were inadequate. Even having Ralph stay doesn’t offer the possibility to evacuate an entire prison in anything resembling a reasonable period of time.
Although I understand why it isn’t used so much in court—it may well be considered irrelevant to the charges on Ralph’s actions—I do wish this point was made more explicitly. It, not Ralph, is the biggest factor in the tragedy.
Some of the strongest moments here involve our team pointing out that those high-ranking enough to actually make decisions are safe at home in bad weather long before any prison guard. They’re also out biggest reason left to feel for Ralph.
One of the reasons episodes of Bull that draw from real life are often so strong is that they get to the root causes of those issues. I’d like to see more of that than we do in this episode, because what we do see is very poignant.
What did you think of this episode of Bull? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Bull airs Mondays at 10/9c on CBS.
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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.
One thought on “Bull Review: When the Rains Came (Season 3 Episode 21)”
as officers of the court bull and bennie would have to advise the court that there client committed a felony by bringing in the contraband cellphones
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