FBI Review: Ties That Bind (Season 2 Episode 10)
What’s the best way to torture a television lover?
A midseason finale.
Think about it. It’s downright cruel that a show can sign off for the holidays by saying, “Enjoy your friends and family! <beloved character name> won’t — he or she will bleed out waiting for you until January!”
What does this have to do with FBI Season 2 Episode 10, “Ties That Bind”? Absolutely nothing, why do you ask?
The best adjective to describe this hour is immersive, which may be attributable to pacing. There’s a steady, upbeat rhythm to the plot that lends itself to a tunnel vision effect. One second, you’re in training with Kristen and Scola, and the next, that obnoxious Amazon ad is playing for the thousandth time.
The sisterhood between Maggie and Kristen is turning into something wonderful. Maggie knows that she has invaluable experience to share and does not take that responsibility lightly. It’s clear when she confronts Scola that it comes from a place of love, but not tough love. Kristen wants to be the best FBI agent she can be, so Maggie wants that for her, too. That is the way women support women.
Instinct is a prominent theme, and the episode shows us that it’s a tricky thing. It’s a second voice that demands to be heard — with potentially dire consequences if it’s not.
Kristen does everything right; she owns her mistake, opens up to Maggie, works to develop her own instinct and then follows it only for it to betray her. In a way, Kristen imparts tough love on herself, and watching her learn that lesson feels about as good as a root canal.
The episode does point out some glaring weaknesses in her and Scola’s partnership that need to be explored in the new year. Shared gender aside, Kristen leans on Maggie because Scola either treats her like a kid sister or by saying nothing at all. It begs the question: If Scola comes down on her during the training exercise, does Kristen still take a knife to the neck in the final minutes?
This could be considered splitting hairs, but he doesn’t even run to his partner after she is stabbed. This is problematic because Kristen is not a hardened veteran like the three agents around her. She needs guidance that Scola does not seem able to provide. It might be time for Isobel and Jubal to question whether these two are a good match.
While the story is strong, the action in this episode leaves something to be desired. The final action sequence is so dimly lit that it’s nearly impossible to tell that she’s been hit at all, never mind where. Wolf Entertainment’s social media does a great job sharing behind-the-scenes tidbits regarding stunts, but knowing they used just a handle — not even a fake blade — only makes it worse.
Honestly, FBI doing a cliffhanger at all is surprising since the show typically wraps each episode in a bow. Straying from the norm is a nice change — for everyone but Kristen, of course. If she has to lie there bleeding through Christmas and New Year’s, can someone at least get her a blanket and a first-aid kit?
What did you think of this episode of FBI? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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FBI airs Tuesday at 9/8c on CBS.
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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 “FBI Review: Ties That Bind (Season 2 Episode 10)”
ties that bind is based on the cary stayner story
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