Burden of Truth Review: Crawford Chang (Season 3 Episode 1)
After a year, Joanna, Billy, and company are back and dealing with some of the residual effects of their decisions and are grappling with who they are on a solid return Burden of Truth Season 3 Episode 1, “Crawford Chang.”
Things have changed for everyone in the year that’s passed since Joanna’s father’s death and Luna’s wrongful arrest, from Joanna and Billy getting together and opening a firm to Diane becoming principal of the Millwood High.
Crawford and Chang deal with their first loss as a firm, as Joanna takes it harder than Billy seemingly does. The pair continue to balance each other out very nicely, as Billy is the grounding force in the face of a tough decision. At the same time, Joanna internalizes the verdict and compounds it with the unresolved grief of the anniversary of her father’s death.
But even with their seemingly happy veneer, it feels like there’s something underneath that adds a cautious tension to their moments, and it becomes a bit clearer when they’re talking about each other to friends.
Billy seems a bit adrift in terms of his relationship with Joanna stands as he talks to Owen. There’s a hint of wistfulness when he mentions Owen and Diane’s relationship in a way that makes you wonder what’s going on beneath what we see throughout the hour.
Meanwhile, Joanna’s attempts to repress her feelings about her father’s death leads to a moment of panic and emotion in the face of hearing her childhood friend gets her taken away.
It’s evident from the moment they get the “not liable” verdict that Joanna’s emotionally hanging on by a thread. It’s what makes her moment outside Kodie’s home make so much sense and feels necessary.
Kodie Chartrand’s introduction offers another point of view when it comes to Joanna’s upbringing and her childhood. From their conversation in the car, it seems clear that she has insight into another side of Joanna that we have yet to see.
Her children being taken away also feels like there’s more to that story than we see throughout the premiere. Is this another potentially corrupt story about the Millwood Police and the child service department, perhaps?
He’s always been on the side of what’s right, even in the face of the Millwood poisoning to David Hanley’s murder. I wonder how Owen’s involvement will be affected, seeing as how he’s the Millwood Police chief.
As Joanna and Billy throw their hats back into the ring at home in Millwood, what does this mean for Crawford Chang back in the city? Is there more to this child protection situation? What does Joanna mean when she says she owes Kodie one?
Random Thoughts
- The concern about how much money Billy’s giving his brother is a curious sticking point when it comes to assessing the financial situation at the firm. Will this grow to be something more significant?
- Joanna’s attempts at being relatable to the associates at Crawford Chang is both funny and adds further insight into who she is and how she and Billy differ when it comes to the way they work and management styles.
- Joanna and Billy showing their more affectionate sides with each other and continuing their supportive roles in each other’s lives are so adorable. Here’s to a season filled with moments like that.
- The Mayor’s speech at the reunion feels very oddly timed.
- It’s honestly refreshing to see that after a year, Taylor and Luna are living their lives. Given what the pair have gone through, it’s great to know that they’ve generally moved on each with their own measure of growth on display throughout the hour.
What did you think of this episode of Burden of Truth? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Burden of Truth airs Thursdays at 8/7c on The CW.
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Brianna Martinez
Brianna spends her time away from briefs, legal research, and pleadings, watching TV and writing about it. She generally has a lot of feelings about TV, which you can read about here and on Twitter.