All Rise Review: Forgive Us Our Trespasses (Season 2 Episode 11)

All Rise Season 2 Episode 11, “Forgive Us Our Trespasses,” brings the show back from a March Madness hiatus and Lola back into Courtroom 802 — well, almost.

She’s not officially back behind the bench yet, and so spends most of her time counseling other characters with varying degrees of success. But in promise Judge Carmichael will soon return, some of that does go out to a fellow judge and the case of the week.

It’s a painful and eventually tragic one; Emily representing a young man whose past gang life puts him on the worst ends of the judicial system. He is killed in prison just after we learn he’s been covering for the teens who actually commit the robbery he’s accused of.

The plot draws up the issue of recidivism, and of how bias forever shapes former felons. In this case, much of that bias comes from Judge Campbell, who has already sentenced Julian once and keeps a very specific picture in mind.

Even with his story of a brother who was attacked by a repeat offender, it’s difficult to see Campbell be so stubborn as he works to deny bias. We do see a hint of remorse in the end, but its our only real sign he’ll take Lola’s lesson to heart.

We also get a closer look at Ness, sent by Sherri to shadow Emily. Unlike the judge, she’s very open to changing her mind about Julian as the facts come together, and becomes another fierce advocate, both aided and hindered by her willingness to speak her mind.

Though it’s a little jarring to see her pushed so quickly from her time with Sherri and Sara, we see much of that same camaraderie for Ness in the public defenders’ office. It’s still early, but it feels like the kind of place she and her passions belong.

She also strikes up an enjoyable friendship with Sam, making it work so well that she, Emily, and Sam all wind out going for drinks at the end of the night without a hint of Luke-related awkwardness. Love triangles, who needs them?

That, of course, brings up the little matter of Mark and Amy. Lola learns of the kiss with Rachel through a very convenient “slip of the tongue” on Rachel’s part. Soon enough, she reveals the truth to Amy, albeit even more accidentally.

This muddle turns into a full-on mess. Lola’s insistence that Mark kissed Rachel because of his love for Amy may be true, but only sounds at all logical if you talk through the emotions involved, including all Mark’s known relationship issues.

We’re also going to have to deal head-on with the question of whether the kiss is worse than the marriage Amy has yet to mention to Mark. They both have secrets that should have come out long ago. Honesty is long overdue, and I hate to see this drama instead.

Mark also faces some irritation from Luke when he presents that list of names that turn out to be sheriff’s deputies. At first, Luke is upset about the implication that either he or his peers could be a part of something corrupt.

Luke feeling a protective sentiment fits his character, but we have to question how well this works given what we’ve seen from these deputies. One has pulled his gun in a courtroom, and another racially profiled and tried to arrest Luke, not realizing he was one of them.

Perhaps these events are telling. After Sam placates Luke, he helps connect all the deputies to a training officer and then finds himself being beaten half to death by them the moment he tries to confront them as a group.

This storyline is quickly packing on the stakes and emotions. More and more characters are joining the fray, and the teamwork is both satisfying and important as policy brutality stays in the national spotlight, growing more relevant each day.

At the same time, we’ve now seen Mark stabbed and Luke savagely attacked. There’s little doubt that this won’t be the end of the violence, and while I still believe All Rise wouldn’t just kill a character offhand, I’m extremely anxious about how bad things will get.

Finally, Sara shines both in jumping totally on board the Lisa/Georgia ship and in bonding with a young girl who shows up in the office, apparently the daughter of a judge’s friend. That connection makes the signs of abuse that arise still more troubling.

I’ve said it several times, but this show has never given Sara enough to do, and that’s confirmed every time we do see her stand up for herself or someone else. Will this be the advocate role that finally gives her more screen time? We can always hope.

What did you think of this episode of All Rise? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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All Rise airs Mondays at 9/8c on CBS.

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