All Rise Review: Love’s Illusions (Season 2 Episode 13)
Between her maternity leave and the hiatuses the episodes stretch over, it feels like forever since we’ve seen Judge Carmichael. That makes All Rise Season 2 Episode 13, “Love’s Illusions,” a long-awaited welcome back.
Even without Lola’s leave of absence, it’s been a while since we’ve seen either Thomas or Amy in 802. Having them face each other, with Sam as Choi’s second seat, brings some fun dynamics between these intense characters all so dedicated to their work.
The concept of “swatting,” or sending police to someone’s door under false pretenses, isn’t in the headlines as much as many of the other issues All Rise pulls into its plots. Those who are unfamiliar get a good crash course in how it can go wrong.
Even as it pulls off the plot twist that makes Marnie from a prankster who got a man shot to a victim of that same man who lashed out in trauma, the show is able to balance both our empathy for her and its duty to accountability.
The bulk of that weight lies on Lola’s shoulders, lest she had any hope of being eased back into her job. But she reminds us right away that she’s as good at it as ever, handing Marnie a lesser charge while ensuring her voice is heard.
Everyone involved with the case shines. Amy brings an Emily-like fervor to her quest to get her client justice. Sam proves she’s becoming a top-class lawyer, and Choi acknowledges this with her own lead case. I can’t wait for her to take that predator down.
Outside the courtroom, relationship drama carries on. Amy has no scenes with Mark in this episode (and right now, I’m not complaining,) but she does get a chance to air her grievances with Rachel. After the mess this triangle has been, this is at least refreshingly open.
We get barely a glimpse of that husband who keeps getting mentioned. It’s just enough to see that he’s chronically ill. There’s clearly more to this story, but, after all she and Mark have been though, I can’t relax until it actually comes out.
And speaking of revealed secrets, Emily displays some extremely welcome good sense in telling Joaquin about her own questionable kiss. It doesn’t exactly make anything easier, but at least his reaction is in response to honesty.
I get that it doesn’t make sense to throw Luke and Emily back together easily, but the work being put in their way just feels tedious at this point. We know what Lemily has, we still don’t know why it went away, and seriously- we just want it back!
Luke also continues helping Mark set a case against McCarthy, but there’s more trouble on the horizon: he’s one of the deputies once manipulated into signing a false report. It’s reassuring to see Lola support him, but troubling he still doesn’t tell Mark.
The last continuing plotline also creates distress, as we can now be all but certain Nikki is being abused. Sara is left in the position of not knowing what to do unless she is certain, especially when Nikki’s mother is a friend of Benner’s.
We feel how much Sara cares for Nikki and understand the fear she feels for what could happen if she’s wrong. Thankfully, the support of her friends helps her to do the right thing, and Lisa is at least willing to listen. We can only hope for the best.
Finally, and as if there’s not enough else to keep track of, we get a momentary return of David Sanders, back to warn Lola about a possible threat to her job. Which: again? How many of these attacks must she take down?
Other Notes
- Oh come on, Ness and Sherri. You know Lola would have loved that “Welcome Back” display, even if she claims not to want fanfare.
- I wish Lola had been able to make it to the breakfast. The Hamilton Club sounds intriguing if nothing else. Plus, more Lisa/Georgia!
- It’s been so long since a rooftop chat, and this one is all too short. I’m choosing to take it as the promise for longer LoMark scenes soon.
What did you think of this episode of All Rise? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Critic Rating:
User Rating:
All Rise airs Mondays at 9/8c on CBS.
Follow us on Twitter and on 
Instagram!
Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!
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.