All Rise Review: Give It Time (Season 3 Episode 3)
The good news is that All Rise Season 3 Episode 3, “Give It Time” rips off a lot of Band-Aids related to Sherri and Lola’s new tensions and Emily’s ventures into holistic law. The bad news is that not everyone is better off for it.
The hearing into Lola’s re-election is every bit as unpleasant and emotionally grueling as we might expect, especially for Sherri. Yet something that could easily have dragged on multiple episodes is over by the end of this one. And that should be a good thing…right?
There is a lot to like about their eventual vindication. Mark pays a big role in bringing key evidence to light—with an assist from Robin–and the revelation that David Sanders is the true culprit is sure to be appreciated by the many fans side-eyeing his every appearance.
But while a lot is resolved, the trust issues this has awakened between the two characters are not. Sherri winds up resigning her position as Lola’s clerk, leaving them both devastated. I don’t think they’ll really follow through on the separation, but I hate not being sure.
Of the two other trials in this episode, Emily’s takes on the lion’s share of both screentime and dramatic weight. It’s a frustrating struggle with a woman who, though she is a troubled single mom, has also caused significant bodily harm to another.
Her lies of omission endanger her freedom and, just when Emily has won her a sentence in a rehabilitation facility rather than prison, lead to her children being taken from her. Even with Lola siding with her and the ideals of holistic law, Emily cannot stop this.
Her own reaction, coming back to Sara’s place reduced to tears, is as heartbreaking as watching her client scream for her kids. Holistic law is a natural choice for this woman so dedicated to the people she represents, but getting even closer to them means she is hurt still more.
Sidebar: Sara acts as a literal shoulder to cry on in two of three instances in this episode, both for Emily and Sherri. (Lola, also stricken by the disruption in her and Sherri’s relationship, breaks down in front of Robin.) We’ve already highlighted her an MVP friend, but it always bears repeating.
Not every moment of this episode is meant to kick us in the gut. When he’s not poking holes in a witch hunt against Lola, Mark and Amy act as babysitters for little Bailey. As sweet and silly as it all is as it falls apart, our main lesson may be that they aren’t quite cut out for this yet.
What of their conversation at the end of the episode, in which Amy says she doesn’t want to rush into either marriage or having kids? On one level, it’s innocent enough—and logical, considering Mark and Amy’s romance has been relatively fast-paced.
Conversations like this, though, tend to be seen as foreshadowing when they happen on TV dramas. Disagreements about when to take major steps have doomed otherwise idealistic couples before. The two seem happy, but viewers have scented trouble in paradise for some time.
Though Luke gets a couple fun but brief interactions with other characters, he spends most of this storyline handling the last court case of the episode. It’s one that just feels kind of weird—and that’s before the jury sees the two-headed rat.
There’s an awkward humor here that just feels out of place in a largely heavy episode, though I do appreciate the efforts of a young animal activist. There are also some cute vibes between Luke and the new PD he councils, but doesn’t he have a sort-of girlfriend we met in the first episode of the season?
It seems a lot of our characters may be about to update their relationship status to “It’s Complicated”, whether that applies to romances or friendships. I just hope it’s kept in moderation. After all, Sarah can’t fix everything on her own.
What did you think of this episode of All Rise? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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All Rise airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on OWN.
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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.