All Rise Season 3 Episode 7 Review: Through the Fire

This show would probably never show anyone kicking a puppy. But seeing Sarah get punched on All Rise Season 3 Episode 7, “Through the Fire,” feels like nearly the same thing.

It heightens the audacity somehow that the attacker is not a criminal, but the very victim she’s advocating for—a grieving brother who snaps at the taunts of his sister’s killer. Her role as victim advocate, though painful, should be relatively safe. It shouldn’t be like this.

If it’s enough to shake our faith, it’s enough to shake hers. She’d probably never send the letter of resignation that she drafts, but her trauma makes the sometimes-flashy drama of the justice department more human. It also gives us a lovely moment with her and Mark.

Though it’s far from fun to watch, it is nice to see Sara get more to do. One of All Rise’s more consistent faults is not giving Lindsay Mendez, an acclaimed Broadway star, the screentime she deserves. This is the kind of meaty plot Sara should have all the time.

Speaking of that “sometimes flashy drama” though, this episode has a lot of it. From the reappearance of recent clients of Emily’s to two separate but equally messy trials that draw in most of the remaining characters, this is a busy hour.

Seeing sisters Gloria and Maddie is probably the tamest of these storylines, and it still involves a young teenage girl at the party house of a social media celebrity. It’s largely a way to show Emily’s long-term devotion to her clients, which is a comfort in this chaos.

I am worried that seeing these girls pop up again, one in a detention center and the other getting into problems of her own, promises more trouble and possible tragedy. Emily’s promise to Gloria that she’ll look after Maddie now has a strong tone of foreshadowing.

We don’t get to see her activism in the court this time around, but we do see Luke’s as he represents a young man wrongfully accused of arson against a visiting prosecutor who has never lost a case. That alone is disconcerting, even with the facts firmly on Luke’s side.

The complications dropped by the opposing council are nothing new, but they leave Luke’s client facing more prison time than he would deserve even if he were guilty. Then there’s the bigger twist- that the true perpetrator is the very fire investigator looking into the crimes.

It’s a trope we’ve seen before, but it’s handled well here. Even better is seeing Luke step into the role of fearless and passionate defense lawyer that Emily has so often occupies. And this time, he’s not representing a serial killer! (When are we getting back to that, anyway?)

And then there’s the matter of Andre, who is quickly becoming the definition of a complication. For most of the episode, that’s not even tied to any lingering romantic feelings between him and Lola. Instead, he brings it directly and platonically into her courtroom.

From questioning Mark (who, along with Amy, witnesses the drunk driving incident in question) to bringing his client to the room in his team mascot outfit, it’s becoming difficult to like this man. He’s handsome and charismatic, but all he’s creating here is a show.

It makes the last scene of the episode, in which he and Lola share a tender moment that seems poised to lead to something more, even more off-putting. It’s hard enough to believe she’d ever consider betraying her husband for anyone. But for this guy?

I do appreciate the loaded past she and Andre share. It’s come a bit out of nowhere, but it is something she should deal with. I again firmly believe she’ll remain ultimately faithful. Despite all that, my overwhelming desire is for this to be dealt with a soon and fast as possible.

Other Notes

• Sara’s punch comes at the end of a trial we don’t get to see, despite it involving both Emily and Mark. I feel a bit let down by the absence.
• Speaking of Mark, his conversations with Amy about her divorce from her ex still have the tone of talks that are meant to comfort us but worry us instead.
• And speaking of Amy, having her work directly with Andre is making for a heck of a tangled web. Who needs six degrees of separation?
• Last but not least, Lola and Mark’s clandestine spy meetup via their cars in a parking garage is hilarious but not remotely feasible long-term. Give us our LoMark scenes back!

 

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

Critic Rating:

User Rating:

 

All Rise airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on OWN.

 Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram!

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!

15 TV Shows Canceled Way Too Soon