Animal Control Season 4 Episode 1 Review: Bear Cubs and Broncos

Animal Control Season 4 Episode 1, “Bear Cubs and Broncos,” is a packed season premiere that makes a long-awaited step forward and a heartbreaking one back.

This episode, written by Tad Quill and directed by Natalia Anderson, starts the season on such a solid footing. Merging the Central Division officers with those at the Northwest Seattle Division is simply smart at this point in the show.

It’s time to shake up dynamics and cause a little more chaos than usual. 

Introducing Kyla Pratt as Daisy, Templeton’s partner, is an impeccable way to do so. It’s so great that she already has an established dynamic with Patel.

Not only is Pratt a seamless addition to this cast, but Daisy’s dynamic with Templeton does so much for that between Shred and Frank. Frank and Templeton’s never-ending competition is both superficial and the opposite. 

There’s a personable relationship between Daisy and Templeton. Animal Control quickly establishes that they work well together, and they’re friends who spend time with each other outside of work hours. Alternatively, “Bear Cubs and Broncos” makes it painfully obvious that the same is not true for Shred and Frank.

So, bringing in this well-oiled team to the Northwest Seattle Division believably progresses the underlying, often-lighthearted tension between the two.

Animal Control Season 2 Episode 3, “Tortoises and Labradors,” is a prime example of Shred reaching out to Frank, but Frank keeps him at arm’s length. They’re dynamic has always relied on Shred’s well-intentioned persistence.

Without it, it all crumbles just when Frank needs it.

It’s great for “Bear Cubs and Broncos” to shake that dynamic’s foundation so substantially because it leaves them with so many places to go this season.

Ideally, Frank will gradually learn to value Shred and his support. Maybe there’s even a reality where Frank shows interest in Shred’s life, given where this season premiere leaves him. Animal Control Season 3 Episode 5, “Hot Dogs and Lobsters,” sets that in motion, if this season wants to follow through with it. 

Regardless, it makes total sense that Shred’s usual championing of Frank takes a sideline as Shred and Emily discuss their next steps. 

Thankfully, “Bear Cubs and Broncos” includes just enough exposition to reveal that not much time has passed since their kiss at the penguin enclosure on Animal Control Season 3 Episode 10, “Strays and Lovebirds.” That quick timeline check-in makes the loss of momentum by the episode’s end hurt more.

For most of the season premiere, it feels like a future is possible for Emily and Shred. After three seasons, it’s so easy to get swept up in that excitement.

However, it’s odd that Shred changes his perspective on breaking up with Isabelle over the phone. After all, he struggles with doing so with Camila in Season 1. Plus, Shred and Isabelle are together for all of Season 3. 

It may be an availability issue with Chelsea Frei and The Paper. Still, Animal Control could have blocked the break-up so that “Bear Cubs and Broncos” at least features Shred’s side of things. Instead, the episode focuses solely on exposition in Shred and Emily’s FaceTime debrief afterwards.

Meanwhile, it makes more sense that Victoria and Parker’s relationship is playing out mostly through hook-ups in abandoned malls and provocative photos of ears.

That relationship is such a safe place for Victoria to fall after her and Frank’s will-they-won’t-they dynamic developed last season. Still, it’s a bit strange that Patel is so convinced that Victoria wants to have a loving relationship with Parker. Victoria seems pretty clear about what she wants right now.

Her phone even picks up that she doesn’t think she and Parker are friends with benefits, just the latter. That doesn’t come back around by the end of “Bear Cubs and Broncos,” but maybe it will during conversation at their eventual date.

Then again, maybe Patel is overly involved in Victoria’s personal life because Animal Control still struggles to properly explore his. After three seasons, it’s still so rare that this show follows Patel anywhere other than the precinct.

Hopefully, this season changes that for the better. “Bear Cubs and Broncos” proves that it’s capable of striking that balance with genuinely compelling stories.

For example, Emily hearing that Templeton tried to steal her job because she’s “too young, too rattle-brained, too female,” undoes so much good faith Templeton builds since Animal Control Season 2 Episode 6, “Bunnies and Veggies.” His comments also crystallize the pressure Emily faces in her leadership role.

It’s heartbreaking but realistic that she knows an above-board relationship with a subordinate could jeopardize her position. As the game of musical chairs at the end of “Bear Cubs and Broncos” reflects, this season is going to be chaotic.

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Animal Control Season 4 returns with new episodes on Thursday, January 15, at 9/8c on FOX.

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