photo: fox
Paxton Petty
Original Air Date: Feb 13, 2012
Wyner C – TwoCents Reviewer
wyner@thetwocentscorp.com
We’re back to prisoners of the week. Guards can be boring, especially if they don’t kill. That’s why we get blown-up limbs this week. It’s to make up for the lack of body parts last week.
Meet Paxton Petty. He was sentenced to Alcatraz for planting landmines in San Francisco. The warden wants to know other bomb locations but Paxton isn’t giving it up easily. Why would he? He’s crazy, like all Alcatraz inmates – immoral souls searching for peace through revenge on the masses.
They use Dr. Beauregard’s method of modified waterboarding on Petty. If Guantanamo has taught us anything, it’s torture doesn’t work. Dr. Sangupta doesn’t hide her disdain for torture. Later, the warden lets Dr. Sangupta use her method – trickery. Also electro-shock therapy. How’s that any better than enhanced interrogation techniques?
Petty sings a song in Korean while drugged and post-shocked. Tommy Madsen was a Korean War veteran so Dr. Sangupta asks him about the song. Madsen wants something in return – information on why he’s Alcatraz’s blood bank. Sangupta agrees to probe around for him.
Apparently, songs were codes to inform people location of landmines. Dr. Sangupta decodes the song and discovers there is one last landmine that hasn’t gone off (Twin Tree). She silently gloats when the warden comes to congratulate her. She then asks Dr. Beauregard about Madsen’s blood. Nothing is revealed but it seems she’s not part of the blood conspiracy.
In present day San Francisco, it’s a clear sunny day. In a park straight out of childhood memories, lives are shattered when landmines go off. All I could think of during this scene was the location of this park – dogs can run around without leashes!? Also, are the dogs hurt?! I never get my answer but we meet present day Paxton.
Like all narcissistic criminals, he stays behind to marvel at his handiwork. Unfortunately, Rebecca spots him and starts a chase. He’s running around with a backpack full of landmines. I don’t think it’s safe but what do I know? He throws one at Rebecca and she dodges the explosion. Paxton gets away.
Lucky for us, we meet Tanner, a hotty from the Bomb Squad. You know it’s not a good sign when the bomb expert is a good-looking hero. Rebecca and Doc do some detective work that involves silver medals being used as shrapnel. Families do not part with these accolades easily; some men are buried with it. Rebecca and Doc go to a cemetery and find the tomb where Petty killed a security guard and his arsenal of bombs.
It seems Petty was painting and using playground turf so Rebecca deduces he’s targeting a playground. Emerson had been trying to decode more of Petty’s songs and found the next target to be Sunset Beach and Windward Elementary. Rebecca and Doc head to the school with Tanner but no landmines were found. Emerson tells Rebecca to sit tight at the school, much to her consternation.
Emerson heads to Sunset Beach without telling anyone. Not the smartest move. He finds Petty but steps on a mine before he can apprehend the bomber. Petty robs him of his gun and cellphone and heads to Windward Elementary. Rebecca arrests him and takes him to Alcatraz after she discovers he has Emerson.
At Alcatraz, Rebecca uses the song and the sandstone paint Petty was using to figure out Emerson’s location. Rebecca arrives at Sunset Beach with Bomb Squad in tow. She also brings Petty. I don’t know why because he’s obviously not going to help. Tanner dies defusing the bomb and Emerson lives.
Fueled by the death of Tanner, rubber legs and the need to know about Twin Trees, Emerson shoots Petty in the leg. I guess it’s fair – Emerson’s leg is rubbery so Petty’s leg should be holey. I understand Emerson is supposed to be badass but shooting Petty with cops around?! Do it later! Anyway, Emerson tricks Petty into giving up where Twin Tree is located. It never went off because the government bought the land.
Here are the big reveals of the episode! Doc doesn’t know about a female doctor in Alcatraz. He’s supposed to know about everything Alcatraz. What does it mean? Was she off-the-books or was her existence erased?
Emerson took Lucy from the hospital and to NewCatraz. He told Dr. Beauregard, “You know her methods. Fix her.” What does that mean? What are her methods? Did she discover a way to repair humans or to reanimate the dead? Does that mean she was dead and was “fixed”? If so, is that why she cannot have children? Remember Emerson said she always wanted children. Did she disappear with the 63 or is she another conspiracy?
Favorite moments/Things to ponder:
1. It was apparent that Emerson and Lucy had a connection. When I found out Lucy was from the 1960s, I guessed she and Emerson was an item. I think this episode confirmed it. I like that she’s confident and he’s shy. He’s changed, hasn’t he?
2. “FDR old or Bush 41 old?” ~ Doc asking for an estimate of the landmine age. I might start using presidents as gauges of age. I’m Carter, who are you? Yes, I’m ancient.
3. Doc has the hots for Sandman-Coroner. I like that pairing!
4. What kind of crappy hospital was Lucy in? She was taken off her monitors and out of the hospital with no one chasing after Emerson. Where were the rent-a-cops?
There were a lot of reveals this episode. I think small things will come into play like Doc not knowing there was a female doctor. It seems the prisoners/guards show up at random locations (or so it seems). Is the location of reappearance significant? What is the Madsen blood used for? What is Dr. Sangupta’s method and will it revive her? What’s going on? Love the reveals leading to more questions! Discuss away!
