Jen confronts the receptionist when Judy will not get her turn to go for the scan. She gets a message from Perez saying it is an emergency. Ben’s mother, Eileen, has been a wreck ever since Steve died. She has completely fallen off the rails but Ben is helping her through it. Ben covers up his damaged vehicle just as Nick comes to return his bird. Nick connects with Ben over their shared episodes with alcohol and that derail their lives. He gives him a card for an AA meeting if he ever feels up to it. Perez informs Jen that they found a wooden piece of something in Steve’s head. It is actually the broken tail of the bird that Ben now has. Glenn Moranis, the FBI agent Judy met in the last season, has been assigned the case. And according to Perez, he is an “MVP” when it comes to reputation and closing open cases. She also calls Jen the riptide, as she called Judy the same thing in season 2. Judy will get her results at the end of the day and she buys a protective necklace too for good luck. She hangs it in her car. Judy tells Jen that Glenn is a nice guy and they have nothing to worry about. Judy notices someone following her. Jen meets with Eileen and talks to her about Steve’s death. She says that it will get easier and grief only gets worse when you let it, giving her own example. Jen says that Eileen should try to let go of the guilt that Steve’s death was her mistake. Judy meets with Moranis, who is staying at a motel. She has actually gone to see what Moranis has on the case and feigns a case of being stalked by someone. She says that maybe the Greeks killed Steve. Constantine, their boss, is a dangerous guy. To protect Jen, Perez takes the autopsy report from Moranis for herself, not allowing Nick to have a look. He however gets the image and says “no way” after thinking for a while. Ben buys a new bird for Jen and takes it to Judy to make it look like the last one. Jen watches Henry practice for the choir and Christopher reveals that he broke up with him recently. Jana, another parent, asks Jen to help with making origami cranes for the concert but Jen rudely dismisses her. Christopher asks her to contribute and she reluctantly signs up. She is anxiously waiting for Judy’s report and breakdown praying to make it so. Ben meets Jen at the practice and gives her a new bird. Judy gets the call and the doctor confirms cancer. She has cervical cancer and it has spread to her liver. It is Stage 4. She breaks down and drinks wine in the living room when Jen hugs her from behind. But Judy does not tell Jen about cancer. She lies as Jen looked very vulnerable. They burn the bird together on the barbecue grill and throw away the ashes. Jen actually notices someone sitting in their car, watching them. Another angle reveals it is Agent Moranis.
The Episode Review
Well, well, well, Agent Moranis only looks and acts like he believes you. Behind your back, he is a stone-cold top-notch federal agent. It certainly seems like he will be a key influencer of things going forward, even with Nick’s limited participation. Judy not revealing her diagnosis to Jen felt like a betrayal, even though we understand why she did it. Keeping her in the dark about it will only make the eventual revelation worse. And by now, the females share an intimate relationship. So Jen reacting in any way but compassion and deep concern seems unlikely. This episode felt like another setup and period of introduction. The story is nicely marinating for all the devious little subplots to take over and crescendo at the last moment. Here is hoping that the payoff is as rewarding as the stretched gestation period.
