Shades of Blue – Good Police

By: Maggie Stankiewicz

Harlee (Jennifer Lopez) didn’t escape Robert Stahl’s (Warren Kole) violent-infatuation with her unscathed; a fact we’re reminded of as we watch her run her thumb along the vertical scars he carved upon her wrist. The anxious rubbing conjures up just enough memory, just enough feeling, to testify on the stand. As she sits before a judgement board, Harlee defends her position as a reliable witness before blowing the whistle on the NYPD’s rampant corruption. Listing out the offenses of racketeering, murder and obstruction Harlee admits her own fault in the crimes of her blue line. Those leading the hearing interrogate her on her involvement and her position. Harlee cannot decide whether she is more criminal than civil servant. The board asks her to try. And so she does, taking the audience on a journey to three weeks prior.

Harlee and Loman appear at Sunny’s Bar. Loman (Dayo Okeniyi) watches as Harlee goes inside. There is a suspicious rattling nearby and Loman goes to investigate. He is greeted by none other than Detective Wozniak (Ray Liotta), who has evidently healed up and back on duty after his near-death experience last season. Harlee probes the bartender for information on a drug ring involving Wozniak’s shooter, but comes back outside with nothing to go on. Wozniak takes it upon himself to remind her of her purpose (and it’s not one full of lawful righteousness), but before he can fully convert her to the dark side gun shots ring through the air. With their morally ambiguous stakeout on hold, Harlee, Wozniak and Loman decide to do their actual jobs – and seek the source of gunfire. Their search takes them to a diner. Guns drawn, Harlee and Wozniak enter while Loman monitors the perimeter from outside. It doesn’t take long to discover a trail of blood. A waitress is dead behind the counter. Blood is splattered across the booths.

Loman spots someone fleeing from the scene and takes off on a foot pursuit. Harlee checks the freezers in the back, and Wozniak makes a starling discover behind an upturned table. Before Wozniak can investigate further, an unfamiliar face in the form of Detective Cole (Nick Wechsler) announces his presence. Cole instantly recognizes the cooling body of his partner Parker. Cole is from the Intelligence Unit, which may present itself as a problem for the trio. The Intelligence Unit’s corruption, undeserved power and questionable ethics have both mirrored and rivaled those of Wozniak’s crew. While Wozniak engages Cole, Harlee spots a runner and chases him outside. He turns around and Harlee is stunned to see the likeness of Robert Stahl, her former captor. Her hands tremble and she shoots the man, only to find that her visions were a product of her PTSD. Robert Stahl is nowhere to be found, only the body of a supposed innocent. Harlee has killed a civilian. Loman is the first to discover the scene of Harlee’s crime. He immediately begins to rewrite the narrative of the situation to cover up her error.

We later find Harlee awake and alone in the middle of the night while her lover James Nava (Gino Anthony Pesi) sleeps. He wakes up to the sound of Harlee’s recorded voice. This is a practiced routine. Harlee is reliving a past she tries to avoid. Nava pleads with her to slow down and picks her up off the floor. He tells her all the right things, but it’s just not enough to soothe her. He leads her back to bed, but she needs to confess. Harlee admits to killing a man in the line of duty. He turns to look at her, trying to cover up his surprise. The next morning news of Harlee’s kill is buzzing about the precinct. Her squad is being questioned on what happened and Wozniak is busy plotting his next questionable bust.

Harlee appears at the diner and meets up with Cole who is there in hopes of finding clues as to who killed his partner. They discuss the details, the personal nature of the crime and the way the crime was interrupted. Cole hints at his suspicion of Harlee but is still too pre-occupied by his partner’s death to fully pursue it or her. Our favorite detective is on the move, her accidental murder stirring up old memories and trauma. She next finds herself speaking with the escort Stahl had hired to impersonate her. The escort gives Harlee her account of what Stahl would ask of her. Harlee pays her at the end and schedules their next session.

Cole’s partner, Parker, is being laid to rest. A harem of NYPD officers are present, bearing witness to Ramsey’s (Bruce McGill) speech. As the crowd disseminates, Harlee witnesses Cole arguing with another officer, Theo Bennett (Christopher James Baker). Detective Bennett quickly become the next person of interest in Parker’s murder. The blue wall is unmovable so Harlee vows to keep in between her and her partners before they take their intel to Cole. Instead, she approaches Cole to let him know she’d be happy to assist him with anything he needs outside of his unit. Cole is on the defensive and though he is genuinely affected by Parker’s death, it appears as though he is in over his head. Ramsey approaches Harlee and Cole and inserts himself into their conversation, slyly requesting that she back off. Her obedience will result in the closing of her post-killing Internal Affairs investigation.

Harlee and Loman have located a potential witness or informant in their quest for answers on Parker’s murder. They follow a man named Orlando (Mark Doherty) and offer him protection for information. Orlando was present at the diner close to the murder. He knows something, as evidenced by his anxiety at the sight of Detective Bennett. Harlee and Loman quickly stake their claim on Orlando, designating him as a drunk and disorderly. It’s for Orlando’s own protection. Bennett’s hot pursuit of him is evidence of his involvement in Parker’s murder. Elsewhere, Wozniak, Tess (Drea de Matteo) and the rest of his crew are working on a case of their own: tracking down a drug trafficker. They make their way to the home of Quince (Ade Otukoya). Ramsey is rummaging through the fridge when they arrive. Outside Detective Bennett and his partner draw their guns on Wozniak’s crew. To parallel agencies, each working towards their own agenda.

They book Orlando and it is soon discovered that he is the apex of confusion amongst the precinct. Is he an accomplice or a witness to the murder of the Intelligence Unit detective? Wozniak is hellbent on putting an end to his Quince case and on making sure Ramsey thinks that he and Harlee are on the same side of Ramsey – but Harlee doesn’t want to bargain any longer. Ramsey’s crew is responsible for the death of one of their own and Harlee is ready to be a good cop. Nava is prepared to pursue Orlando as a witness and a former informant of the Intelligence Unit, but Harlee’s loyalty to Wozniak forces her to change her tune. They’ve made a deal with Ramsey and it involves turning Orlando over to the dark side. They agree to meet at River Road, exchanging Orlando for Quince. Harlee is set to make the drop…until she realizes that this is not who she wants to be.

In a move that defies both Ramsey and Wozniak, Harlee turns the car around and speeds off with Orlando. She can do more good with him. Cole gets the call then drives off with Quince. Wozniak is furious, but Intelligence is even more enraged and their anger is deadly. When they’ve had time to cool down, Harlee pays a visit to Wozniak. He plays the role of disappointed father, appealing to her guilt rather than inciting fear. This is the first time we’ve seen Wozniak and Harlee talk about their mutual near-death experiences. They’ve healed physically, but they’re far from being healthy. Harlee wants to use her second chance for good. Wozniak wants to use his for getting revenge against his shooter. Their conversation ends in a screaming match – with him set in his ways and her ready for redemption. She begs him to cut her loose on the Orlando/Quince ordeal and walks away.

Nava calls Harlee as she drives away. He has Orlando with him and they’re on the move. This case cannot wait. Everyone is in hot pursuit of Orlando. Harlee drives through the city to meet Nava, but is sidetracked when she thinks she spots Stahl. She follows a man with an unseen face down into the subway and gets trapped. Once she gets off, she hops into the nearest taxi to meet Nava. On the way there, sirens blow past her. Harlee orders the taxi driver to follow the police cars and runs up on the scene of a brutal crime. Orlando is dead. Nava is also dead and with him goes another part of Harlee’s rapidly decaying soul. The sad reality is that when it comes to Harlee’s circle, there are no “good police.”