Shades of Blue – The Blue Wall

By starrymag | July 22, 2018

By: Maggie Stankiewicz

 

 

Harlee (Jennifer Lopez), Loman (Dayo Okeniyi), and Espada (Vincent Laresca) pull up on the rendezvous point that was established as an ambush for the unit, which also includes Wallace (Samuel Smith), Marcus (Hampton Fluker) and Wozniak (Ray Liotta). Loman calls for backup as a getaway vehicle peels out in escape, but they have bigger fish to fry. The scene is still hot, and they soon find Marcus on the ground with Wallace, who is severely wounded. Woz has already gotten his hands on Wallace’s assailant and has greeted the man’s face with his fist several times over. They clean up the scene of the crime and make their way to the hospital. On the way, Harlee and Wozniak have a little exchange on the Intelligence Unit’s deception and their potential vulnerability in Cole (Nick Wechsler). There’s too much for them to discuss on the way to the hospital to squeeze it all in – it will have to wait.

 

With Wallace’s health a priority, the unit rushes into the ER and calls attention to the staff. They begin working on Wallace while the unit falls back to argue with Marcus (who is justifiably furious at his brother’s questionable utilization by the department). Harlee steps aside and is stricken with flashbacks from her time as a victim at Stahl’s hand. Her unresolved PTSD has triggered a panic attack that goes away once she removes herself from the infrastructure. The arguments continue without Harlee’s presence, especially between Marcus and Wozniak. Marcus berates Wozniak with his quiet brand of rage, but Wozniak insists that Wallace wanted – needed – the sense of purpose that working with the NYPD provided to him.

 

Harlee has made her way home now and sits inside her car as she attempts to call Cole. It goes directly to voicemail so she gets out and instead greets Cristina, who is on her way to visit a friend for study group. Stahl (Warren Kole) watches the engagement from his iPad when he notices that he is not the only one keeping tabs on Harlee. Another man is watching her from within a large van. Fortunately, he doesn’t have too much to observe as Harlee was only making a pitstop at home before making her way back to the police station to meet up with Wozniak and Espada. They’re still holding the domestic abuser from last episode in custody, but the suspect is in for some questioning as to why he’s a protected entity. The man is less than forthcoming and instead dishes out a little warning to Harlee. It will all be over soon – for her, presumably.

 

Cristina (Sarah Jeffery) is driving the trusty Suzuki to her study date when some blue and red lights go off behind her. As she pulls over, we see that Jessica Phelps (Elia Monte-Brown) and Theo Bennett (Christopher James Baker) are the officers in the patrol car. Phelps approaches Cristina, initially playing the role of good cop, and informing her that they spotted her drifting. Cristina mentions that her mother is Harlee and the situation escalates rapidly. Phelps asks Cristina if she can search her vehicle. Theo looks through her backpack and pulls out a pill bottle while Phelps cuffs the young girl. Cristina swears that the pills aren’t hers, but this Intelligence Unit is hellbent on using Cristina to send Harlee a message. Ramsey (Bruce McGill) approaches Cristina as soon as she placed into the holding cell and informs her that she can make one phone call. He hopes that she makes the call to Harlee, but the teenager has other plans.

 

Meanwhile, back at the hospital, Tess (Drea de Matteo), Loman and Marcus standby Wallace’s bedside. Loman and Tess exchange from friendly banter before Tess dismisses herself. Her position as Loman’s female companion is quickly taken over by another beautiful woman who decides to chat Loman up. There’s something suspiciously too good about the woman who introduces herself as Diana (Chelle Ramos). Loman and Diana have an instant connection and they ride the wave straight to the bedroom. The tables quickly turn for Loman when Diana attempts to murder him. The beautiful, too good to be true, woman was a sleeper cell – sent to kill Loman on behalf of a powerful cartel. The domestic abuser, Juan Doe, is a cartel family member. Diana was hired by his keepers. Luckily, they can use her.

 

Harlee’s domestic abuse suspect is causing more trouble than anyone could have anticipated. While Harlee is distracted speaking to an Internal Affairs officer on the dangers of going up against the infamous Blue Wall – her suspect is carted off for transfer to the federal sector. Harlee is skeptical on the cover, suspecting that he was moved at Ramsey’s request.  With her suspect gone, Harlee makes her way back to the hospital to meet with the Tufo brothers. She has a lead on Wallace’s attackers – Theo Bennett. Harlee presents Theo’s photo to Wallace, who promptly identifies the crooked cop as the culprit. The identification provokes Marcus. The Blue Wall is not something to fight alone. The Blue Wall is not something you want to push a family member up against. For now, the lead has gone dry. Until she receives a text from an unknown number…Cole. He wants to meet.

 

Upon their meeting, Cole tells Harlee the origins of his involvement with Ramsey. Cole made the mistake of pursuing a criminal who got let go on a technicality – and Ramsey covered up his act of rage. Ever since then, Cole’s been indebted to the badge-wearing crime lord. Cole is a good man who got himself into a very bad situation. In order to protect himself, the most he can do is provide Harlee with history and intel. Their meeting ends as quickly as it began and Harlee returns home. The sun has come down. The man Stahl identified watching Harlee is standing outside of her apartment. As she fumbles with her keys the man raises a gun and aims for her head. His finger twitches on the trigger, but before he can apply pressure Stahl slits his throat and pulls him into the shadows. He never did like competition.

 

Cristina called Wozniak to aid her release instead of her mother, something that shocked both Wozniak and Ramsey (who had been using Cristina’s arrest as a cover to speak with her in private). Wozniak is displeased with Ramsey’s move to sink his teeth into family, but Ramsey has a deal in mind. Ramsey wants his domestic abuse suspect back in exchange for Cristina’s freedom…despite the fact that the drugs were hers. This means two very bad things: 1) The suspect really was moved outside of the NYPDs hands and 2) Cristina was either using or moving drugs. Wozniak drives her home but warns her against the dangers of drug use. It’s hard to lie and to hide a habit from a family fully of cops.

 

With Harlee home, Cristina decides it’s time to come clean. She reveals that she flunked her finals last year and had been struggling to boost her grades in order to secure her future. Cristina tells her mom that “study buddies” were introduced to her at a study group. She began taking them and had been for a few months. Instead of greeting her daughter with anger, Harlee softens. She hugs her daughter and praises her for being so courageous. The story doesn’t end there. Cristina tells Harlee that she was pulled over and the cops found the pills. It doesn’t take long for Harlee to realize that Cristina’s arrest was the Intelligence Unit’s doing. Cristina gives her mom the names of Theo and Phelps – the arresting officers. It soon become abundantly clear that things just got personal and it’s enough for Harlee to face that big Blue Wall.

 

The next day, Harlee makes a call to Wozniak to discuss Cristina’s arrest and his involvement with Ramsey. He tells Harlee that he had no choice but to work within Ramsey’s parameters – the domestic abuser that she arrested was the son of a drug kingpin, which put a target on everyone’s back. The revelation of Intelligence’s alliance with a massive cartel might just be enough to fight Intelligence…but she’s planning on doing that anyway. Harlee dismisses Woz and watches Theo leave his apartment. As soon as he’s out of her field of vision, she breaks into his home to do a little off-the-clock detective work. Before long she finds her beloved’s notebook, a journal full of Nava’s scribblings – and proof that he killed her boyfriend.

 

Her investigation is interrupted by Cole who has broken in to do something similar. Harlee reveals to him that Intelligence is in bed with the cartel. Cole plays dumb, but he admits that it was willful ignorance. Harlee doesn’t need his ignorance. She needs the truth. Point blank, she asks him if Bennett was ordered to kill Nava. Cole says that he believes Bennett did it on his own and Harlee disappears into the harsh light of day. Loman runs to Wozniak letting him know that Harlee found evidence linking Bennett to Nava’s murder and insists that they file a warrant to search his property. This shoots off warning bells in Woz’s mind. He knows exactly what this means and he knows she’s going to need back up.

 

In what concludes an incredibly busy and emotionally distressing day for Harlee Santos, she approaches Bennett and Phelps. Harlee accuses Theo of murdering Nava; an accusation that does little to shake him. Woz approaches as the two Intelligence thugs patronize Harlee, a move that only enrages Wozniak. Nobody messes with his girl. Other nameless NYPD officers circle the altercation – a move that convinces Harlee to move on. She and Wozniak walk away until Theo brazenly antagonizes Harlee by speaking ill of the dead. They turn around. All bets are off. Harlee makes a move to cuff Theo, but he pushes her hands away and Wozniak punches him square in the jaw. Harlee reads the soulless lawman his rights and they stuff him into the back of the patrol car.

 

This means war.