Hondo doesn’t even realize he has a much bigger problem than training unqualified newbies and his new boss on SWAT Exiles.
Malik is still operating under the radar, without anyone suspecting him, and it sets up some fun drama for the future.
The biggest focus in SWAT Exiles Season 1 Episode 2 is getting to know the newbies a little more, and I’m left needing to know more about Ethan.
Hondo Turns to a Friend
Hondo spends the hour down a rabbit hole that I think will turn out to be the wrong one.
Sure, someone in the top brass has Malik working undercover to turn on Hondo, but I don’t think it’s Angela Pike.
That’s too obvious — although, in a way, I would love to see the show run with the obvious to create drama from the jump.
But Hondo needs to work that out for himself, go where his gut tells him, and I love that he’s not trying to do all this on his own.
He decides to turn to a friend, played by Will Yun Lee, who is now working as a private detective.
As the storyline plays out, I can’t help but chuckle a little, since we already know who the mole is.
Hondo hasn’t even realized that someone on his own team is betraying him, which is why the decision to reveal the mole to the audience is such a brilliant move.
We can watch Hondo’s missteps, and we get to see how he works with each member without too much bias.
Okay, there’s definitely some bias. I get the sense that he feels a connection to Malik because of their shared Marine past, but Hondo is willing to give others a shot at being scout first.
He wants to see what each newbie can do, and we get to watch as he falls into the trap of trusting the wrong person.
This episode also shows that Hondo has taken on board what the new generation of cops told him about teaching and training.
@media (max-width: 768px) {
.tvf-google-cta {
padding: 22px 14px !important;
}
.tvf-google-cta p {
font-size: 22px !important;
line-height: 1.25 !important;
margin-bottom: 16px !important;
}
.tvf-google-cta a {
font-size: 14px !important;
padding: 10px 18px !important;
border-radius: 34px !important;
line-height: 1.3 !important;
}
}
Add TV Fanatic as a Trusted Source on Google!
Get More of Our Coverage!
He’s adapted slightly to their way of learning, but he still isn’t giving up all the old ways.
While Malik and others want to usher in a new way of policing, it doesn’t always work.
Sure, Malik proved it could work in training, but in the real situation, the takedown had to happen the old way.
Getting to watch all of this and take it in without constantly wondering who we can trust is a power move. It allows us to take in the training, the lessons everyone is learning, and the case of the week.
The case itself was easy to figure out. As soon as the rival gang’s son appeared on screen, I called it, but the storytelling had its beauty.
It mirrored everything that’s going on with Hondo and his new SWAT team.
This young lawyer wanted to usher in a new way, refusing to listen to the “dinosaur” who said things were done in a particular way for a reason. Hondo even brought the comment up with Malik.
I think all of this will play a part as the season progresses. Right now, Malik thinks Hondo is a bad cop, but will he start seeing things differently as he learns from him?
The Newbies Have My Attention
I’m actually not all that interested in the mole storyline on SWAT Exiles, though. The newbies have my attention, and I now need to know more about Ethan.
We have had bits and pieces of their backstories so far, and they are all intriguing for their own reasons.
Jude’s file being completely redacted is hilarious, but I think the strongest part is that he doesn’t know what’s in it.
He knows what went down on the failed undercover mission, but he doesn’t know the whole story, and he wanted that file for answers.
Letting him drop his guard already was risky, since usually something like that lasts a few episodes. However, it’s a positive one, as it’s clear there’s a reason his walls are up.
It’s not that he doesn’t want to get hurt or that he thinks he’s better than everyone else; it’s that he doesn’t want to hurt someone else.
Then there’s Sammy, who comes from a line of cops. She has something to prove, and she was the one who froze in the field.
No one addressed that at all, almost as if it didn’t happen, and it makes me want to know more about her.
We still know nothing at all about Cassidy, so she’s a bit of a dark horse.
Had I not known Malik was the mole, I’d have considered her it because she shares so little.
I wouldn’t have let myself get too invested in her upcoming story, but now she has me running a few theories.
But the one I want to know the most about is Ethan.
What happened to him that caused his brain injury? Who is his family? And what is behind that door?
I’ll give Jude his due: he knew that as soon as Ethan lashed out, he had to stop joking around about the door. He also didn’t just walk out in a huff.
Ethan reacted that way because he’s not ready to let people into his whole life, and I get a sense that there’s something in there that links to his trauma and his brain injury.
Brain injuries change who we are, and the more I thought about that moment with the door and the way Ethan is trying to make friends with the rest of his team, the more I want to know who he was before it as well.
I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about the new squad members as a 20-Squad fan, but 44-Squad has my attention.
This is where we love to hear from you!
Which members of 44-Squad have intrigued you most? Are you in this for the long haul? We love chatting with fans and hearing which storylines stand out most to you, so drop us a comment and let’s get the conversation flowing.
-
SWAT Exiles Took the Overdone Mole Storyline Trope And Actually Made It Work
When the SWAT Exiles trailer made it clear there was a mole on the team, I admit that I groaned, but the show has already handled it well.
-
Dark Matter, Neagley & S.W.A.T Exiles Reminded Us Why Great Character Work Matters
Some characters stick with us after captivating displays of vulnerability and evolution, and Dark Matter, Neagley, and S.W.A.T. Exiles delivered.
-
S.W.A.T. Exiles Season 1 Opens with a Darker Vibe and Immediate Answers
S.W.A.T. Exiles Season 1 Episode 1 immediately makes it clear things have changed. 20-Squad is no more, and there’s much more to mourn.
The post SWAT Exiles Season 1 Episode 2 Makes Me Need to Know More About Ethan appeared first on TV Fanatic.