FLASHPOINT “Fault Lines” Season 4 Episode 6* - This week’s season finale is a change from the norm. Instead of dealing with a situation out in the field, Team 1 is subjected to an evaluation which includes testing personal readiness and a psychiatric evaluation. Not trusting himself to be objective, Greg asks for an expert to be brought in.
The expert (played by the awesome Victor Garber) takes the team through their paces, finding their fears, flaws and insecurities. He suggests that Wordy may be ill or too stressed to do his job effectively, that Spike isn’t coping with Lou’s death and his family’s reaction to his job, that Jules and Sam’s affection for each other is a danger to the team, that Ed doesn’t have an outlet for his stresses and that, perhaps most importantly, Greg isn’t a suitable leader for the team. Worryingly, these observations all ring true. Somewhere in the midst of all of this, Ed gets a call telling him that Sophie is in labour, but he’s not allowed to leave until the evaluations are over.
The episode ends by addressing these concerns in a montage: Wordy goes home to spend time with his kids, Spike has a frosty reception from his ill father, Jules visits Sam at his home, and Greg is called in for a talk with his boss and the expert to review the findings of the psych evaluations. Then we get to see what happens to Ed.
Rushing to the hospital, Ed speaks to Sophie on the phone; she tells him the baby is in distress. Worried and harried, Ed overtakes a few cars and is finally overtaken in turn near traffic lights. The driver of the car doesn’t take well to Ed urging him to hurry up and they get out of the car to confront each other. It appears as though the driver is backing down – but then he retrieves a gun and fires at Ed.
This was a fantastic episode. It can be so easy to forget that the events of the last three seasons have had an effect on the characters psychologically, and this episode was the perfect way to see just what damage has been done. It revealed some interesting personal truths about the characters – just how much Sam and Jules still think about each other, how Spike is dealing with a sick father who won’t even talk to him – and how Greg doesn’t really seem to think he’s cut out to lead Team 1. Can Team 1 recover, regroup and get back into action by season 5?
The cliffhanger ending was a surprise. One the one hand, I’m not sure Flashpoint would risk losing one of it’s most recognizable characters. On the other, it’s not impossible that Ed could be dead. They did, after all, kill Lou. (I’m still upset about Lou’s death!) But let’s not forget that Ed was wearing his tac gear – so maybe he’ll be okay.
The next season starts airing in Canada next month. Are you excited to see what comes next? I am.
What did you think of ‘Fault Lines’? Let us know in the comments below!
* This episode is also known as 3×13 in Canada.
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