Episode Report Card Couch Baron: B- | 4 USERS: B+ YOU GRADE IT Domo Arigato, Donnie Roboto
By Couch Baron | Season 3 | Episode 5 | Aired on 10.30.2006
Cliff is telling Keith some war story, and you know I love him, but this is poor use of his services. Lamb and some swarthy dude with a badge enter, and Lamb points Keith out. Lamb introduces "Detective Sanchez" from the LAPD, and Sanchez asks Keith if he presented himself as an "Adrian Monk" (heh) to Grieco's building manager, and ordered him to let him into Grieco's apartment. Keith flippantly tells Sanchez that maybe he asked politely, and perhaps the Marses got a family rate on douchebaggery over the summer. Seriously, where the hell does he get off acting like such an asshole to an officer that he doesn't even know, when he was clearly in the wrong? I don't know if he's showing off for the benefit of Cliff, Lamb, or both, but this is the least I've liked him since the pilot. Blech. Anyway, Keith obnoxiously and sarcastically holds out his wrists, but Sanchez informs him that impersonating a county employee is the least of his problems -- it turns out Grieco is missing, and Keith is the leading suspect in his disappearance. Go ahead, hold the wrists out again, ass.
Back at Mars Investigations, Sanchez asks Keith what he was looking for in Grieco's apartment. Cliff stands up and asks if they're actually charging Keith with anything. Lamb and Sanchez exchange a look, and Cliff smoothly offers to set up an appointment should they wish to speak with Keith further. It's cute when he remembers that he's an attorney. Cliff holds out a card for Lamb, but Lamb declines: "I know your number. It's all over the bus benches. 'Call Cliff and get off.'" Cliff amusingly sings his radio jingle, and then Sanchez tells Keith they'll be keeping an eye on him. Keith actually flaps his lips in a sarcastic faux-"I'm sooooo scared" expression. Not only is he completely out of line, but he's confusing poor Lamb, who's completely befuddled that he's not the biggest dick in the scene. I cannot believe how over the Mars family I am at the moment. Sanchez and Lamb leave, and Keith compliments Cliff on his good work. Cliff holds up a sandwich and shakes it: "When you're here, you're family!" Don't threaten to become a Mars, Cliff. I don't think I could take it if I started disliking you.
Sometime later, Keith informs Cliff that the stepson, Jason O'Dell, was discharged the day before, and they speculate that Dean Ed and his wife kidnapped Grieco. Cliff darkly says that scenarios such as this tend to end badly, because basically, there's not much incentive for the kidnappers to keep a pissed-off, marrow-light victim alive. I'll trust that Cliff is extrapolating a bit here. Keith declares his intention to track down the O'Dells, and asks Cliff for access to his "researcher." I guess as you get older, it makes sense from a physical standpoint to farm out the actual ambulance-chasing.