By Mr. Sobell
So the nice thing about going back in time 35 years is that you can look up your mom and see how she's doing. The not-so-nice, kinda-creepy thing? You and your mom are now contemporaries. And I have to say, Detective Tyler, your mom is looking hot.
But Sam has other problems, other than the Oedipal ones that this episode introduces. Like that he runs into his mom when she's being manhandled by a low-grade goombah. And that low-grade goombah is manhandling her because she's into the mob for a sizeable payday advance. And the mobster for whom the low-grade goombah works? Well, he just happens to have most of the 125th Precinct in his back pocket. All told, that's some very awkward work-life issues colliding for our boy Sam. It's especially uncomfortable since some mobster -- I don't want to name any names here -- keeps bumping off women in his employ/debt and dumping their bodies into the East River, and the 125th appears to have turned a blind eye to all this twirl-offing.
But not Sam -- no, he tells the low-grade goombah where he can stick that hush money. (Note: It does not sound like a very comfortable place.) And after the aforementioned mobster tries to frame him by sending a scantily-clad temptress to his apartment armed with only a few disarming words and a Nikon, well, that's just a bump in the road for our Sam. After said temptress shows up dead, allowing the mobster to pick up the hat trick, a few pointed words from Sam plucks at the three-sizes-too-small heart of Gene Hunt, and soon, the two of them are arresting mobsters and their low-level goombahs and saving Sam's mom from a sordid life of working off mob debts.
Thank Christ Sam's mom doesn't repay his kindness with a kiss. Because, you know, my eyes.
Come back Wednesday for the full detailed recap. Until then, talk about this episode in our forums.