Recap: SECOND CHANCE – May Old Acquaintances Be Remembered
Episode 8 “May Old Acquaintance Be Forgot”
May Old Acquaintances Be Forgot…or remembered, as is the case this episode, which begins with Otto (Adir Kalyan) being concerned that Mary (Dilshad Valsaria) is spending too much time with Jimmy Pritchard (Robert Kazinsky), so he consults Arthur (voiced by Scott Menville) on the possibility of a new blood donor.
A shoot out occurs between heroin dealers, drawing Pritchard to investigate, as before his death, he had dismantled the heroin ring in the city when he was sheriff.
Flashbacks reveal he had an insider named Joan Solodar (Mädchen Amick), who tracked her boyfriend’s heroin shipments until he threatened her and she shot him. Joan called Sheriff Pritchard to help her, and he covered up the murder on the obligation that she never touch the heroin business again.
Some years later, he found out she was dealing heroin again, but couldn’t get anything legal on her. Now that he’s back, he’s hell-bent on taking her down. He tells Mary he needs technology to infiltrate Joan’s business, and she obliges, much to Otto’s dismay.
They manage to get Pritchard into her business under a pseudonym, along with some Lookinglass tech, but he blows it by calling her a nickname that only he (in his previous life) would know. Joan gets suspicious and frames her bodyguard Lenny (Leonard Roberts) for the heroin dealing. As a result, it’s revealed to Duval (Tim DeKay) that Pritchard had an affair with Joan, for which he apologizes and admits that the stress of the job, his wife being distant, and Joan’s beauty allured him into cheating. He says arresting her for good will make up for it, to which Duval half-heartedly agrees.
Mary suggests another plan, using Otto’s heartbeat reading and contact lens cam technology to frame Joan without Pritchard being there directly. They succeed, catching her ranting angrily about the trials of her business to Duval (him being under the guise of exploiting her for money while using the Lookinglass tech). The episode ends with the reveal that Mary’s cancer is completely gone, and Otto wants Pritchard out of their lives for good.
This episode really highlighted on the conflicts and compromises Jimmy Pritchard had to make when he was a sheriff. Especially his sacrifice of a normal life and happiness for the greater good. It also shows he wasn’t perfect, as he was willing to give Joan the benefit of the doubt that she was a good person in a bad situation and allow her to escape consequences when she killed her boyfriend. And also the whole ‘cheating on his wife and neglecting his kids’ part. About which Duval is rightfully bitter.
Though this highlights the matter of the lack of any mothers featured in this show. Duval’s wife and Gracie’s mother is not shown nor mentioned in the show thus far. It caught my attention especially in this episode as there is a forgettable subplot with Gracie (Ciara Bravo) chasing after a stereotypical ‘bad boy’ and Pritchard has to rescue her. I kept thinking that Helen (Amanda Detmar) could’ve called her mom instead of Pritchard (a guy she’s only known a few months at most), or at least made reference to her. I’d be satisfied with a ‘she died’ or ‘she ran away’ but there’s been no explanation.
Also, Pritchard’s wife has been mentioned as being ‘difficult’ and there was mention this episode of the stress of Pritchard’s undercover work being so stressful to her that Duval moved back in with her. From the few references they make of her personality and drug habits, it sounds like she had some kind of mental disorder. If her character was fleshed out more, Pritchard’s actions such as cheating on her and her breakdown would make more sense. The little character we have just makes Pritchard look like a terrible person, when he says that even immediately afterwards he regretted cheating on his wife. With no evidence that he ever treated his wife with any dignity, he’s cast him in an unforgiving light, which doesn’t sit well. Neglecting his kids is one thing, since he did it to keep them safe.
Speaking of neglect, another disconcerting subplot is the fact that Otto feels betrayed by Mary for taking their tech without asking and for spending so much time solving cases with Pritchard. At first, he just sounds like a brother concerned his sister is in over her head. Which is a valid concern.
But then he accuses her of having feelings for Pritchard and reminding her that Pritchard isn’t a person, he’s an experiment. Otto’s now worried she’s going to leave him, going back on her promise to never abandon him, made when their parents died. I hope that this prompts Mary to realize that Otto can’t treat her that way and that she has her own life and she can live it the way she wants. Also, the tech is equally hers and she should be able to use it as she pleases. I’m really hoping the narrative doesn’t strike Mary down for being selfish. She’s allowed to do what she wants. Not to mention they just cured a rare, very fatal blood cancer and Otto’s pettiness about Pritchard could ruin the chances of the cure becoming widespread.
My final concern is the tech, especially in this episode, is widely invasive. I’m growing concerned that Lookinglass is going to have a lawsuit on their hands if they keep publishing such technology as wide range heartbeat monitors and holographic imaging, especially if they are used for these purposes.
While this episode was an exploration of old acquaintances, it also is increasing the friction between the Goodwin siblings, leading to the possible fracture once the plan for the other tech company to steal the tech (that’s been being set up in previous episodes) comes to fruition.
Second Chance airs Fridays at 9/8c on Fox.
