Critic’s Rating: 4 / 5.0
4
Would you ever consider going undercover in a prison without a surefire way out?
Well, that’s just what Robyn and Mel did in their attempt to track down a missing inmate.
Needless to say, things got a little dicey on the inside, putting them both in danger. Shocker!
The Equalizer Season 5 Episode 6 was filled with action, which was a nice change of pace. What else could you expect when Robyn and Mel took such a chance?
It was an hour filled with suspense as they pulled off their roles — Robyn as a prisoner and Mel as a guard. If I’m ever in the situation, please give me the guard role!
After The Equalizer Season 5 Episode 5, in which Robyn and Mel played glorified babysitters to a defiant stand-up comedian, I really needed to lose myself in an absorbing story.
“The Fight for Life” fit the bill when met with a concerned brother whose sister, Jenna, was to be released from prison. He became suspicious when she didn’t show up outside the prison gates.
It was no surprise that Harry used his hacking skills to confirm that Jenna didn’t leave, even though the prison noted she was released. What’s really scary is that it wasn’t the first time the prison had released someone whose family never saw them again.
Marcus brought in Robyn because why wouldn’t he, and Robyn didn’t waste any time asking questions — and making enemies.
Marcus was right when said it was a dangerous idea, and he made clear he might not be able to extract her if the going got rough. Those ominous words were a portend of things to come.
We’re never worried about Robyn, though. An even when she was struck brutally, I never thought she’d be in any real danger. I never thought Marcu wouldn’t find a way to get her out if he had to.
Still, it was a bold move, letting Mel participate. The team most likely didn’t have a choice, given Harry’s injured arm, but Mel isn’t trained for these kinds of things.
It’s hard to believe that Mel is on the road to recovery without a relapse, and this episode proved she is not 100% just yet.
Going undercover in prison without an easy way out seems like a bad idea for anyone, but especially for someone who is still struggling with their mental health.
Luckily, Mel’s moment of panic and anxiety was short-lived and not nearly as bad as what we witnessed earlier this season.
After being locked away, Robyn left the team out of the loop. Really, how easy would it be to keep people in the loop in such a situation? That turn of events had Harry and Mel working together while stressing over Robyn.
We rarely see Robyn go off alone and tune out the team, but what she stumbled upon was unexpected. She didn’t just find Jenna, but a whole lot of other stuff at her fingertips.
The ending was a terrible statement on the realities of prison life. There aren’t enough rules. If there were, you’d never imagine an in-prison fight club where everyone gets a chance to make a buck.
The Equalizer never switches up its format, but it still manages to create pretty interesting cases, and this was one of the more exciting ones we’ve seen this season.
Miles, Robyn’s ex, also made an appearance. He has been stopping by the McCall household more than ever in Season 5 because he’s invested in helping Delilah with her college essays and meeting her new boyfriend, Cam.
It’s obvious that seeing Robyn is also a priority for him.
Miles has been working to get Robyn back. Last we saw the two, Robyn canceled her plans with Miles to help Marcus, who was overwhelmed with the news of his father’s declining health.
Adding Miles to the storyline has ramped things up as we anxiously await what’s to come between Robyn and Marcus. Is Miles just a speedbump in that story, or will he help Robyn pump the brakes on things with Marcus?
Nothing has really happened aside from Miles stopping by and Marcus meeting up with Robyn for a few minutes between their busy schedules. Still, it’s concerning.
Is anyone else growing impatient regarding Robyn and Marcus or Robyn and Miles? Even Harry doesn’t understand why Robyn and Marcus aren’t stepping on the gas.
Harry’s speech to Marcus was much needed. It would be one thing to see Robyn try to explore rekindling her romance with Miles or spend more time other than a quick coffee with Marcus.
But nothing has happened within this love triangle, and as such, it has grown stale and monotonous.
I was sure Marcus would say something when he saw Robyn and Miles meet up at the end of her case, but we weren’t given anything but a sad look — ugh!
Elsewhere, Aunt Viola has returned to her fierce self following her health scare.
Seeing her shrink down in her seat like a wallflower after her last meeting brought much-needed lightheartedness to the episode.
As usual, Aunt Viola is back at it with her civic duties involving the police department and the community.
Watching Aunt Viola have a moment of shyness over the captain she has a crush on was hilarious. Watching her punch him during their self-defense lesson was even better.
The last time the pair met, Aunt Viola couldn’t get out of the meeting fast enough. Now she has a date with her crush.
If Aunt Viola and this captain can get it together, why can’t Robyn decide?
Given the captain’s comments about the Equalizing vigilante he disapproves of, it should be interesting to see how the series maneuvers their possible romance.
Many of Aunt Vi’s storylines are short and sweet. I hope this storyline is different, with her character getting the expansion she deserves.
And Delilah is finally moving ahead with her decision to go to college and her relationship with Cam. I guess that’s something, right?
Was anyone else hoping we would see Robyn and Cam share the screen? Robyn seems to be a tougher sell than Miles. I don’t understand why Delilah was nervous about Miles meeting him.
So, what do you think? Was the action exciting if the stumbling romance was not? Hit the comments and share your thoughts!
Watch The Equalizer Online
