Episode 9x12 - 'Wheels Up' - ***CONTAINS SPOILERS***

[Jag Lady]

Originally posted by Court
I may be investing too much faith in the writers, but I truly believe all this "H going to the darkside" is going to lead up to something good. I wouldn't be surprised if down the road, there is an episode or arc where he gets in deep doo doo with IAB. You just know one of these guys (if not more) that H has roughed up is going to come back with a lawyer.

Court, I'd be with you, except this bunch of writers is notorious for dropping storylines. I too am hating this "I the Jury" kick that Horatio is on this season. Yeah, Biker Boy was a (pick a word), and what happens is left to our imagination, but given Horatio's track record this season, I believe the worst. The Horatio of the early years was much more human and cared about his team and the example he was setting, as someone else mentioned. Seems like in the early years, there were people in Horatio's life to keep him anchored. Now they're all gone, and I don't care if this is a possible story arc, I don't care for it.

Yeah, abusive past here too, but I eventually realized that if I didn't rise above it, I'd be a victim forever. A life well lived is the best form of revenge.

I absolutely LOVED seeing Dave Benton and Michael Travers in this epi. Michael looks and sounds somehow better than he did when he first debuted in the lab. I loved seeing the whole gang, including Dave and Tom Loman, having fun at that last derby. It bugs me that they have only the CSI's are involved with everything and we seldom see the lab rats. I mean hey, the CSI's can't do much without them.

I find it unbelievable that these guys don't know that much about the roller derby, even if they'd never seen it before.

Walter and Ryan shared a "Three Musketeers Minus One" moment. Nice to see that some of the rapport's there between them. I'm okay that Natalia was more involved with this epi. Seems like in the last couple of seasons, she just did her work and smiled.

I'm glad they've scaled back on Walter. I was getting tired of him.

Originally posted by Finch
I'm hoping that if/when this arc concludes or comes to a precipice, they don't minimize his behaviour and sweep it under the rug because Horatio is on some kind of Holy Mission of Justice and the Baddies Deserve It. I'd prefer that he be knocked down a few pegs and face some kind of consequence, as the imperfect person and police officer he is so he can reflect and move forward.

A note to the writers: You missed a great opportunity for Horatio to go tete a tete with a certain IAB lieutenant (yes, I mention him a lot, but they way they wrote him out absolutely sucks!:scream. Personally, I think this would have added a whole new angle to the old Horatio-Stetler headbutting.

Okay, one split screen. I can live with that.

Way too predictable that it would be Wrath of Connie's best friend.

As good an epi as I think I'll see this season.

 

[Delynn]

Court, I'd be with you, except this bunch of writers is notorious for dropping storylines. I too am hating this "I the Jury" kick that Horatio is on this season. Yeah, Biker Boy was a (pick a word), and what happens is left to our imagination, but given Horatio's track record this season, I believe the worst. The Horatio of the early years was much more human and cared about his team and the example he was setting, as someone else mentioned. Seems like in the early years, there were people in Horatio's life to keep him anchored. Now they're all gone, and I don't care if this is a possible story arc, I don't care for it.

They are horrible about dropping stories. What's really strange to me is most of the storylines that fall by the way side never to be heard from again seem to have the most potential. One has to wonder why they fail to see that this practice hasn't been a good thing for the show. This has been a vocal complaint from a lot of fans for several years

Yeah, abusive past here too, but I eventually realized that if I didn't rise above it, I'd be a victim forever. A life well lived is the best form of revenge.

Exactly!!! If I allow myself to be a lifelong victim, my abusers win. Proving that I was strong enough to overcome what happened to me WAS my best revenge!

A note to the writers: You missed a great opportunity for Horatio to go tete a tete with a certain IAB lieutenant (yes, I mention him a lot, but they way they wrote him out absolutely sucks!:scream. Personally, I think this would have added a whole new angle to the old Horatio-Stetler headbutting.

Could Rick be more missed than he is right now? I can't image a time on this show when he is more needed. The fact that he served a valuable function has never been more apparent. He rode Horatio to get counseling for a long time and Horatio subbornly refused. Time has proved that Rick was right and Horatio should have listened!

The place Horatio is now could have developed into a REAL chance for Horatio and Rick to really understand each other and for Rick to help. Someone needs to step up and get Horatio to see his actions are grossly inappropriate and Rick, in his position with IAB, should have been the person to do it.

Without Rick, I truly hope that it's Natalia and Ryan who address the issue with Horatio. As I explained in another thread, Natalia is the most sympathetic and compassionate member of the team and Ryan, who's the only team member to experience ramifications for his actions, are the perfect persons to have an intervention with Horatio.

It also occurs to me that Frank would be a perfect person for confronting Horatio, as well. THAT would make for a VERY compelling episode or two.

Calleigh and Horatio haven't had a decent relationship in years and a strong case could be made for Delko being complicit in Horatio's actions by actually participating on numerous occasions.

But in the end, getting rid of Rick is more and more proving to be a real mistake that was made by TPTB!

 

[Jag Lady]

Originally quoted by DeLynn
Could Rick be more missed than he is right now? I can't image a time on this show when he is more needed. The fact that he served a valuable function has never been more apparent. He rode Horatio to get counseling for a long time and Horatio subbornly refused. Time has proved that Rick was right and Horatio should have listened!

The place Horatio is now could have developed into a REAL chance for Horatio and Rick to really understand each other and for Rick to help. Someone needs to step up and get Horatio to see his actions are grossly inappropriate and Rick, in his position with IAB, should have been the person to do it.

I think he was originally brought aboard solely for the Stetler-Yelina-Horatio love triangle. It seems like after Yelina left for Brazil, Rick's only appearances were to walk in, say something like "You really screwed up, Horatio!" and then walk out.

Some have said that Rick was nothing more than a criminal with a badge. Actually, before the S8 debaucle, in some cases he was very sympathetic but wouldn't stand for an argument. In the weeks before that horrible write-out, tptb made him look like a glory hound, which is so ooc for him.

David Lee Smith is a fantastic actor, often underrated. Any part he plays, big or small, he runs with it. If he were still a part of this, I think he would have had an even bigger chance to shine.

Originally quoted by DeLynn
It also occurs to me that Frank would be a perfect person for confronting Horatio, as well. THAT would make for a VERY compelling episode or two

You're right; I think Frank would be good, even better than any one of them. Problem with the other lab is, as someone else said, they're Horatio's subordinates, and this really puts them in a bad spot. I'd venture a guess and say that Horatio is at the point of no return; he won't listen to anyone. So does anyone in the lab want to risk a bad evaluation? As far as Frank being the man for the job, I'd have to agree. In his debut in Evidence of Things Unseen (S1), he yelled at Horatio to never step on his case again, or something like that. Either way, he was very vocal about not giving a damn who Horatio Caine was.

 

[rahkira]

...It also occurs to me that Frank would be a perfect person for confronting Horatio, as well. THAT would make for a VERY compelling episode or two.

You're right; I think Frank would be good, even better than any one of them. Problem with the other lab is, as someone else said, they're Horatio's subordinates, and this really puts them in a bad spot. I'd venture a guess and say that Horatio is at the point of no return; he won't listen to anyone. So does anyone in the lab want to risk a bad evaluation? As far as Frank being the man for the job, I'd have to agree. In his debut in Evidence of Things Unseen (S1), he yelled at Horatio to never step on his case again, or something like that. Either way, he was very vocal about not giving a damn who Horatio Caine was.

When you look around, every character in the Miami cast has been turned into an H follower or a bureaucrat. I think Frank is the only one left with some sort of credibility. It's sad that Horatio has been made nearly a god. In both the other CSIs there are several main characters who would have called out Grissom and Mac had they become as callous as H. In many ways, Miami is becoming dramedy instead of a serious crime drama. Perhaps it is all about H's descent into madness...

He needs Yelina back in his life; grateful as she may be for his concern about Ray, Jr, she was never afraid to call him on the carpet if she thought he went too far. Unfortunately, we'll probably just get another "Horatio mistakes fatherly affection for true love" scenario. Sorry, but I just hated the whole Marisol thing; IMO, it was a disaster for Horatio's credibility.

 

[rissarose]

...Anyone notice the dummy that Natalia, the tech, and Eric were beating up was named Rick? :lol:

 

[Jag Lady]

...Anyone notice the dummy that Natalia, the tech, and Eric were beating up was named Rick? :lol:

Yeah, I caught that too. IMO, the scene itself would've been funnier if Rick were still sniffing around. But to do something like they did comes off to me as petty and juvenile.

Originally posted by Rahkira
Sorry, but I just hated the whole Marisol thing; IMO, it was a disaster for Horatio's credibility.

Though it's a little off the subject, Marisol made him look like a cradle robber.

 

[GregNickRyanFan]

The dummy should have been named Nick instead of Rick (after Nat's ex lol).

 

[rahkira]

Though it's a little off the subject, Marisol made him look like a cradle robber.

Perhaps it's not really off the subject. Every time he does some bullying thing, H seems to end up at Marisol's grave, looking sad. Perhaps his anger comes in part from perceived guilt at marrying someone so young, which ended up in her never having a future. Jerry Bruckheimer seems to like cradle robbing in his main characters; H is not the first JB character to walk right past beautiful, intelligent women closer to his age, with whom he has much more in common, to romance a much younger woman.

 

[MLS859]

Hey, y'all...I don't post here very often but come to read occasionally...I've been very disappointed with the direction MIAMI has gone since last season...I keep telling myself, "it's just a TV show" -- and I freely admit that I am still holding a grudge about what happened to Rick Stetler. I love David Lee Smith and, seeing him on MIAMI, was always something I could look forward to, not to mention loving the tension between him and Horatio. I guess Rick was the only one in IAB? The whole department seems to have disappeared.

Lynn
The David Lee Smith Society on Facebook

 

[Linda&Horatio]

Originally posted by Rahkira
Sorry, but I just hated the whole Marisol thing; IMO, it was a disaster for Horatio's credibility.

Though it's a little off the subject, Marisol made him look like a cradle robber.[/QUOTE]

I agree so much! And I even liked Marisol! But not with H. Not enough time to get to know each other and for her needing to live beyond cancer! Are you kidding me!?!?

I have Lupus and I don't have a man to take care of me during flareups. I don't need one. But that storyline makes for poor recent episodes. H goes to the gravesite and still grieves for her. OK so do TPTB show him going to Speed's grave and grieving him? No.

Is this why we are seeing Fierro returning to Miami? and the continuity here is H grieving for his wife who was gunned down by Fierro from season 4. Wow that means that season 4 has more impact than any season so far. What power! when will this backstory end?!

 

[miamirocks]

So there's been a lot of talk around here about Horatio's escalating behavior, and the fact that someone has to confront him about it or his character will become totally disingenuous.

Hope this is not too OT, but all this discussion got me thinking of a Miami video I made that I'd like to share with you all. I made back in 2008 about this issue, which I saw was happening even then. (This is why I don't trust the "continuity" of Miami - the only thing they have continuity w/is the Marisol storyline - the one storyline that most Miami fans thought was pretty rediculous. I'd rather see him still agonizing over Speed than see one more scene w/him at Marisol's gravesite.)

Anyhow, the video was made during that time period when Horatio and Calleigh had not shared a scene in nearly 30 episodes (like...NO scenes..in 30 episodes - when I hear people talking about the lack of e/c this season, I just think back to this )

Fair warning, the video could be seen as a little "shippy," but even if you only see H and Cal just as friends (as most here do), I think it still works. It isn't about that - it's about how Cal is the second in command, had a great friendship w/Horatio, has known Horatio the longest and should be the one to call him out. Perhaps we can pretend that this has already happened - might explain their strained relationship and H's escalation in violence as well.

So anyhow, the video is basically explaining WHY Cal and Horatio haven't had the best relationship in recent years, and it has to do w/Horatio's increasingly violent attitude. I think it would be totally awesome - and a great way for Calleigh to come back with a bang by trying to help H and protect the team - to see this played out on-screen. It just came to mind and I wanted to share. I think it fits in nicely to the discussion - enjoy

YouTube video: Don't Speak


(There's also a sequel, but it's a bit more "shipperish," though not necessarily so. Believe me, I know on-screen this ship has sailed a long time ago, but I still think there needs to be an explanation for how these two close friends grew apart, and how it relates to how Horatio is acting now.)

 

[Rizzoli]

really OT, but miamirocks I believe Horatio was saying "You saved me" to Speedle, because he warned Horatio about the guys in the back of the shop, and he was about to empty out Speedle's locker at the time... Calleigh just happened to walk in. I could be wrong, but, that's how I perceived it

 

[Delynn]

really OT, but miamirocks I believe Horatio was saying "You saved me" to Speedle, because he warned Horatio about the guys in the back of the shop, and he was about to empty out Speedle's locker at the time... Calleigh just happened to walk in. I could be wrong, but, that's how I perceived it

Wow. Interesting interpretation of what Horatio said, CSI:NYfan! I've never thought about it that way. I like it and would love to believe Horatio was talking to Speed!

Especially after all these years. Speed's death seems to have lost it's devasting impact for some fans. Maybe it's just fans who started watching after that horrible loss. I can't fathom those of us who have been watching from the start not remembering what a powerful event that was.

IMO, it was with Speed's death that the whole show lost it's focus and purpose and everything took a turn for "La La Land". (For some reason I see Rory looking back and feeling lucky he got out when it did! )