Re: Paul/Brass #2
Yes, he was missing completely in Leaving Las Vegas, which ticked me off to no end. Give a guy the POA to your life and they don't even write you in to the script to say good-bye. He got maybe 30 seconds in Built to Kill Pt 2 and he did a fly-by in Sweet Jane. Those come quickly to mind without having to go back and look. In some of the other episodes, like the one last night, he's just...there. And to me that's such a waste of his talent, not to mention his complete hotness this season.
In Loco Motives--he was supposed to be with the SWAT team that went to Ernie Dell's and then afterward, he and Gil went out for drinks but those were cut from the script.
I think my biggest disappointment with this season has been the lack of continuity for him. TPTB had the perfect opportunity to carry the effects of the shooting over (I'm talking subtle effects, like in Toe Tags), and they've done nothing. Then there are scenes like last night, where Brass should have been there and he wasn't. I get the impression that the cast is so big, the writers don't know how to work everyone in. Yes, everyone gets their time in the spotlight but sheesh, just give us some freakin' continuity when our favorites are there and maybe we'd all be happy.
There are still several episodes to go so maybe the season will redeem itself and we'll get an appearance by Annie or Ellie or both and we'll learn that Brass has been having a hard time with getting shot after all--sort of like the way they dealt with him shooting Bell.
And FWIW, Brass was missing from a couple of episodes and did several flybys last season but we got quality Brass over quantity Brass. This year hasn't been quality so to me, the quantity is much more noticeable. But as is true for everything PG does, he always makes the most of what he has to work with.