Season 1, Episode 13
Directed by Douglas Aarniokoski
Written by David Hoselton, Thomas Wong, & Elizabeth Peterson
The Fall
Bull takes on the case of a professional gamer when his employer files a suit, thinking the client intentionally threw a team-versus-team Titanfall tournament.- Bad Boss: The employer's original contracts had him undercutting his employees, and giving them substandard living arrangements, while raking in millions and driving a Mercedes himself.
- Brick Joke: The "Pinocchio Effect", a reddening of the nasal area when lying, is first mentioned by Bull when asking the client if he bet against himself in the finals for a payoff. It's brought up again near the end, when one of his teammates is revealed to have thrown the game and lies about it.
- Career-Ending Injury: The client turns out to be suffering from early-onset Parkinson's that impacted his performance, though he and Bull arrange for him to be kept on for at least the next 3 years.
- Convicted by Public Opinion: One of the jurors thinks that the client is overly entitled, being paid to play video games, but is also an animal lover that turns against the employer when she sees a rabbit's foot on his key chain.
- Desperately Looking for a Purpose in Life: The client kept his Parkonson's a secret because he's spent the majority of his life playing games, as a hobby as well as a career, and has absolutely no clue what else to do with his life if he should be barred from playing professionally due to his illness.
- Double-Meaning Title: Refers to the video game, as well as the downfall of an acclaimed gamer.
- Product Placement: The entire episode revolves around a real-world video game.
- Small Name, Big Ego: The client, who encourages a teammate to perjure herself in court to make himself look better.
- The Only Way They Will Learn: Played with; Chunk decides to challenge their Small Name, Big Ego client to Titanfall, in which Chunk loses quickly because he's not as talented (which he's fully aware of), to hammer in the concept that the client shouldn't have interfered with what Bull's talented at.
- Throwing the Fight: What the client has been accused of doing. And what one of his teammates did do, as it turns out.
- Working with the Ex: Cable has a gamer ex-boyfriend that helps identify how the client and his teammates were playing in comparison to their usual standard. They reconnect by the end of the case.
- Yoko Oh No: The client's current girlfriend was originally drawn to his success, and breaks up with him during the case, when she decides that his reputation won't bounce back after the allegations against him.
