Directed by Matt Earl Beesley
Written by Anthony E. Zuiker, Ann Donahue, Carol Mendelsohn, & Sarah Byrd
"The Real McCoy" is the 10th episode of Season 9 and the 190th overall. It originally aired December 7, 2012.
One of the co-owners of a modern-day speakeasy is found dead on a Christmas tree lot near his establishment. Adam has the day off and spends it trying to connect with his father, Mr. Ross, who has Alzheimer's, and clear up some unresolved issues from his childhood.
Tropes for the episode:
- Abusive Parents: Adam's father is revealed to have been physically and verbally abusive to both Adam and his mother while he was growing up. He tells Mac his older brother had left home because of it.
- Burlesque:
- The episode title is the name of a bar which has a burlesque dancer who is also the girlfriend of one of the two owners. A decision of hers has consequences that effect both men.
- Jo mentions to Mac that she worked for a burlesque club during college and lets him think for a while that she danced, before confessing that she kept their books.
- Calling the Old Man Out: Adam repeatedly tries to get his father to admit abusing him, but due to Mr. Ross's impaired memory he is unable to provide the closure Adam needs.
- Career-Ending Injury: Mr. Ross reveals to Adam that his father had broken his arm as punishment when he was a teenager, thus ending his chances of pursuing his dream career to "play ball."
- Coolest Club Ever: The eponymous speakeasy is one of several popular night spots depicted in the series. Lindsay gushes about it being nostalgic.
- Did I Mention It's Christmas?: Other than the victim being found at the tree lot, no reference to Christmas is made.
- Easy Amnesia: Averted, particularly with the 6-month time skip between seasons 8 & 9. It's been 8 1/2 months since the shooting, and Mac finally tells Christine in the opener that his doctor says "I'm sailing through my tests and getting better all the time. I couldn't have done it without you."
- Expensive Glass of Crap: One of the bar's employees uses counterfeit vodka to cut corners. The team discovers this because instead of normal alcohol (ethanol), it contains methanol, which is quite poisonous.
- A Father to His Men: Mac sees Adam struggling to interact with his elderly father, follows him home, and has an encouraging heart-to-heart with him.
- Like Father, Like Son: According to Mr. Ross, his father had also been abusive to him and his brother when they were growing up. Adam tells Mac it's a case of history repeating itself.
- Games of the Elderly: Adam plays dominoes with his father at the senior care facility.
- Honor Thy Abuser: Discussed: Mac tenderly explains to Adam that having a little forgiveness towards his abusive father... for his own sake... could help Adam cope with the trauma of his past.
- Honor Thy Parent: During their heart-to-heart about Mr. Ross's abuse of Adam, Mac asks him why he still visits the man. Adam replies that he's his father, but adds that he feels bad about not having any feelings for him, concluding with:Adam: [tearing up and voice breaking] You're supposed to honor your parents. What does that say about me?
Mac: [gently] Looks like you're feeling something now. - Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: The victim lands on the spike of a tree stand, which stabs him at the base of his skull.
- Meaningful Background Event: SPOILER ALERT: During the Cold Open, the killer can be spotted being thrown out the back of the bar by one of the owners, who verbally recounts the incident to the detectives later on.
- Pulled from Your Day Off: Mac is called to the scene while on a date with Christine in Central Park.
- Rewatch Bonus: SPOILER ALERT: Once one spots the killer being thrown out the back of the bar by one of the owners during the Cold Open, further viewings of the scene result in an "aha moment."
- Team Dad: Once again, Mac takes Adam under his wing, this time encouraging him about his feelings towards his dad, and givomg him fatherly advice to forgive the man for his own sake.
- Troubled Abuser: Adam learns that the grandfather he'd never known had been physically abusive to both his sons, to the point of breaking Adam's uncle Brian's arm when the boys were teenagers. Afterwards, Adam admits to Mac that his father had continued the cycle with himself, his brother, and their mom.
- You Can Leave Your Hat On: During the opening of the waitress at the titular burlesque club performs a striptease routine atop the bar while attempting to flirt with her boyfriend, the bartender/co-owner of the club, by taking his hat and using it in her act. She goes so far as to get topless, but covers herself strategically with some large feathers that were part of her costume before tossing his hat back to him and exiting.
- Your Favorite: While his father is being held in the precinct, Adam brings him a chocolate malt. Mr. Ross takes a big sip and, not recognizing his son at this point, exclaims, "My favorite! How'd you know?" Adam replies, "Lucky guess."
