Directed by Alex Zakrzewski
Written by Elwood Reid
A 1950s case of a missing Marine is reopened when his body is discovered in an oil drum.
Tropes for the episode:
- Clear Their Name:
- Because Tully's body was never found by the time his unit's shore leave was over and they needed to deploy, he was labelled a deserter. Part of the detectives' investigation involves proving that he made it back to the ship before he was killed, and during the ending montage, his status is officially changed to "honorable discharge."
- It turns out Tully was also attempting to do this for Lenny Snow, who was falsely accused of stealing the revolver of one the ship's officers. It ends up getting him killed as Cheney is unwilling to resist the opportunity to get Snow washed out of the service.
- Continuity Nod: Stillman's prior military service in Vietnam is alluded to.
- Drill Sergeant Nasty: Sgt. Cheney shows traces of this, though it's mostly directed towards Lenny Snow. He ends up killing Tully when he threatens to report Cheney's behavior to his higher-ups.
- Heroic Self-Deprecation: PFC Lenny Snow, an underaged Marine treated as a screw-up by his NCO who nevertheless earned the Navy Cross and Bronze Star for his battlefield heroism in the Korean War, is not comfortable talking about his service record. As Snow opened up to fellow Navy veteran Stillman, he felt there were other Marines who did more than himself who deserved to be called heroes.Stillman: "Had a look at your service record. Navy Cross, Bronze Star. That's some tour of duty."
Snow: "I prefer not to talk about it."
Valens: "Why not?"
Snow: "Did you serve, Detective?"
Stillman: "Navy."
Snow: "Vietnam?"
Stillman: "River Rat unit."
Snow: "Then you know a lot of good men never made it back. Doesn't seem right to be making a fuss over a bunch of medals and ribbons. I did what I had to do. Others gave more." - Interservice Rivalry: Between the sailors ("swabbies") and the marines ("jarheads").
- Pants-Positive Safety: A dock worker threatens the Victim of the Week—a Marine in a Navy bar—by pushing back his jacket to show a pistol tucked into his waistband. However, this turns into a Threat Backfire as it unites all the sailors in the bar behind the Marine. They may have been ready to pound the victim's head in a few minutes earlier, but they're not going to stand by and let a fellow serviceman, regardless of his branch, be threatened by a civilian.
- Someone to Remember Him By: In her final interview with the detectives, Nora indicates that her son was the result of hers and Tully's night together.
- Tragic Keepsake: Upon learning of the discovery of his brother James' body, Steve Tully asks about the pocket watch he inherited from their father and was planning to eventually give to his own son when he got married. It turns out Jimmy left it with Nora as collateral after she gave him her mother's necklace so he would be able to pawn for the gun Snow was falsely accused of stealing. Nora returns the watch to Steve in the epilogue.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Max's prank caused the chain of events which led to his friend Jimmy's death.
- Villainous Breakdown: Cheney gets one when the detectives begin listing all of Snow's military achievements and honors during his Korea service, proving that Tully was right in seeing Snow's potential and all of Cheney's attempts to get Snow washed out ended up being All for Nothing.Cheney: NEGATIVE!!!
- You Are Fat: The B-plot has Vera learning that he failed the recent Philadelphia PD physical exam due to being out of shape. The ending montage sees him taking up boxing lessons from the Navy seaman Tully defeated in an inter-service bout at the beginning of the episode to prepare himself for the re-test.
- You Remind Me of X: During his "The Reason You Suck" Speech to Cheney, Stillman compares him to his own drill sergeant in Vietnam.
