While recovering at home, Paul has to make a decision about both his career and broken friendship with Marjan; Mateo extends a helping hand towards his old lieutenant at the 129.
Tropes:
- Amnesia Danger: Mateo becomes concerned about Captain Tatum’s health after noticing him experience memory lapses during Lieutenant Darby’s private memorial service— first during his eulogy, then when the captain sits down and forgets who they’re honoring. It only worsens over time: Tatum forgets that Mateo signed back onto the 129 or that the meeting with him and Owen occurred; confuses takeout menus for quarterly reports; and gives contradicting directions during a spice factory fire that nearly gets his team killed.
- Anger Born of Worry: When Judd confronts Marjan about her not attending the 126 hangout at Paul’s apartment, she hits back that she has been trying to be there for him after she saved his life— but his ghosting her calls and texts after their fight at the hospital have been taking a toll on her patience with him.
- Breather Episode: As much as it can be, with the focus shifting from the Strands’ bereavement to Paul and Mateo’s respective dilemmas.
- A Day in the Limelight: The main plotline of the episode sees Mateo rejoining the 129 for a brief time in order to help Captain Tatum, while the B-plot is about Paul transitioning from recovery back to firefighting in retaking his CPAT.
- Drowning My Sorrows: When Mateo is called away from Paul’s apartment to pick up Tatum, he finds the fire captain at a closing bar knocking back whiskey and beers in grief for one of his lieutenants named Leo Darby, who passed away from injuries sustained in an apartment rescue.
- At the end of the episode, a lucid Tatum finds Mateo back at the same bar after the latter reported his concerns to the fire chief.
- Internal Reveal: Two of them regarding Marjan and Mateo’s respective worries about Paul and Captain Tatum.
- Marjan admits to Judd what happened with Paul after she resuscitated him, and that Paul had angrily told her to leave when he saw he was outfitted with his pacemaker.
- During and after the spice factory call, Mateo confesses to Owen that his concern about Tatum’s memory lapses being possible symptoms of dementia was the real reason he transferred to the 129.
- Like a Son to Me: Tatum has several vulnerable moments where he regards Mateo as one of his own sons, to the latter’s surprise.
- No Badass to His Valet:
- Now, Let Me Carry You: Despite his… rough tenure under the 129, Mateo expresses indebtedness to Captain Tatum after attending Darby’s funeral with him and the 129, and it’s another half of the reason why he temporarily agrees to step in as the 129’s lieutenant.
- Obviously Not Fine:
- Out of Focus: TK and Carlos are not featured heavily in the episode despite being listed in the opening credits.
- Recurring Extra: Norah and Javier reappear from the last episode recovering from their car accident. Norah accidentally ends up in another one when she bumps a pizza worker with her truck, but the outcome is much less lethal.
- Stepford Smiler: Judd notices features of this in Paul; even though he claims to be recovering well (and he is), he hasn’t been keeping himself groomed or changed out of pajamas for several days.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Owen is secretly put out at learning that Mateo planned to transfer to the 129 and replace Darby as its lieutenant for seemingly extra pay and recognition, while a still-hurting Marjan takes the news worse and scathingly dresses him down for leaving to begin with. Seeing Tatum’s mental lapse during the spice factory call changes their tune.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are:
