Ringer, S1 Ep9 – Shut Up And Eat Your Bologna

Let me just say to start off that I am very pleased with how this show has been going, especially in this episode and the previous one. Things are really starting to move along, and there haven’t been a lot of scenes that feel like they’re dragging. Hooray! We can hope that these trends continue.

She has to tilt her head like that, or the thing on her shoulder will attack her.

We open with Bridget and Andrew kissing deeply. Then Bridget stops to ask what Andrew means by a “real vacation.” He stands up as he describes it: a place where the possibility of golfing exists, for him, and world-class beaches for her. I was so distracted the first time through by the incredibly bizarre maroon toga-ish blouse that Bridget is wearing that I had to pause and stare at my sister so we could both ask each other what the hell? And then the second time through I noticed that Andrew puts his suit jacket on in a very similar fashion as Jed Bartlet in The West Wing. But maybe I only noticed that because I’m a tad obsessed with that show right now.

Anyway, Andrew says he has the perfect spot in mind, and flirtatiously says Bridget has to guess. She tries, “Lauderdale?” and Andrew laughs and says she should have just told him she didn’t want to guess. I suppose that’s a buuurn for Lauderdale, although I have no personal experience to either uphold or counter it. Finally, Andrew reveals it: Turks and Caicos, which are islands I had to look up that are near the Bahamas. By the way she repeats it, I’m guessing Bridget doesn’t know anything about them either, but she says it sounds great. Then Andrew remembers that Siobhan’s wedding dress is back from the cleaners and brings it over, rather impressively restored considering how much damage Juliet evidently did to it. He smiles and says she’s entitled to some payback, so if she wants to take scissors to Juliet’s wardrobe, he’ll turn a blind eye. “Good to know,” Bridget answers, amused. Hey, Andrew, can I take some scissors to some of both Juliet and Bridget’s wardrobe? And maybe Siobhan’s as well? Please?

Andrew is about to put the dress back where it’s supposed to go, near the top of Siobhan’s closet shelf thing, but Bridget quickly stops him and says she’ll do it. Andrew is a bit confused, but then just sincerely says, “Whatever you say” and leaves Bridget to do it herself while he makes coffee. Dude, you are really under her spell. After he’s out of the room, Bridget hurries to retrieve the gun hidden up there behind a purse, and then stands and stares at it for a million years (what would you possibly say to Andrew to explain this if he came back into the room suddenly, woman?!) as we lead into a flashback.

"No, thanks. Slayers don't use those things."

It’s six weeks ago, in Wyoming, in a familiar looking motel room. Hey, remember that cop Jimmy that Bridget stole the gun from? He was in the previouslies in case you didn’t. He sneaks into the darkened room, leaning toward the form in the bed. Then Bridget clocks him in the head with something and turns on the light, shocked to see that it’s Jimmy.

Jimmy tells her to turn the lights back off. Bridget not unreasonably wants to know what the hell he was doing. He says he was checking to make sure no one was watching her. He also says she’s not safe, and that she shouldn’t call Machado since “half the Bureau is on Bodaway’s payroll.” It’s time for her to run. Bridget doesn’t know where she should go. “You got any family?” Jimmy asks. “A sister,” Bridget says hesitantly. Jimmy tells her to go there, since anywhere is safer than here. Bridget seems to take him at his word. She starts packing her stuff. Jimmy tries to get her to take his gun, since she needs protection and he needs to explain how she got away from him. Well done, those who theorized way back in the pilot that Bridget hadn’t really knocked this guy out and stolen his gun! Bridget says she doesn’t like guns. She has that in common with Buffy. Bridget refuses the gun, but leaves her bag while she goes into the bathroom to finish packing. See, that’s why you should never leave your luggage unattended — in an airport or in a motel with a dirty cop.