Padiddle!

Not only did I learn a new punching game from "Gone to Pieces," I also got to witness a show that found its groove. Prime Suspect is now fantastic.

It’s always a pleasure to watch a new show grow up and figure out what it wants to be after an initial struggle (other good examples: Chuck and Cougar Town). Those first few episodes are the awkward teenage years when you see potential in someone and the opportunity for them to do anything/be anything... but they haven’t quite found their path just yet.

Then it’s off to college or the working world and they just get it, they know who they are, they know what they want out of life, and it’s all about the hard work and foundation building needed to get there. Long-winded metaphors aside, Prime Suspect did just that.

“Pieces” brought the rest of the cast into the spotlight. As amazing as Maria Bello is as Jane Timoney, she isn’t all by herself. Reg, Luis, Augie, Evrard, Lt. Sweeney. All of them got to share center stage.

Augie’s wit and comedy carried the light-heartedness and I was genuinely laughing at almost everything. And the guy has a thing for produce, especially tomatoes.

Without the sexism (alright, this is the final time I’ll say it) we get to see detectives actually work and show us why they earned their jobs and badges. This was probably the first time the team was actually collaborating from all sides. Augie and Luis had no idea what a padiddle was after heavily drinking with a homeless man, but Sweeney did; and thanks to the wonderful world of sharing it led them to catching the bad guy.

I wasn’t sure what to make of Jane and Daniel. It was mostly just awkwardness between the two of them. I’m assuming they have some kind of past and he’s jealous of Matt, but if that is the direction the show is taking in regards to a potential triangle I have to ask: Is it necessary? This might be a case of me jumping off the bridge too soon, but I like that slightly unstable Jane has stability in her life at home.

Plus, I don’t want to lose crazy Trish.

I suppose I could actually talk about the case of the week now. The beginning reminded me of Castle’s pilot episode, with the flowers draped over the victim’s body, but I have to give Prime Suspect credit for making the murderer someone who I never would have guessed or seen coming. And he cut out her vocal chords. That is just creepy (and scary).

Overall, Prime Suspect has become one of the best cop procedurals you’re probably not watching (it is on NBC after all, and in danger of cancellation).

Other thoughts:

• Can I take credit for the new and rather awesome opening? Thank God that stupid PowerPoint slide is dead.
• Instead of Nicorette, Jane was chewing down on some toothpicks. I counted four.
• Dunkin Donuts as a product placement doesn’t further the cop stereotype at all.