Shooter Season 2 Episode 4 Review: The Dark End of the Street
Jasmine Blu
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The gang is assembled, and the hunt for Solotov is on.
Shooter Season 2 Episode 4 is the new halfway point for the season, and Solotov's identity being revealed to Bob Lee, Isaac, and Nadine was the perfect way to cap it. Shootouts, explosions, and fight scenes were just a bonus.
The hour was jam-packed with action as well as plot development, and that's Shooter at its absolute best.
"The Dark End of the Street" was one of the strongest installments to date, while also being an hour that's putting pieces in place for the remainder of the season. No less was expected after the events of Shooter Season 2 Episode 3.
Dobbs' death was going to be a turning point as Solotov edged just a bit closer to home. At the end of the hour, the tables were turned and now Solotov is the prey. Up until this point, he has had the upper-hand.
The question still remains, why now? Why after all these years is Solotov gunning for them and trying to take them all out?
We find Solotov, we find the answers. Let's hope he doesn't find us first.
Bob Lee
As far as antagonists go, Solotov is so nuanced and just as entertaining to watch as the heroes. He doesn't even require the standard shootout (which was intense) or a fight scene (which was AWESOME), to be interesting. He just is.
The flashbacks were particularly great. As we've come to discover, Solotov is a man of many disguises.
After playing a role in a CIA sanctioned heroin ring, how did the unit not anticipate things ending badly for Waheed's mother? The transfer made sense, the UN sending an escort made sense too, but this is the CIA we're talking about.
Waheed's mom was not going to ever make it to the safe compound. She never stood a chance. It just didn't make sense that they would put this unknown medic in the same truck as her.
An ambush was almost a given. If she wasn't going to get hit by those distracting the unit, she was clearly going to be offed by the only unknown suddenly accompanying them on the mission.
The more we learn (and see) of Donnie, the more likable he is, despite his death. Donnie was not having any sh*t. Donnie subscribed to the "if you see something, say something'' mentality, and he called Solotov out for killing Waheed's mother.
How exactly was Solotov trying to pass off stabbing her in the neck with her being shot in her carotid artery? Donnie was right, that was not how you would treat the wound.
One thing is abundantly clear right now, there is no doubt that Donnie was the real target the day he was killed, not Bob Lee. He knew what Solotov did, and he wasn't the type who would let it go. Solotov had to kill him to protect his identity.
In the present, Bob Lee and Isaac have finally pieced some of it together. They still don't know for sure who is behind Solotov, they at least know who he is and how he entered their lives before.
If I write this report, I'm basically accusing the UN of taking out a witness to a CIA heroin ring.
Isaac
Bob Lee is on a mission to avenge the death of his brothers and get justice; Isaac is on a mission to avenge his own wife's death. It's just, Isaac is a loose cannon right now and not keeping a clear head.
He's hell to work with in this condition. He's too unpredictable, too emotional, and way too reckless. The standoff with the gang was evidence of that.
The Sheriff directed them to the local Mexican gang. You knew they were Mexican gangsters because apparently, you can't have Mexican gansters without wife-beaters, lots of tattoos, and at least one person saying "homes."
Sheriff: They got no issues killing cops, Bob Lee, ain't gon be no different with a war hero.
Bob Lee: I appreciate the concern but Dobbs was my brother.
They were the ones who helped get Solotov across the border, and it was one of their members who Dobbs killed. Isaac was eager to put himself in the line of fire, and it was as if he was begging someone to shoot him.
It was much worse by the time the gang led them to Solotov's trailer. Isaac got tunnel-vision, and Bob Lee had to put him down.
Isaac is understandably emotional, but if he can't compartmentalize that and get a grip, he's not going to a reliable ally.
All of their lives are at stake now, and Bob Lee needs to know that Isaac can have his back without going off the deep end. That being said, as much as it kills me to admit that the death of woman improved his character development, it did. He's so much more interesting to watch now.
Nadine and Jeffery coming into the fold is interesting too. First, can you believe Harris left her a "Dear John" letter? Can you even call it a letter? It was more of a post-it note. It may have even been 140 characters or less.
This cannot be the last of Harris. He has to be shady, right? Then again, he could be a red herring.
Nadine was so unfazed by his departure though because she has bigger sh*t to worry about, and there was something amusing about that reaction.
Nadine's meeting with Jeffery was fruitful. The best thing about this arrangement they have is Nadine is the type of person who works best with a partner. She needs someone to bounce things off of and to balance her out.
You don't know shit, lady. This is a waste of my time.
Jeffery
Jefferey revealed his source, but also, his information was what led her to Waheed's involvement with Gravity Metals. The name of the company just screamed shell company, didn't it?
Is that where Hayes comes in?
Toby and the Gravity Metals gang got the hell out of dodge by the time Memphis came back on official business.
Nadine and Jeffery pairing up with Isaac and Bob Lee to track down Solotov is going to be epic. Can Julie get in on that action though?
She has been coping with her stress and trauma by hitting up the shooting range every week, and she has a mean shot. It's not talking it out with someone who could guide her through it, but it's something.
She was defensive when Estella acknowledged her very obvious PTSD, but her conversation with the Padre was somewhat successful. He made a very great point about her and Bob Lee being two different people with different purposes.
Bob Lee may be able to compartmentalize better or deal with his issues in a different way, but that doesn't mean Julie has to cope the same way as him. And she isn't weak for dealing with her issues head on either. Her comment about how she, Mary, and Bob Lee don't get PTSD, but rather move on was disheartening on so many levels.
We don't have PTSD in this house, Estella. Bob, Lee, Mary and I, we just move on.
Julie
Bob Lee may have been trying to protect her by lying to her and keeping her out of the loop, but it was doing more harm than good. It's so much better when Julie is in the know, and it means she may have more to offer and play a more active role as well.
Plus, it could mean more scenes with her and Nadine. I love that Nadine is the first person she calls when something is wrong. Nadine and the Swaggers are squad goals.
Did you enjoy this installment? Did you expect to see a Solotov and Bob Lee fight scene so soon? How long before Jeffery is killed? Sound off below!
Don't forget, you can watch Shooter online here via TV Fanatic!
Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is an insomniac who spends late nights and early mornings binge-watching way too many shows and binge-drinking way too much tea. Her eclectic taste makes her an unpredictable viewer with an appreciation for complex characters, diverse representation, dynamic duos, compelling stories, and guilty pleasures. You'll definitely find her obsessively live-tweeting, waxing poetic, and chatting up fellow Fanatics and readers. Follow her on X.
