Shades of Blue Season 1 Episode 5 Review: Equal & Opposite

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I had to pick my jaw up off the ground more than once during Shades of Blue Season 1 Episode 5. This is a show that makes me laugh out loud one minute and then stuns me into silence the next. 

Everybody’s got secrets and it’s only a matter of time before they all come out into the open. Who will be left standing when that happens is anyone’s guess.

Heroin Shipment - Shades of Blue

I’ll start with the good news. I was thrilled that Woz brought home the stray dog. As an animal lover I couldn’t help but smile. I suppose that Woz is too, or perhaps he just feels a kinship to dogs of all types. 

Donny’s internal affairs surveillance team may have done more harm than good. Woz is already paranoid and little does he realize how many secrets his team is keeping from his that have nothing to do with the FBI. 

I couldn’t help but laugh when Woz banged on the motel room door and Carlos asked, “Does housekeeping knock that loud?” I found it interesting that Woz focused on Tess more than Carlos, but I suppose she was the one he’d been suspecting of being the mole…and the one who was married.

Something tells me that Tess will be looking to send her husband to the farm soon…metaphorically or otherwise. 

However, I did feel sorry for Carlos. He may just have real feelings for his partner, or he’s just not happy about being kicked to the curb just because Woz says so. He did say he paid for a full 24 hours on that room. 

Harlee has drama at home and at work, and they overlapped once again. It appears that Harlee isn’t the only one keeping secrets. Cristina’s got a boyfriend and hasn’t mentioned it to Harlee. As if those photos on Manny’s phone weren’t enough, Tufo decided to rile Harlee up more…

Tufo: I wouldn't get too worked up. Kids are losing their v-cards later these days. It's all about mouth business. Nice, safe, mouth business.
Harlee: Are you looking to get shot in the face.

I also have no idea what a rainbow party is, and I’m a little afraid to Google it.

I actually felt sorry for Manny in that moment but I was surprised that Harlee asked him to keep his mouth shut about the entire incident. I know that Harlee wants Cristina to voluntarily tell her about her boyfriend, but maybe asking the boyfriend to keep secrets too isn’t the way to go.

I can see that one coming back to bite Harlee at some point, as will those letters from Cristina’s convict father she’s been hiding all these years.

Of course Harlee’s got even bigger issues looming. I was surprised that she didn’t find any cameras in her apartment but then again, maybe Stahl is using some high end stuff that can’t be scanned, or he’s just hidden them well. 

That Stahl is fixated on Harlee is just creepy, but I’m hoping that Harlee figures it out and can use that information to help herself down the line. As Harlee lamented to a stoned out of his mind Caddie in this Shades of Blue quote

I thought I knew whose side I was on and now I don't know who to trust and I hate them both for taking that away from me. The only thing I know is that when Cristina finds out who I really am, I'm going to lose her.

Harlee

Is there any path that won’t lead to Harlee losing Cristina? I currently can’t see one but I have hope that it exists.

Carlos and Tess at the motel, Cristina’s boyfriend, Zepeda’s letters, and Stahl’s obsession with Harlee were great twists, but it was Woz that left me reeling with shock and awe.

Ray Liotta never fails to deliver on this show, and once again, I couldn’t quite believe where Woz’s story went but couldn’t turn away either. 

Paranoia caused Woz to push back on Raoul, who of course pushed back twice as hard. I thought painting Woz’s car pink and leaving gay porn magazines in the back seat was just a way to humiliate him and wound his pride. I had no idea that Raoul actually knew…

I have large appetites. I like a full menu, variety.

Woz

I knew that Woz was going to try and take Raoul out of the game but the lengths he went to to get that done left me floored. The look on Raoul’s face as he was driven to Philadelphia said it all without saying a word.

I can’t even imagine what they have in store for us next week. Check back for my review of Shades of Blue Season 1 Episode 6 next Thursday, and if you can’t wait until then you can watch Shades of Blue online here at TV Fanatic.

Equal & Opposite Review

Editor Rating: 4.7 / 5.0
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User Rating:

Rating: 4.8 / 5.0 (23 Votes)

C. Orlando was a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. Follow her on Twitter.

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Shades of Blue Season 1 Episode 5 Quotes

Stahl: Harlee, I don't only call to harass you.
Harlee: No, sometimes you call to threaten me.

Harlee: It didn't occur to you to approach calmly and request ID?
Tufo: It occurred to me to beat his ass.