Major Crimes Season 6 Episode 5 Review: Sanctuary City: Part 5
Jack Ori
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Well, color me surprised.
When Sharon and Andy started talking about their upcoming wedding, I assumed it would take place during the series finale.
But they tied the knot at the end of Major Crimes Season 6 Episode 5. The little bit of their wedding that viewers got to see was beautiful.
I just hope that's not all there is.
I'm a sucker for weddings to begin with, and this one was no exception. I've been excited for two or three years to see Andy and Sharon's relationship develop and grow, and their wedding should be the culmination of that.
The beats were played just right in these introductory scenes. My favorite part, besides Sharon coming in in her gorgeous veil, was Patrice's cameo where she declared in her typical bossy fashion that of course there was going to be a bouquet thrown.
I could have done without Gus sitting in the front row looking at Rusty during the song, though. That relationship needs to stay dead and buried so that Rusty can move on to someone who deserves him.
Ricky: From now on we don't want you to take care of us. We want to take care of you.
Sharon: If I can't do any of the things that make life worth living, what is the point of being here at all?
I also really enjoyed the lead-up to the wedding, especially the story around Sharon's refusal to slow down despite her heart condition.
Ricky has always been my least favorite of her children, and this was no exception. I found him overbearing and annoying, and as usual, Sharon had to put him in his place more than once.
I thought she had a point that if she was going to act like an invalid who couldn't do anything for herself, she might as well die.
At the time, Ricky was upset that she was serving salad. I realize she has a heart condition, but that didn't seem like strenuous labor at all.
Father Stan: Sharon, your children told me you had a health scare over the weekend.
Sharon: I'm fine now. If you'd like to observe the interview electronically, come this way.
Father Stan: Sharon. You and I have both been struggling very hard to balance our separate vocations with a personal relationship. I have been praying with you and your family for 22 years, and it is in that capacity that I ask... how are you feeling?
I also really enjoyed Sharon's confiding in Father Stan. Sharon has been trying to keep moving forward and remain strong, and since her Catholic faith is important to her, it made sense she would admit to her priest that she was overwhelmed and allow herself to be emotional.
I thought this was a nice character-building moment that didn't move the main action of the story forward but reminded us of who Sharon is.
It also helped temper the negative portrayal of Catholic priests that has permeated the Sanctuary City saga.
Father Jonas might not have been anyone's idea of what a priest should be, but Father Stan seemed to be a genuinely caring and devoted priest, despite the fact that he initially covered up Father Jonas' disappearance to Mexico.
I haven't slept in the last two weeks and I'm tired. And I've had enough of this case. So in the interest of time, I'm just going to bluntly ask you who you were having an affair with prior to Lucas' death.
Provenza
I agreed with Provenza that this case had dragged on too long and needed to be closed ASAP. But goodness, the detectives did seem to bounce around from suspect to suspect until they landed on the right one, didn't they?
I liked the way Mrs. Garza stood up to the cops. By the time they questioned her, they did seem just to be guessing, and I could understand her feeling they were being incredibly insensitive.
Then, after more or less determining that she had had an affair, they again focused in on Father Jonas. As usual, Jonas was annoyingly smug and crude, seeming to think that announcing he only sleeps around with white women was an appropriate way of denying he had an affair with Mrs. Garza.
Flynn: Look, Father, you have a pattern of behavior that leads up to reasonable doubt. If you don't like the way I'm questioning you, wait til you get on the stand and swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
Nolan: So help you God.
Jonas was so defensive and annoying that it seemed like Provenza was right all along, and the derelict-in-his-duty priest did it, but there was still half an hour to go so that couldn't fly.
It wasn't until after his questionable claims about his sexual habits came up that the detectives gave up on him as a suspect and moved on to Dr. Redmond.
Once Redmond was revealed as the killer, it made sense to me. As Garza's partner, he had access to oxy and could have easily murdered him and made it look like a suicide, and Lucas would have trusted him and gone for a ride with him.
I have to admit I didn't have any idea who Redmond was when he first walked into the Major Crimes Unit and needed this explanation for the reveal that he did it to make sense.
It's been a long five hours of this case; I can't remember if we'd seen him before or not.
The payoff would have been better if the suspect had been more prominent. It felt like the writers knew they had to wrap this case up and pulled this doctor out of thin air.
In addition, I know this is a pipe dream because all crime dramas seem to do it, but can we please get rid of the trope of cops belittling someone wanting a lawyer?
In reality, everyone is supposed to be entitled to a defense and defense lawyers are part of the criminal justice system.
But crime dramas make it seem like only guilty people ask for lawyers and that defense attorneys are there for the sole purpose of making sure people don't pay for their crimes.
Not enough people are aware of their rights as it is, and I'd really like to see an end to television cops looking down their nose at suspects asking for their lawyers.
Ryan: I have to tell them. I killed Hector and now Lucas is dead and who knows what the cartel is going to do next.
Hobbs: He just confessed to the wrong murder.
Anyway, I also was curious about Ryan murdering Hector. Hector had been said to have been abusive, and I wondered if that was why Ryan did it.
I'd have liked to have known more about that. There probably wasn't room to show any more of Ryan confession, but I'd have loved a scene of him explaining it to his mother.
What did you think of "Sanctuary City: Part 5?"
Are you as glad as I am that the case is closed, and we can finally move on to something else?
Did the murderer's identity make sense to you?
Are you hoping to see more of Andy and Sharon's wedding?
Weigh in below, and don't forget you can always watch Major Crimes online if you missed anything.
Jack Ori is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. His debut young adult novel, Reinventing Hannah, is available on Amazon. Follow him on X.
