Whiskey Cavalier Season 1 Episode 5 Review: The English Job
Jasmine Blu
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This series is such an absolute delight, and Whiskey Cavalier Season 1 Episode 5 was the most delightful installment yet.
How anyone can make it through an hour of this series without smiling or giggling is beyond me. The funny one-liners and banter are witty and fun, the team's chemistry is fantastic, and the missions are pure entertainment.
Whiskey Cavalier is pure entertainment.
You know it's crazy when you lost sight of what the actual mission was supposed to be, but you didn't mind because of the antics along the way.
In a way, the mission itself was but a backdrop to the character development throughout the hour. There was so much forward movement with the development of all the main characters.
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Everyone felt like they were on an even playing field for the first time. The hour exposed us to new dynamics we had not previously experienced thanks to Ray's incorporation into the mission.
Frankie, did you see that? She's a way better shot than you!
Will
The humor was prominent and top-notch as always, but so were the more vulnerable, human moments which reminds us these characters are more than badass spies and walking one-liners and quips.
First up, my favorite character out of the bunch; Standish. Without question, Standish is often one of the most entertaining characters, but he often wasn't taken seriously by the others.
Whether it was due to his lack of experience out in the field, or his age, the others mostly treated him like an incompetent kid, their annoying little brother, or a nuisance or liability. More often than not it was played up for laughs, but it was also a bit annoying as well.
He's a great character who hides behind humor. His sarcasm is a defense mechanism and his way of deflecting, and while he's "the funny one," it in no way means he shouldn't be taken seriously at all.
The effects of the opening mission which led to him falling off a roof in a hair-raising moment which evoked concern despite knowing the outcome carried throughout the hour.
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The near-death experience took its toll on Standish, and understandably so. He tried to shake it off and pretend as though he was OK. The others gave him the space to do it at first, but when they realized how deeply the incident affected him, his trauma was respected and not diminished.
It was the first time no one on the team dismissed him. No one went out of their way to use his experience to confirm how inadequate he was in the field or question his spot on the team. They didn't use the opportunity to point out how inexperienced he was.
It was Standish's rite of passage, and they knew and understood. Everyone expressed some concern, but Will stepped up and was able to guide Standish through her fears.
The Standish/Will dynamic is easily one of the best of the series. Foley and Williams play off each other well and have natural chemistry.
There is strong fraternal energy which made something as cheesy as Will's "get back on the horse" pep talk sweet and emotional, and the same goes for Will giving Standish the bullet that nearly killed him in Paris.
Will: Standish, you know what you're supposed to do when you fall off the horse?
Standish: Avoid future horses?
Of course, Standish's moment of triumph made it all better. He wasn't irrational in his fear because I'd be damned if I had to climb out on the ledge of a tower in the London countryside either. Holy crap it was high!
Like Standish said, "I'm not even British, it doesn't mean that much to me." But, you know, heroism; it's neverending. Off he went on the ledger to reach the satellite and save the mission. He made us proud!
I think he earned the pride of his team and also their respect. Not to say they didn't respect him before, but now that the cocky facade is cracked wide open, the team can embrace Standish for all he is.
Standish's struggles tied in nicely with Jai's. Another satisfying part of this hour was how the necessary characters were knocked down a peg. Jai was one of those characters.
Jai is so confident and arrogant all the time. He tends to look down on those around him as well. It's amusing at times, but also frustrating other times. He's one of the people who stick it to Standish most, so it was nice to have him on the receiving end for a change.
I don't make toys. I make masterpieces.
Jai
One takeaway from Ray and Susan having their fun was Jai realizing a high IQ doesn't determine all intelligence. Ray, for example, went to a community college, but despite being an ass sometimes, he's proven his skills.
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Jai likes to convince himself he's the smartest person in the room, but his high IQ or what have you doesn't mean the other people around him aren't intelligent beings either. He couldn't hack the same as Standish; he can't read people like Susan.
He can't speak as many languages as her either. If he were as gifted in all areas as he thought he was, they wouldn't need a full team. His insecurities got the better of him during the mission, and it was hilarious.
Susan and Ray made an unexpected but fun team. Ray is likable and endearing. He was sympathetic when he spoke about how Will was his only friend, and he lost the friendship after his egregious betrayal.
He's working his way into Will's life again and trying to earn his trust; it's genuine. The others are welcoming him slowly into the fold, and you know what? He fits in nicely.
You know when I blew it with Will, I didn't just lose my best friend. I lost my only friend.
Ray
Out of everyone, Frankie was the one who needed a bit of a reality check, and she got it. It was typical Will to apologize for treating her so coldly when she honestly had it coming, but what do you expect from the Eagle Scout?
Frankie was forced to come to grips with the feelings she developed for Will, but she also saw someone like Emma could appreciate Will for his emotional availability.
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Emma didn't make fun of Will like a child on the playground for wanting to talk about his feelings nor did she treat him as less than for having the audacity to have high emotional intelligence.
Frankie couldn't handle a new woman finding the teddy bear she plays with and discards at will like something of value, and she was jealous and distrustful of Emma for most of the hour. It was funny how Emma and Frankie were in a competition, and Emma didn't realize it.
Frankie's commentary about Emma's lock picking skills was particularly funny and a highlight.
Let's hear her out and then you can shoot her.
Will
Frankie displayed some real emotional maturity when she decided to tell Will they should keep things professional. She acknowledged there is something between them, but she also knew it was best if they didn't act on it.
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We're so used to 'ships taking a slow-burn approach, so it's rather refreshing the series acknowledged their tension early but allowed them to move on from it for now. They don't need a full season or more to come to grips with emerging feelings for one another.
It was the right call for them both, and also for Frankie being the person to say it out loud. It's not easy though. Will and her feelings for him have caught Frankie off guard, and Emma swooped in the nick of time.
It pained Frankie as she peered through the window as Emma and Will kissed. I felt for her. It's the best decision for Frankie to make. She's not ready to be with anyone seriously yet. She has a lot of things to work on, and that's OK.
Frankie: I'm sorry I can't be the girl you get ice cream with.
Will: I can get ice cream with anybody. You and me, we save the world.
Additional Notes:
- Are British impersonating Americans impersonating British? Brilliance! Lauren Cohan was able to speak in her natural accent which was cool. Scott Foley gets an A for effort with his.
- How exactly did Frankie's six boyfriends die? Um, can we learn more about that? Damn, girl. Black widow much?
- Is it even an episode of Whiskey Cavalier until Frankie and Will are stuck in a confined place together? I think not.
- The fight scenes are amazing, and Frankie and Will play off of each other beautifully in them.
- Name something Susan can't do. I cannot.
Are you happy Ray is part of the team now? Did Frankie make the right call with Will? Are you proud of Standish? Hit the comments below.
You can watch Whiskey Cavalier 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.
