Episode #1.8

Despite the contents of the story being almost trivial, I quite enjoyed this one. It has a lot of conflict and uncomfortable moments and questions morality. One for the thinkers.

This was an outstanding episode. Which seems weird because nothing really happens. But as someone who loves investigative shows and realism, this episode nailed both perfectly. The dialogue, behaviour, motives, and back and forth between all the characters were all so real and human. It's the best writing I've seen in any investigative drama after True Detective S1. The uncertainty of the true motives of the principal, the jurisdiction and authority of the FBI, the moral quandary and nuances of their investigation and accusations, the conflicts between FBI's upper management and his co-workers... it was all so brilliantly done. All the details felt so human and real, and how people would behave in a situation like this. Very impressed with how this episode was done.

An interesting episode as Holden goes of the rails a bit and goes after a principal for odd behavior. The classic how far is too far when chasing intuition.

Despite the anachronism of a prisoner incarcerated in 1969 using the Seinfeld-ism "yada, yada, yada," it's an interesting episode.

The most significant focus of this episode is Holden's becoming aware of an elementary principal who disciplines his kids by tickling their feet, then giving them nickels. There is considerable controversy. Many parents and teachers feel he is just a good guy with a different method of approaching students. Others are very concerned. The point is that Holden has no business putting himself into this controversy, but he doesn't recognize. He has developed a big wall of jealousy with Debbie and this is darkening his world. She has a lab partner whom he doesn't know and who she says she just works with. Billl and Wendy are starting to worry about him. He is also in trouble with his supervisor who has green-lighted their work. It should be interesting to see how this shakes out. The principal is a pompous ass. Having been in education for over 40 years, I believe that his attitude toward his own methods would be educationally suicidal. The conclusion of this episode makes us aware that Holden could be in big trouble.