S1 E13; Heartbreak

Review - Spoilers

The storylines never seem to go quite like I imagine. You would think that Valentine's Day would have everyone finding a little romance or at least going to Nolan's for a little anti-Valentine's Day get-together catered by Wolfgang Puck (courtesy of Ben), but nothing is what you expect.

Bradford takes an unexpected day off work to meet Isabel who is recovered from both the gunshot wound and her addiction. He remarks that she looks like her old self and is beautiful. He never gave up on her and it seems that they will finally have another shot at happiness together, but after talking for just a few minutes it becomes apparent to Tim that Isabel won't be able to move forward in her life with him as a reminder of her at her lowest point. I feel like his thinking is so flawed. No one could need more love and support than a newly recovered addict.

Meanwhile, Lopez has been getting her freak on with Wesley, but when she tells him she can have Valentine's dinner with him, he says he made other plans. Lopez is instantly upset and snoops in his phone to find out his plans. Not cool!

I thought Nolan might secretly send Lucy some flowers but instead he forgets about his 20 some year recurring order for Valentines' Day flowers for his wife (well, ex-wife now). He has to deal with cancelling the order and feeling alone on Valentine's Day. He saves the life of a woman involved in a car accident and who then got electrocuted. John jumped into action and got her heart started again. She is so grateful she starts stalking him, at the station, calling 911 when his car is nearby, showing up at John's party as Ben's date. Not exactly fatal attraction but she is very sad and lonely after having lost her husband fairly recently.

Jackson and Lopez are too busy on a case to go to Nolan's party, but later Jackson asks out a nurse and may be starting a new, unexpected romance.

Talia gets flowers from her squeeze but we find it it's not really a good thing. 

Sara Rue returns as the dispatcher who has a crush on Bradford, but he uses her when he needs information even asking her to break rules for him which I assume could get her fired. Bradford runs into her and not wanting to be alone, asks her to go for a drink just as friends. I don't like the way he treats her, but she's just happy to spend time with him. Maybe he will start respecting her more.

Nolan's party is a bust with everyone either not showing up or leaving for various reasons until it's just Ben and John. Suddenly Talia shows up even though she said she wouldn't be attending. She asks for a drink and asks Ben for the dirt on John from their college days. So maybe the party isn't a complete bust after all.

The episode shows how hard Valentine's day can be for those who are single, divorced, widowed, or struggling in their relationships. However Sergeant Grey had a romantic surprise from his wife so it also showed how great Valentine's Day can be.