S2 E8; Clean Cut

It's just crazy how these cars are set up with cameras everywhere and the driver on the roof!

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, Nolan! Of course, Nolan swears Henry to secrecy so no one will know it's his birthday. Even though he had the day off, Grey calls him in to babysit a gruesome murder scene that has already been processed but needs to be guarded until the detectives release it. It's an incredibly boring assignment that lasts for hours. Nolan plays games on his phone all night until it's almost dead. Then Grace calls to wish him a happy bday. He seems touched that she remembered his birthday after all these years. I like that they can talk so easily and casually just like the old friends that they are. Unfortunately, Grace's call killed his phone. His boredom is relieved by the arrival of the crime scene clean up guy, Elroy (Alan Tudyk). Nolan learns a lot from him about crime scene clean up and even about reading a crime scene by looking at blood droplets and other things. It was fun watching Nathan and Alan together again. I'm sure this episode will be Nathan's favorite just because he got to work with his good buddy. Eventually the bad guys come back, which leads to a shootout. Another dangerous situation that Nolan handles well. Elroy quote, "I'm bringing a pipe to a gun fight?"

Both Bradford and West are supposed to receive commendations later in the day and both have problems that may prevent them from going. Bradford ran into the back of a citizen's car. West got exposed to a white powder and starts acting kind of hyper and just off. They are concerned that it could have been PCP which stays in your system forever and would end your police career. Both wind up in the hospital to get checked out. Turns out Bradford was a victim of an insurance fraud scheme and West was exposed to bunk (fake drugs, in this case caffeine and vitamins). Grace said his behavior could be the result of an allergy and power of suggestion. His behavior seemed too extreme to be power of suggestion. I keep wondering if he is really going to make it.

Harper requests that Grey give her an early evaluation. If it's good she can use it at her custody hearing. He doesn't feel comfortable doing it so early but offers to ride along with her to get first hand knowledge of her field work so he can give her an evaluation. They have some weird situations but she handles them well. I am rather surprised that she has so quickly become a team player. She started out with such a chip on her shoulder, I thought it would be much harder for her to slip back into a regular cop's world after all the time she spent undercover. I'm wondering if she might still have a meltdown or PTSD coming up.

The ending was very nice. Nolan, with Elroy in tow, meets up with the other rookies at the end of the day. He introduces Elroy to Nell, the dispatcher, whom he was dying to meet but was too shy. Perhaps we might see Alan again in this role that could easily be a recurring one. Grace shows up with a birthday present and everyone wishes him a . He seems very pleased and tells them in a very heartfelt way that they are the best people he's ever known.

Did it bug anyone else that the first 40 secs was a blatant Toyota Tundra commercial? That stuff bugs me a little but I guess it's better than having an actual commercial.

I remember that. I remember them doing it in White Collar also and that was quite a while ago. Maybe it happens a lot more than I notice.

Ha! I didn't catch that he didn't buckle up!