Rules of Engagement

Pretender Episode Review

In which you can always talk someone out of a cardiac arrest.

What Happened

Jarod spots a pair of brothers taking off for the hospital with some guns and gives his cell phone to their sister so that she can call the police. Overhearing the details, he goes off to join the circus. The pair locks themselves in a room with their father, who needs money to pay for a particular treatment that insurance won't cover.

Miss Parker puts off going after Jarod in order to meet her father. He gives her a key and asks her to bring him a strong-box full of money that he has hidden in SL-22. Broots reluctantly covers for her absence with Lyle while she tries to help her father.

The usual hot-headed sheriff who prefers to shoot first and ask questions later gets in Jarod's way. Sheriff Dumbshit tries to use Jarod's remote control camera and reveals to Cam and Billy that they are being spied on, but Dad talks them into letting another hostage go. Jarod realizes that Mr. Larsen was mis-diagnosed and connects it to a particularly obnoxious doctor and an administrator who are getting kickbacks from the HMOs to deny expensive procedures. Larsen desperately needs heart bypass surgery, but -on Dr. Franklin's suggestion- the HMO is refusing to pay for it.

Jarod explains the situation to Cam, then scams Franklin into thinking he's having heart attack. Franklin spills out a confession and the Larsens surrender.

What We Learned

• The Centre did not give Jarod money for his teeth from the tooth fairy.
• Jarod has the big badge.
• It's going to get hot in there.
• One shot and it's over.
• "Dreamweaver" is a damn fine song.
• Sunrise in the woods is as close to God as a breathing man can get.
• You can always talk someone out of a cardiac arrest.
• They really train them up at the FBI academy.
• We can't let the mistakes of our past ruin our future.

Bottom Line

The look on Sydney's face as Broots tries to distract Lyle by asking if anyone saw the Redskins game? Almost clinical fascination at how absurd the comment was.