I Waited for This?

It was with great anticipation that I watched the latest episode of The Unit: The Last Nazi. It had been weeks since I'd had a new episode and I was almost as desperate as an addict for my fix of Snake Doc, Betty Blue, Dirt Diver and Cool Breeze. But this episode left me with more questions than answers and a feeling that maybe the "high" is over and the "fix" just won't be as good anymore.

You see, I was late to the game when it came to The Unit. I had no idea it even existed until accidentally watching the season opener. But then hubby and I were hooked. For Christmas he gave me season 1 on DVD. I think we watched it in 3 days. It was a slow start. I'd read that the current season (season 4) was the worst, but nothing I watched in the first half of season 1 really did it for me. I think they were trying to find their groove. And then came an episode that made me sit up and take notice and grabbed me. It was SERE School. I think I watched every episode after that back to back. The end of season 1 ended with a shooting on the base at the reception for Col. Ryan and his new bride Charlotte. Matt and I couldn't wait to see how it turned out. Desperately I searched all over the city for Season 2 on DVD. Chapters wanted $89 online for it. Amazon.ca wanted over $100. Nobody in the city had it. I was almost ready to order it from the US when I came across Future Shop who said they had it in stock. Those few days waiting for season 2 were like torture.

So, we got season 2 and tore into it. I ignored the fact that they never really resolved the season 1 ending. We start as though nothing happened, except that Charlotte obviously got hit with a bullet. We come to understand she saved Tiffy's life by taking the bullet, but otherwise, we go on as if it never happened... But, in the interest of the show and how much I loved the escape, the action and the covert ops I was able to ignore this. We sped through season 2 and before I knew it, I was hunting for season 3. After the season 2 cliffhanger I was even more desperate. After some customer service "mishaps" at Future Shop I had my hands on the prized possession. Thankfully, this time, they resolved the cliffhanger. My only wish was that I hadn't already known that Hammerhead dies. Even though he was my least favourite in the beginning by the time season 3 rolled around he'd really grown on me. Season 3, for all intents and purposes, kicked ass. And then...ended. I understand this was the writer's strike that made it feel so unfinished. But, I think the season 4 opener was a bit of departure from where season 3 ended.

So, this season has been filled with things I don't understand. My only hope is that some writer, some where, has this all figured out and at some point the loose ends will come together. Otherwise, well, it looks like they farmed out episodes to contract writers who have never spoken to each other but what each is doing. Again, because of my love for this show, I have been able to ignore this. But tonight was just too much.

Tonight, we start with an opening sequence that is the usual style of The Unit. A mission is underway, guns are fired, somebody makes a daring escape out a window. And then, we go on, as if the mission never happened. It didn't tie in to any other part of the show. Why bother? Sure, it was good action, but I don't see how it was necessary or how it furthered the plot.

And then there were the scenes with Col Ryan. So, we gather he has been promoted to General (provided he accepts) and we get a glimpse into a childhood filled with abandonment and abuse. But 2 things here don't make any sense to me. First, why the hell is Charlotte there? After nearly ruining The Unit and then coming back only to almost get Snake Doc and Dirt Diver killed what on god's green earth is he doing with her? We get a flash where he thinks she's Tiffy b/c he's had so much to drink, but clearly somehow she got to his room as Charlotte. Charlotte from the start is a character I haven't really understood. I don't know what her motives are or why her character was written the way it was. Maybe she serves solely to be a disruptive force? But then why does she not have any redeeming qualities? But I digress. So Col. Ryan's flashbacks lead him to talk about how "everything has been a lie", blah, blah, blah and he goes on and on to the point where I wonder if it wasn't me drinking the scotch and that I blacked out and missed an important part where his whole life has been lie. Yeah, you got beat up, yeah you're mother was a terrible parent. But how does this relate to his army career? I just didn't get it. And if they never explain this any further I will throw something at the tv.

Moving on. The wives are still under cover. This I don't understand either. They don't even appear to be looking for the people who were trying to kill them at the start of the season, so is there even still a threat? Why is Kim still separated from her kids? Why does nobody seem to care that their families, their lives, the whole thing has been ripped away. Oh sure, they made a fuss at the start of the season and then, one day, it was as if everything was fine. But once Kim caught the accountant, and they killed him, why are they still undercover? Why are the boys out hunting Nazis and not the people who tried to kill the president? None of this makes any sense to me. I can deal with some holes in the plot, but not holes so big they make the grand canyon look small.

And even this week's "mission" was weak. Little action, no closure of any kind, and no advancement of the plot as far as I can tell. I thought in the last episode it jumped the shark when Dirt Diver almost dies and has a conversation with Hammerhead about his death. That and the vanishing monastery was a little too X-Files for my liking. I'm just waiting for the Smoking Man to appear and then I'll know we've crossed over for sure.

All in all, 1 star out of 4 for this week's episode. And if CBS is trying to kill the show, they are doing a good job. Web chatter suggests next new episode won't be until March 15th.

Snake Doc out.