Without a Trace s6 ep 8
Agent Jack Malone is not a perfect man. He has cheated on his wife, slept with his subordinate and treated his former girlfriend terribly. He has beaten up suspects, threatened those he disapproves of, and generally personified the term “loose cannon”. This week, he added a little casual racism and bigotry to his repertoire.
When interviewing a guest character who had converted to Islam and was wearing traditional clothing, Jack said “You know you’re the first white guy I’ve ever seen come out of prison wearing one of those.” Followed up by a little sneering remark, it was a jarring interlude in an admittedly right-wing but at least superficially inclusive show.
After a little time to calm down, I understand the point being made. It’s a time-honoured tradition to educate the audience by having characters’ ignorance or prejudice displayed and addressed on tv. It is however a very risky strategy to employ when the character in question is the hero, however flawed. No matter how much I may prefer Martin, or Danny, or even Vivian on a good day, as characters, Jack is portrayed as the “good” heart of this programme and he is very rarely treated as anything but that. We all have flaws, yes, and good drama acknowledges that, but by revealing the heart of the programme to be a little rotten without calling him on it, are you not running the risk that people might consider that type of remark and attitude unobjectionable?
It didn’t appear to me that Jack learned anything this week about defining people or their faiths by race, so did anyone watching learn the lesson? Plenty of people don’t need to, but plenty of people do. If you’re not going to teach it properly, all you end up doing is appearing to endorse the opposite.
I caught a re-run of this this week. Think might try and reacquaint myself with WOAT, as season 7 is quite far in in the US and must be on its way over here soon.
I interpreted Jack’s remark totally differently from you. I thought it was an interview technique. You know, trying to get a rise out of the suspect? Make him say something in the heat of the moment. I didn’t think he actually believed it. But then, I’m often accused of only seeing the best in people. (No, really.)
They get up to all sorts to try and get people to talk. Martin blatantly lied to the female suspect in this episode, then they did a whole fake carting off of another guy in handcuffs pantomime to ‘make her feel safe’.
Fair point, Dona, and you may well be right, in which case the side effect of getting a rise out of ME instead of the suspect (who kept his cool completely, I remember) was unfortunate…. thing is though, you’re absolutely right they do go quite far, but I don’t remember them mocking any other faiths or straying into racism before, even in interviews so I did think this was more about them making a point through Jack being an asshat rather than anything else.
A lot of this season seemed to involve “issues” and Jack being an asshat; my goodness he began to annoy me something rotten. Not that it’s obvious from my posts or anything. So maybe that makes me see the worst in it.
More 4 is repeating season 6 at the mo, isn’t it? I assume they’ll just launch into season 7 when they’re done but no official confirmation yet.
Ah, right, see I’ve, just come in in the middle, so I didn’t know about Jack being as asshat. (Which I think is a new word for me.) And i haven’t read any of your other posts.
The most extreme example I remember of Jack doing anything to get the truth was when he pretended to befriend and empathise with a paedophile, and then was sick afterwards.
I remember that. Powerful stuff.
Me too. Horrible but brilliant.