‘SEAL Team’ Season 3, Episode 5 ‘All Along the Watchtower Pt. 1’ Review: Caged

SEAL Team welcomes its newest member after heading out to save American Hostages in a hijacked ship. Before starting on their next assignment, Bravo Team deals with tension at home. Not everyone is satisfied with how the drafts came out. Also, so external factors send one down an emotional spiral. On the field, stakes raise as their mission turns from security to a rescue operation.

On Wednesday’s episode of SEAL Team, Jason Hayes (David Boreanaz) reconsiders his viewpoint on Dr. Natalie Pierce’s (Emily Swallow) job. Meanwhile, Lisa Davis (Toni Trucks) notices Sonny Quinn’s (A.J. Buckley) toxic way of dealing with their breakup. As Vic Lopez (Lucca De Oliveira) tries to fit in, Ray Perry (Neil Brown Jr.) convinces Clay Spenser (Max Theriot) to give the newbie a chance.

When We Ended

CBS

Sonny did not take his and Lisa’s breakup well. The man took out his frustration unhealthily, getting himself defeated in multiple sparring matches. At some point before their mission, he goes as far as threatening Ray, but he drops the subject. Sonny even rudely dismisses Vic’s attempt at doing small talk. Still, not even Lisa could stop the man from hurting himself. No matter what Lisa said, Sonny did not budge. It did not matter who talked to Sonny; may it be Lisa or Jason. As far as he was concerned, Sonny dealt with the problem the way he likes: staying in denial.

Extended Door-Kicking

CBS

Dr. Pierce finally figures out the way to make Jason come around. Initially, the pair did not start on the right foot. Jason hated the idea of becoming someone’s lab rats, hence his hostile projection towards Natalie. However, a phrase changes Jason’s outlook towards the program. Once she mentions the idea of helping him stay as an operative longer, Jason is all ears. The man indeed has no life outside of Bravo Team. He chooses to keep it this way and thinks that it works. Jason needs a serious unload of emotional and battlefield trauma. For so long, Jason went on missions, and he still does. Despite this, he still wishes to continue serving, even if he sometimes expresses his disdain towards fighting the fires that the government sends them to extinguish.

Any Advice?

CBS

Vic wants nothing but to fit in as he begins his time in Bravo Team. Some merely acknowledge his presence, while others express their opinions against it. Poor Vic had to receive Sonny’s outburst when he only wished to make small talk. Clay, on the other hand, goes straight to the point. Vic’s humble gift of beers did nothing to quell the fire that Clay had against him, with Vic not being his pick from the drafts. Vic ends up practically begging Jason for advice, who sees the kid’s concern and tells him to do what he knows. The first steps are indeed the hardest, especially when those around you are there to make it harder.

Preventing Tribal War

CBS

After their latest high-risk mission to save hostages, Bravo Team receives a task that sounds easy– until you get the location. The U.S. Ambassador Nicole Marsden (Khandi Alexander) requested for Bravo Team to accompany her as she brokers peace talks between two Yemeni tribes. With Ray and Clay heading out as the advance team, the rest follow after 48 hours. Both to Ray and Clay’s surprise, Mandy Ellis (Jessica Paré) went ahead of them to assess the situation. The rest seemed like a routine diplomatic mission: Ambassador Marsden met up with one of the tribes’ Imams, Imam Sahan (Troy Caylak). However, the situation changes as soon as the members of the rival tribe surround the dignitary compound.

Jason’s team, on the other hand, anxiously awaited orders as soon as the situation gets to them. Roads were blocked, smoke covered the cameras used for recon, and Ray and Clay can only holdout for much longer. Once the Captain Greyson Lindell (Jamie McShane) gives the signal, Jason’s team moves out but meets massive resistance. The task of moving ten klicks towards the dignitary compound proves difficult as roadblocks forced Bravo Team to proceed on foot. Eventually, the entirety of the Bravo Team makes it inside. After assessing the best tactical action, everyone rushes to the vehicles. Unfortunately, mortars destroy each one of them, rendering them useless and keeping Bravo Team, along with the American Dignitaries, trapped in the compound.

‘SEAL Team’ Season 3, Episode 5 ‘All Along the Watchtower’ Final Verdict

A two-part episode is best suited for the type of story SEAL Team is trying to tell at this point. While it sets up a different story, it has the viewers temporarily shift their attention to the new plot. Each of the sub-plots left in the previous episode temporarily stops progressing to make way for the current storyline’s development. The conflict between two warring tribes in Yemen sets up the show’s mirroring of the Benghazi incident. Now, Bravo Team’s fate is in their hands, fighting for every inch of land that leads them back home.

SEAL Team continues Wednesday, November 6th, with ‘All Aboard the Watchtower Pt. 2’ at 9/8c on CBS.