9x11 LHdP 66.6: The Rip-off - "In Bed at the Hospital"

Ep. 115: Ojito Avizor (Watchful eyes)

Theme: Eyes
Summary: It is often said that our "eyes are the windows to the soul". It is the thing we rely on the most to tell us about the world around us. The emotions of others can often be told just by looking into someone's eyes - you can see their hate/love, their pain/comfort, their joy/fear, and much more. Thus, many view the removal of one's eyes as an incredibly heinous act, and Hollywood has used it as a go-to source in many films and episode arcs for added dramatic/horror/thriller effects.

LHdP use: Deker's autopsy of the novice reveals that her eyes have been removed from her body. Deker realizes it's connected to Paco's chess dream and ancient history/folklore. Later in the episode, the hombres consult (another) medium, who is able to "see" what happened to the novice from the time Paco and Pove discovered her at the abandoned school until her untimely demise.

Epic fail: As I stated, the loss/removal of a person's eyes is often used as a plot point for added dramatic effect. Here, Alex Pina & Co. fail in their attempt to use the novice's missing eyes for this purpose because, like every other element they've thrown into the "66.6" kitchen sink, it served no valuable purpose to the plot. Other than Deker's HS nickname, we didn't learn anything new than what we already knew, and we also never got an answer as to why the novice's missing eyes were so important. Now, had her eyes been able to "show" Satan walking around in the precinct, then perhaps it would've paid off. But it didn't. Deker figured out something was going on (based on him recognizing his nickname, not with anything related to the novice herself), much in the same manner that Paco realized something was afoot in Ep. 107 after they discovered the body of the second victim. Yes, one might argue that it led to Deker being captured by Satan so that he could be strapped to a bomb in next week's episode, but they could've easily acheived the same effect without the use of the novice's eyes.

Rip-off: Suspect Zero
Summary: Demoted FBI agent Thomas Mackelway investigates the death of a salesman, which he discovers is linked to seemingly random killings, with the exception that each victim is marked with a "zero" on their body. As the investigation unfolds, Mackelway discovers that the victims are all serial killers. In his quest to discover the truth, Mackelway becomes consumed with the case and his past mistakes haunt him as he tries to find the true killer. Mackelway's partner notices that the case has become personal for him and is concerned about his well-being, but she is also drawn into the investigation, which leads them to former FBI agent Benjamin O'Ryan, who may be the key to everything.

LHdP spin: Paco Miranda is a demoted police officer who becomes embroiled in a murder investigation involving several victims with no obvious connection to each other. As the investigation unfolds, Paco becomes consumed with the case and each death haunts him as he tries to find a way to beat the true killer - Satan. His fellow colleagues, including his best friend Mariano, become more concerned about Paco's well-being as the case progresses. *Spoiler alert* In the next episode, Paco and the hombres discover that all of the victims share the same blood type.

Epic fail: I dunno why it didn't dawn on me until now that aside from a reverse Se7en rip-off, the whole "66.6" plot is also very much like Suspect Zero. Okay, maybe because the movie itself wasn't so great and is a poor-man's version of Se7en, but still. Demoted officer? Check. Serial killer? Well, it's Satan, but close enough, so check. A concerned partner? Check. The killings seem random except - oh wait! - there's a hidden connection? Check. Consumed by the case to the point where it's become personal? Double check. The original failed IMO because it had too many holes and left too many loose ends with too many unanswered questions. The rip-off fails for many of the same reasons. A lot of elements have been injected into the "66.6" storyline without making much sense or adding much to the overall arc - the significance of the "elephant signal", the entire opium dream, eyes, etc.

As with the last episode, I thought this one was another throwback to the old LHdP in many ways, but I've already expressed my thoughts on that over at AE (and in the update) and think it would be redundant to do so here again. Needless to say, it was yet another reminder of how the show used to be and how much different it is now.

Feel free to add any other rip-offs you may have spotted, as well as your thoughts in agreement or dissent.

kalike

*The title for this lecture is based on lyrics from the song "Hospital Beds" by Cold War Kids. You should also check out the cover version by Florence + the Machine.