SGRoA: Forever Knight S02 E10: Father's Day

Guys, I'm not gonna lie. I am scared to do another recap. That last one was so. damn. depressing.

But, you know, I love you. I'll go on - for you. Deep breaths. Let's do this thing.

Some old dude is talking about passing on the things that matter to him to his son. A younger dude goes home to his wife and kid, and the wife tells him that "Johnny L. is here." Johnny L. is some guy in a mullet and a track suit, and he says that someone's sending a car for Young Guy - David. Who looks really, really familiar.

Anyway, Johnny L. helps David escape as two other guys show up to bring him to...old dude? I think? Because back at Old Dude's meeting, some lackey is getting a cell phone call and whispering in OD's ear, and then OD is talking about "disciplining" a child and how "the family" must be protected, right before the credits.

Oh! David Constantine is Maurice Godin, who's apparently been in everything. I'll have to remember this. I love making references to other TV shows my character actors have been in. Makes TV watching much more fun.

Anyway. At the precinct, Schanke's trying to get a day off, but nobody wants to trade him. He's doing all this in a locker room, while tying his tie over an undone collar, despite the fact that neither Schanke nor Nick wear a uniform, and thus wouldn't ever have to change. Nick says he'll trade with Schanke, but not so fast! Johnny L. is delivering David Constantine - the heir to the Constantine crime family throne - into protective custody. They have to go pick him up.

On the ride there, Schanke's filling out some questionnaire for his daughter's school about "What Is A Father?", thus nicely setting up this episode's theme. I expect a shitton - no, wait, it's Canada - a shittonne of Lacroix this episode.

So, Nick and Schanke find Johnny's car abandoned at the corner where they set the meeting. Johnny's dead in an alley, and David's nowhere to be seen. Oops. Schanke thinks the Constantines took David - because they're not the type of family you just leave. "Not alive, anyway."

Which means, of course, it's Flashback Time! OH SNAP: The elder Constantine helped ship Nick into Canada! Back in the 20s? 30s? Nick pays him with a pocket watch, because he had to "leave Paris in a hurry" and couldn't pack much. Constantine suggests sending him to LA, and of course he'll set it all up.

Which, you know, yeah. Shady people who need shady shit - like vampires - turn to shady people who do shady shit - like mobsters. But how Nick is going to come out of this one looking good, I have no idea. He doesn't even seem scared to be tangled up with this family again, but I would be. I so would be.

Schanke goes to David's house. His wife says that David's in New York on business. She's playing the party line: David would have no reason to talk to the cops, and of course Old Man Constantine - David's great-grandfather - would have no reason to kill David. Why they thought she'd talk, I have no idea. She's being watched. Or her house is bugged. Something - the Mob don't fuck around.

Nick gets this weird spacey look as he leaves David's house, and obvies it's some vampire thing. He drops Schanke off at the precinct, then says there's something he needs to check out on his own. As usual.

Lacroix, as the Nightcrawler, is talking about Father's Day on the radio. He asks "What is a father?" and then answers the question with Schanke's own word: Altruistic. But Lacroix maintains that parents want something in return; nothing is free. "What did your father promise you?" he says, as Nick pulls up to a house and walks in through the unlocked back gate and finds David Constantine.

David doesn't want to go in with Nick, of course, because he doesn't want to die. Duh. He says that testifying was never about taking down the old man - he just wants to go legit, start over with his family.

A sentiment with which Nick, of course, relates. Back in - maybe it's the 40s? Everyone's suits are so non-descript, and they keep using this stone alleyway set - Lacroix's been looking for Nick. Nick says he's been out for a walk, and Lacroix's all like, "Bitch, please. No lying." Nick won't say what he's been doing, but he's hiding something in his jacket - herbs. Looking for a cure. Still.

Lacroix throws a hissy fit because of course Nick's spitting on the gift Lacroix gave him, and after like 700 years of this, Lacroix's a little sick of it. I'm...probably on his side, frankly. Although he undermines my sympathy when he insists on keeping Nick close. Just let him go, let him do what he's going to do. Why Lacroix needs so much control over Nick's life, I don't know. It would drive me crazy, being driven crazy by someone who just didn't value what I did.

So Nick doesn't bring him in. Right? Makes sense.

Captain Cohen chews him out, but he points out that there's no warrants or anything, and that the Constantines have gotten to people on death row, let alone in a precinct.

Nick goes down to complain about the captain to Nat, who rightly points out that the Cap should be upset, but that Nick did what he had to do - cut David loose. "Not exactly," says Nick, because it turns out he's stashed David at his place. Nick knows what it's like to try to leave family who won't let you go. Nat asks if it was that hard for him, and we're back in Paris. Janette's dress says 20s. I feel better now.

Janette urges Nick to stay, to knuckle under to Lacroix. Nick wants her to come with him, and she refuses: Paris is her home. She's the one who sends him to Don Constantine, though - in "America". She gives him the jewelry to pay Constantine.

This memory spurs Nick to go back to David's wife, to try to get her and the kid out. But she's still toeing the line, telling Nick what she wants to hear - that Constantine cares about them, just wants to turn over the business. This news doesn't go over well with David, who's pacing around the apartment like something caged, waiting for his wife. Someone comes up the elevator, and David's all, "I thought she'd have to buzz in?" and then mobsters are shooting Nick and the vampire jig, as they say, is up.

So Nick and David have a discussion about Old Man Constantine, and how he's a mobster, and blah blah. It's all "We have something in common, so I will help you!" Boring.

Meanwhile, the henchmen that Nick let live (great idea, Nick, super job protecting this guy) go back to Constantine and tell him that Nick is superstrong. Constantine puts it together, of course, so now he knows that he's looking for a vampire cop, and not just a cop. Nick, do you ever try keeping some things to yourself? You know, for the element of surprise?

Of course, Nick can't keep David at the loft anymore. So he takes him to The Raven, where Janette promptly says, "No. Oh, no. You can't keep bringing people here when you don't know what else to do with them!"

Nick says that it's just until he can get David out of the country. Janette says absolutely not, because she has to do business with Constantine, and he'll do anything to protect his family. "Wouldn't we all?" says Nick, and now Janette's having flashbacks, too. Oh no! It's contagious!

She gave Lacroix the same advice I did - Let it go. She says they can get a new one, but Lacroix, like a three year old, doesn't WANT a new one, he wants THAT one. He says Nick needs them to survive - and Janette gives him up.

Which Nick throws in her face to get her to keep David for a few hours - and not call Constantine about it. Oh, Nick. You're such a Nice Guy.

He goes straight to Constantine, who laughs about a vampire being a homicide detective and calls Nick "the man who ran out on his family". Nick tells him to back off, or he'll make trouble. Constantine says no fucking way. Family is all he has left, his version of immortality. David is like a son to him, the only one who can carry on the legacy. Nick says Constantine should be a good father, and let David do what he likes. "What he likes doesn't matter!" says Constantine.

Which I guess is the end of the conversation, because Constantine shows up at Lacroix's studio to claim the favor that Lacroix owes him.

Which makes Lacroix flash back. He'd given Nick the pocketwatch that Nick paid Constantine with, and Constantine totes gives Nick up when Lacroix points it out and says he's just trying to keep his family together. Lacroix would be "eternally grateful" for Constantine's help - and now, Constantine's here to collect.

Nick goes to see Mrs. David again, to tell her that Constantine sent men to kill David when she gave up his hiding place. She complains about David being gone on Father's Day, about him leaving them. He tells her to decide who's more important: Constantine's family, or hers.

And then he goes back to the precinct. This episode is full of half-scenes, decisions left unmade. I want to feel like that's purposeful, but, you know. This is Forever Knight, not Mad Men. Lacroix's waiting at Nick's desk, and then we're in LA when Lacroix and Janette catch up with Nick. Lacroix displays Nick's pocketwatch, essentially giving up Constantine.

Lacroix's at the precinct to tell Nick to get his nose out of Constantine's business, and then there's a conversation about what fathers are supposed to do. I'm sure you can fill in the details, there. Lacroix says if Nick doesn't give up David, Lacroix will kill him. Nick says that Lacroix should do for David what he never did for Nick:

Lacroix goes back to Constantine and flat-out asks if Constantine wants David dead, just for not wanting to be a mobster. Turns out that both Constantine's sons are dead, and their sons are dead, and David's the end of the line. Everything Constantine has built will be gone without David to take it over. That means nothing to Lacroix, he says, but it's everything to him - and Lacroix owes him.

David's stalling about leaving town, waiting for his wife - who actually shows up with the kid. They're just about to go when a Rolls pulls up, and Constantine and Lacroix get out. Nick tells David to go, that he'll try to hold them off. David says that his wife and kid are going - but he'll stay, if that's what it takes to get them out.

Constantine says that it's a stirring display of love, and love demands sacrifices of them all - and now it's his turn. He lets David go.

To what do we owe this bizarre shift in priorities?

To vampirism, of course. Lacroix turned the old man, so he can live another hundred years and keep the mob going. Good job? I guess? Condemn a bunch of other innocent victims who will get swept up in whatever Constantine's family has its fingers in, just to save this one dude? Okay, sure. I'll buy that's a happy ending.

In the coda, Nick goes to visit Lacroix on the air, and gives him back the pocketwatch with a "Happy Father's Day. I'm not coming back to you." Classy, Nick. Classy.

Next week: A parole officer is a prime suspect, until he almost dies! That's it! That's the whole description! Sounds riveting!