ProWrap: Secrets and the Steelers

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ProWrap consists of quick reviews of the television shows we don’t cover with full reviews or podcast episodes during the week.

Secret and Lies – S2E4 – “The Detective” | Sundays at 9pm | ABC

If this show wanted to be just Eric and Danny (Kenny Johnson) chasing down leads and roughing people up, I’d be cool with it. Danny is searching for his daughter Rachel, who was at the party with Neil and another woman named Carly. When they track down Liam, under threat of an ass whupping, he reveals that Neil might have had motive to kill Kate since she’d received evidence of money being stolen from SEG. Liam is full of all kinds of info including the fact that he’s not Kate’s son, but he is a con artist she gave a chance and he paid her back by being trifling. Eric leaves him to answer to the cops and it would appear he’s back to square one, BUT it turns out Danny is also a cop and Neil wasn’t sleeping with Rachel, just Carly, who’s a hooker. Good Lord. Grade: B+ ~ ProFan Nina

Eyewitness – S1E2 – “Bless the Beast and the Children” | Sundays at 10pm | USA Network

I didn’t have time for a re-watch, which I like to do if I’m going to review a show, but I didn’t want to exclude Eyewitness from this week’s ProWrap. Why? Because you should be watching it. Based on the Norwegian series, Ã?yevitne, Eyewitness received a 10-episode first season order.

Philip Shea (Tyler Young) and Lukas Waldenback (James Paxton) are two closeted gay teens meeting in secret. While making out in Lukas’ father’s cabin, the two are interrupted and hide. They witness one man kill three others, including one who claimed to be working with the FBI. Lukas knocks the killer out before he can attack Philip and the two take off. 

They spend the first two episodes trying to keep what they saw and their relationship from everyone, including Philip’s guardian, Helen (Julianne Nicholson), a local cop. The end of the second episode reveals the killer’s true identity, which is going to make hiding even harder. Grade: A ~ ProFan Nina

This Is Us – S1E5 – “The Game Plan” | Wednesdays at 9pm | NBC

This show is going to kill me. I will be the first person to cry herself to death. This week, we finally see Jack in the present day and it’s as we feared: Jack’s dead. Kate honors tradition by watching Steelers’ football games alone with his ashes; something Toby finds out after he pushes and tries to include himself in her Sunday football ritual. Kate’s attachment is more than just rooting for her parents’ favorite team, though. Via flashbacks we learn that during a Super Bowl game (in which the Steelers won), Rebecca and Jack had a very public, very personal argument over having children. He wanted them, but she’s not ready. In the end, they have sex in the bar’s bathroom and the triplets were conceived that night. While we still don’t know how Jack died or how his marriage to Rebecca ended, the loss of Jack is emotional for the audience. That’s saying something since we’ve never seen the character interact with his children as adults.

Other emotional hits this episode include a pregnancy scare for Randall and his wife, Kevin being vulnerable with his nieces and sharing his process for remembering lines, and Randall losing William. Told you. Death by crying. Grade: A ~ ProFan Nina

Designated Survivor – S1E5 – “The Mission” | Wednesdays at 10pm | ABC

Kirkman deals with the brutal reality of sending soldiers into harm’s way. You make the best decision you can based on the information you have at the time, and you hope for the best. His approved operation to catch the terrorists connected to the bombing is a success, but not without a cost. This is honestly the most compelling of this series: watching this man, who didn’t want this level of political power, try to wield it responsibly. We can do without the side drama like the fact that his son doesn’t know Kirkman’s not his biological father. Things like that feel too much like Scandal, and out of place on what could be a smart political drama. Grade: B- ~ ProFan Nina

You can read full reviews of the shows we covered last week below:

The Blacklist, The Vampire Diaries, Channel Zero: Candle Cove, Quarry, Z Nation, The Exorcist, The Walking Dead, Van Helsing, Quantico, The Strain, Jane the Virgin, The Flash, Gotham, Lucifer, Westworld, Supergirl, Atlanta, Queen Sugar, Pitch, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow