Written by E. Paul Edwards
Directed by Jefferson Kibbee
Airdate: January 15, 1989
Guest Stars: Russel Wong (Locke); Kelly Hu (Kim Van L); Danny Kamekona (Van Luy)
Ioki infiltrates a Vietnamese gang known as Pai Gow who are linked to several heists, creating moral dilemmas about his identity and line of work. He befriends the gang's leader Locke who wants to bring prosperity to his community and take advantage of the opportunities offered by American capitalism. In opposition to Locke is Van Luy, a businessman who also runs a newspaper that critiques American foreign policy. To add more intrigue, Locke is in love with Luy's daughter Kim.
The script does a great job of cross-examining notions of American identity. As of the 2020s around 1.3 million Vietnamese refugees live in the United States. The episode draws on tensions of assimilation and the aftermath of the Vietnam War. Nguyen's performance expresses his ambivalence on going undercover within a culture he's a part of and shares many common experiences. He understands Locke is trying to do good for the community, but also realizes his job requires him to enforce the law. In a discussion with Fuller, Ioki opens about his conflicted feelings about the case.
Ioki leads a sting operation on Locke, despite his conflict. He visits him in prison, and they have a bitter confrontation. Much of season three has dealt with the moral certainties of previous seasons coming under more pressure. The episode also deserves credit for dealing with the Vietnamese American community and its complexities.
A subplot with Hanson getting shot in the behind in a friendly fire incident allowed for some strained comic relief. Penhall goes to outrageous lengths to compensate for his guilt, following a long tradition of TV tropes with a comical "b" story.
Final Report: Another strong episode, dealing with identity and moral dilemmas.
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