Shades of Blue: The Breach – All Fall Down (Review)

Shades of Blue: The Breach brings all the build up to a head and the robbery goes down but is interrupted by a shocked and angry Loman. Harlee discovers the depth of Stahl’s deception and depravity and Miguel starts working at Cristina in earnest causing a rift between mother and daughter.

As the countdown to the armored car heist begins, Harlee and Woz both are caught up in last minute issues. Wozniak (Ray Liotta) spots a woman that he believes is Santos coming out of Stahl’s apartment with the FBI agent escorting her out of the building. Woz rushes up to the car and sees that the woman just resembles Harlee. Alarm bells go off in the cop’s head.

Santos tracks down Miguel and offers to pay him off to leave her and Cristina alone.  The armor car robbery is ready to start. Tufo and Carlos learn that Joaquin (Michael Drayer) was one of two men who wanted to buy Royce’s club and that he was there when the club owner  was murdered. 

Tufo starts finding pieces that do not fit in reference to the backstory on Sap’s death.  He mentions the immunity document was signed two weeks previously. Harlee is not happy, as that was not the deal.

Woz tracks down the escort who looks like Santos and learns of Stahl using the woman as  a Harlee substitute. Loman is sent to question Joaquin solo as the rest of the team are ready to start the job.

Woz reveals Stahl’s little sex games with the escort, who he calls Harlee, to Santos. She returns home and watches the rest of the hidden camera footage and learns that Woz did not exaggerate. She also finds that Stahl  never called Baker to get the rest of her crew immunity.

Stahl (Warren Kole) arrives to plant the wire on Harlee. She tells the agent that he murdered Saperstein by changing the date on the paperwork. Miguel is in the house listening to the entire exchange. Stahl reveals that he never asked for immunity for her crew either.

The robbery plan proceeds and after Santos leaves her apartment Miguel grabs the tablet with the Stahl footage. Loman goes to question Joaquin and learns he is on a route. The cop decides to follow.  Harlee goes to Caddie (Michael Laurence) for help.

Caddie goes above and beyond and teaches Santos how to disable  a van. Chen is antsy about picking up the kidnap victims. The crew meet for the job and Loman is following the truck they intend to rob.

The sabotaged van breaks down and Harlee urges the team to stand down, allowing her the chance to skim off the shipment of cash.  When the van stops Baker calls for Chen to rescue the kidnap victim. She moves in with her team and finds the man dead; his throat has been cut by Pomp.

Woz and Harlee have a heart-to-heart about Miguel and he promises to sort Zepeda out if the money does not work.  They talk about Santos lying to Cristina and he tells her to confess and beg for forgiveness, “I won’t get it,” Harlee says sadly. Is she talking about Crista or Woz?  It seems her response   could apply to both.

Tufo, Carlos and Tess manage to arrive at the drop-off in a rented car.

Loman (Dayo Okeniyi) arrives just after Woz and Harlee start the “pretend” robbery. The cop calls for immediate back up “robbery in progress.” 

Tufo recognizes Joaquin from the club and the guard grasps the handle of his gun. The cop tells Woz that the guard was at the club when Randy Royce was murdered, things escalate and Loman shows up; badge and gun showing.

Joaquin takes advantage of the interruption to pull his weapon and fire. Woz shoots him and his driver.

Tess is shot and Harlee rushes to her side leaving Loman and Woz who knows it has all fallen down, the job and his sideline. Looking off camera he mutters, “Ah sh*t.”

This episode of Shades of Blue managed to crack along at a incredible pace. If there were any continuity or editing gaffes this week they were missed due to the tension and the suspense of the episode.

At long last Santos knows about Stahl’s unhealthy obsession with her but it looks as though, when the dust settles, that the footage may be with Miguel.  There are two episodes left in this season. Plenty of time for Cristina to start siding with her father and for the FBI deal to fall apart for everyone.

Shades of Blue airs Thursdays on NBC.