I have a feeling this episode was on the cusp of a solid A but not having a more major character than Scarface bite the dust was what kept it down. An A- is still not a bad rating.

Stakeouts with him and Shaw are some of the best interactions he has on the show with any character.

Good thing Team Machine has that anti-tank missile to possibly help in that fight, although I think it'll likely be used against Samaritan.

It just wouldn't seem right to have another person playing her because it'd be so obvious and most fans would be complaining about replacing someone so readily. I'm sure the producers and writers had known about Susi's condition for some time now and may have some backup plans for any storyline that may have involved…

There were bits of of it last year but not nothing that felt overly nasty. This season, however, has made their relationship really devolve for reasons that aren't exactly known, except to the writers.

Same here. It just felt so in-character for those 2 to have taken a couple's therapy.

Noticed that as well. It was a nice little cue from last week's episode.

I wish they'd have Howard and Bernadette not be so nasty every week too. They've taken what used to be fun, playful characters and turned them into a bickering couple that no one can stand. They've overplayed Bernadette being a diminutive dictator no one wants to be around far too long and Howard being the whipped,…

How many average viewers would know what they were actually talking about? I'd assume not that many so their conversation is really one to make the audience feel as if the characters are knowledgeable about their subject matter. Seems like a nitpick on your part due to you background in either mathematics or…

I wish they'd go back to that since her overly squeaky voice can only be taken in small doses. I still don't know why the producers wanted her to be even more high-pitched when her original BBT voice was fine.

To me, it just shows that Howard and Bernadette are an imperfect couple that many in the group are starting to fully see. Their relationship before marriage wasn't all that smooth so being married wasn't going to change anything.

Exactly. Howard has basically transferred whatever attachments and reliance he had with his mom over to Bernadette. I think people forget how when they were dating, Howard would comment on how sexy her voice was when she got angry but everyone else heard it as her sounding like his mother. Plus, the numerous times…

Chicago Fire lost its 2-hour The Voice lead-in and likely came in with those remaining from NBC's comedy hour and fans who normally switch over.

I saw the mole coming as soon as the Agent Lennox mentioned it to John at the police station. Plus, you knew something was brewing when she was the only one really interacting with John the entire episode.

Agreed. Even when they do have a somewhat off-night with a procedural that only figures a bit into the larger picture, they still do it better than some others that are straight procedurals with no season-long plotlines.

Exactly. They aren't just making the Brotherhood as another copy-cat of HR. I think they're setting up the Brotherhood to be a possible rival or ally of Elias', who will then have to decide to help Team Machine or Samaritan. You get the feeling that Finch is getting close to telling Elias about the bigger things in…

I'm having a hard time getting the same feeling I've had for previous seasons and I think a big reason is that it doesn't feel right watching new episodes on a Monday. It's been on Thursdays for so long that its new place (along with the rest of the night) is throwing off my viewing schedule and thus my subsequent…

That's something I've noticed in nearly every episode this season. Last season, you'd have the occasional one but most ended with a pretty succinct ending that fit properly with that episode.

Those 2 are most definitely breather episodes with a little connective tissue to the ongoing season-long plot, just like Wingman was. Allegiance was definitely the stronger of the 2, based mainly on the action scenes being top-notch, the humor, and the wider connections to the bigger Samaritan storyline.