There are many important things being discussed online today. Well, I am not going to discuss any of those things. I am going to talk about "SouthLAnd" and my end-of-season predictions regarding the fate of Officer Ben Sherman. Why am I going to talk about this? Because it amuses me.
It is my opinion that in Episode 10 of "SouthLAnd" (the final episode of the season), Officer Sherman is going to be shot. At first, I thought Schoolteacher Brooke would be the one doing the shooting. But, I have changed my mind. I think the "associates" of Elena are going to commit this dastardly deed. I am not sure if Officer Sherman will live or die, and I don't think we'll find out this season, either. We will find out if, and only if, the show gets a sixth season.
Why do I believe this?
There have been many clues.
The first set of clues revolves around the shady cop character known as Officer Mendoza (played by Chad Michael Murray), who appears in the first few episodes of the current season. Officer Mendoza serves a similar purpose in regard to Officer Sherman that the Ghost of Bob Marley serves to Ebenezer Scrooge in "A Christmas Carol." He does all the crappy things that Officer Sherman is starting to do, but in a more extreme way. And he comes to a very bad end. There is a scene in Officer Mendoza's hospital room, a face-off between him and Officer Sherman, where the latter is defiantly telling the former, "I am not like you." But, Officer Mendoza just looks at Officer Sherman kind of like the devil might look at a soul perched on the edge of the abyss.
What things does Officer Mendoza do that are also temptations for Officer Sherman? He is willing to "bend the cop rules," if you will, in order to obtain what he views as the desired outcome. He lives too large on his limited cop income, becoming deeply in debt. Now, I am not sure that Officer Sherman is deeply in debt. But, he does enjoy the expensive cup of coffee, the nice car, and the fancy sushi restaurant. I have added up his expenses in my head and they seem to be greater than his monthly income could possibly cover. Officer Mendoza also seems to be somewhat of a sexoholic, if you will. He is a married guy, but he is apparently quite comfortable at the strip club. He is also (and this is VERY important) sleeping with a gang-associated gal. Officer Mendoza is, basically, an extremely cynical person, a person with a rather warped sense of entitlement. And this leads him into doing the things he does which ultimately result in his ruin. Does Officer Sherman seem to be adopting the attitudes which have led to his fellow officer's demise? He sure does.
The second clue I have employed in my end-of-season hypothesis concerns Officer Sherman's habits with his gun. As he exits the fancy, budget-breaking restaurant with Schoolteacher Brooke, the show's writers go to great pains to make the point that Officer Sherman is in the habit of carrying his gun on his off-time. After all, as he says, you never know when there might be a shoot-out in a restaurant. He learned this from watching "Numb3rs" -- there is an episode where Colby and David are involved in a shoot-out in a restaurant on their off-time, and it is a darn good thing they are carrying their guns.
The third clue revolves around Officer Sherman's two-timing habits. Right after he introduces Brooke as his "girlfriend" -- the very next day, I think it is -- he gets all lusty about a cute little artsy gal (Elena) who has a cool and edgy place. We know from earlier seasons of "SouthLAnd" that Officer Sherman is into artsy-ness, so faced with this overwhelming display of creative womanhood, he cannot help but leap immediately into bed with her. Unfortunately, though, Elena's brother is a gang-associated young man. That is how Officer Sherman met her, after all. He had just arrested her brother. And, if her brother is gang-related, well, you know she's gonna be. And Officer Sherman finds out just how gang-related she is when he emerges from her bedroom to find a couple of large gang specimens hanging real casual-like in the living room. No worries, though. Elena is happily making food for all.
This third clue relates back to the whole Officer Mendoza thing. He, too, had been "seeing" a gangster gal. And when he was shot, it was thought that it was retribution by gang members. Although this turned out not to be the case for Officer Mendoza, the point is definitely made of how cops sleeping with ganster gals might be viewed negatively in certain gangster circles. Especially if they are two-timing their wives or nice schoolteacher girlfriends.
The fourth clue is Sammy's helicopter ride. Officer Sammy Bryant is Officer Ben Sherman's partner. He is played by Shawn Hatosy. On the last day of shooting for Season 5, Shawn Hatosy filmed a scene in which he rode in an LAPD chopper. How do I know this? Because I follow Mr. Hatosy on Instagram and he put up some pictures of himself in the helicopter. But -- Officer Sherman is not in the helicopter with Officer Bryant during this scene. Indeed, Ben McKenzie (who plays Officer Sherman) wrapped his Season 5 work two days before Shawn Hatosy filmed this helicopter scene. How do I know this? Because of Twitter.
The fifth clue? The title of Episode 10 of Season 5 of "SouthLAnd" is entitled "Reckoning."
And finally -- the sixth clue -- the writers have been doing an outstanding job this year of making all the individual events in the episodes add up to a big, beautiful, coherent masterpiece. Nothing is without meaning.
So, this is how I think it's gonna go down in Episode 10.
Elena's gangster friends are going to find out about Ben's two-timing and get ticked. They are going to locate the fancy restaurant where Officer Sherman is taking Schoolteacher Brooke to dinner. This restaurant is going to have a lot of fancy glass windows in the facade. Ben and Brooke are going to be seated by the windows. The gangster dudes are going to drive their gangster mobile -- which is going to look highly out-of-place in the neighborhood where the fancy restaurant is located -- down the road in front of said restaurant and shoot out all the front windows hoping to do away with two-timing sexaholic Officer Sherman. Officer Sherman is going to pull out the gun he always carries with him -- thanks to the lessons learned from Colby and David -- and return fire. Now, Officer Sherman has a sharp-shooting medal, so his aim will be true and he will manage to hit at least one of gangsters. Thus, he will save (at least most of) the innocent bystanders. Unfortunately, I don't think he will manage to save Brooke. I think she is going to die. And Officer Sherman himself will be seriously wounded. Although, I am not sure he is going to die. After this dramatic shoot-out, the gangsters who Officer Sherman did not manage to hit will attempt a getaway, resulting in a dramatic high-speed chase, involving an LAPD helicopter. And since it is his friend and partner who has been (perhaps mortally) wounded, Sammy is going to be on that chopper. Whether it scares the crap out of him or not.
Now, will Officer Sherman die from his gunshot wounds? Well, it depends.
Upon what does it depend?
It depends on whether or not the pilot that Ben McKenzie is filming for a new show turns out to his satisfaction, and whether or not it gets picked up. Mr. McKenzie says that he is doing the new pilot in second position to "SouthLAnd." He says that if "SouthLAnd" is renewed, he is definitely staying. But, what else is he going to say? Saying anything else would be incredibly dumb. (Now look who's being cynical. Sorry.)
So, we'll see. We'll see, first of all, if "SouthLAnd" is picked up for a sixth season. And, if it is, we'll find out the ultimate fate of Officer Sherman. For my part -- I hope they both return. The show and the character.
"SouthLAnd" forever. ;-)
Yes. This is what I think about while doing the grocery shopping. And it is why I always forget at least one item. :-/
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