Numb3rs: Robin Hood (Episode 405)

Holy Bank: We begin this eppesode in a bank that looks more like an old church than a bank, with the world’s worst security guard, ever. Now, you may think that I’m being overly critical as the audience is let in on the secret that there are robber digging into the vault and listening in on the communication between the guard, the security company and the police. You might also think I’m being critical because the guard does his duty and checks the vault and tries to save the $500 penalty fee if the police make a false run out for what he believes is a non-existent robbery.

Well, let me assure you those are not the reasons I frown upon this guard. No, I hold the guard in utter contempt for his inability to keep track of his cup of coffee. He checks on the vault with his coffee (although really, who takes coffee to a potential robbery?) but comes back out sans caffeine.

IHOF: In my favourite subplot to this eppesode (which slightly edges out the reunited alternative band coming later) Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are bickering over the correct signs to use when interviewing a suspect. Since it’s only their second case as a reunited team, they still haven’t worked out all the kinks yet (no, the Kinks were not the band I was referring to). Apparently, David thought Colby had something in his eye, when he was really signaling to back off. Don’s frustrated that the miscommunication of signals meant that they didn’t get anything from the suspect. Oh Don, it could be worse, is could be a Larry Craig-style miscommunication of signals. That would’ve wasted much more time.

Megan explains it perfectly, “Remember when The Who got back together and decided to go out on tour, took them a little while to get their groove back?”

That wasn’t the band I was referring too either. I would never call The Who “alternative.”

Holy Bank: Back at the crime scene the guard has managed to find his coffee, but then promptly loses it (again) when he opens the vault.

Inside he does manage to find something (not his coffee), two robbers. I hope he had most of it because he receives the anti-caffeine, a tranquilizer dart and falls to the floor.

IHOF: The Fedcakes must be having their annual “take 911 calls the regular cops should be handling” night, as David tells Don of the potential robbery in progress. Now, I’m a Canadian, and up here we don’t call in the Mounties for a potential bank robbery, so if the Feds are called down in the US, I’ll take my previous snark back across the border.

Holy Bank: The robbers here Don’s announcement that one order of hot Fedcakes is going to be delivered to the bank, and the robbers hightail it out of there. Some people just cannot handle hot Fedcakes. I wouldn’t mind giving it a try.

Lieutenant Gary Walker is already on scene, giving lowdown on the situation and laying the smackdown on Edgerton as coolest guest star. The two biggest clues something is wrong are the inability to raise the guard, and the unscheduled work truck parked on the street.

They all head down into the underground and quickly catch sight of one suspect. David goes chasing after that rabbit shouting “Come on, give it up! You’re only going to make me mad!” It so sounds like something my dad would say to my brother and me when we were little and wouldn’t stop randomly picking on each other. Come to think of it, I think he said the same thing this past thanksgiving. It’s hard to tell, as we don’t have the mature working relationship of the Eppes brothers. In my family, it’s instant regression to a 10 year old.

Just like my brother and I, the robber doesn’t listen. Although, I have to admit, we were never promptly tackled by Dad the way the robber is by David.

Walker and Don make their way up into the vault, to find the unconscious guard and the remaining robber, who quickly gets the upper hand with tear gas. In the commotion, the second robber is lost, but what they can’t figure out, is why none of the safety deposit boxes are open. Isn’t the whole point of a bank robbery to take something?

Title Flash.

The following morning, David’s put on his favourite exposition shirt to tell us all about the guy he tackled. His name is Richard Fisk, an infamous robber who did time in both France and Russia and who has suddenly become a mute.

Speaking of not wanting to say much, Mr. Friscia, the bank manager, who doesn’t want to disturb his customers with this whole robbery business, and would much rather have everything go away. I don’t think it’s possible for this guy not to make Don and Walker more suspicious. He’s sure that only the owners can get into the boxes, which in television drama land means: there’s a loophole somewhere. Since Walker and Don speak TV drama land, they’ll be back with warrants for the boxes that were opened, once they figure out which ones they are.

Cal Sci: Before I delve into my confusion, I would like it known that I understand everything that went on in this scene. Charlie’s cancelled a lecture for a book party and to greet Amita’s parents at LAX. He even calls them “family” and wants to be there for her. That line alone is proof of character development as in the first season; Charlie would’ve offered to hide in the Math Garage while Amita picked up her parents.

I even understand Amita’s reticence. We were told way back in the pilot that if Amita’s parents had their way, she would have an arranged marriage to some banker in Goa (a “total ass”) so I can even understand her obvious nervousness at having her parents meet Charlie. What confuses me is why they’re flying into LAX since she’s stated before that she was born and raised in California! Where did they go?

Megan arrives with the case files. Yet again we’re told how cohesive a couple they are because they manage to finish each other’s sentences. Personally, I like them better when they’re working out things. The important bit though is that they’ll easily be able to figure out which boxes were hit.

I must admit, I am amused that Charlie uses a golf swing as his analogy since we all know how he feels about golf.

IHOF: I’m going to honest with you. Recapping this scene was extremely difficult for me. Before it started, I was giggling and am having trouble hearing the dialogue.

Essentially, this happens: Walker is pissed that neither Rosencrantz nor Guildenstern delivered the gloves to be processed. Colby thought David would do it but David claims that evidence bagging and tagging has always been Colby’s job. I didn’t think anyone could bicker as well as the Eppes brothers. Well Eppes brothers, you’ve been served.

The whole time, Walker’s clearly thinking of producing his own version of everyone’s favourite play.

Really, all we were missing was Walker slapping the pair in the back of their heads before telling them that the gloves were clean of the suspect’s DNA but still covered in acetate.

Colby’s figured out how the suspects broke into the boxes when they were fingerprint coded, by making a mold of a lifted print. David asks if he learned that in spy school. Colby replies that he learned if from the Discovery Channel, but you want to know the one thing that would’ve made this scene more hilarious?

The one conclusion they don’t bicker about? It had to be an inside job.

Cal Sci: Larry is impressed with Alan’s most recent matriculation. I like his description, “It’s nice to see a late bloomer in the garden of knowledge.”

The conversation would have continued along a philosophical vein, were it not for the alternative rock band reuniting.

Come on, like you didn’t see that joke coming. Apparently, it’s a Cal Sci tradition to toss pumpkins frozen with liquid nitrogen, off the top of the library. It might be nice if they waited for students to be clear of the steps though, before they’re tossed.

Thus Alan starts a new tradition, “the frightened student dash.”

I would like to point out here, that the whole pumpkin tossing is a shout out to the university after which Cal Sci is modeled, Cal Tech. Again, more shout outs and yet mine is nowhere to be seen?

Near Charlie’s office, we get another Charmita conversation. All right, I’m not one of those people who are all anti-office romances. What I am is against Charlie ditching a student at work to deal with personal problems. That isn’t a sound teaching practice there, Charlie.

He’s a little affronted when he figures out that she’s nervous about him meeting her parents. At first he asks, “This isn’t about me being Jewish, is it?” Well, other than finally confirming what we all knew (but really didn’t care about either way other than as yet another point to debate amongst the fandom) all this proves is that first season Charlie clearly didn’t pay attention to anything Amita said, otherwise he would’ve remembered the whole arranged marriage discussion. In all honestly, he doesn’t have to remember the specifics, just the general impression that her parents are traditionalists.

Fortunately, whenever Charlie has discussions that he finds uncomfortable, he’s usually saved by something to do with the case, and that plot device doesn’t fail him now. He’s off to see Don.

Holy Bank: This has to be some time after Charlie’s visit as Don and Walker are back at the bank, sure which box has been hit. Again, Walker’s impressed by the math, and really, by now, it shouldn’t surprise him. “My boy’s a well-oiled machine,” Don asserts.

Using that line as an opportunity, Walker talks to Don about the David and Colby situation and offers him some management advice.

Inside the vault is a very shifty looking Mr. Piennar who has had half a million in South African Krugerrands. Thus Mr. Piennar leaves with two declarations neither law enforcement nor the bank want to hear. The first is that he’s done talking to Don and Walker. The second is that his lawyer will definitely be calling the bank and complaining about service.

IHOF: We learn that Mr. Piennar was a mercenary and that his gold, once transferred into cash, was sent to a bunch of different charities. “Looks like we’re dealing with a real life Robin Hood here,” David says. Well, if they are, would he mind donating to my charity? No charity case cracks, please!

Later, Megan’s theorizing that the risk that Robin Hood took was too great to only come away with a half a million in gold coins. Therefore, Charlie’s back on the case searching for more boxes but this time he has a new variable. The likelihood is that the people who were stolen from are just as dirty as the mercenary Piennar.

Cal Sci: Alan and Larry are taking refuge in Charlie’s office to avoid being hit by “Exploding Gourds.” I so think that name was the rejected option for the “Smashing Pumpkins.”

It’s a scene full of awkwardness (but no NPALs™) because Charlie’s uncertain about his model. Alan’s uncertain about what’s going on and why Charlie’s second in command in the renewed tensions in the Eppes’ House War has been scarce of late. As for Larry, he’s uncertain about the path of his own life. Although, I must admit, for Larry, this isn’t exactly a new state of being. What perplexes me the most is the unspoken problem Charlie his having.

IHOF: Before I tell you what happens, I just have to compliment the wardrobe department for these new, tighter fitting shirts on Colby. It helps fulfill my weekly quota of eye candy. Okay, back on topic. Charlie’s identified the box of Iraqi antique dealer Ali Karimi, as another one hit. It looks like Karimi was smuggling priceless treasures out of Baghdad when no one was looking. The other box broken into was drug dealer D.J. Rodriguez’s.

La Maison d’Eppes: In the space of 10 seconds, Charlie references Amita three times. Alan, being the perceptive father he is (or, should I say, Charlie, being unable to keep his emotions hidden) asks if he wants to talk about it.

Charlie’s feeling rejected and he hasn’t even met Amita’s parents yet. To be honest, when I first watched this eppesode, I thought Charlie was being a little whiny because Amita still wants to be with him, despite the fear of her father’s reaction. Then I realized that he’s covering up how he feels. “I feel kinda rejected,” he tells Alan. I don’t think it’s because he feels rejected by Amita’s father. I think he’s feeling a little rejected by Amita. You know, despite everything, first season lacking in confidence Charlie is still in there. We just don’t see him as often because he’s growing up. Could you imagine first season Charlie in a functional relationship?

In what I believe is Alan’s first truly wise moment of the season (all other semi-wise moments have really just been pithy – but I’ll accept debate on the discussion he had with David ), he starts talking about parents’ hopes for their children. If Alan had his way, Don would be playing professional baseball and Charlie would’ve opened up a planning firm with his father. Even though his perfect plans didn’t work out, he still couldn’t be prouder of his children. He’s confident that Amita’s father will be the same way.

Oh Alan, you’d like to hope but there are parents out there not as reasonable as you. Although, I’d be surprised if the infinitely well-adjusted Amita came from an unreasonable household.

IHOF: Karimi makes it perfectly clear – he’d rather lose his money than admit what it was he had in his safety deposit box.

Antiquity Society: I’m not entirely sure what to call the place where Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are, but wherever it is, a 4th century B.C. vase was just turned in and the reward money is to be divided amongst a group of charities. The Fedcakes now know what Karimi had in the box, but now David and Colby have a whole new set of problems.

No-Tell Motel: Don and Walker received a tip that the drug dealer, Rodriguez, will be making a buy. While they’re theorizing who phoned in the tip, they realize they were mistaken; a group of men aren’t here to buy something. They’re there to kill someone.

A shootout takes place in the parking lot and I think Walker has taken his tough guy routine too far. I’m well aware that police will often where their protective gear under their clothes, but look at Walker, there’s no way anything is fitting underneath that shirt.

While Colby takes down one of the shooters, Walker and Don head off in their car in pursuit of another suspect, who has taken off on foot. Suggesting they play polo, Walker takes out the suspect by opening the car door at just the right moment, taking the suspect down. I have to say “polo” and “Walker” were not two words I even expected to use in the same sentence. I figured his sport would be more along the lines of football.

IHOF: Rodriguez was caught only because he didn’t want a rumour flying around that anyone could steal from him. For his pride’s sake he’s going to be spending the next decade in jail. You know, my pride isn’t worth ten years.
Cal Sci: Megan’s gone to see Charlie, only to find Larry instead. He’s musing over the butterfly and how it won’t resemble the caterpillar. I love how Megan can translate Fleinhardt and go through Larry’s speeches on nebulas or butterflies and come up with the literal meaning. He’s thinking about leaving the monastery.

Oh Charlie, for those of us who have be concerned recently with some leaks in the good chip Megan/Larry, now is so not the time to walk in. I do like the fact that the couple is slightly embarrassed to be caught almost kissing when they should be working. It’s a lesson Charlie and Amita need to learn.

She hands off the list of charities to Charlie so that he can find the commonalities, and exits. After that brief moment of confidence our ship isn’t sinking, Larry actually sounds depressed when talking about her. Sure the “makes the phenethylimine race through the blood” comment is heartening but the whole follow up of “one needs more than the pull of molecules, one needs a sense of timing” leaves me with no option. It’s time to start begging.

Larry turns the conversation back onto Charmita, and Charlie’s come to a realization. He’s got to “move beyond your own ego and open yourself to the vast intelligence that surrounds us.” All right then, but now he’s confused both me and Larry. I know love can make you say some things you usually wouldn’t but on Numb3rs love makes you sound as philosophically perplexing as Larry Fleinhardt.

IHOF: Megan corrects Walker’s perception that our Robin Hood is delusional by saying he’s too well organized and calculating to be delusional. Personally, I think Megan’s the only Fedcake who would be permitted to correct Walker – not because of any sexist ideals about Walker not hitting a woman but because she’s the only one would could probably take him in an all out no-holds barred fist fight.

Friscia, the bank manager, arrives with a note threatening to release more of his clients’ secrets unless the bank pays Robin Hood 10 million dollars. When he insists he has to pay the blackmail, Megan signals David and Colby to follow him. They may be having difficulty reading each other’s signals, but Megan’s are loud and clear.

Cal Sci: Amita, I was totally in support of you being concerned about your parents, until you left Charlie worrying since he couldn’t get a hold of you. Amita, we both know I’ve expected very little of you in the past, but the one thing I do expect is for you to be the mature on in the relationship.

Charlie promises to wait until Amita’s ready to introduce him. She jokes that she’ll be ready when he wins the Fields Medal. She even claims that’s the reason she’s with him.

“I thought it was for my hair,” Charlie quips. Hee! I don’t need to add anything to that. We all understand.

Charlie has to rush off, but not before he and Amita kiss far too many times than what makes me comfortable. It’s the workplace people!

IHOF: As Charlie arrives to explain the connection between the charities, Don comments that Charlie could always call. Yes, he could, but then we’d miss this brilliant little exchange between Walker and Charlie.

Walker: I’ve gotten used to not understanding what the hell you’re talking about.
Charlie: It’s great to see you too, lieutenant. Well, just think about an online dating service.
Walker: Now professor, what makes you think I would be familiar with a concept like that?
Charlie: Hypothetically.

The real connection for the locally youth-based charities is Promises House, a teen centre that burned down five years ago. Now they’ve got to find out what the connection is between Promises House and Robin Hood. Before they can do that though, Megan comes with the news that the bank is about to pay off the bandit.

Peer: David and Colby are sent to keep an eye on the money. This time their inability to succeed isn’t due to their lack of coordination as a partnership, but because Friscia ties the money bag to a rope where it is promptly dragged under water. In order to try and retrieve the money, Colby dives into the ocean. I’d like to personally shake the hand of whoever thought that getting Colby soaking wet was a good idea. He doesn’t come out with the money, but he does come out looking extremely well defined. It also fulfills the requirement of Colby jumping off something once an eppesode this season.

IHOF: There were a few things found in the harbour. The first is waterproof case. Within that case is a spare battery for an underwater propulsion device (hee! Go go gadget sub!) and a California license plate.

Don comes in all furious about letting the money, and Robin Hood get away. I don’t see how Rosencrantz and Guildenstern could have predicted an “underwater propulsion device” but Don threatens that they either get it together or he’ll split them up. They look properly chastised, but really, after everything else, Don chooses now to blow up?

Outside, Walker’s gone to give Don more advice about how to run his squad. Walker claims his squad worships him because he doesn’t give a crap if they don’t. It’s the whole classic “friend vs. leader” debate.

The only member of the team not giving Don trouble is Megan, who has the information on the license plate. It belongs to career arsonist, Alex Evans and Megan sent David and Colby out to talk to them. I bet Don’s regretting taking a time out to talk about his management style now.

They arrest Evans’ son with “misdemeanor stupidity” which if it isn’t a crime in California, totally should be. I’m highly amused that Alex Evans is played by the brother of Captain Donald Cragen over on L&O:SVU. They share the same hairline.

IHOF: In custody, Evans tells the Fedcakes that the bank manager is the one who hired him. The Fedcakes do some more research and discover that Friscia owned the property Promises House was on, and he sold it to a developer for 20 million after it was burned down.

Holy Bank: David goes to arrest Friscia and confronts him with an audio recording of him ordering the arson on Promises House. David asks what that says about Friscia. I have another question entirely.

Cal Sci: Larry mistakes Charlie’s frustration as worry over Amita, but for Charlie, it’s that his math isn’t working out. The path the robber took in opening the boxes doesn’t make any sense. They come to a surprising conclusion; the robber started with the Piennar’s box, because he knew he could open it. There’s only one reason he would know that.

IHOF: After doing further research on Piennar, Colby discovers the mercenary’s real name was Steven Buckley. David provides the last piece of the puzzle by find out what happened to the 10 million extorted from Friscia. It was paid to Evans to make sure he confessed. Only when David threatens Evens with a long stint in solitary, does Evans finally give up Piennar.

Considering a motif running through this eppesode, is the relationships between fathers and their children, we get the opposite of the Alan here. Evans is so confident his son wouldn’t take care of him that he took Piennar’s money to confess in order to be financially secure in his old age. I’m guessing he’s not proud of his son’s path in life the way Alan is of his boys.

Fire House: The reason for the scheme is revealed as Piennar / Buckley’s brother was killed fighting the fire at Promises House. With his skills from the mercenary trade, it was easy to rob from the dirty, nail Friscia and keep up the good work of Promises House. It was all done in honour of the only family Piennar / Buckley had.

What’s amazing is that Walker, Don and the bandit are talking hypothetically. Since Piennar / Buckley is on a flight to Venezuela that night, Don suggests he stay there for a good long time.

It’s a solution Colby and David can’t understand but accept anyway, because Don says so. I hope Walker’s taking note of this since he’s been questioning Don’s leadership for the whole eppesode.

Cal Sci: Larry and Alan are going on the road with the reunited Smashing Pumpkins for totally separate reasons. Alan’s trying to connect to the younger crowd and Larry just likes watching stuff explode.

“The two great adult influences in my life are heading off to blow up pumpkins,” Charlie tells Amita. Since Alan and Larry are the two greatest adult influences in Charlie’s life, in case you didn’t already know, this scene explains everything about why Charlie is the way he is.

As for Amita, she has a solution to the whole parent problem. She figures that Alan and her father should get together because “I haven’t seen a Ramanujan who can say no to an Eppes yet.”

IHOF: Walker admits that the Fedcakes are a good team and Don admits he’d much rather be friends with them. Walker’s style is uniquely his as one of him is definitely enough. As for Don, he also admits it’s a difficult balance when one is dating a member of the team. Walker looks at the team and makes a fairly logical mistake. He assumes Don is talking about Megan. I’m sure that somewhere, my colleague, Annie just smiled as her OTP got a shout out. Don corrects him that he’s seeing Liz (and Walker is suitably impressed) and Gary admits he can’t judge based on his own marital history which includes 3 ex-wives.

The eppesode ends with the Fedcakes and Walker heading out for drinks, on David’s tab. Wisely, David refuses to pay for Walker. While I’m confident Megan could kick his ass in a fight, I’m just as sure Walker could drink the Fedcakes under the table.

As they walk out, Don puts his arm around Megan. Somewhere in the distance I faintly hear squeeing.

And next week looks like a doozy for Don and Liz. As for me, I'm starting to get concerned about the lime green fluted bowl! Is it disheartened, as I've not seen it in the past two eppesodes!