Sheriff Country Season 2, Episode 1 “Cyclone” picks up just seventy-two hours after the explosive season one finale, and it was everything we expected it to be. It works so well as a season premiere because we saw just how far Mickey has grown as a person. Despite minor setbacks of going missing and drinking after discovering her mom was alive. As the hour progressed, we saw Mickey actively trying to dig herself out of a hole that had the power to ruin her.
Eventually, Boone and Cassidy would find her at Sheriff Wade’s office (Ben McKenzie) in a neighboring Drake County. And in those few minutes we spent with him, we saw how much he cared for Mickey if he was willing to pretend like finding her never happened, so he doesn’t have to write her up. In that moment we see how much Mickey is loved by the family she chose, which is important.
Healing isn’t linear, especially for someone like Mickey who is avoidant, tough, giving, and has responsibilities to put others before herself. So, what makes ‘Cyclone’ such a good start to the season is that we got to see Mickey’s pain validated by others. From friends like Boone and Cassidy to her parents Wes and Eva. We got moments of people holding her up when she needed support, while also seeing her parents listen and explain their choices without asking for forgiveness.
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Mickey Isn’t Letting the Pain Overwhelm Her
In “Cyclone” Mickey has had enough of sympathizing with her parents. She’s been burned too badly by the two people who were supposed to love and be there for her. First, she yelled at her father to leave her alone when seeing him on parole in her house. Wes did nothing but listen to how badly he hurt his daughter and accept her jabs. Then, when Eva told her the truth about the day she and Wes got arrested, Mickey didn’t let it affect her. Although the flashback showed how close the small family was, the truth only hurt Mickey more. Because her mother chose to live a life without her.
The flashback revealed that Eva was a young undercover cop tasked with catching Wes in the act of selling illegal cannabis. Everything would go wrong when they end up falling in love and have Mickey. Ultimately, the reason why she disappeared was to protect Wes and Mickey. If she left and went back to work, he’d have a lower sentence and could reunite with Mickey quickly. As time passed, Eva didn’t feel right returning to a home that was never supposed to be hers.
While we appreciate that all they did was listen and let Mickey feel her emotions without fighting back to voice their opinion, they’re not off the hook. It’s going to take a lot of time for Mickey to feel more than hate toward her parents. Eventually, will they be worthy of her big heart and selflessness? Time will only tell and want the journey to forgiveness to be a long one.
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Cases Are Building
That’s not to say we don’t believe Wes or Eva aren’t redeemable down the line. Honestly, we think Wes has a better chance at being forgiven because they have history. Any choice he’s made about his daughter has been messily made out of love for her. Truthfully, Eva was the one to abandon her on purpose. Which makes their upcoming storyline of solving drug trafficking cases in Edgewater together so interesting. Helping others may be their common goal but hearts and feelings about the others will have to blend in at some point.
Throughout “Cyclone” Mickey would realize that she was in charge of her emotions. And large part to such a realization had to do with her responsibilities as Sheriff and the fact that she wasn’t the people who hurt her. Actually, she was Mickey Fox, a woman who didn’t deserve the pain her parents caused her. She was someone who persevered. Therefore, she wasn’t going to self-wallow at home to feel her feelings or isolate herself.
Mickey going back to work as quickly as she did was predictable not because she’s the main protagonist. But because protecting her people of Edgewater makes her happy and gives her purpose. Saving the lives of her community who she knows by name and meets with regularly to befriend matters to her. While we wouldn’t mind if she took Boone’s advice to slow down, we applaud her right now for not letting such darkness define her. Because she wants her actions on the job to do so instead. Honestly, it just makes us love her more. Same goes with Cassidy who has taken on the hobby of solving unsolved murders. We love these women who take up space in male dominated fields and shine because of how much they care for their community.
MORE: Need a reminder of how Season 1 ended? Read our Sheriff Country Season 1, Episode 20 ‘Mexico’ review!
Romance Isn’t Forgotten
Questioning Mickey’s choice to come to work after everything wasn’t coming from a place of malice for Boone. All Boone wants is for her to be happy and feel supported when she’s hurting. It’s why he didn’t hesitate to leave the hospital only two days after being shot. Because he wanted to find her and make sure she was okay when Cassidy told him she was missing. Obviously, he cares about her deeply because she matters to him.
So, while she thought he was telling her how to do her job, that wasn’t true. He was giving her permission and space to hurt. All he wanted to do was encourage Mickey to take the time she needed to navigate trauma and open emotional wounds. Once she understood that, she backed down and apologized which we loved to see. Something else we loved from the hour? Mickey’s drunken confession to Boone that she made a mistake turning his advances down.
There’s a saying that says that drunk words are sober thoughts, and we believe that to be true here in “Cyclone.” Especially with Mickey’s pretending she didn’t say anything when Boone confronted her the morning after. Surely, it’ll be brought back later if both of them remember what was said. That’s just how slow burn romances work and we’re hopefully seeing the beginning of one here.
Sheriff Country airs Fridays on CBS at 8:00pm EST.
