The true test of a show and its success always comes when you shake up the dynamics on screen. And so far in Line of Fire, we’ve seen Jane and Mike, Clare and Jane, Mike and Micah, the siblings together, and then the family as a whole. Most shows would stop right there even when it’s an ensemble cast. But Line of Fire Season 1 Episode 4 “Paper Trail” pushed for more, gave us some different family dynamics, and subsequently proved the strength of their cast and the writing itself.
MORE: Need a refresher of the previous episode? Read our review for Line of Fire Season 1 Episode 3 “There Are Two Wolves.”
Clare and Mike’s Bond
From the very first episode, Line of Fire has made it very clear that Clare and Jane have a very complicated but loving relationship. And their bond as daughter and mother bleeds over into the work that they do on the daily. So color me surprised when Episode 4 went and gave Clare and Jane scenes, but then paired up Clare with her father for the majority of the episode. It’s almost like the show is able to juggle different character relationships without forgetting or sacrificing the work they’ve done before. Imagine that.
Clare and Mike are completely different when it comes to the kind of relationship that they have as child and parent. When it comes to Clare and Jane, it’s almost a fight grounded in respect but also Clare trying to impress her mom. When it comes to Clare and Mike, Clare isn’t afraid to push back on her dad and then go to mom to get back up. And I love that even though their methods are very different, the show makes a point to lay out the fact that their personalities are complementary.
I also really liked how there was no anger when they disagreed. And maybe they did have some anger in the same way that Micah had with Mike in the previous episode when it came to Mike doing his job. And maybe Mike has grown and doesn’t want to make the same mistakes with his daughter Clare. But he’s not going to back down just cuz she’s his daughter. And she’s not going to back down because he’s her dad. That just speaks to the trust that they have in each other, even when they bump heads.
But yeah, when you shake up dynamics within a show like this, it just leads to a more intricate web that I want to know more of. Now let’s throw Russ in the mix when it comes to the parents.
Russ and Micah’s Complicated Relationship
Micah went and thought that Russ started a DOJ investigation to stop him from having a good weekend. Like… a DOJ investigation is a huge deal, instead of a petty tactic, and Micah should know that as a Secret Service Agent. So I’m trying to understand where this misplaced anger comes from with Russ. Is it because the death of Jack still weighs on him? Is it because he’s now the older brother but the middle child is actually the most competent one?
Whatever is going on, I’m curious and I also think Micah is being unfair to Russ, especially when his brother always has his back.
When Agent Wallace came for Micah, Russ didn’t back down. Go back and watch the scene where Wallace confronts Russ in the hotel lobby. She gives him a warning and goes to move around him. And Russ doesn’t care. He moves as if to block her anyway. Because even if his brother is being unruly and Russ has to clean up his mess again, that’s Russ’s brother. And you can see just how complicated their relationship is in the conversation back home when Russ tells Micah he knows about his affair with the president’s daughter. There’s anger there again. I just don’t know why.
All together, I do think that Jack’s death changed a lot for this family. But I like the different dynamics that we’re seeing of who these siblings are outside of the grief that they experienced. And I also like how we’re peeling back these layers that show that even someone like Russ, who seems to have it all together, can get frustrated and be a little turd just like Micah if the whole story with the stolen baseball cards is anything to go by.
Again, new dynamics for us as a viewer that make this show better.
Additional thoughts about Line of Fire Season 1 Episode 4:
- Agent Wallace needs to be careful. Because Jack knows she’s going after his family, has his photos, and is onto what he’s doing.
- Like he left a crane in her home in front of her family photos.
- Girl, you are in danger!
- Also, this episode really is making me miss Bobby Nash. There’s this twinkle in his eye sometimes that screams Bobby. But he’s different. He’s Mike. And I like this new side of Krause that I’m getting to see as a viewer.
- I really need to see Russ with the parents. Because he’s giving the middle child who didn’t want to bring attention to himself because his parents had enough going on with the other kids. And that’s not fair to Russ.
- Also, want to know more about that comment that Russ made about how Clare had mom and Micah had dad. So who does Russ have?
- At the same time, what was Micah’s relationship with Jack since the origami book was in his room?!
- Oh the chewing on the phone. Sibling behavior.
- And then Mike being there for Clare in the morning. I know he was providing cover for Jane going to talk to Wallace, but the way she asked if he missed her and Mike was like, “It’s been 8 hours, so yeah.” Familyyyyyy feels.
Line of Fire airs new episodes on Mondays at 10/9c on NBC, with episodes streaming the next day on Peacock.
