10-8

A Hard Day’s Night

10-8 - Season 1 -- Episode 2 – Aired: 10/05/03.
James Morrison plays Senior Deputy Mark Lowry

Trainee sheriff's deputy Rico Amonte has worked 5 days straight and is looking forward to getting some rest on the 2 days off his training officer has granted him, but he's going to get the day from hell instead. And all because - or so he thinks - of a black cat...

It all begins at the morning briefing for the trainee deputies. One of the training officers is sick, and Deputy Williams is to be teamed up with Senior Deputy Mark Lowry who is a legend on the force. This 30 year veteran has refused promotion in order to stay in a patrol car, because he says 'everything that happens, happens on the streets', and that's the only place he ever wants to be.

Amonte encounters the cat while he and Sgt Deputy Barnes are chasing and arresting a perp. This is followed by the first of several 'dressing downs' Rico receives during the day. The next comes almost immediately when the patrol car breaks down in a bad part of town and the sheriffs have to call a tow truck as Amonte forgot to load the spare wheel.

A call to a disturbance at the beach brings them into contact with Lowry. "It seems there's a bunch of drunk knuckleheads playing rugby..." and "...somebody got tagged too hard. You know how these yahoos get." As the other sheriffs take up positions, Lowry gets on the bullhorn. "This is the LA Sheriff! Please disperse immediately!" The answer is a glass bottle thrown at the patrol car. As the officers move in, it seems someone fires a shot at them. This is when Amonte discovers he has left his weapon back at the station, though as the 'gun-shot' turns out to be a car backfiring, he doesn't get as much heat from Barnes as he might have.

The next call attended by Barnes, Lowry and their trainees is a call to an abandoned van. The air around the vehicle reeks, but Lowry says, "...didn't get close enough to check it out. I figured you could take the first hit." Of course, the trainees get the job of opening the van. The stink turns out to be a lot of sick looking illegal immigrants, and Amonte ends up getting vomited on.

The last time we see Lowry he is out on patrol in a squad car with Williams, giving the young officer some good advice. "Never dwell on your mistakes; it's distracting. The strength comes from the good you do, and owning it. Doubt yourself and everyone else will too." Williams comments that if Lowry were his actual training officer he'd probably be using a completely different set of words. "Probably, but these are the words I'm choosing to use, that OK with you?" He continues to talk as they patrol, and has just commented on how hard the job can be, "...Most times it's a thankless one, but if you're good at it, it doesn't matter. Just do what you do honestly, the rest will follow, know what I'm saying?"… When they drive into a hail of gunfire and the senior deputy takes a bullet. Williams manages to get control of the car, the situation, and call for an ambulance for the older man, who turns out to be recovering well by the end of the episode

Reviwer's note: As usual, Mr Morrison 'fits' his uniform very well in this appearance (and it fits him nicely in return). It's very easy to believe that Lowry has devoted his life to trying to make the streets of LA a better place for folks to walk and live. He radiates a calm competence that is perfect for the role; you'd place yourself under his protection instantly if he offered it.

This review and captured pictures is provided solely as a record of James Morrison's work as an actor, and does not intend or imply any infringement of any copyrights or trademark.