Against the Wall: Wonder What God Is Doing

It’s the 11th Episode of “Against the Wall” (Season 1) “Wonder What God Is Doing.” Abby (Rachael Carpani) and Lina (Marisa Ramirez) are looking into who gave the police department chaplain a gun at a crime scene and also investigate the suicide of a cop whose mother believes he did it because the same chaplain abused him. The Kowalski brothers are planning a birthday bash for Abby and can’t agree on whether Danny or Brody should be invited. It’s going to be decided over who can get Chicago Bears’ linebacker Brian Urlacher to wish Abby a Happy Birthday first. Danny and Brody are making plans of their own. Some of the cast in this episode:

Brian Howe, Wes Berger, Allan Royal, Brian Urlacher

There was a robbery and a “looky-loo” saw a kid give the department chaplain a gun. Abby and Lina can’t get Father Chet to tell them who the kid was. As they are checking into this, the suicide of Officer Jon Addison complicates things. Addison’s mother, Emily (JoBeth Williams) believes he committed suicide after living with the torment of being sexually abused at age 10 by Father Chet.

There is enough going on in the gun aspect of the show, including another unhappy altar boy, to make the detectives think Father Chet is dirty. Abby still has her doubts. Father Chet is murdered.

Brody asks Richie’s advice about Abby’s birthday but gets the brush off. Brody realizes they are planning a party and he’s not invited. Later, Danny shows up in the locker room to ask the same brother the same thing. Richie introduces him to Brody who figures out Danny is inquiring about Abby’s birthday.

Brody later accosts Danny at a hot dog truck and asks him what his deal is with Abby. “None of your business,” Danny replies. Brody thinks they are just friends since he has to ask Steve for birthday advice. Danny says he wouldn’t say that and repeats it’s none of Brody’s business. They both say they are taking Abby out for her birthday. They both say “we’ll see.” Brody asks Abby to go with him the restaurant where the party will be on Friday and she accepts.

Richie and Steve use their badges to wangle a Happy Birthday for Abby out of Brian Urchacher. It was that or letting Donnie have bragging rights for a year. This means they get to invite Danny to the party.

Against the Wall Episodes on Amazon

Spoilers:

It turns out that Franklin, Addison’s stepfather, was the pedophile. John Addison was engaged to be married to another officer who had a son, and his suicide note had a cryptic message that may have meant he feared he would abuse the boy. Franklin was paying off Addison, and also grooming the boy so he could continue his evil ways. However, he did not kill Father Chet. Emily did because Father Chet couldn’t be arrested for the crime she believed he committed. Lina says it’s too bad Father Chet died for nothing and Abby goes and has a shot of booze at his grave. Not exactly the most believable solution in town. If we were the writers, and Emily had to be the perp, her motive would have been to preserve her marriage. Make her evil too, especially with JoBeth Williams in the role. If you ever get a chance, check out JoBeth in the 1987 miniseries “Murder Ordained.

At the birthday celebration, Abby is over the moon to have Brian Urlacher wish her a happy birthday on video. Brody shows up right after Abby opens Danny’s present of Bears tickets. It’s so awkward, Abby swears. As everyone else tries to figure out who invited him, she admits she did not knowing about the surprise party. Then she goes outside to talk to her mom on the phone. After that, she sees Brody finish his beer, spin around and walk away while Danny stands there staring at her. He smiles and she returns the smile and goes back to her troubled thoughts, and he probably continues to stare at her.

Next Week
A two-hour finale for Season One that appears to involve Papa Kowalski getting in some trouble with IA, and uh-oh — that looked like Danny kissing Abby in the preview and he didn’t seem to be dressed.