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Numb3rs Season 2 Episode 16

Protest

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8.8

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Episode Summary

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AIRED: 3/3/06

Don and his team investigate an anti-war bombing outside an Army recruiting center that resembles the work of a 1970s anti-war activist who disappeared 30 years earlier after being accused of planting a bomb that killed two people. Retired Agent Thomas Larson, who tried to solve the case 30 years ago, returns to help but questions Don's loyalty when it is revealed Alan knew the radical activist and participated in demonstrations with him, thus causing tension within the family.moreless

Fan Episode Reviews (10)

Does everything its says on the tin

8.7

By AvatarBlue, May 24, 2008

Not the best episode, but still one of quality. Those interest in the storyline and the reoccurance of anti-war terrorism from Viet, to the present day will think this deserves a greater mark.

The whole thing works well and the finale is a few points above average, though these is no sense of satisfaction and thus you will be left feeling - what was that about!

Overall, the trail of clues are pretty logical in their conception, and do a decent job of exciting the viewer. The threat overhanging the team and public is real, if somewhat contained by the bombers rather low goals!

Dialogue is about average.

The only really intriguing aspects in this episode was Charlies dad being involved with the original unibomber and the problems that causes for him on the job. The other is the boys relationship with their father who tries to explain their then reasoning for anti-war and never ever wanting any part in the violence, but understanding that there was a need for it, to get their message heard, but w/o hurting anyone one - a fine line to tread!

Worth a watch, but dont expect much in the way of high octane action!moreless
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8.2

By cavanagh15, Mar 10, 2007

I didnt think there was any useful math used during the duration of the entire episode. There was no cool analogys used to explain the interactions of what Charlie was talking about, which took a lot away from the episode for me. The daughter and Charlie seemed to have a really good on screen connection, though I doubt it will ever turn into anything serious in the episodes to come. The case in question seemed far to random and the conclusion was one that there was no way for us to even "connect the guilty" during the duration of the episode...if that makes sense. With most crime drama you can guess the bad guy, but in that there was one random twist at the end of the episode and then all of a sudden they had there bad guy. I wasnt really buying into the case, the tension at home seemed kind of over dramataic, and the only really part that saved it for me was Charlie and the Daughters on screen connection...which was about 2 minutes of on screen time.moreless
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A serial bomber seemingly reappearing after 30 years causes problems between Don and his father.

9.4

By kateyvic, Aug 14, 2006

This was another great episode. Judd Hirsch is finally allowed to flesh his character out and into something more than a slightly over-protective father.

I like how they went into the FBI's shady past. A lot of shows make it seem like these various agencies can do no wrong, so it was nice of them to acknowledge the crimes of the past.

This episode shows just how good a person Don is. He's not going all John Wayne on us, but rather he is allowed through his dialog to make social commentary that shows he is a thinking man and not just part of a machine.

However, I don't think the bombing of the statue at the college was a copycat bombing like everyone thought. It was totally an art critic. And you KNOW that everyone (while "shocked" at the bombing) was secretly rejoicing at the destruction of the horrid thing. Admit it.moreless
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Great Episode with a funny bit of trivia - Robert Forster (Thomas Larson) Says \\\"I was Sisco\\\" - He was Marshall Sisco on the shoe Karen Sisco.

8.6

By MikeIrion, Jul 10, 2006

This episode showed that Don and his father may be differnt but that Don trusted his father to be a good man at heart to the extent that he never took the time to fully read his fathers FBI file. This episode was more about personal issues then some math problem Charlie could solve. Don and Charlie had to prove the guilt or inosence of a man that was a friend of their father and he was convinced the man was not guilty. In the end they cleared Stirlings name and caught the true criminals of the 1970 and the current bombings. The funny thing in this episode was the line from Robert Forster (Thomas Larson) when he says \\\"I was Sisco\\\" - he played a character named Marshall Sisco in an earlier tv series.moreless
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This was an okay episode but it left me confused.

8.6

By 4smdavis, Jul 08, 2006

They talked about what happened 35 yrs ago, Don mentioned being 3 yrs old when Alan was arrested. Does that mean that the Don character is 38 yrs old or did this happen after 1971. There suppose to be 5 yrs between Don's and Charlie's character, does that mean that Charlie is 33? Then he has aged 3 yrs in 2 seasons. Oh well, it was a pretty good episode anyway.moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Alimi Ballard	David Sinclair
David Krumholtz	Charlie Eppes
Diane Farr	Megan Reeves
Dylan Bruno	Colby Granger
Judd Hirsch	Alan Eppes
Navi Rawat	Amita Ramanujan

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Robert Forster	Thomas Larson	Guest Star
Concetta Tomei	Dr. Sarah Kemple	Guest Star
Mary Kay Place	Hester Stirling	Guest Star
Susan Beaubian	Stendhauser	Recurring Role

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (5)
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- When Don was young, his parents would take him with them to sit-ins, and he saw Alan get arrested twice.
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- Alan's anti-war sentiments in this episode were quite similar to those of Arthur Pope, the character Judd Hirsch played in the 1988 film Running on Empty with Christine Lahti and River Phoenix.
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- Opening numbers:
  5,000,000 Vietnamese killed
  58,226 US troops KIA
  3,000 bombings
  0 Arrests
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- At CalSci. When there is a fire outside, why does the alarm go off inside, thus making everyone go outside, nearer the fire?
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- A piece of evidence was a book titled Essays on Revolution by Cheryl Heuton and Nicolas Falacci, which in reality are the creators/producers of the show and writers of this episode.
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QUOTES (5)
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- Charlie: I need more current data.
  Larry: You do have a problem. You have one single recent event on which to base your comparisons.
  Amita: Which means that you need more bombings.
  Larry: That's right. The constant quandary of crime analyses: to get more data you need more crimes.
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- Charlie:(Regarding the cabinet) Can't imagine why they did that.
  Don:Well, people did a lot stupid things in the 70's.
  Alan: I take it you're not just talking about home remodeling.
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- Alan: Hey, at least it is good to know that when it comes to food...you're still both your father's sons.
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- Don: Commie!
  Alan: G-Man!
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- Charlie: Red meat, let's eat!
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NOTES (4)
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- International Episode Titles:
  Czech Republic: Protest
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- International Airdates:
  Czech Republic: June 10, 2009 on TV Nova
  Slovakia: November 24, 2009 on JOJ
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- The song in the opening scene was "Long Cool Woman", by The Hollies.
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- This episode was rated TVPG-LV.
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ALLUSIONS (0)
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