Fans of NCIS, BLUE BLOODS Will Love VINDICATION
By Movieguide® Contributor
VINDICATION breaks a lot of laws … of the genre, that is. It’s the only police drama in recent memory that dares run for half the seemingly obligatory hour. With unpredictable script twists, well-crafted acting, and compelling yet clean camera work, each episode grips your adult attention while telling small suburban Texas policing stories without using any profane language or lewd sensuality. It can be done! And this second season, streaming on Pure Flix, again convincingly proves it, as it continues to follow the work-life, home-life, and spiritual-life of Detective Gary Travis (Todd Terry), sergeant and head of the fictional East Bank Police Department’s Precinct 2.
The Second Precinct plays second fiddle, though. The First Precinct has the new building, the largest staff, the latest tech equipment, the only tech detective (Kevin, played by Matt Holmes), and the newest trainee-now-full-detective, Kris Tanner (Venus Monique), who, ironically, was mentored by Travis himself before the department’s move from one to two precincts.
“Precinct Two is a dumping ground, and gets squat,” laments Travis, and the First Precinct leader, Sgt. Bill Tomlinson (Steve Mokate), Travis’ old boss, doesn’t let him forget it. Still, Travis does have a sharply organized office administrator in Janet (Candace Kirkpatrick). and is eventually able to hire a new and highly capable detective, Tre Millwood (T. C. Stallings, a great asset to the cast).
Compared to the usual crime and investigation shows, most infractions here seem mundane: teens partying in a forested area; a tractor reported stolen; an assault over private-party social media garage sales. Yet there is a fatal shooting of a burglar by a shop owner in Episode 2, a suicide in Episode 9, and a mystery body bag in Episode 10, so the visuals can get heavy, but never graphic, as all of these scenes are portrayed after the fact.
The focus is rather upon the people involved, and that is a strength for VINDICATION; whether focusing on the victims, the perpetrators, or the investigators, everyone has a story, and this series tells them well.
The family stories of two police households get closest attention in Season 2: empty nesters and grandparents Det. Travis and Becky Travis (Peggy Schott); and 30-something siblings Det. Kris “Kristy” and Shane Tanner (Chance Gibbs). Through following them home and showing us how demanding and nerve-wracking law enforcement can be, these officers become very human, very personal, and very admirable to us, the viewers.With the Tanner home, we experience Kris’ implicit moral worldview, dually portrayed through her strong work ethic in the department and her granting her brother Shane a roof over his head despite his seeming freeloading, aimless life. Both spouses of the Travis household are explicitly Christian. The Bible is read and talked about. The couple discusses their challenges of living the Jesus life.
They even mention having sold one home, downsizing to put aside money to gift to people in need along their daily path; we see Gary do so in Episode 1. Throughout each of this season’s episodes, Becky begins participating in a women’s prison ministry, while Gary starts hosting a weekly men’s Bible study in their home. Det. Travis integrates his faith into his work life as well. Held at gunpoint, Gary calmly tells the gunman, “You pull that trigger, I know what comes next for me. And it doesn’t end anything. For either of us. But what I’m worried about is what comes next for you. What happens to you?” With those words, the gunman breaks down and drops the gun. On another occasion, in an investigative interview with a young woman involved as a potential victim in a photo shoot for porn scam, Det. Travis takes a risk, places his badge on the table, and speaks heart to heart: “I’ll talk to you as a dad, not as a police officer. You’re a beautiful girl, we can all see that. But you don’t have to try so hard to prove it. All that stuff online, the follows, the likes, it’s just a facade. It’s all fake. It’s just a pretend world where no one gets to know you, the person I see that I don’t think you do. You have worth. But you’ve got to know where it comes from. You gotta know who gives it to you, and then you won’t have to try so hard anymore.” Then he grabs his badge back off the table and hooks it on his belt, resuming his official detective role.Of course, in a police drama, you are going to find people with immoral and anti-Christian worldviews. For instance, a prison inmate prays the salvation prayer, then immediately attempts to scam the person who led them in the prayer (E1). In E2, incompetent detectives lie to cover up incomplete investigations; in another example, a hidden camera is placed to capture photos of unsuspecting models changing clothes (E6). Other situations portray: several men arrested in a prostitution solicitation sting (E8); a bloody beating (E7); and, in the season’s final episode (E10), a prominent officer is revealed to be a crime boss. Through it all, “Vindication” Season 2 is a fine piece of filmmaking. Camera work cleverly frames scenes. Music is used sparingly but effectively to build suspense. Script writing judiciously ends scenes, even episodes, before a sentence is complete, so that what is not said is utilized to build suspense.Most savvy of all is the understated presence of faith life all through the season. In the opening episode, Becky very naturally leads an inmate in a prayer of salvation. When Gary anticipates uncomfortable male silence at the men’s Bible study, Becky suggests asking for prayer requests, to which Gary expresses even less confidence. But at the meeting, Joe Anderson (Cameron Arnett), the Bible study leader, invites the men to offer personal issues for prayer, and sure enough, there is a participant that seizes the opportunity to go deeper. In E5, we experience Joe lead a simple yet spot-on prayer that summarizes the needs expressed by participants that night.
In another instance, a secular person is asked by someone dear to them to pray, and we get to hear a stumbling but sincere supplication request. In E9, after falling from grace, one of the men at the Bible study tells the fallen friend, “Stick your butt in that chair so we can pray for you.” He does, and all the rest rise to pray, all standing around him. Season 2 holds a Biblical, usually Christian worldview, with only a few minor questionable elements that are wholly overshadowed by the powerfully spiritual way this show stays with you long after viewing it.
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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
