Hand Job

A woman and her lover are nailed to two tables. She is dead. He screams in pain. That's the setup. The man claims Russians did this to him. In a bigger case, a rapper is killed at a huge bash where his new album is being celebrated. The problem is that six NYPD cops were doing security and their butts are on the line. But loyalties are at stake. There is a temp taking John's place while he flies to Africa. He is a would be screen writer and a total ass. Finally, Andy and Connie have an important discussion.

There's a delicious subplot for these 2 or 3 episodes where PAA John (the wonderful Bill Brochtrup) takes a well-earned vacation, but his fill-in is an obnoxious temp "Dave", who believes he'll be the next great screenwriter, recording the events and conversations around him in District 15 as material for future plotlines and characters for the silver screen, making him too rich to ever again have to suffer such working-class plebes.

Anyone who spends time in L. A. knows of the waiter who brings you his headshot and credits with the menu, and the Uber driver who asks you to read his scripts while he drives you across town. Super-producer Tony Bill can tell you of the wannabe who swam out to his boat just to toss his Ziploc'd script onto the deck, figuring out at sea Bill would have the time and quiet to enjoy his story and hire him for his next film.

Hopefully none of these strivers were as openly dismissive and unlikeable as wannabe scripter "Dave" in this episode, who pouts toddler-like when he is finally scolded and told to do the job he's there to do.