Outside of Ed, the characters on Flashpoint have not been developed to the point where the audience really cares about them as individuals. We simply haven't seen enough of them outside of work to get a deeper connection with them. (Before anyone comments, yes I remember all about Wordy's wife, Greg's son, etc.) So, when Wordy departed, I didn't mind that much insofar as the character Wordy is involved. What makes the last scene work is what has always made the show work--the team.
While Wordy may never have gotten a prominent role other than a few choice episodes, he's always been there, rock-solid, to support the team and do his job. The team relied on him and he always delivered. But now, he admits that he has Parkinson's and can no longer trust himself to perform his duties. Wordy is not only leaving a team, but also a family, and it's clear that the characters care about him more than as a colleague. This emphasis on the team as a whole and not on Wordy emphasizes the strengths of the show, and minimizes potential pitfalls to the episode, such as trying to fill in tons of Wordy backstory before the end.
The case this week features a bone-headed detective who botches a massive drug operation by informing his girlfriend--also the girlfriend of the boss--of the raid and she's caught trying to escape. Although I spent the episode annoyed at how irrational he was acting, there wasn't entirely a happy ending as the girlfriend is shot. The writers have to do this once in a while just to keep things honest. If no one ever dies, then they're cheating the audience by continually dangling out dangerous situations when there actually is no danger. Well, an (relatively) innocent person got killed this week and we're reminded that people do get hurt on this show.
Score: 8.7/10
