Light My Fire

Today we shall burn our way through Light My Fire, which is about an arsonist. Go figure. <g> The review is filled with spoilers and comments on Jim and Blair's physical appearance.

The main story line is there is an arsonist for hire loose in Cascade. The fires are for big insurance money and our boys are investigating. This episode is watchable and good but not a favorite as Jim and Blair are apart a lot of the time. The woman, Debra, is, thankfully, not a BOTW as neither of our boys has an interest to boff her, thank heavens. She is an all-right character. They at least wrote a woman who wasn't after Jim's or Blair's body. Good writer.

I always like the scene with Jim and Blair in the truck, looking for this grill to have some food. Jim might be peeved that they've been riding around aimlessly for twenty minutes because Blair says he knows where the restaurant is, but he still does it! Good boy, Jimmy. Listen to your partner. Jim smells smoke, and they hightail it to a huge furniture warehouse which is burning. We are treated to a Jim rescue scene when he goes into the warehouse to save the security guard.

At the fire site the next morning, Jim is wearing his black leather jacket, that same grey/burgundy/brown cable knit sweater from another episode and dark pants. Blair has on his black and grey plaid flannel over a grey henley, jeans and his brown leather jacket. We meet Debra Reeves, an arson investigator and Dan Mattson, a long-time firefighter. She asks Jim if she can search his truck for some reason even though she knows he is a police officer.

Back at the station, Jim is wearing his burgundy long-sleeved shirt over a navy t-shirt and dark pants. Blair has on another black and grey shirt over black. Blair looks especially good in that shirt, and I like when Jim wears vibrant colors. Blair's hair is really long these days, and it looks great. Jim is also wearing his shoulder holster in this episode. It seems that Jim has been ordered by Simon to work with Debra on this case. Jim is, of course, tickled. Blair smirks very nicely at Jim's irritation.

They go to grill the store owner. Jim is wearing this dark grey wool coat that I don't remember seeing before. While they are talking to the store owner, Debra jumps in and questions the owner, who gets good and irritated at her accusations. While she's talking, I absolutely love the looks that Jim and Blair are exchanging about her snippy attitude. It's just so cute. This is also where we meet Debra's father, Mitch Reeves.

Next we meet the ever EvilSam! Samantha is supposedly a chemist in the Cascade PD lab. It seems that she and Blair have a history. and Blair apparently missed a date with her. She is thoroughly irritated at him and while they are trying to discover what chemicals were used to accelerate the fire, she has Blair put something from a beaker into the sink and turn on the water. The entire thing blows up in his face and she laughs, saying it was a harmless chemical reaction. Very professional of her, I thought. Jim thinks it's funny too, and in the hall, Blair actually says that Sam still likes him because she showed him all the attention. I hate when men are stupid about women, and I hate when women are stupid, period. Jim says she likes him so much, he'll need life insurance. Go, Jim!

The scene with the unprofessional Sam is where we also find out that the arsonist is using Mr. Zog's Sex Wax, a surfer's board wax, to set the fuses. Our arsonist uses coconut, Jim discovers. This is what eventually leads him to figure out who the killer is. I also like when Blair comes back over to Jim's side after the chemical incident, that Jim bonks Blair on the head. Jim never can keep his hands off of Blair.

This is where the episode gets a bit boring for me. Jim goes by himself to Debra's house because Simon orders him to share his forensics report. He has dinner, they chat, and he visits with the father and discovers that Mitch is inventing a new fireproof suit for firefighters, but no one will fund his research since he isn't an accredited research person. Jim is wearing a brown, black and tan sweater over his grey t-shirt (he must have a hundred of those) and tan slacks. In the quick scene when Simon sends Jim on his way, we have a glimpse of Blair. He has on a dark olive shirt over grey.

While at Debra's house Jim also finds a surf board. Turns out that Mitch and Debra both surf. He also sees Mr. Zog's Sex Wax, but this is strawberry, not coconut.

Back at the lab, Jim is wearing a grey and blue cable knit sweater, and brown pants. Blair is wearing a red-zippered shirt over a blue henley. They figure out that Mitch worked at an air force base as a civilian fire fighter near the rockets. Since Jim just found out from the EvilSam that rocket fuel seems to be the catalyst for the fires, he's starting to have suspicions about Mitch. Jim goes to Debra and Mitch's house and finds rocket fuel in their work shop. The plot thickens.

Jim won't confront Mitch until he's sure of his facts. Jim and Blair go to where Henri and Rafe are watching the first furniture guy to see what's up when Mitch pulls up. Jim uses his hearing to listen to Mitch and the guy talking. Jim hears the guy offer Mitch money just before the vehicle blows up, killing both of them.

At the bullpen, Jim tells Simon that he thinks Mitch was murdered and that Dan Mattson is the culprit. Simon doesn't buy it, but he's willing to if Jim can prove it. Seems that Dan is up for the next fire chief and a highly admired fellow. Jim doesn't believe that Mitch killed himself in a botched explosion. Jim is wearing a royal blue shirt over grey and dark pants. Blair has on this two-toned blue zippered shirt with colored striped across the chest that I really like, and jeans. In case you're wondering, in this episode, they changed clothes more than almost any other for some reason. I had trouble keeping up with them!

They decide to set up the arsonist, who is contacted through local newspaper ads stating 'Light My Fire'. Blair acts as the hirer and hires the arsonist (who's tag is Prometheus, BTW) to burn down his warehouse. Then we have the best scene of this episode. This is one of my all-time favorite cute Jim and Blair (hint: slashy) scenes. It is the famous Blair and the hat one. They're sitting in the truck and Blair grabs his pack. I love that Jim asks if Blair brought snacks. Jim is always ready to eat. Blair says no and proceeds to put on his scarf and gloves. They have discussion why Jim, with his senses, isn't cold. While they're talking, Blair plops this huge furry hat, complete with ear muffs, on his head. Jim takes one look at him and his face is so cute! His eyes are laughing and suddenly he bursts out in laughter at Blair's hat. God, Jim Ellison is so absolutely overwhelmingly gorgeous when he's laughing. And the look he gives Blair? Well… Needless to say, I needed a few ice cubes.

Blair launches into a lecture on the fire dance on some tropical islands and about this woman he watched at the ceremony. He puts his hand on Jim, who promptly removes it. I think that is really funny. Like Jim isn't always touching Blair. Anyway, needless to say, Jim hears something and goes into the warehouse, telling Blair to wait in the truck. Big surprise. Jim skulks around and runs into Debra. She's figured out that it's Dan who is the arsonist. She's very happy it isn't her father. Jim smells/hear/sees something. They go to investigate, and Jim promptly gets bonked with some piece of equipment and drops his gun (number eight). Debra also gets whacked and the fire blazes. Jim comes to and fights the bad guy. The bad guy gets away. Jim helps Debra, and they try to get out of the warehouse. Dan gets his just rewards when he is fried in the fire. Jim has conveniently stowed Mitch's fire-retardant suits in the warehouse, and he and Debra use them to get out of the burning building. Blair is outside all upset until he finally sees Jim come out.

The tag sucks because it is between Jim and Debra. They go surfing in the middle of winter in Cascade, Washington. Yeah, right. Whatever. It is required that all tags are between Jim and Blair. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

There it is, Light My Fire. Just one of the good ones to watch when the urge strikes you. Next we have a very telling episode, Secret, when secrets of Jim's past are revealed and new Sentinel stuff is discovered. Have I mentioned I love this show? <bg>

The End

Back to Episode Review Main Page