The Marshalls Episode 8 is back [Spoiler] Broadly speaking, it’s bad news for California – TVLine

Remember when Michael Cudlitz was introduced as Randall Clegg on The Marshalls, setting him up as the season’s big bad candidate, only to end up disappearing from the map entirely? Well, he returned in a big way in Episode 8, which ended on another deadly cliffhanger.

The April 19 episode saw the sheriff’s office chasing Reed Pollard, one of the country’s most wanted bank robbers, who was conveniently discovered nearby. Unfortunately, this golden goose turned out to be a lame duck. After being ambushed at the rodeo venue where Pollard was allegedly seen, the sheriff’s office discovered that Pollard had already been booked into a small town jail five days earlier.

To make matters worse, Andrea is deliberately side-swiped while searching for answers on her own and ends up captured by a mysterious assailant. Fortunately for viewers, the person behind Andrea’s kidnapping wasn’t kept secret for long. When the bag was removed from Andrea’s head, she found herself face to face with old Randall. Randall explained that this reckoning is a long time coming.

“Given what your team did to my family, all I’m concerned about is an eye for an eye,” he told her. “This is not a negotiation. Little by little, I have seen the life drained from this land by faraway bureaucrats who have no interest in it. I have seen the blood of my people shed by their puppets. All of you, until there is nothing left but the desert. It’s been dry around here for far too long.” When Andrea asks what Randall thinks of his role in all this, he throws out this terrible answer: “Spark. It’s time to burn the land clean.”

Andrea’s fellow marshals attempted a rescue at the end of time, but we’ll have to wait until next week to see how everything turns out.

After last week’s doctor’s appointment, we confessed that we were worried about Cal, and it turns out we were right to be. He returned for follow-up on April 18, where he received a devastating diagnosis. What exactly? Nothing was actually said in this episode, and Cal could barely even comprehend what the doctor was saying, even as he felt the weight of the news.

“I know there’s a lot to take in,” the doctor said. “I’d like to introduce you to some experts who have experience with these types of cases. It’s important to know that you’re not alone.” The rest was drowned out by Cal’s entire world crumbling around him, but I’m sure the doctor had said something about a “support group” being helpful in situations like this. Cancer feels like a safe assumption here, but we don’t know the details until Cal decides to share his diagnosis with the team.

Let’s start with the good news. Miles wasn’t scared when he learned that Maddie was Cal’s daughter. The bad news? Although he did not have a chance to tell his new boss about their relationship, he was spotted by Cal kissing at a bar. As you can imagine, it was awkward and Cal barely said a word to them. “So what is this?” he asked awkwardly. Oh, that would be a yes.

Not knowing what to do, Cal turns to Belle, who assures him she didn’t know Maddie was the girl Miles had been crushing on for weeks. Still, she agreed to speak with Miles to assess the seriousness of the relationship. (As if Cal has a right to be uncomfortable with their date, considering what’s going on between Cal and Belle.)

Bell tied Miles and explained that things would be awkward with Cal for a little while, but it would blow over. She added that Cal is only really upset because Maddie is keeping Cal at arm’s length and accepting Miles into her life. Let’s talk about daddy issues!

And then there’s Garrett. Country singer Riley Smith made her acting debut this week, guest starring as one of the “Four Musketeers” on Casey and Cal’s old SEAL team. Casey welcomed his estranged friend with a hug, but Cal wasn’t so welcoming.

Garrett was “heartbroken” when he last saw Casey, but when he put down his gun for his guitar, he knew his life had changed for the better. When Casey explained his current situation with the marshals, Garrett stated, “Isn’t that rich? Cal gave you a new career…and my career is over.” (Beware of anger!)

While Casey is excited to have Garrett back on track, Cal cautions him, suggesting that if Garrett’s life had really been going well, he wouldn’t have gotten out of trouble the way he did. And it turns out he was right. Well, in a sense.

Garrett wakes up from a night terror and explains to Casey that a ghost has been haunting him ever since he was in Afghanistan. Once a member of an elite fighting force, Garrett now “seeks out” live music, and while the adrenaline of performing can help him forget his past, it all comes back when he leaves the stage. Since his time as a SEAL, Garrett has been in and out of prison, spent time in a psychiatric ward and even slept on the streets. He feels that surviving is punishment for what he did, but Casey assures him that Lonar’s death is their fault.

That comment from Casey helped fill in the blanks in Cal’s story. Remember in episode 2, when Casey and Cal disagreed about how to proceed during a mission and Casey said, “It’s Donner again”? Now we know that Donner is the name of the fourth member of the team, and that a bad call from Cal is likely the cause of his death.

OK, let’s talk: Are you surprised that Randall is back on ‘The Marshalls’? Worried about Cal’s difficult diagnosis? And how did Green fare in his acting debut? Please comment your thoughts below.