We apologize for the delay!  The travel, the iffy internet and not feeling well all combined for a perfect storm.

But, everything is better today and we appreciate your patience and understanding!

Two of a Kind,  Episode 15

The Feds arrive and maybe, finally, there’s a story to tell? But before we get there, there’s Jack’s flashbacks to being tassed by Daddy Rizzo.

The crime of the week is a dead guy, shot through the head, who knew his killer according to Ralph. Seems the dead guy sold health shakes (great logo, by the way) that helped people lose weight.

Savino is sending the double skim money back to Chi town but, OH NO!!, the Feds seemed tipped to the delivery and nab the sweet old lady carrying the skim.

The one thing the show gets right, the interior of the Savoy. Props to the production design guys, art director, props and costume people.

The Feds tell Savino that no more skim money is going to make its way back to Chi-town.  For the first time in weeks, I’m intrigued by the story before the first commercial break. Could this be a good sign or just one more heartbreak for me?

A movie producer, his young starlet (who only sleeps on violet colored sheets) and entourage show up at the Savoy. Barry Silver, the movie producer, drops the name of real life movie producer, Hal Wallis.  Nice touch, show.

Ralph smiles (DRINK!) as he joins Katherine and Agent Burns (the head of the field bureau) for lunch. JFK’s name gets dropped. Ralph points out that it’s not illegal to operate a casino. But, Agent Burns points out it is illegal to skim.  Follow the money, advises the Fed. Still hopeful! (Please don’t let me down, show!).

Savino wants Mia’s help in coming up with a plan for getting the skim to Chi-town without the Feds knowing.

Of course, the young starlet gets caught by Dixon going 100 mph so he has a reason to stop her and flirt with her. (Have we hit all the weekly plot points?)

Ralph smiles (DRINK!) while talking with Katherine, who tells Ralph that her goal is to bring down Savino. No surprises there but, of course, the case of the week gets in the way. Seems the dead guy has two families and a not very friendly brother –in-law.

Mia thinks she has the goods on Savino being responsible for Daddy’s death and shares that with Jack. Will Jack come clean to her before the end of the episode so we can move on?

We get a great Quaid smile (DRINK!!!!!) when Ralph interrogates the dead guy’s unfriendly, Hungarian brother-in-law.

Vince, who has the goods on Jack, tries to blackmail Jack to get him to help get the skim money out of town. The screws are tightening on Jack.

This week’s  Dixon story line continues to distract.

Humphrey Bogart and Rita Hayworth both get name-dropped.

Ralph smiles again (DRINK!!) when he interrogates the party line operator. Can Ralph interrogate more in an episode? 

And he smiles again (DRINK!!!) when Jack meets Agent Burns and does as Savino asked, giving the Fed the info that Savino wanted him to have, so that the real skim can reach Chi-town.

And again (DRINK!!!!) when Katherine, Jack and Ralph piece together who killed the dead guy.

If nothing else, there’s lots of Quaid smiling this episode! (DRINK!!!! Again, he knocks out the killer of the dead guy).

And right after the commercial break, we get a great big Quaid smile (Double DRINK!!!).

Jack feels the screws tightening and seems to be about to do the right thing.  He stops Savino, who is heading out of town, and tells him that the blackmailing stops now. Vinny is not happy. He also tells Savino that Ralph and the Feds are picking up the skim. So no money for Chi-town, yet.

Agent Burns and Ralph shake hands on working together.  Does Ralph have competition for Katherine?

Jack comes clean to Mia. She’s naturally upset. He explains it was self-defense, explains the cattle prod and torture.  She’s not listening and tells him to get out.

He then goes to tell Ralph, who has already figured it out.

Quaid smiles (DRINK!) at remembering how Jack sliced his finger open on their daddy’s spurs and then the conversation gets serious. Jack explains that Savino set him up and that Rizzo had it coming. He explains that he covered it up because he didn’t want to lose Mia. “But I think I lost her anyway”.

Ralph then burns the finger print sheet and says “We’re going to get you out of it.”

ARGGHHHH!!!  So, now Ralph is now part of the cover-up.

Well, at least the Feds vs Savino storyline is interesting and may have legs.  We’ll see, but it won’t be next week.

On Feb. 26^th, the show is pre-empted by a new show, Golden Boy. That show then moves to Friday nights. But, Golden Boy has been getting some heavy promotion from CBS and could spell trouble for Vegas. If it debuts to good numbers (and better numbers than what Vegas is currently pulling) but loses viewers on Friday nights, CBS could conceivably move it back to Tuesday nights.

There are only four more episodes of Vegas and the show is definitely on the bubble when it comes to renewal. It needs to maintain its numbers and not lose any viewers between now and the season finale.

Will Mia forgive Jack? Will the starlet/Dixon storyline continue? Will Ralph have competition for Katherine? Will Agent Burns tighten the screws on Savino?

What do you think? Does the fed storyline interest you? Hit the comments and tell us what you think!