Backstrom
Season 1 Episode 4: “I Am a Bird Now”
Written by Leif G.W. Persson (author)
Created by Hart Hanson
Starring Rainn Wilson, Beatrice Rosen, Page Kennedy, Genevieve Angelson, Dennis Haysbert, and Kristoffer Polaha
FOX
Air Date: Thursday, February 12, 2015, 9:00pm

Last week’s Backstrom 1.3 “Takes One to Know One” was the most hilarious episode to date (although the young woman murdered was not funny). Backstrom’s ex-fiancee (guest star Sarah Chalke) showed up to question him at his hearing.

Backstrom 1.4 “I Am a Bird Now” review: A drag queen is murdered. Is it a hate crime, or a crime of passion? Backstrom suspects the latter, but perhaps that’s because it will get him a postponement from The Civilian Oversight Committee hearing about the guy he shot a few episodes ago. His health problems seem to be getting worse, which is worrying his ex, his team, and especially his doctor.

Backstrom
Season 1 Episode 3: “Takes One to Know One”
Directed by Randy Zisk
Written by Hart Hanson and Leif G.W. Persson (author)
Starring Rainn Wilson, Beatrice Rosen, Page Kennedy, Genevieve Angelson, Dennis Haysbert, Thomas Dekker, and Kristoffer Polaha
FOX
Air Date: Thursday, February 5, 2015, 9:00pm

What you missed last week (spoiler alert!):

Backstrom 1.2 “Bella” was on “fire” last week as cranky Backstrom (Rainn Wilson) and the gang trailed an arsonist and battled bullies to get their “man.” Valentine (Thomas Dekker) and Backstrom bet on whether Valentine could get Niedermayer (Kristoffer Polaha) to play for the other team. That was fun to watch. I’m hooked already.

Backstrom 1.3 “It Takes One to Know One” review: Geek alert! Guest star Sarah Chalke (Scrubs, HIMYM) shows up as Backstrom’s ex-fiancee! Apparently, she invented his first-person game during investigations. She is….well, I’ll let Backstrom tell you….

Backstrom
Season 1 Episode 1: “Dragon Slayer”
Directed by Mark Mylod
Written by Hart Hanson and Leif G.W. Persson (author)
Starring Rainn Wilson, Beatrice Rosen, Page Kennedy, Genevieve Angelson, Dennis Haysbert, Mamie Gummer, and Kristoffer Polaha
FOX
Air Date: Thursday, January 22, 2015, 9pm

Rainn Wilson stars in this procedural that follows no procedure as Backstrom, a cranky detective trying to get himself back into the homicide division, after being put on traffic duty. He just needs to pass his physical, but his Hindu doctor Deb thinks he will drop dead at any moment.

The case he needs to solve to prove himself is the homicide of a college student, the wealthy son of a prominent senator. He manages to offend everyone and everything, while also pretty much modeling what NOT to do during an investigation. His team consists of Detective John Almond (Dennis Haysbert from 24), a levelheaded guy that looks out for Backstrom); Sgt. Niedermayer (Kristoffer Polana), poetic forensics expert who idolizes Backstrom; Detective Nicole Gravely (Genevieve Angelson, House of Lies), Nadia Paquet (Beatrice Rosen), a sexy tech who fills a Backstrom prescription; and Moto (Page Kennedy, Weeds), a beat cop who is Backstrom’s designated runner.