Things got bad while Bravo Team was operating in Africa—really bad. Master Chief Jason Hayes’s traumatic brain injury has only gotten worse, nearly leading to catastrophic consequences for the entire team. Special Operator Clay Spenser hates to leave his wife, Stella Baxter, while their prematurely born infant is still confined to an incubator, but he feels dutybound to watch over and out for Hayes. Special Operator Sonny Quinn is also dealing with family issues, when his ex decides to relocate, along with their toddler. At least, Chief Warrant Officer Ray Perry is doing relatively okay, having largely dealt with issues related to his PTSD treatment.
“Head On” introduces a particularly tricky new assignment for Bravo Team, because they will be almost entirely on their own. From the Columbian side of the border, they need to hatch a plan to stop the Venezuelan regime’s attempt to jump-start their nuclear program with the help of Iran’s chief nuclear scientist. You should definitely ask yourself why two countries whose economies are built on petroleum would be so interested in developing nuclear capabilities.
Regardless, Hayes decides their best option will be taking out Dr. Nuclear is a phony accident, whereas Spenser and Clay argue for abduction and interrogation. In his state, Hayes interprets their arguments as disloyalty, but events will prove them right.
Frankly, this storyline is even more timely now than when it premiered online. The Chavist regime is openly threatening Guyana’s borders for the sake of newly discovered oil deposits. Yet, there is (unsurprisingly) stony silence from professional “anti-imperialists,” even though the integrity of Guyana’s territory goes back to 1899.
Obviously, preventing a nuclear Venezuela is a valid mission for Bravo Team. “Violence of Action” covers the waiting part of “hurry and wait.” All that time on their hands reveals the growing fissures in Bravo Team’s unity. However, one team member finally starts accepting help in “Keys to Heaven,” whereas another threatens to spiral out of control.
Regardless, they all must get it together and work as a team in “Pillar of Strength” to take out the Iranian-backed Venezuelan nuclear program once and for all. Notably directed by lead actor David Boreanaz, this episode has some particularly good action, set amid the titular foundational pillars of the structure housing the nuclear facility. Of course, the exfiltration and the aftermath are always messy, as viewers see in “All Bravo Stations,” which ends with a new mission and a season-ending cliffhanger.
Yet, this series is still mindful of how dangerous the world is, so it is always clear why we need SEAL Teams like Bravo. Throughout it all, the battery of writers is mindful of the sacrifices they make, both physical and personal. Indeed, SEAL Team is a great example of (sort of) network television doing a much better job portraying veterans and active-duty military personnel than the more “prestigious” streamers. (These episodes were originally produced for Paramount+, but the series started on CBS, so the point is still valid.)
In fact, this series is as good as most of what Netflix cranks out. It combines cinema-quality action with mature and complex dramatic performances. Recommended for free TV viewers, the 5-episode arc starts airing Thursday (1/11) on CBS with “Head On” and “Violence of Action.”
