Vegas’ Season 1, Episode 3 Recap

• CBS
• “Just to let you know, everyone loves you Chiklis, ya bald bastard”

Whenever I mention that “Vegas” is worth tuning in for (which is something I should do more often since it has only a decent ratings share), the most common reaction is instantly “I loved ‘The Shield’!” Forget Dennis Quaid, forget the fact that it’s a Western or set in the ’60s — what brings so many to “Vegas” is Michael Chiklis, whose Vincent Savino is the most naturally engaging and complex of all of the show’s characters. Not to discount Quaid as Sheriff Ralph Lamb, though. Lamb is steady. He’s a good guy who says things like “how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” But for fans of the Western genre, he’s just that White Hat cowboy, though Quaid plays him in an affable way that makes you wish he was protecting the streets of your own town.

Savino started off as very Black Hat in nature (and, literally, he and Lamb do sport black and white hats to make things all the more clear), but as each episode has progressed, he has been shown himself as more complex. He is, as I mentioned last week, motivated strictly by money (so far). His business dealings mean everything to him, and as we found out at the end of the episode, he actually has a family in Chicago who he makes no mention of, focusing instead of the Savoy and how he can expand.

The Case of the Week didn’t (for once) involved Savino at all, but did keep the Lambs busy. The Lamb trio are a great gang, and their interactions are snappy and fun, and a way to lighten the mood after spending time with the Chicago mob. They all clearly love each other as family, though are ruefully exasperated with one another pretty often, particularly regarding Dixon’s womanizing ways and Ralph’s habit of having an epiphany and walking out the door without further explanation. “I hate when he does that,” Jack says with a shake of his head.