Animal Control Season 5 Episode 1 Recap: “Seahawks and Piglets”
SPOILERS AHEAD FOR ANIMAL CONTROL SEASON 5 EPISODE 1, “SEAHAWKS AND PIGLETS.”
Animal Control is back for Season 5, and apparently the best way to start a new season is with a work stoppage, a missing NFL mascot and Templeton making everyone’s lives more difficult.
The premiere picks up with Emily still sidelined while Templeton has taken over at the precinct. Frank is not exactly thrilled about the new leadership situation, so he organizes a work stoppage and gets the rest of the team on board. That protest does not last very long once a particularly tempting assignment lands in their laps.
The Seattle Seahawks’ mascot has gone missing, and Frank quickly decides that this is one call he cannot ignore. His sudden change of heart is very on-brand, because of course the man leading the work stoppage is also the one most easily distracted by an interesting case. The search gives the team a reason to get back out into the field while the tension at the precinct continues bubbling underneath everything.
Emily, meanwhile, is struggling with life away from the job. With more time on her hands than she knows what to do with, she channels that nervous energy into baking an impressive amount of scones. The joke works on the surface, but it also gives the episode room to show how unsettled Emily really is without the position that has become such a major part of her identity.
Shred continues to be one of Emily’s biggest sources of support. Their relationship is no longer something they have to hide, and the premiere lets them settle into being together without immediately throwing some massive romantic problem at them. Instead, Shred is simply there while Emily works through the uncertainty surrounding her future.
Victoria gets her own lighter subplot when she becomes attached to an adorable piglet, giving the premiere the other half of its title. Her story helps balance out the heavier workplace tension, even though the episode does not spend much time pushing the Frank and Victoria dynamic forward.
Patel also finds himself with a new hobby while his family is away in India for two months. He dives into drumming, because apparently peace and quiet was never going to be his choice. It is a smaller part of the episode, but exactly the kind of random Patel detour that fits right in with the show.
The much bigger threat comes from Roman Park. Ken Jeong returns as Roman, and this time his plans could affect the entire precinct. Roman is looking to expand Pax Romana and absorb the city’s animal control services, making him more than just another person Frank dislikes. If he gets what he wants, the future of the whole department could be at risk.
That gives Season 5 a larger conflict right from the start. Frank and Roman have crossed paths before, but Roman’s latest move impacts everybody, which means the team may have to pull together whether they like it or not. By the end of the premiere, the crew makes its feelings pretty clear by throwing Emily’s leftover scones at Roman’s billboard. Finally, those baked goods found their true purpose.
“Seahawks and Piglets” does what a season premiere should do by bringing everyone back together, reestablishing the workplace tension and setting up a bigger threat for the season ahead. Emily’s future remains uncertain, Templeton is still making life difficult and Roman is coming for the precinct.
Yep, Animal Control is officially back.
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