On Call: Season 1 – Review and Summary | Troian Bellisario Reinvents Herself As “On Call” Tries To Reinvent The Cop Show

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Plot Summary

Traci Harmon has been a patrolwoman in Long Beach, California, for years. Over the course of more than a decade, she has trained many rookies, and the latest one assigned to her is Alex Diaz. Alex comes during a rather challenging time in Harmon’s life since her personal life isn’t in the best place. Also, a recent tragedy has shaken her and made her take certain cases a bit personally.

But, over approximately 60 days, we watch as Alex learns the ropes, the difference between using soft power and hard power, sees the politics of Long Beach PD, and whether Harmon is everything everyone says about her.

Number of Episodes	8
Season Premiere	JANUARY 9, 2025
Season Finale	JANUARY 9, 2025
Network	Prime Video
Genre(s)	Action, Adventure, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Actor(s)	Troian Bellisario, Brandon Larracuente,               Eriq La Salle, Lori Loughlin

Review

Our Rating (80/100): Positive (Watch This)

When it comes to “On Call,” it is different in a way that deserves to be seen. Does it require some adjustment since it largely sequesters the personal life of most of its characters? Yes. However, in it wanting to show what it is like to be a cop without trying to be strictly a show that praises and demands sympathy for them, you find yourself naturally feeling for them and what they can go through while recognizing the power that is given to some is far from deserved.

Highlights

How It Handles Being A Half Hour Drama

Traditionally, dramas have been roughly an hour and comedies a half hour. Comedies need to be in and out to get punch lines, jokes, and what usually is a self-contained story handled. Dramas need a deeper arc to build up to something shocking and emotional, and they need that time, especially with commercials, to deliver a satisfying payoff.

That was then, and we’re in the streaming era now, and while it can be submitted, many dramas struggle to be 30 minutes and deliver what an audience needs, “On Call” handles itself well, for the most part. It isn’t the type of show that has a cliffhanger for each episode nor does it feel like it rushes through things so that everything finishes within 30 minutes.

Within each episode of “On Call,” you get a handful of small cases, work on the main season’s arc, develop Alex and Harmon, as well as show the complexity of their relationships. It all is handled in such a way that shows you what a show meant to be binged should be like. That is, you can either consume it one after another like it is nothing, or you could stop halfway, take a break, and pick up once you get a second wind, have a nap, what have you.

The Balance Between Presenting Realism Yet Still Giving Entertainment

“On Call” doesn’t exist to be the next “9-1-1,” where we see people hanging from buildings leaning on others that are on the other side of the street. Yet, at the same time, it isn’t overly gritty, aiming for a sense of realness that feels like an imitation or even meant to be something that feels pro cops.

Now, are there characters like Sergeant Lasman and Lieutenant Bishop who note how hard things are for cops in the cellphone era? Never mind, who feel like there is too much scrutiny on cops? Yes. But, balanced with that is the recognition from people like Eva, Alex’s mother, who have seen what happens when cops go too far. There is Harmon, who recognizes you can’t clean up the streets and wipe out all the gangs, but you can find and work with people who want peace as much as you do.

There is a balance when it comes to being a cop that I don’t think we see too often outside of “On Call,” which makes it so you feel like you are given something that surely has some things made purely for entertainment, but they lean close enough to logic to seem real.

Hard Power v. Soft Power

When it comes to the police, we often see hard power in terms of their abilities to chase, use violence to react to a situation, and while soft power is used to deduce what happened, it can sometimes feel like an obligation. In some ways, we see that on “On Call” through Lasman, who believes in cracking down when it calls for it.

However, on the other end, there is Harmon, who makes cordial relationships with gang leaders and the homeless, and even if they don’t exist in the capacity of a confidential informant or anything on the books, she has a network she can draw from. And don’t get it twisted, it isn’t that Lasman wants to go in guns blazing and act as if he can beat on people, but he is from Long Beach, not Harmon’s, and the people she is making inroads with are the same people who made his childhood and life hard before he was a cop.

So, in many ways, you see a balance between needing to use force to control a situation and sometimes even having a pre-emptive presence due to reputation, yet also recognizing that people are more willing to be open and work with you if they think you are on their side, aren’t willing to harm them, and don’t see them as an obstacle.

The Lack Of External Politics

Unlike a huge amount of cop shows, “On Call” doesn’t feature the mayor, council people, or anyone who can have an influence on the work of cops. Even in terms of Lieutenant Bishop, you get the sense she has bigger things to worry about than the day-to-day cops doing patrol, so while she exists, she isn’t a notable part of every episode.

With that, despite her ranking, Harmon never feels low on the totem pole. She still comes off empowered, having a sense of autonomy, and that what she says goes. Now, does she still have to answer for some of the things she does? Absolutely. But, rarely to the point it feels like she needs to ask permission, or previously did, to do her job.

On The Fence

The High Fence Up Around Characters’ Personal Lives

The characters in “On Call” don’t necessarily have a full-on privacy fence around their personal lives, but you can still feel a certain distance or protectiveness over who they are outside of their uniform. In fact, it is rare to see Alex or Harmon outside their uniform since nearly the entire show focuses on them being on the clock.

Yet, even while they are working, you meet Alex’s mother and see him call his brother on video. You don’t meet his girlfriend, but as he follows in Harmon’s footsteps, you may wonder if one of the gang leader’s daughters could become someone special to him. Then, with Harmon, you see her sister once and learn her story, but then she doesn’t return for the rest of the season.

This, for those who love learning and becoming ingrained in a character’s personal life, could become an issue, for I know it was for me. But, you could also submit, considering the show takes place over 60 days, someone like Harmon going deep into being divorced, us getting to know their ex, their sister, and mother, when the show is focused on her job, it wouldn’t make sense.

Never mind, with Alex being on probation, showing how messy his life is, being open about his brother having a gang connection, and all the other things that could lead to him losing his job? Why would he do that? Especially with Harmon considering her reputation and the fact that she isn’t necessarily the type to want a close and fuzzy bond.

Outside Of A Core Few, Most Characters Are Faces With Forgettable Names

To a point, Alex, Harmon, and Lasman are the main characters you get to know and get some form of establishment as individuals. As for everyone else? Honestly, Lieutenant Bishop doesn’t evolve beyond being someone’s boss, maybe the person holding Harmon back from bigger and better things. As noted above, Alex and Harmon’s family are nice to know, but I could see and understand people not feeling any attachment to them.

But what could also be said is that for many recurring characters, like a cop Alex bonds with, it is unfortunate you can remember the face, especially some of the things they go through, but not the name. And mind you, is this trying to be an ensemble show where you need to keep track of six, ten, or more characters? No.

However, given how dangerous things can sometimes get and what happens while people are on a call, a familiar face without a name can lead to a sort of indifference that one shouldn’t have.

The Season Ends Almost Right Where It Started

Character development and story progression are two key things needed to keep an audience satisfied. In terms of character development, at times, “On Call” can feel stingy, and to show how Alex and Harmon’s relationship would realistically develop, you don’t get all the details you want. That’s fine; it makes sense and may not be something you like but can accept.

Our struggle was the storyline progression. The main plot starts in episode 1 and ends halfway, and then there is clean up. That part is fine. However, what can bug some, like me, is that where Alex and Harmon start, despite all that is said and done, is where they end things. So, while they have more experience and knowledge of each other and themselves, they are right back where they started, with a bit of a chip on their shoulder.

I found that frustrating, especially since the show promised more for both characters. You almost get this feeling that it was taken away to punish Alex and Harmon’s failings and because of the challenge that could come with them potentially splitting up. Ultimately, this led to the need to put off their next chapter to give time to think about how that should play out in another season.

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