#SEAL Team Season 5 Episode 3 Review: Nine Ten

The Bravo team would look very different if not for the tragic events of 9/11.

SEAL Team Season 5 Episode 3 spent a lot of time in the past, shedding light on the history of our focal characters, and the last-minute reveal that the flashbacks were showing what all of them were doing when the tragedy struck was a big shock.

Many of these characters were at very major tipping points in their lives as they struggled with what to do with themselves.

Growing up is tough, but finding out what you want to be in life is even more challenging. There are so many variables, and I appreciated that the show highlighted that there is no hard and fast rule to reach your full potential.

Jason was very early into his career when 9/11 happened, and his relationship with Alana was flourishing. You could tell from the reaction on his face on the cargo plane that the memories from the past were still hurtful for him.

While there was happiness for Jason and Alana initially, we know how that turned out, but it was very exciting to see this younger iteration of Jason.

If you watch SEAL Team online, you know something has been wrong with Jason for a while now. He forgets things, and the flashbacks initially made me think something terrible would happen to him.

The broader issue with Jason is that he’s keeping quiet about what could very well destroy the team from the inside out. He needs to get some perspective and make a call about his future sooner or later.

He also needs to visit the doctor, but this strikes me as the type of illness that will not be revealed any time soon. We’ve lost characters before on SEAL Team, but Jason is like the glue that holds the show together.

I couldn’t imagine it without him, but I would also continue watching because anything to do with his illness will probably send the narrative in another exciting direction.

Ray’s flashbacks were harrowing because, when you think about it, his father wouldn’t have had to go to work had Ray not been arrested.

A lot was going on in Ray’s life at that time, and even though his parents were worried about his future, his life could have been very different.

What if his father never moved them to a new state? Ray could have become a wrestler. Things can change on a dime in life, but I’m happy Ray is confronting the past.

He’s such a well-written character, and the person who played the younger iteration of him did a remarkable job. The similarities were uncanny.

As for Sonny, I knew there had to be a reason why we were focusing on him as this kid who didn’t have any ambition.

He hated school and had no idea what he wanted to do in life, but the events of 9/11 forever changed him to the point that he started the process of becoming a SEAL just two days after.

It’s worrying to think about where Sonny would be today if he didn’t join the team. Joining was a significant turning point for him, but it’s a worrisome thought when you consider that he didn’t want to do anything in those initial flashbacks.

The flashbacks involving Davis were very different from the other characters, but the writers chose the perfect point to let the audience know that these flashbacks were in relation to 9/11.

As for Clay, it was about time we took a deep dive into his past. We knew his father was successful in his field, but we didn’t know what truly propelled Clay to join the team.

You could tell he was disinterested in everything to do with what his father did in the past, and he was upset about constantly being left with his grandparents.

The fact of the matter is that 9/11 shaped all of these people into what they are today, and their loves could have been very different if the terrorist attack had never happened.

SEAL Team has been known for tackling sensitive topics, and this did not feel exploitative.

Using a real-life terror attack in this way could come across as it is used for entertainment, but the messages were clear from the outset of the episode.

The installment also confirmed that while we’ve spent five seasons with these characters, there’s still a lot we don’t know, which bodes well for the show’s future.

“Nine Ten” truly was a standout episode of SEAL Team. The writing was excellent, as was the acting and the execution.

We have just one episode left on CBS before the series moves to Paramount+ as an original series. That means that next week we’ll have SEAL Team Season 5 Episode 4 on Sunday night, followed by SEAL Team Season 5 Episode 5 on Paramount+ the same night.

What did you think of the way the flashbacks were focused on 9/11?

Which character did you connect with the most?

Hit the comments below.

SEAL Team continues on Sunday at 9 p.m. on CBS.

Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.