Ep 1. Pilot

Two Los Angeles Police Department detectives, Travis Marks and Wes Mitchell, are constantly at odds with each other both in and out of the office. Despite having solved numerous crimes together, their clashing personalities make it difficult for them to work as a team. Fed up with their bickering and lack of cooperation, their captain forces them into couples therapy in an effort to salvage their partnership. The episode opens with Wes and Travis interrogating a suspect in a robbery case, each using their own methods that ultimately seem to undermine the other’s efforts. Their fight turns physical, leading to their suspension.

Their suspension prompts Captain Sutton to send them to couples therapy, a last-ditch effort to get the two working together. Initially, both men resist the idea of therapy and refuse to change their behavior. However, after some prompting from their therapist, Dr. Ryan, they slowly begin to open up about their frustrations with each other and the difficulty they face working together. Dr. Ryan uncovers that Travis has a tendency to act impulsively, ignoring protocol and putting himself and others in danger. Wes, on the other hand, is overly analytical and struggles to connect with people on a personal level.

As they delve further into their issues, the two are assigned to work on a case together by the captain. A wealthy CEO's body is found in his mansion, and Wes and Travis are tasked with finding the killer. As they work the case, their therapy sessions start to have an effect on their approach to the investigation. Wes learns to trust his instincts more and approaches the case with a more open mind, while Travis learns to slow down and pay attention to the details. They start to make progress in the case, but tensions rise when Travis’s impulsive behavior puts Wes in danger.

Throughout the episode, there are flashbacks to Wes and Travis's past cases and their initial partnership. These flashbacks give the audience a deeper understanding of the character's personalities and their history. They also show the pivotal moment when their relationship started to deteriorate. The flashbacks reveal that Travis was involved in a shooting that left a young girl dead, a trauma that still haunts him and affects his behavior. Additionally, Wes struggles with a failed marriage and a strained relationship with his family.

As the episode progresses, the two detectives begin to work together more effectively and even start to enjoy each other's company. However, they hit a snag when they discover that the victim's wife is not as innocent as she initially seemed and may be involved in her husband's murder. Despite this setback, they work together to solve the case. In the end, they not only solve the murder but also manage to repair their partnership. They even invite Dr. Ryan to go out for drinks with them, indicating that their therapy sessions have done the trick.

The first episode of Common Law introduces the audience to the show's two main characters, Travis Marks and Wes Mitchell. The episode is an action-packed crime drama that explores the challenges of working as a partnership. It does an excellent job of introducing the characters along with their strengths and weaknesses. Their pasts are revealed, giving the audience an insight into why they are the way they are. Additionally, it successfully sets the tone for the rest of the series, a crime procedural with a light-hearted comedic touch. Overall, the pilot episode is an exciting start to what proves to be an incredibly entertaining series.