East New York Season 1 Episode 12 Spoilers: Bentley Returns to Work

It’s been a long time. East New York last aired in early January, taking another break soon after returning from its midseason hiatus.

But now, the series is finally back, and we couldn’t be happier!

East New York Season 1 Episode 12 spoilers promise more of Jimmy Smits, a big story for Bentley, and Killian’s past coming back to haunt him.

Now that marijuana is legal in New York, the 7-4 will face a new, related problem: someone robbing dispensaries.

That’s not good news for pro-legalization advocates, who won’t want marijuana associated with violent crime. It’s also problematic for Killian, who will have a personal connection to the case.

What could that connection be? Spoilers say that it threatens to derail Killian’s personal life. He hasn’t been getting along well with Corrine since she hired that ex-con as head chef for the new and improved Goodys; could this connection be the last straw for these two?

Hopefully, the chef isn’t involved in the robberies. All we need is Killian gloating that he was right after Corinne defended the guy for months. As an advocate for better re-entry services for ex-offenders, I don’t like the “once a criminal, always a criminal” trope that pervades television crime dramas.

But the chef might know something from his time on the inside that could be helpful to the case. If Killian questions him, it’ll irritate Corinne, but if the chef turns informant, it’ll prove he’s not a bad guy anymore.

I’m also intrigued by where Bentley’s storyline might be going.

Ready for Work - East New York

Bentley was shot not long ago and has been navigating tricky relationship issues.

His parents want to take care of him, but they’re also invested in convincing him to give up his career, and staying with them has put the brakes on his burgeoning relationship with Quinlan.

Now, he’s taking a big step by returning to work.

Gunshot wounds can take a long time to heal, both physically and psychologically. Bentley may need to prove that he’s ready for active duty before he gets moved off a desk.

Helping Bentley Adjust - East New York Season 1 Episode 12

He’ll face pressure from his parents to stay on that desk, and they may not be the only ones. Sandeford will likely encourage him to take it slowly — but will Bentley listen?

This could be a new source of conflict between them. Sandeford already feels guilty about not protecting Bentley from the shooter, and Bentley may not be himself right now.

He probably wants to plunge back into work, especially if he’s trying to prove that he’s okay or escape any uncomfortable feelings about the shooting.

I’m also curious how being back at the precinct will affect Bentley. For some people walking into the station or putting that uniform back on could be triggering (no pun intended). Getting in the squad car with Sandeford or out at a crime scene will be even more so since that’s where the shooting took place.

Dispensary Robberies - East New York Season 1 Episode 12

Sandeford had been about to let Bentley drive when the attack occurred; I’m curious whether that’ll still happen or Bentley wants to now.

Bentley will also have to decide who to confide in.

Unfortunately, it can be dangerous for police officers to admit to having mental health issues. They risk being barred from active duty or treated as weak by their fellow cops. This is especially true for male officers, as men are often stigmatized for having mental health issues regardless of their careers.

Hopefully, Bentley will break the habit of keeping mental health concerns to himself. If nothing else, he could confide in Quinlan.

Killian's Life May Be Derailed - East New York Season 1 Episode 12

However, their relationship is up in the air, and Bentley might not be in the right frame of mind to continue it. The shooting turned his world upside down, and he won’t be able to act like nothing happened, no matter how much he wants to.

Finally, Suarez gets a big political story!

The powers that be have not been happy with Regina.

She doesn’t back off when cops are involved in wrongdoing and doesn’t care about political concerns. On East New York Season 1 Episode 11, she made an enemy out of a union trustee when she tried to hold a cop accountable for unnecessarily injuring an arrestee.

Navigating Office Politics - East New York Season 1 Episode 12

Suarez ordered her not to transfer Finley, which was meant to cool everything down. But Regina’s aware of who was behind that, and this sequence opened a war.

Now, Suarez will meet a political policy advisor. This advisor might pressure him to get rid of Regina or get her in line with maintaining the status quo — something Regina will never do.

The war is out in the open; which side will Suarez choose? His loyalty should be to Regina, but he also understands what she does not: she won’t be able to stay in her position and accomplish anything if she makes too many changes too fast.

But Regina already feels that Suarez has been disloyal to her, and if staying in her position requires backing off her plans for police reform, there’s no point in her being there.

Suarez Has an Important Meeting - East New York Season 1 Episode 12

It’s on, and I wouldn’t bet against Regina, regardless of her hatred of politics and refusal to go along with them.

What do you think, East New York fanatics? Hit the big, blue SHOW COMMENTS button and let us know!

Don’t forget that you can watch East New York online while waiting for the new episode to air.

East New York airs on CBS on Sundays at 9 PM EST / PST. The next new episode airs on February 19, 2023.

Jack Ori is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. His debut young adult novel, Reinventing Hannah, is available on Amazon. Follow him on Twitter.

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