Morgan blames June for John’s death and, disgusted, she leaves to seek out clues on the ‘The End is the Beginning’ cult. Dwight and Sherry make some hard choices. June meets a very surprising, and familiar, ally.

Keith Carradine, everyone. The legendary actor is instantly likable and instantly plausible as Dorie Sr. We find out in short order that John got his principles, and his guns, from his dad but not his backbone. That was all him. Carradine is superb here, effortless authority mixed with total fragility. Jenna Elfman is also superb and the pair construct an incredibly sweet, spiky double act out of their shared grief. The final scene here, where June reads the last letter John ever wrote over his grave as his dad, Dwight and Sherry listen rips your heart out at first because of Elfman’s delivery. But when it becomes clear what John has done, the scene is all the more touching; June and Sr. are united and Dwight and Sherry not only get back together but make the choice to stay. John Dorie, good man, leader, caregiver. Even, perhaps especially, in death.

The entire episode orbits grief like a sun and gives the four principals lots to get their teeth into. Austin Amelio, one of the best cast members any of these shows ever had, continues to impress as a dogged, methodical and painfully self-aware Dwight. Christine Evangelista’s Sherry is far less healed, despite Dwight’s facial scars suggesting different and the way the pair put each other back together is touching and inspiring. Also I defy anyone to get through June returning their wedding rings without getting a lump in their throat.

In the end though, this episode is about John Dorie and the space he leaves behind. For Dwight and Sherry, it’s a good man worth emulating. For June it’s a lost love who she can never honour enough. For John Dorie Senior, it’s a chance to close his last case, and honour the son he feels he overlooked.

Verdict: A long shadow cast by a good man, and in so doing, a fantastic episode of the strongest season of this show to date. 10/10

Alasdair Stuart