By Kofi Outlaw

SPOILER ALERT: This review reveals some major plot twists.

This week’s episode of THE UNIT was not for the faint heart. Speaking of ‘faint of heart,’ Grey was feeling that way after being struck down during a mission to extract an American reporter taken prisoner in Lebanon. With their position compromised, one man critically injured and their extraction plan scrubbed, The Unit members had no choice but to take a Lebanese family hostage in their apartment, while Hector performed emergency surgery on Grey.

Back home Tiffy’s rough patch got even rougher, when her car was illegally towed from the go-go bar where she danced. Fearing a conspiracy, the other Unit wives rallied in support of Tiffy and headed off for the tow truck depot. Turned out the conspiracy was real: the tow truck guy was a perv who illegally towed dancer’s cars as a way to coerce them into sex.


Back in Lebanon Murphy’s law was in full effect: Hector patched up Grey, only to have him flat-line from a second internal wound; Bob tried to keep the hostage family pacified, but had to kill their America-friendly son when the boy tried to alert the militia; Jonas followed the American POW to a supposed line of communication, only to have the man go mad from Stockholm syndrome; Mack tried to make a roof signal to alert command of their location, only to get pinned down by militiamen. As the situation unraveled the Unit regrouped for a brave last stand, shooting their way out of the building while carrying the injured Grey in their arms. Just as hope seemed lost, U.S. Marines (alerted by Mack’s signal) rushed in to save the day.

At home the Unit wives confronted the tow truck guy with a bluff that they had his illegal actions on tape. When the tow truck guy flipped out and tried to muscle them, the wives showed some military might of their own and beat him down. Girl power!

In the Lebanon all was seemingly ending well. The Unit was on their way home, and it looked as though Grey was going to pull through. Just as Hector was hugging his injured best friend in joy, a sniper’s bullet tore through his neck, killing him instantly, as Grey and the other Unit members looked on in horror.


Crap on a stick. As someone who was just getting into THE UNIT, I was truly horrified by the moment when Hector bit the big one. He was quickly becoming my favorite character, almost like G.I. Joe’s Snake Eyes—a strong, silent, warrior, who was also a brilliant surgeon to boot. The burgeoning storylines with Hector getting acquainted with new girlfriend Annie, and discovering Tiffy’s affair with Col. Ryan, were ones I was looking forward to seeing more of. Shame. Now I, like Jonas in next week’s episode, am looking for heads to roll. Only the heads I’m thinking of belong to David Mamet and Shawn Ryan—the men (and producers) truly responsible for Hector’s untimely and unfair demise.

R.I.P. Hector Williams (2006-2007)