Neil Brown Jr. stole the show on SEAL Team

Neil Brown Jr. emotional performance as Ray stole the show in last night’s SEAL Team.

Honestly, it would not have mattered what happened on last night’s SEAL Team. We could have finally found out who orchestrated the hit on Echo Team. One of the SEAL’s could have been killed off. Dita, the dog could have given birth to puppies. None of it would have mattered because all eyes were on Ray, played by Neil Brown Jr.

If you haven’t watched the latest episode of SEAL Team yet I highly recommend you do. It is not an episode you want to have spoiled, for a number of reasons, but especially Ray’s storyline. Once you have seen it, pop back and read on.

So we found out pretty early on in the episode the consequences of that poorly thrown grenade. A young boy of ten was caught in the blast. A tragic casualty of war but one that unfortunately happens. An investigation is underway and Ray, from the very word, go, held up his hands and admitted it was him who threw the grenade.

Neil Brown Jr. displays a downward spiral of emotion

The heading says it all really. As the episode progressed we watched as Ray, Neil Brown Jr., go head first into a downward spiral of emotion. One that completely drew you in. So much so that it didn’t matter what else was going in the episode.

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While watching SEAL Team I tried to put myself in Ray’s shoes and think what it would be like to be him. I have never been to war, and I have never been a soldier, so it was near impossible to imagine what would be going on inside someone’s head during a time like that.

I am a father, so I was able to consider what it would be like to lose my own children like that. A horrible feeling. I then thought about what it may be like if I had accidentally killed a child. Another horrible feeling. Yet, thinking like that still doesn’t come close to what Ray would be going through.

You didn’t have to imagine

Thing is, when I sat back for a minute, I actually didn’t need to think what it would be like. Neil Brown Jr. did such an amazing job last night that you didn’t have to imagine what it would be like. It was such a convincing and powerful performance that it was there. All of it, right there in front of me.

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A display of someone who has not done anything intentionally wrong. We are not going to get into the debate of the rights and wrongs of war etc, etc. Let’s just stay on point. This was a display of someone, a seasoned soldier no less, who has unintentionally killed someone and is feeling so much guilt that he cannot even turn to his faith.

I’ll say again, it didn’t matter what SEAL Team had planned in last night’s episode, it was all overshadowed by Ray.

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Do you agree? Was Neil Brown Jr. performance last night amazing or not? Leave a comment below with your thoughts.

SEAL Team returns Wednesday, May 2, at 9/8c on CBS.