I'm somewhere in the 430s.
There is really powerful stuff in here that I just wasn't expecting. I always heard that people enjoyed Miriam's kidnapping, but I didn't understand the complexities and richness to the story. Blue isn't treated as a cardboard villain, which would be easy to do given the show's nature on Christian television. Miriam believes he can be saved and has spent time preaching to him about how he needs to serve God and not Ron and Lance. This is borderline absurdist (I'm expecting a few quips from you @Khan ), but the pathos given to the character of Blue gives the moments such weight. Blue has been abandoned by society in so many ways, but not by God. Miriam's attempts to get herself released aren't pure but aren't purely selfish. More of Blue's backstory is given involving his first "girlfriend," a college student who seems to be studying him as some sort of sociology project when he was 16. It's really gut wrenching stuff.
There are a couple noteable moments in this end of the story. Miriam states that her captivity is worse than Blue being in foster care. Now, I thought Miriam was told the story about Blue being Blue because that was the color of his stuff at one of the foster homes. I think the oppression Olympics here show that Miriam is still a very privileged woman, though I suspect that might be the intention. In a more shocking moment, to me, Blue has very negative reactions to Miriam mentioning Jesus' name later revealing that was the name that Lori repeated when Blue attacked her. It was a stellar connection to keep the audience aware of both plots.
Meanwhile, as Vinley continues to develop the criminal syndicate, I'm more and more interested. Nick Benedict's Ron Washington is a slick member of the upper management who doesn't like to get his hands dirty anymore, but still shows that he has the menace that got him to the top. His penthouse style apartment is very nice. He discussed how he came up through work in Los Angeles, I believe, or maybe that was someone else. Anyway, I thought they were going to pair Nancy and Ron for a minute, but instead, they have kept him loyal to his paramour Ramona, one of the "girls" in the stable. His skimming from the top and side projects (like Miriam's kidnapping) are threatened by Russ' arrival.
I didn't like Russ in this story. It felt like an attempt to revisit the original plans from 1981 when Russ went to work for Vince after borrowing the money. I didn't see the point. I get that Russ' presence is a threat to all Ron's side ventures, but there is also a bit of a respect growing between Russ and Nick because of Russ' ambition and his desires.
At the lowest levels you have Lance and Blue, Another Life's answer to Lenny and George. They are the enforcers doing the heavy lifting. it is Blue who elicits the most sympathy from me, though Russ did as well in a moment that just came up that I will expand upon in a moment. Beneath the ribbing and the tormenting, Lance does care about Blue. He says more than once that Blue is his best friend. I do think he means that. There relationship does have an unhealthy dynamic to it, but it is also Lance's central emotional connection on the screen. No female love interest as of yet.
There was several episodes spent on something that I felt was wildly insignificant, a loyalty test for Russ where he was asked to handle Paula, the sixteen year old runaway that Lance has been pimping out. We met her during November I think. Russ goes to her room as she has been skipping appointments with John's. He's mortified to realize how young she is; he tosses the room, shouts at her, and leaves. It's a chance for Nick and Lance to snicker at Russ, but it plays a deeper role in the coming episodes.
In the most critical moment of late, as stories collide, Blue goes to the Chesterfield Clinic to have his bandages removed by Dr. Phillips at the same time Lori, tired of being stuck at home, also goes to the clinic to volunteer leading to a very early in the episode confrontation (maybe shortly after the opening credits) between Lori and Blue with both individuals freaking out. Blue's identity is now revealed to the public. He is a wanted man.
This moment has been a waterfall moment. Everything iscoming back to Lori. Blue has had to tell Lance that he has been caught, and Lance is forced to realize what the girlfriend story really means. Nick feels the whole organization is threatened by Blue's stunt as it threatens the stability of the kidnapping plot as well as Blue's involvement in the drug and prostitution. Nick orders Lance to kill Blue, and it's clear that Lance is mortified. It's a satsifying moment for the typically smug Lance who just episodes earlier spoke about Russ' inability to do the job being placed in a similar situation. Lance reports back that Blue is gone, but I don't think we saw what happened once Lance leaves to go to Blue's apartment leaving the edge of mystery about what Lance did or didn't do.
In the moment that shocked me the most, though it shouldn't have, Russ arrives and reads the paper with Nick and becomes infuriated because of his connection to Lori. They have always played Russ' love for Lori in a way that it is still very special to him. He knows he cannot have it back, but he will never let anyone else hurt her. He offers to kill Blue, in front of Lance. Kelly Gwinne is impressing me in these sequences as you realize Lance's horror at realizing what the end result of this will be. Nick initially refuses the offer because he doesn't want them using the job to handle personal grudges, but Nick is later impressed by Russ' gumption. It's all powerful stuff.
Sprinkled in there has been some other kidnapping stuff. Charles is still working with Harold to gather the ransom without arousing suspicion in the business community. Harold has created some sort of dummy corporation that I suspect will come back to bite them. Gene writes an article, against Charles' wishes, about Miriam's disappearance for the paper, which leads to drama. Gene and McGovern (the editor) are suspicious about Charles' claims and the editor tells Gene to keep investigating. Meanwhile, Marianne has convinced herself that Russ' job is a government position which is why he has to keep it secret. This is probably the most insane thing to me. Marianne and Russ don't work. They look good together. Renee Crawford is a good actress, but there is a certain level of gullible and stupid you need Marianne to be in order for this story to work. And she isn't so it doesn't.
Lori's story continues to be very strong for me. The strain this has put on her marriage to Ben is very real and Ben has expressed his frustrations. There are also some very veiled comments that make it clear that Lori and Ben haven't had sex. Before running into Blue, Lori was slowly starting to remember things and was equally desperate to uncover the truth and to keep it hidden. Once Lori learns the truth, Ben assures her that she wasn't raped, but I could see how she wouldn't believe them. No one has told her the truth. There are also hints that she is pregnant, which means she got pregnant back when Jeanette Larson was in the role which was months ago. The timeline might be a bit of a hard sell for me. Meanwhile, Kari Page is starting to look significantly pregnant, but maybe her clothes just aren't flattering.
The Phillips family drama is also brewing and it is quiet engaging as we get more and more pieces of the family story. To me, this is the version of the Jeff Cummingsfactory done right. This haunting tragedy, the death of Kevin Phillips in a car crash because Dave was under the influence, is contuining to impact the members today. I didn't realize everyone was in the car when it happened. How brutal. Amber finally confirms that Kate is her mother so we know that Dave is her father, a man she refuse to talk about with Gil. I like Gil and Amber's dynamic. She is very aloof but flirty in a way that Deena Greely wasn't. The way she tries to manage her sister Stacey is also notable. In their first scene, Amber instantly cancels Stacey's order (a Reuben or a pastrami sandwich) and substitutes it for a salad with Stacey complying. It is very telling. I do think there is a suggestion that Amber might feel compelled (at one point anyway) to have looked out for Stacey because clearly their father couldn't and their mother may have been too involved. It's gone beyond that now. Amber is a control freak, but I love the dynamic.
Stacey's work at the Kingsley Chronicle puts her in contact with Gene, which in turn given her a direct line to her father. Gene tells Stacey he is doing an article on her father's clinic. While Amber is adamant about disowning Dave, Stacey shows signs of forgiveness. You can see the drama brewing and I am here for it. Dorothy Stinette is in the credits so Kate should be onscreen soon and that should keep things even more interesting.
There is a nice beat where Stacey tells Amber about the clinic and Amber immediately assumes that Dave is getting Medicaid kickbacks or from some other government program. It places Dave and Ben's insistence in private donors in another light or at least a shot of hope for Amber down the line at forgiving her father.
I already adore Karen Chapman as Stacey. As much as I like the dynamic in the Phillips clan so far, I think she would have been a remarkable Lori.
There are lots of little moments in this story that just break your heart. Dave talks about digging in the garden a year after Kevin's death and finding toy soldiers that had more than likely been buried there for more than a decade since Kevin lost them. Dave runs into Amber at a restaurant and she publicly claims no knowledge of who he is and when he tries to broker peace, she threatens to cause a scene. There is a beautiful shot of Amber telling Gil that that terrible excuse for a man was her father as we see Dave staring from across the room. Stacey's slowly emerging happiness at hearing Dave has gotten his life together is also a tender moment.
I hadn't been aware that at this late in the game, we would still be hearing about Dave wanting to reunite with Kate, but I guess that makes sense. I just assumed they were going to play Dave and Terry sooner.
Nancy's story seems to be mostly in limbo. She still is trying to figure out how to maintain the house. There is a suggestion she is seeking illegal loan for this which I suspect might put her in Ron Washington's orbit again. Nancy and the mob would be fun. I'm surprised how much mileage the show has gotten out Nora's house. The house has gotten more story than Nora ever did.
I apologize for the length. I've been watching this week with the flu and haven't had the energy until today to form a proper response.
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dc11786 ·
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