We live in a time when showrunners can know exactly what viewers are thinking. There’s Twitter, blogs, and episode reviews (like this one) that dissect the minutia of every episode.
Executive producers Elwood Reid must know most people were less than thrilled with the David Tate serial killer reveal last season. So, perhaps naively, I assumed the show was done with him. I thought (hoped?) Fausto Galvan had exacted revenge for the death of Marco’s son between seasons.
But how wrong I was. This fifth episode of the second season was largely dedicated to David Tate and Marco’s crisis of conscience. Showrunners should realize their vision and not create a show that merely reacts to viewers’ criticism. So I admire the fact that producers brought back David Tate, even though they must have known his appearance would send many viewers over the edge.
This episode was especially successful because I didn’t know exactly what Marco would do once he faced David Tate. “You’re not getting off so easy, asshole,” Marco says before gauging out David’s eye. The fact that Marco chose to maim David Tate rather than kill him was a surprise. But I also would have been surprised if Marco had killed him. He’s a man living with a deep, unwavering grief. Anything was possible. The utter sorrow and world weariness Demian Bichir is bringing to Marco this season is palpable and heart-breaking.
While Marco is experiencing a very dark night of the soul, the CIA warns DEA Agent Joe McKenzie about investigating Sebastian Cerisola and Grupo Cleo. He’ll be shipped off to a station in Sierra Leone if he doesn’t comply. Joe reaches out to Daniel Frye—turns out Joe is the one who sent Daniel and Adriana the money with the “Who is Millie Quintana” message. “Open the doors. Ask the questions. Bring me the answers,” Joe tells Daniel as the show continues to integrate its disparate storylines.
Fausto’s men take out the kids who stole Ray’s drugs, but one teen survives by pretending to be dead. I don’t think this scene is just meant to remind us of how despicable Fausto is. My guess is that we’ll see the surviving teen again.
Ray and Charlotte, still off in their own little story line, learn of Fausto’s new plans for them. The model homes, the ones where the massacre took place, are now in Charlotte and Ray’s names. They do this and they get to live. Oh, and Cesar is still alive too—and looking mighty pleased with himself.
Things with Sonya continue to get more bizarre. She insists on being present for the cremation of Jim Dobbs. And when Jack doesn’t want the ashes, Sonya takes them. Jack wants to talk about the fact that Sonya wanted to be strangled during sex. “Is that a usual thing,” Jack asks her. “No, I just felt like it in the moment,” she replies. So Sonya is shrugging off the fact that she wanted to be strangled by the brother of the man who killed her sister? I think we’re talking years of therapy here. I’m still unclear of exactly where the show is going with this particular story line. But it’s so blatantly disturbing, I’m getting close to wanting to fast forward through those scenes.