Episode Grade: (8.0/10)
Increased violence in Kingstown prompts truce talks between the gang leaders and law enforcement, with Mike acting as the mediator. Meanwhile, Iris makes a shocking decision that could have dire consequences.
Plot (42/50)
This episode continued in the direction of increased violence, with the guards in the prison camp still turning a blind eye and the situation in the city reaching a breaking point when an entire house of people was murdered in cold blood. Mike reluctantly sets up truce talks between the four gang leaders because he’s the only neutral party involved. The talks take an interesting turn when Mike gets the gang leaders arrested so that they can reestablish the leadership structure inside. Once they’ve chosen leaders, charges will be dropped against them, and they will be set free. Mike had gotten Evelyn’s approval prior to the meeting, but things will get tricky if she (or anyone else at the DA’s office) refuses to honor the deal. This was an engaging subplot that seriously shifts the dynamic of the prison, even if it is temporary. Elsewhere, Kyle gets in a shootout in what should’ve been a routine, yet unnecessary, police stop. He ends up killing the couple after his fellow officer was shot, but he has a breakdown when he notices a baby in the backseat that he just orphaned. Talk about brutal. The twists weren’t over just yet though, as Iris runs back to Milo, who is in the basement of some church in the city. I guess she was so fed up with Mike’s babysitting that she figured at least Milo might give her purpose? It seemed like she was genuinely back with him, but it’s more likely that she’s back for revenge. However, if she’s actually back with Milo, how much about Mike will she reveal? How much of that will he use against Mike? In any case, all eyes are on the prison for the upcoming episode. No one is particularly happy about the arrangement, and it definitely won’t go as smoothly as Mike would hope for considering how poorly the guards and the police honored the last agreement.
Character Development (11/15)
Mike’s strong relationship with Bunny is proving vital once again. It will certainly be put to the test given Mike’s plan involved putting Bunny in prison. Should things go south for Bunny on the inside, Mike will have a real problem on his hands. The interaction between Bunny and Kareem is a reminder that Bunny is still a criminal despite his presentation as an ally to the show’s protagonist. Iris going back to Milo doesn’t make much sense, for now, regardless of what her true intentions are. If she knew where Milo was this whole time, why didn’t she say anything to Mike? He’s clearly the reason Mike is being this protective of her, and since she’s clearly suffocated by this treatment, why not give up his location so he can be sent back to prison? That’s the quickest way for her to restore her freedom. The only way this makes some sense is if she plans on killing him. Really, she just gets more and more annoying each passing scene. Mike and Evelyn share a moment that was OK until Mike tells her to “cheer up.” The woman just examined the scene of an absolute bloodbath, I’m not sure telling her to “cheer up” is remotely appropriate. Kyle had a rough going as well despite not even being assigned to Kingstown anymore. He will be psychologically tormented by what happened, especially given how unnecessary it was. The man chose to open fire, and that was what directly led to Kyle’s reaction, but Kyle won’t see it that way. Ultimately for Kyle, the child was orphaned because his father’s slow driving happened to annoy the cop behind him. No doubt, this will have a major impact on his character.
Theme/Messages (3/5)
- As the saying goes, “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.”
- The cycle of violence, like many cycles in life, continues to worsen until someone takes a leap of faith.
- No matter what situation you find yourself in, remember that things can always get worse (or better).
Acting (13/15)
Jeremy Renner (Mike) and Tobi Bamtefa (Bunny) were predictably great here, but Marcus Gladney Jr. (Ray Ray) stole the show with his short, but memorable, display. Taylor Handley (Kyle) put in a good shift as well.
Cinematography (11/15)
- Nothing of note