Episode Grade: (7.5/10)
Mike faces increased pressure to deliver on his promises after a couple of testing incidents. Despite the setbacks, his plan to restore order does seem to be working.
Plot (39/50)
This was an oddly short episode, clocking in at a mere 37 minutes, so we got some intriguing developments with very little filler. The gang leaders are taking care of business on the inside as agreed upon, with the exception of the Bloods who go after Bunny. This was a necessary bit of conflict considering the animosity between the gangs. Still, things seem to be going well on that end of the deal. Mike, on the other hand, is struggling to get a written deal from the DA’s office, and Bunny makes it explicitly clear that should Mike fail to fulfill his end of the deal, there will be dire consequences. To be fair, Mike shot himself in the foot when he failed to mention to Bunny that the police had raided his grandma’s house. Needless to say, Mike is under a ton of pressure to do his job, his job being to broker deals between otherwise warring factions in an effort to maintain the peace. Instead of focusing on his job, he’s spending most of his time looking for Iris. Iris, for her part, is back under Milo’s operation. There’s no sign of any plan for revenge, yet, which makes her decision more and more inexplicable. More on that later. Mike’s also failing to justify his value as a CI to the FBI at the moment as well, again, as a result of his preoccupation with Iris. Other developments include Kyle returning to Kingstown asking for his old job back after quitting his new one, and Warwick group making a move to control all the prisons in the area. This was a solid episode that was dragged down by the situation with Iris. It moved things along while highlighting how much Mike is struggling at the moment. Tensions are beginning to mount between him and his usual allies, and if he doesn’t get his priorities in order soon, things could get ugly. With Kyle back in town and unable to rejoin the police force for the foreseeable future, might Mike bring him into the family business? He could really use the help, and Kyle’s relationship with the other cops would certainly come in handy. Finally, we need to see more of Milo moving forward. What’s his end game? Why is he still in town? We need some answers soon, or the mystery will turn into inconsistency.
Character Development (9/15)
Mike has stretched himself too thin and is now falling short of his responsibilities with everyone. This has created tensions between him and the FBI, his peers in the police force, and his friend Bunny. He needs to let go of Iris so he can focus on fixing his own problems, otherwise, things will get out of control. He’s a fixer, so he’s naturally attracted to broken things, or in this case, people. However, he needs to come to the realization that some people can’t -or don’t- want to be saved. On the topic of Iris, there’s no way Milo actually believes her version of the story. Her irrational and inexplicable decision to willingly return to him might have thrown him off right away, but he’s likely already readjusted. Either he’s toying with her or he’s using her as a pawn in his battle with Mike. The latter possibility seems more likely. Side note, when is Joseph going to stop getting embarrassed by Mike? Seriously, he gets manhandled every time the two meet. There was also some development for characters like Bunny, Kyle, and Evelyn, who are all facing changing landscapes that have the potential to advance the development of their characters.
Theme/Messages (4/5)
- Some people can’t be saved.
- Trust takes years to build and one bad day to tear down.
Acting (12/15)
Jeremy Renner (Mike) and Tobi Bamtefa (Bunny) continue to impress. The supremely talented Aidan Gillen (Milo) is always a joy to watch.
Cinematography (11/15)
- Nothing of note