Catch up first: read Anika’s Episode 1 review and Episode 2 review before diving into Episode 3.
The complicated web of duplicitous stories and relationships continues to reveal itself in episode 3. What do you mean that the scammers and Dennis aren't one and the same? Who is Dennis speaking to and who are these targets? What's that about Paula's previous brushes with the law? Who is Ash and how are they connected to TrevorJeff (this is his name now in my book, à la Shameless' JimmySteve)? So many questions and not a lot of answers run through this episode, but the intrigue keeps on.
The acting continues to be top notch. Murray Bartlett is downright terrifying as Dennis, his calculated precision at being a creepy murderer makes my skin crawl. Jake Johnson masterfully makes me absolutely despise Karl - I know him best for playing the affable Nick in New Girl, so it was weird to hate him now, but boy do I. Tatiana and Dolly continue to crush.
When Paula pleads with Karl not to move to Boise and put her in the position to have to fight for her child in court, my heart broke. She usually has her walls up with Karl, seemingly for her own self-protection, but here she cracked a little, tears brimming, eyes pleading. When she tries to speak and reason with him, I see her soften and remember the man she thought she once knew. The line "You like udon noodles and weird art stores." breaks your heart as it is clear that the man she thought she knew is no longer.
While nothing has quite captured the magic of the first episode for me, I am still thoroughly intrigued and invested in the ever unravelling mystery. This show sure knows how to do a cliffhanger and throw you off just when you think you might be getting it. Each episode has continued to make me feel quite squeamish, the prolonged visceral violence is hard to face head on, and as a result I often am viewing those scenes between my fingers.
I am still not completely sold on how they are representing sex workers. The opening scene shows a sex worker speaking to his virtual audience drawing them in with innuendo while musing on deeper themes but they leave it there. The show is seeking to explore this world, but I feel they keep it at an arms length. I worry that the engagement with the world of sex work is for shock value rather than a true and honest engagement with its complexities. I hope that with the introduction of Ash and their connection to TrevorJeff that the show will eventually lead to a nuanced depiction. Despite my qualms, there is something about the show that implies there are deeper intentions here - I just can't quite put my finger on it yet. I hope that I'm right.
The episode ends with another cliffhanger, our creepy murderer has made a mistake and kidnapped and almost murdered the wrong person. But it seems like, he's not going to rectify that mistake? We'll have to wait till next week to see. Deep breaths everyone, deep breaths.