If you would like to read my review of the last episode, click here.
Synopsis: Greg and Audrey uncover unpleasant truths about Ramon’s adoption. Kristen and Navid embrace their rare connection, but pay a price. Audrey has second thoughts about Steve after his true intentions are exposed. Ashley considers a lucrative business offer as the chasm between her, Malcolm and Hailey widens. The family celebrates a landmark birthday with cold pizza and honesty. (HBO)
Writer: Charles Yu
Director: Minkie Spiro
Rating: TV-MA
Running Time: 58mins
Airs: Sundays at 9pm on HBO Canada (Canada)/HBO (United States)
We’re getting closer to the end and an actual end is in sight thanks to some converging storylines and a cliffhanger.
The episode started with Greg in a treehouse contemplating something. Kristen wondered if there was something going on between her parents but Audrey claimed she was fine.
Shokrani was still reeling from the voicemail message from his dying mother in Iran. Layla translated it for him which got him emotional. He confronted his Uncle Amir about not telling him about his mother. While in a session with a patient, Shokrani couldn’t stop thinking about his mother. He kept playing the message over and over again and triggered another memory of his mother that changed his opinion of her. Layla felt he was losing control and that he should see a therapist.
The police spoke with Kristen and Navid about the incident with the girls but they claimed to not know anything. Later, the two further explored their connection by having sex. When Kristen was leaving, Shokrani asked her about Ramon and shared his ability. They then went to school very together and got everyone’s attention.
Audrey got a surprising question at a meeting about employee suicide in the third world. Meanwhile, Greg visited Steven at his office to subtly confront him about Audrey. Greg left when Audrey confronted Steven about exploiting human beings and realized that everything was for PR reasons.
When Audrey returned home, she confronted Greg about earlier and believed he was high. He was simply fighting for what he believed in which was her and his family. Audrey did not sleep with Steven for revenge. When he was in the treehouse, Greg discovered that Ramon’s adoption agency didn’t exist and that he tracked down their case worker.
Ramon was still thinking about Henry. He got a call from a representative of a game developer who was interested in his game after seeing it at the expo. They left before his meltdown. Meanwhile, Duc’s female client informed him that she was leaving him and Ashley got a visit from representatives who valued her and wanted to acquire her company.
Ashley and Ramon attended a book signing for Duc’s new book. He kept getting questions about his father but handled them admirably. Ashley wasn’t excited about the strings involved with the acquisition deal. At a meeting with the game developer, Ramon was offered a job. Ashley hadn’t told Malcolm yet about the deal. She didn’t know how it would affect their relationship as she felt that Hailey was closer to Malcolm than her.
The case worker told Audrey and Greg that they should stop looking into the orphanage and thought they should leave. They learned that Ramon was stolen. Knowing that his mother was still out there, Audrey didn’t consider herself his mother anymore.
Kristen and Navid’s earlier display at school got them beat up and arrived to the special party that Audrey and Greg threw for them (I’m not sure about the religious part of it). Ramon asked Navid about Shokrani. Kristen was just happy about being part of the family. Duc also let slip Ashley’s deal. After seeing Navid, Shokrani didn’t want him to see her anymore. While driving, Shokrani saw a hallucination of his mother.
While Ashley and Malcolm fought over Ashley’s deal, Ramon and Hailey were playing in the treehouse that somehow caught on fire. When they looked out the window, all they say was Hailey fall out.
Overall, this episode was an improvement over the last few meandering episodes as it featured a few satisfying story beats with Shokrani and Kristen and Navid. Storylines are now beginning to converge to the point where there is a discernible end in sight. While it may not be what it looked like at the start, it has awkwardly found its way towards something different which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Hopefully all these storylines will get the resolution they deserve but the show’s convoluted nature definitely won’t make it easy.
Score: 8/10
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The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.
