Everyone’s favorite spooky, kooky funny family’s back and this time they’re embarking on that tried-and-true bonding tradition – the family road trip – in the 2021 animated comedy sequel, The Addams Family 2.
The sequel begins with Gomez (voiced by Oscar Isaac) and Morticia (voiced by Charlize Theron) fearful their children are not only growing up too quickly but growing distant from them. In an effort to make some new family memories and to try to bring the family closer together, Gomez and Morticia decide to cram Wednesday (voiced by Chloë Grace Moretz), Pugsley (voiced by Javon ‘Wanna’ Walton), Uncle Fester (voiced by Nick Kroll), and Lurch into their haunted camper and head out on a summer vacation road trip, complete with the bodiless hand “Thing” doing the driving.
While traveling across America and checking out some of the country’s iconic sights, the Addams meet up with their hairy cousin It (voiced by Snoop Dogg) who does his best to give Gomez and Morticia advice on how to deal with Wednesday. Despite the road trip, Wednesday seems to want nothing to do with her family and questions if she really is their daughter since she’s so emotionally different from her parents.
Missing the ghoulish, deadpan humor that made the first film so entertaining, The Addams Family 2 is, unfortunately, a forgettable and disappointing sequel that wastes the talents of its great voice cast and lavish animation. The script this time out swaps out the hilarious macabre humor for silly and chaotic antics. (This film critic chuckled out loud only three times in an hour and thirty-three minutes.)
Instead of giving each character a storyline, as the original managed to pull off, the plot focuses solely on Wednesday and her search to discover if she should seek out a family more befitting her brilliance and demeanor. The rest of the classic Addams family members are downgraded to merely supporting, one-dimensional characters. What a waste.
Another problem is that Chloe Grace Moretz is still voicing Wednesday. Even though Moretz does a solid job of voicing the character with her classic disengaged delivery, Moretz is noticeably way too old to be the voice of Wednesday who’s supposed to be 13. Once again the character sounds like a 20-something-year-old woman. That really detracts from all of Wednesday’s scenes, which are doubled this time around since she’s the primary focus of the story.
The Addams Family 2 isn’t mysterious or kooky or spooky or funny. It’s a sequel missing all the charm and spirit of the classic TV show and the original animated film. Don’t pay a call on this unamusing sequel.
GRADE: D
MPAA Rating: PG for violence, macabre and rude humor, and language
Poster for ‘Dexter: New Blood’ (Photo Courtesy of Showtime)
Showtime’s celebrating the 15th anniversary of Dexter with the unveiling of two brand new posters for the upcoming sequel, Dexter: New Blood. The new posters feature Emmy nominee Michael C. Hall looking ready to continue his serial killer ways as Dexter Morgan.
The event series reunites Hall with showrunner Clyde Phillips and Jennifer Carpenter who starred as Dexter’s sister Debra for the series’ eight season run. Dexter: New Blood also features Julia Jones (The Mandalorian) as Angela Bishop, Jack Alcott (The Good Lord Bird) as Harrison Morgan, Alano Miller (Sylvie’s Love) as Logan, Johnny Sequoyah (Believe) as Audrey, and Clancy Brown (Billions) as Kurt Caldwell.
Michael C. Hall and Clyde Phillips executive produce along with Scott Reynolds, Marcos Siega, Bill Carraro, John Goldwyn, and Sara Colleton.
The new series will be accompanied by the return of the Dexter podcast. Dexter: New Blood Wrap-Up with Scott Reynolds will, according to Showtime, “flesh out episodes, dissect characters and feature special guest stars from the cast to the executive producers.” The podcast will premiere on Friday, October 1st, with new episodes airing on Tuesdays.
The original series premiered on October 6, 2021. The special event series/sequel will debut on Sunday, November 7, 2021 at 9pm ET/PT on Showtime.
Showtime’s released the following description of the much-anticipated Dexter follow-up:
“Set 10 years after Dexter went missing in the eye of Hurricane Laura, Dexter: New Blood finds him living under an assumed name in the fictional small town of Iron Lake, New York. Dexter may be embracing his new life, but in the wake of unexpected events in this close-knit community, his Dark Passenger inevitably beckons.”
The new behind-the-scenes video from Halloween Kills opens with franchise star Jamie Lee Curtis discussing reuniting with a few of the cast members from the original 1978 Halloween. The 2021 sequel finds the town coming together behind Laurie to take down Michael Myers, with Halloween‘s Kyle Richards (“Lindsey”), Charles Cyphers (“Brackett”), and Nancy Stephens (“Marion”) pitching in to help.
2018’s Halloween writer/director David Gordon Green returns for the 2021 entry in the horror franchise. Scott Teems and Danny McBride co-wrote the screenplay based on characters created by John Carpenter and Debra Hill. Malek Akkad, Jason Blum, and Bill Block produced, with John Carpenter, Jamie Lee Curtis, Danny McBride, David Gordon Green, and Ryan Freimann executive producing. The film’s a Universal Pictures, Miramax, and Blumhouse production.
Halloween Kills will open in theaters and on Peacock on Friday, October 15, 2021.
The Plot, Courtesy of Universal Pictures:
In 2018, David Gordon Green’s Halloween, starring icon Jamie Lee Curtis, killed at the box office, earning more than $250 million worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing chapter in the four-decade franchise and setting a new record for the biggest opening weekend in history for a horror film starring a woman.
And the Halloween night when Michael Meyers returned isn’t over yet.
Minutes after Laurie Strode (Curtis), her daughter Karen (Greer) and granddaughter Allyson (Matichak) left masked monster Michael Myers caged and burning in Laurie’s basement, Laurie is rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, believing she finally killed her lifelong tormentor.
But when Michael manages to free himself from Laurie’s trap, his ritual bloodbath resumes. As Laurie fights her pain and prepares to defend herself against him, she inspires all of Haddonfield to rise up against their unstoppable monster.
The Strode women join a group of other survivors of Michael’s first rampage who decide to take matters into their own hands, forming a vigilante mob that sets out to hunt Michael down, once and for all.
FBI‘s Alana De La Garza guest stars in season one episode three of the newest installment in the FBI franchise, FBI: International. Directed by Deborah Kampmeier from a script by Matt Olmstead, “Secrets as Weapons” will air on Tuesday, October 5, 2021 at 9pm ET/PT.
The season one cast includes Luke Kleintank as Special Agent Scott Forrester, Heida Reed as Special Agent Jamie Kellett, Carter Redwood as Special Agent Andre Raines, Vinessa Vidotto as Special Agent Cameron Vo, and Christiane Paul as Europol Agent Katrin Jaeger.
“Secrets as Weapons” Plot: The team investigates when the hijacking of millions worth of cryptocurrency en route to a safety vault in Switzerland leaves an American transporter dead and another on the run.
Season One Description, Courtesy of CBS:
FBI: International is the third iteration of the successful FBI brand that follows the elite operatives of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s International Fly Team. Headquartered in Budapest, they travel the world with the mission of tracking and neutralizing threats against American citizens wherever they may be, putting their lives on the line to protect the U.S. and its people.
The Fly Team’s Special Agent Scott Forrester, their accomplished and dedicated leader, puts his missions ahead of his personal life and is rarely seen without the team’s “secret weapon” – their trusty Schutzhund dog, Tank. Second in command is Special Agent Jamie Kellett, not afraid to tussle – in an alley or courtroom – and her extensive network of informants is a powerful resource. Special Agent Andre Raines shines in the field and makes good use of his accounting background in tracking criminal enterprises’ moving money; and the group’s newest member is Special Agent Cameron Vo, a competitive West Point grad who excels at interrogation and strategy.
A key part of the mix is the unflappable Europol Agent Katrin Jaeger, a multilinguistic liaison between the FBI Fly Team and each host country they inhabit. Always at the scene where American interests are at risk, FBI: International is a globe-trotting depiction of law enforcement overseas.
Katherine and Eddie’s divorce is reason for the women to come together for a party in ABC’s A Million Little Things season four episode three. “game night” is set to air on Wednesday, October 6, 2021 at 10pm ET/PT.
David Giuntoli stars as Eddie Saville, Romany Malco plays Rome Howard, Christina Moses is Regina Howard, Grace Park plays Katherine Saville, and James Roday Rodriguez stars as Gary Mendez. Allison Miller is Maggie Bloom, Stephanie Szostak is Delilah Dixon, Floriana Lima is Darcy Cooper, Tristan Byon is Theo Saville, Lizzy Greene is Sophie Dixon, and Chance Hurstfield plays Danny Dixon.
“game night” Plot: When the girls decide to throw Katherine a celebratory divorce party, the guys get together to watch the hockey game and distract Eddie. Maggie is blindsided by some news, while Sophie is forced to stand her ground. Eddie helps Theo with a romantic gesture for a new crush and stumbles into someone from his past.
A Million Little Things Description, Courtesy of ABC:
A group of friends bands together to tackle issues heightened by the challenges our world is facing right now.
Grace Park, Floriana Lima, and Christina Moses in ‘A Million Little Things’ season 4 episode 3 (ABC/Jack Rowand)Lochlyn Munro and David Giuntoli in season 4 episode 3 (ABC/Jack Rowand)Floriana Lima and Christina Moses in season 4 episode 3 (ABC/Jack Rowand)Lizzy Greene, Floriana Lima, and Allison Miller in season 4 episode 3 (ABC/Jack Rowand)Lizzy Greene and Allison Miller in season 4 episode 3 (ABC/Jack Rowand)Floriana Lima and Grace Park in season 4 episode 3 (ABC/Jack Rowand)
The case of a murdered judge is front and center on CBS’s FBI: Most Wanted season three episode three, “Tough Love.” Directed by Marc Roskin from a script by Stephanie SenGupta, episode three will air on Tuesday, October 5, 2021 at 10pm ET/PT.
The season three cast includes Julian McMahon as Supervisory Special Agent Jess LaCroix, Alexa Davalos as Special Agent Kristin Gaines, YaYa Gosselin as Natalia “Tali” LaCroix, and Roxy Sternberg as Special Agent Sheryll Barnes. Keisha Castle-Hughes plays Special Agent Hana Gibson and Miguel Gomez is Special Agent Ivan Ortiz.
Maxwell Whittington-Cooper, Migs Govea, Eric T. Miller, Emily Hall, Elizabeth Morton, and Philip Hoffman guest star in episode three.
“Tough Love” Plot: When a judge known for serving harsh sentences to juveniles is murdered, the team looks into his lengthy list of cases in the hunt for his killer. Also, Kristin faces family hurdles while resettling with her teenage daughter in New York City.
FBI: Most Wanted Series Description, Courtesy of CBS:
From Emmy Award winner Dick Wolf and the team behind FBI and the Law & Order brand, FBI: Most Wanted is a high-stakes drama that focuses on the Fugitive Task Force, an elite unit that relentlessly pursues and captures the notorious criminals on the Bureau’s Most Wanted list.
Led by Supervisory Special Agent Jess LaCroix, an expert tracker and profiler with a complicated past, the team includes: Special Agent Sheryll Barnes, a former NYPD detective and forensics expert who is raising one child with her wife with another on the way; Special Agent Hana Gibson, a gifted millennial computer whiz with a sharp wit and mad hacking skills; and Special Agent Kenny Crosby, a young Army vet and brash Oklahoma farm boy who specializes in weapons and tactics; Special Agent Ivan Ortiz, a transplant from Los Angeles with a street cop’s instincts and a gift for undercover work; and their newest member, Special Agent Kristin Gaines, a Navy veteran who became a star in the FBI’s Miami Field Office as a result of her dogged pursuit of cold cases.
Always in the field and always on the run, FBI: Most Wanted is a weekly adrenaline shot about the thrill of the chase.
Country music’s Pistol Annies just released “Snow Globe,” the first song off of their first-ever Christmas album, Hell of a Holiday. The group’s fourth album is full of original holiday tunes as well as three holiday classics – “Sleigh Ride,” Merle Haggard’s “If We Make it Through December,” and “Auld Lang Syne.”
“We couldn’t be happier we got to make a Christmas Album. Once we finally surrendered and let the Christmas songwriting spirit take over, we were so inspired and felt that magic on every single one of these songs,” stated the trio’s Miranda Lambert, Ashley Monroe, and Angaleena Presley. “We hope to be a part of so many people’s Christmas memories for years to come.”
Hell of a Holiday will drop on October 22, 2021. The upcoming Christmas album is the group’s fourth following the release of 2011’s Gold-certified Hell on Heels, 2013’s Annie Up, and 2018’s Grammy-nominated Interstate Gospel.
Pistol Annies’ ‘Hell of a Holiday’ album releases Oct. 22, 2021 (Photo Credit: Gina Binkley)
HELL OF A HOLIDAY TRACK LIST:
1. Hell of a Holiday (Miranda Lambert/Ashley Monroe/Angaleena Presley)
2. Snow Globe (Miranda Lambert/Ashley Monroe/Angaleena Presley)
3. Harlan County Coal (Miranda Lambert/Ashley Monroe/Angaleena Presley)
4. Come On Christmas Time (Miranda Lambert/Ashley Monroe/Angaleena Presley)
5. If We Make it Through December (Merle Haggard)
6. Make You Blue (Miranda Lambert/Ashley Monroe/Angaleena Presley)
7. Leanin’ on Jesus (Miranda Lambert/Ashley Monroe/Angaleena Presley)
8. The Only Thing I Wanted (Miranda Lambert/Ashley Monroe/Angaleena Presley)
9. Believing (Miranda Lambert/Ashley Monroe/Angaleena Presley)
10. Happy Birthday (Miranda Lambert/Ashley Monroe/Angaleena Presley)
11. Sleigh Ride (Leroy Anderson/Mitchell Parish)
12. Joy (Miranda Lambert/Ashley Monroe/Angaleena Presley)
13. Auld Lang Syne (Public Domain/Miranda Lambert/Ashley Monroe/Angaleena Presley)
Finally, after multiple delays due to changes behind the scenes as well as the Covid-19 pandemic, the 25th installment in the 007 film franchise, No Time To Die, is hitting theaters. No Time to Die isn’t just the milestone 25th installment in the blockbuster franchise; it also marks Daniel Craig’s swan song performance as Ian Fleming’s master spy James Bond after tackling the role in five feature films.
The film begins with the iconic gun barrel sequence and segues to a breathtaking, shocking, and action-packed opening that finds Bond in Italy. Bond is forced into a fight to the death with some of Blofeld’s hired assassins. Cue the opening credits and the new title song by Billie Eilish.
No Time To Die jumps ahead five years and finds Bond in Jamaica still retired from MI6 and living a peaceful life of leisure and relaxation. Bond’s retirement is interrupted when his old friend and CIA operative Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright) shows up asking for a favor. It seems Leiter needs Bond to help rescue a kidnapped scientist who’s created a deadly weaponized virus.
Bond’s initially reluctant to get back into the spy game but ultimately decides to help Felix, mostly due to their close friendship.
It’s while Bond is on the trail of the scientist that he’s drawn back to MI6 with the discovery that a new 00 agent (Lashana Lynch) is looking for the scientist on M’s (Ralph Fiennes) orders.
Bond’s search leads him to Cuba where he teams up with a beautiful and fairly inexperienced CIA operative named Paloma (Ana de Armas). Together, in one of the most entertaining action scenes in the film, they take on armed killers while attempting to save the scientist.
Eventually, Bond’s quest leads him onto the trail of a mysterious and extremely dangerous man named Lyutsifer Safin (Rami Malek) who not only has a connection with his nemesis, Blofeld (Christoph Waltz), but also his ex-lover Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux).
Directed by Primetime Emmy Award winner Cary Joji Fukunaga (True Detective), No Time To Die is a Bond film that has an outstanding action-packed opening sequence but then suffers from pacing issues, too much sentimentality, and taking itself way too seriously. It’s an overly long, at times sluggish, melodrama with only a few impressive action scenes. The film is missing a key ingredient which made earlier 007 films so enjoyable and memorable – fun.
The first 40 to 45 minutes are the film’s best, with Leiter talking Bond back into the world of superspies. Craig and Wright have genuine chemistry as the two aged spies who only trust each other. They’re brothers in arms and always have each other’s backs.
As pointed out earlier in this review, the action sequence in Cuba with Craig and de Armas fighting the killers and guards in what can only be described as a well-choreographed dance is one of the biggest highpoints of the film. It’s a shame de Armas’ character isn’t in the movie longer; she and Craig have solid chemistry and really click on screen.
Once Bond leaves Cuba the film’s tone and pacing becomes stagnant and painfully serious. It’s almost as though the writers and director thought this Bond outing needed to become a spy soap opera. The scenes between Craig and Seydoux come across awkward and forced. Their onscreen chemistry hasn’t improved since their appearance together in 2015’s Spectre. And the buildup to the scene where Bond’s going to interrogate an incarcerated Blofeld is sadly nothing more than a B-grade re-tooling of a scene out of Silence of the Lambs. It falls flat.
Rami Malek delivers a solid and disturbing performance as the Bond villain Safin who wants to use the weaponized virus on the world – even though it’s never made clear why. That’s unfortunate because due to lack of insight into Safin and what drives him, the character’s sure to join the list of forgettable villains. The best Bond villains are not only menacing but have unique personalities; their deadly and insane plots benefit them greatly in some way. For example, Goldfinger’s deadly raid on Fort Knox to increase the value of his own gold in 1964’s Goldfinger. Malek’s Safin seems to be determined to create massive death in the world just for the hell of it.
Overly emotional and heavy-handed, No Time To Die is a disappointing and underwhelming farewell to Craig’s incarnation of the superspy 007 and his world of gadgets, beautiful women, fast cars, and exciting missions.
GRADE: C
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sequences of violence & action, brief strong language, some disturbing images, and some suggestive material
NBC’s New Amsterdam season four episode three will be the first episode after Max and Sharpe made their game-changing announcement that sent ripples through the hospital staff. Episode three, “Same As It Ever Was,” will air on October 5, 2021 and finds the couple now out in the open with their relationship.
The cast of season four is led by Ryan Eggold as Medical Director Max Goodwin. Janet Montgomery returns as Dr. Lauren Bloom, Freema Agyeman stars as Dr. Helen Sharpe, Jocko Sims plays Dr. Floyd Reynolds, and Tyler Labine is Dr. Iggy Frome. Michelle Forbes guest stars as Dr. Fuentes.
“Same As It Ever Was” Plot: Max and Sharpe go public with their relationship at the hospital. The team struggles to keep a handle on an overcrowded and understaffed ICU and everyone must pitch in. Iggy’s overly critical feedback alienates his residents.
After a turbulent year of sacrifice and hardship, Medical Director Max Goodwin and the team at New Amsterdam begin a well-deserved new chapter in their lives. The opening episode, titled “More Joy,” reflects both the drive of characters and the tone of season four. More joy: How can we find it, and how can we hold on to it?
For Max that means acknowledging and surrendering to his long simmering feelings towards Dr. Helen Sharpe. While this new relationship brings its own set of challenges, Max continues his optimistic – and quixotic – quest to improve our nation’s healthcare system.
Continuing to navigate their own personal journeys – including Dr. Bloom’s relationship with Dr. Leyla Shinwari, who is now her resident, Dr. Frome’s new career and Dr. Reynolds’ personal entanglements – the doctors will strive to embrace the joy and successes in their lives.
But there is a surprise in store for our heroes. Dr. Veronica Fuentes is joining the New Amsterdam team to help turn around the overburdened and underfunded hospital. Her first order of business will be to tear down every progressive program Max has erected. Max will have his work cut out for him if he is going to outwit this calm, poised and fearless fixer.
Tyler Labine as Dr. Iggy Frome, Ryan Eggold as Dr. Max Goodwin, and Freema Agyeman as Dr. Helen Sharpe in ‘New Amsterdam’ season 4 episode 3 (Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC)Alejandro Hernandez as Casey Acosta and Janet Montgomery as Dr. Lauren Bloom in season 4 episode 3 (Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC)Michelle Forbes as Dr. Veronica Fuentes in season 4 episode 3 (Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC)Tyler Labine as Dr. Iggy Frome, Ryan Eggold as Dr. Max Goodwin, Freema Agyeman, Janet Montgomery as Dr. Lauren Bloom, and Jocko Sims as Floyd Reynolds in season 4 episode 3 (Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC)Janet Montgomery as Dr. Lauren Bloom, Jocko Sims as Dr. Floyd Reynolds, and Alejandro Hernandez as Casey Acosta in season 4 episode 3 (Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC)Ryan Eggold as Dr. Max Goodwin, Tyler Labine as Dr. Iggy Frome, and Freeman Agyeman as Dr. Helen Sharpe in season 4 episode 3 (Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC)
Kylie Bunbury and Jesse James Keitel in ‘Big Sky’ season 2 episode 1 (ABC/Michael Moriatis)
ABC’s Big Sky season two episode one picks up just minutes after the season one finale. The first season ended in a shootout between mercenaries freeing Ronald Pergman from police custody and Jenny Hoyt, Cassie Dewell, Sheriff Tubb, and assorted officers. U.S. Marshal Mark Lindor was critically injured, Sheriff Tubb was shot in the shoulder, and Jenny took a bullet to the chest during the melee.
Before Jenny passed out, she urged Cassie to hunt down Ronald.
Season two episode one, “Wakey Wakey,” finds Jenny (Katheryn Winnick) at the hospital in critical condition while Cassie (Kylie Bunbury) chases after Ronald. Unfortunately, Cassie can’t catch up to Ronald and he’s able to escape Helena, Montana.
Days later, Jenny’s out of the hospital but still in poor shape. She relives the shooting as she changes her wound’s bloody dressing.
A few of the second season’s new players put in their first appearances as we get a quick introduction to high school student Max (Madelyn Kientz), her best friend, Harper (Troy Leigh-Anne Johnson); Max’s mom, Rachel (T.V. Carpio); and Rachel’s boyfriend, Tracy (Arturo Del Puerto) – or as he likes to call himself, “T-Lock.” It’s obvious Max doesn’t like Tracy, and the whole family vibe is uncomfortable.
Max and Harper stare back at the house as they prepare to take off on their bikes. Both girls think T-Lock is creepy and cringy, and they laugh as they notice him peering out the window. (After just 10 seconds on screen I have to agree with the girls.)
Elsewhere, a drug deal goes bad and the guy delivering the product only gets a fleeting glimpse into the backseat of a truck before he’s shot in the back. The shooter methodically wraps up the dead body as though he’s done this before.
Jenny shows up at Sheriff Tubb’s office and reveals she’s decided to take up his offer. She wants to return to law enforcement and Tubb (Patrick Gallagher) offers her the position of Undersheriff.
Over at the detective agency, Cassie, Denise (Dedee Pfeiffer), and Jerrie (Jesse James Keitel) are certain Scarlet’s in cahoots with Ronald, however, the Feds believe she’s an innocent victim. Cassie wonders why Scarlet and her daughter would have disappeared at the same time as Ronald if that’s the case.
Jenny pops in to see how they’re doing and gets wrapped up in a hug by Cassie. Neither Cassie nor Jenny have heard any updates on Ronald, and Jenny suggests maybe it’s time for Cassie to focus on other cases. Denise also wants Cassie to catch up on other cases, but Cassie’s fixated on Ronald. She can feel he’s still alive and won’t let him escape unpunished.
Jenny and Cassie agree to meet for a drink later at the bar.
After Jenny leaves, Mark Lindor (Omar Metwally) shows up to announce he’s adopted a dog. He’s still debating what to name him – the choices are Rudy or Jim. Cassie’s standoffish and wonders why he’s there, given the fact he’s been suspended. It turns out Mark’s got important info on Scarlet. He’s gotten his hands on footage from her neighbor’s bird cam and it shows State Trooper Dewey escorting Scarlet into an SUV. The video is from the same day Ronald escaped.
Both Cassie and Mark think the trooper’s in on it and Mark suggests they take a “totally suspended, non-official capacity” look at him.
They check out Dewey and watch from their car as he does a little gardening. Cassie grows impatient and wants to question him, but Mark isn’t sure that’s the right move. The state police might get mad they’re questioning one of their own.
Cassie doesn’t listen and instead confronts Dewey (Andreas Apergis) in front of his house. Mark quickly joins her as Dewey insults the sloppy work she did in letting Ronald get away. They demand to know why he picked up Scarlet and he claims his superiors thought she was in danger. Mark points out that at that exact moment Ronald was in custody and not a danger to anyone.
Instead of answering their questions, Dewey issues a warning. “You should be careful, Miss Dewell,” says Dewey. He adds, “Ronald is gone. Scarlet is gone. Best to leave it. They are watching you…me…everything.”
As they drive away, they discuss their impressions of Dewey. Mark’s sure he’s dirty but not sure he has Scarlet. They both agree he’s somehow connected to Rick Legarski.
On a lighter note, Mark gives Cassie the honor of naming his dog and reminds her she still owes him a drink. Cassie doesn’t remember owing him anything, and Mark says he’ll stop asking if she says she doesn’t want to go out with him like she means it.
Cassie decides Jim the Dog is the perfect name for Mark’s new furry family member.
Jenny and Cassie have a drink at the bar and Cassie fills Jenny in on the footage she saw of Scarlet. They decide that discussion is for another time. Instead, Jenny wants to discuss her future. She reveals she’s leaving the detective agency but not cashing out of the business.
Cassie mistakenly believes she’s walking away from Ronald and all that, but Jenny assures her that’s not what she has planned. She’s taken the job as an Undersheriff and asks Cassie if she’s okay with that. Cassie just wants her to be happy and understands why Jenny’s decided to return to law enforcement.
They toast to remaining partners.
Jenny stays at the bar and grabs one of the rowdy guys who’ve been playing pool. She claims to know him but he’s rude and drunk, and he acts like he’s never seen her before.
Cassie returns home and apologizes to Max for keeping her so late. She offers the babysitter a ride home and Max accepts. They talk about her mom’s new boyfriend and she calls him a “creepy, jobless loser.”
T-Lock interrogates Max as soon as she walks in the door and takes part of her earnings. “We’re building a future together here,” he says. “Everyone has to pay their way.”
Harper texts Max and asks to meet up at The Ridge in 10 minutes. Max sneaks out and meets up with her friends, one of whom – Madison (Lola Skye Reid) – has brought her little brother along to provide security. Max spotted a weird guy in a van last time they were at The Ridge, which is in the middle of nowhere, and little bro Bridger (Jeremy Ray Taylor) is there to make sure they’re safe.
(Max’s suspicions are correct. We catch a quick glimpse of someone hiding in the bushes watching the teens.)
Travis (Logan Marshall-Green), the rude dude from the bar, shows up at Jenny’s door in the middle of the night. He apologizes for earlier and says he didn’t want to blow his cover. She invites him in for a drink and it turns out he’s been undercover trying to bust a drug ring for the past six months.
Travis was a friend of Cody’s and he apologizes for not reaching out after he was murdered. They catch up on life, and Jenny explains her son’s just gone off to college. Travis reveals he did settle down for a while but she broke things off via post-it note. Jenny laughs which causes her wound to hurt and she yelps in pain. Travis heard about her injury but thinks she’s looking fine. The conversation turns flirty and then transitions to hot, passionate kissing. There’s a history between these two characters, and the chemistry between Winnick and Marshall-Green is red hot.
Meanwhile, up on The Ridge the teens are goofing around, applying temporary tattoos, and tossing rocks when they hear a truck on the road below crash and then tumble down the embankment. It turns out the dead body that was wrapped up earlier in the episode isn’t 100% dead. He sits up and attacks the driver (the man who shot him in the back), causing the truck to spin out of control and crash.
The kids hurry down the embankment and find the driver in horrible condition but still alive. They don’t have any cell service and can’t call for help. Suddenly, another vehicle is heard up on the road and the injured driver tells the kids to take the bags from his truck and hide. He’s sure the person who’s now approaching them will kill them if he sees them anywhere near the truck.
The teens do as instructed, although they’re not sure why he wanted them to take the bags.
The stranger approaches, assesses the situation, and shoots the injured driver in the head while the kids watch from a nearby hiding place.
The foursome run back to the car with the bags. They finally check out what they contain and are shocked they’re full of drugs and money. They debate whether they should call the cops since they’re guilty of taking the bags from the accident scene. On the other hand, they did witness an execution.
Max decides they should hide the bags and decide what to do later.
Max takes the bags home and hides them in a shed.
Madelyn Kientz in ‘Big Sky’ season 2 episode 1 (ABC/Michael Moriatis)
The following day Cassie brings Jerrie along on a stakeout. Cassie notices there’s a broken window at Dewey’s place and his back door is open. Jerrie warns her not to go in, but Cassie wants them to take a look around.
Reluctantly, Jerrie pulls out her gun and follows Cassie into Dewey’s house. They find him dead in a chair in his living room, a pair of gardening shears sticking out of his throat.
The teens return to The Ridge and have a heated discussion about what to do next. Max counted the money and it came to $500,000 exactly. Harper thinks that much money could change their lives and she’s sure the cops will never link them to the accident. Bridger thinks it’s too risky, and Max is sure they’re too deep into this to bring in the cops now.
The man who hid in the bushes watching them is also eavesdropping on this meeting. The teens hear something but don’t realize they’re not alone.
Jenny reports to her first day on the job and refuses to wear a uniform. She’s sure she doesn’t need one to command respect. As she’s busy setting up her office, Tubb asks her to go check out an accident off the highway. It could be a fatality, and Jenny heads off with Deputy Poppernak (J. Anthony Pena) who Tubb describes as a real talker.
Tubb didn’t exaggerate as Poppernak keeps up a running monologue that includes details on the local bird population.
Jenny walks the accident scene and spots one of the rocks the kids tossed which has a drawing of a heart that matches the tattoo Max gave to Harper.
The truck landed on its hood not far from the highway.
Back over at Dewey’s place, an investigation’s underway into the state trooper’s murder. Mark arrives and Cassie assures him she never mentioned his name. Cassie reveals she and Jerrie did a short search of the house before the sheriffs arrived and located a folder that contains a photo of her and her son.
As episode one comes to an end, the scene changes to a cabin in the middle of the woods. Cages with dogs, cats, goats, and chickens are spread out in the yard while inside the house, a man dances around the kitchen while cooking breakfast. He carries a plate of eggs and bacon outside and sets it down outside a locked door. He removes the lock and says, “Wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey.”
Ronald (Brian Geraghty) is chained up inside the room and his jailer appears to be Rick Legarski’s twin!
