Paramount+’s Lawmen: Bass Reeves season one comes to an end with episode eight, an episode that opens with Bass (David Oyelowo), Billy (Forrest Goodluck), and Sherrill Lynn (Dennis Quaid) kidnapping an associate of Esau Pierce (aka Mr. Sundown) in Fort Worth, Texas. They take him to a deserted house outside of town, but even after being tortured by Sherrill, the associate refuses to give up Esau’s location.
Bass takes over the questioning and exits the house minutes later, declaring they’re heading to Glen Rose. Sherrill doesn’t believe taking the man’s boots is harsh enough punishment. Bass, however, thinks walking for miles will probably lead to his death.
Sherrill goes against Bass’s orders and kills the man.
Even hours later in the dark of night, Bass and Sherrill are still arguing over Sherrill killing the man. Sherrill suggests that Bass needs to wrap his head around the idea that they’re currently waltzing with the devil.
Sherrill can’t stop flapping his lips and insults Billy, calling him a little red boy and speaking ill of his mom. Billy’s had enough of Sherrill and is ready to kill him, and Sherrill suggests that he go for it. Bass ends the standoff with a single bullet fired into the air.
The following day, Bass arrives at Ranger Esau Pierce’s estate and is forced to leave his guns at the gate before meeting with Esau. On the ride to the house, Bass sees slaves toiling in the field, with armed men watching over them.
Bass informs Esau he’s there to collect the $50 difference between a payday for a pair of boots and a live prisoner. Esau welcomes him in, and Bass comes face to face with a massive dinosaur skull. Bass points out that this mansion’s awfully expensive for a man on a Texas Rangers salary.
Esau’s safe is loaded with cash, and he claims he’s a successful cattle rancher on the side. He hands Bass $100 and reveals he purchased the land from a mining company that never hit it rich. Bass shuts down the small talk and mentions Mr. Sundown.
Jennie Lauren E. Banks) and the kids, except for Sally, listen to Esme (Joaquina Kalukango) speak at church. Afterward, Deputy Rogers (Justin Hurtt-Dunkley) and Esme flirt, and Rogers asks to walk her home. Esme accepts.
Jennie’s driving the wagon home when they come across a white man sitting alone in a wagon. As they approach the front of their home, Jennie’s shocked to see George Reeves’ wife, Rachel (David Oyelowo’s wife, Jessica), sitting on the porch next to Sally. Jennie has a flashback to her time as a slave at the Reeves’ plantation and of being forced by Rachel to return to work the day after she gave birth to Sally.
Jennie doesn’t want to entertain Rachel, but the woman won’t leave. Rachel insists that her husband’s helping to pass new laws, and that soon the Reeves will be turned out of their own home. She’s willing to take Jennie’s children back as slaves, and Jennie can’t control herself and slaps her face, calling her a wretched woman.
Jennie takes off and pays a visit to Esme, revealing she’s now ready to follow Esme’s lead. She believes if they don’t fight back, the laws will be changed and slavery will return.
Esau serves Bass a delicious steak for dinner and notes that it’s warm inside his house. He opens a window that looks out onto Bass’s former (and presumed dead) prisoner, Jackson “Jackrabbit” Cole (Tosin Mordhunfola), tied up and in pain. Bass won’t be drawn into Esau’s game, and Esau admits he admires everything about him. Bass claims he’s only interested in learning how Esau earns his money because he wants to get in on his grift.
“No king can build a kingdom alone,” says Bass.
Esau insists he doesn’t care about race; he views prisoners as animals. He arrests all thieves and killers, but Black bodies are worth more alive and sold than the reward for bringing them in to hang. He doesn’t mind that the myth of Mr. Sundown is flourishing.
The Black men working his fields are all wanted men assumed to be dead. Their labor allows his cattle farm to flourish. Esau believes being alive and working for him is better than swinging in a noose.
Bass is led to Esau’s barn and sees the wolf Esau had tied to the wagon when he dropped off Jackson is still in Esau’s possession. It’s starving and aggressive, and Esau instructs Bass to toss it a live bunny – which he does.
Esau asks Jackson if he believes in what he’s doing. The man’s obviously in a great deal of pain as he replies, “Yes, sir.” Esau tosses the keys to Bass, and Bass unshackles the man. Jackson immediately drops to the ground, exhausted and injured.
Esau’s men aim their rifles at Bass as Esau tells him it’s time for him to return to being a slave. Bass is stunned and removes his hat, which is a signal for Billy and Sherrill to shoot. The newly freed Jackson rescues Bass from being choked by one of Esau’s men.
Billy and Sherrill chase down Esau’s men as they scatter.
Bass grabs the man’s rifle and follows Esau’s path, stealthily making his way into the barn.
Meanwhile, out in the pitch-dark woods, Billy and Sherrill take down one of the men, but unfortunately, Sherrill’s injured when he steps right into a bear trap. He tells Billy to let him be, but Billy doesn’t listen. As he’s working to free Sherrill, a man takes a shot at Billy. Even gravely injured, Sherrill’s a better shot and kills the shooter.
Billy can’t get him loose, and Sherrill insists he’s going to die from loss of blood or a fever if he gets out of the trap. He admits he’s prejudiced against Indians but slips his badge into Billy’s hand and tells him he’ll make one hell of a Deputy Marshal.
Sherrill sends Billy off to save Bass. After Billy leaves, Sherrill kills himself.
Bass comes under fire but not before noticing the wolf is no longer on the end of its chain. Bass kills one of the men and continues his search of the barn and the surrounding area for Esau. Esau briefly gets the drop on him, and shots are exchanged. Esau manages to escape.
Bass quietly walks back into Esau’s house, does a quick check on an injury to his shoulder, and heads back out just as Billy’s riding up.
Billy hands off the horse, and Bass rides out after Esau. But first, he tells Billy to free all the prisoners.
Bass catches up to Esau’s on horseback and shoots him in the back, causing him to fall from his horse. Bass quickly finishes him off.
Billy works with the prisoners to make sure each man is freed from their chains. Bass learns that Sherrill has died and shows no emotion at the news. He heads into Esau’s home and empties the safe of as much cash as he can stuff into his bags. Bass also finds a bag of diamonds and holds one up to the light.
The following day, Billy and Bass lead the freed prisoners away from Esau’s place, which is seen burning in the background. Bass hands Jackson the bags of cash and instructs him to take the freed prisoners somewhere safe – somewhere free, like Kansas.
Jackson says no one will ever know, but today Bass made history.
After Jackson and the prisoners begin their journey, Billy tries to hand Bass Sherrill’s badge. Bass won’t take it. Instead, he informs Billy he’ll tell Judge Parker that he earned it. Bass also surprises Billy with a gift of a diamond, suggesting he head to Checotah and ask his girl to marry him.
It’s pitch dark when Bass returns home to find Jennie sitting on the porch. He falls into her arms and they hug, with Bass swearing every part of him is home forever.
The episode – and the season – ends with Bass seated next to Jennie as she plays the piano. Scenes of Bass’s life play out in a montage. “Unholy War” by Jacobs Banks provides the backdrop as Bass watches his family having fun in the yard.
- Lawmen: Bass Reeves Episode 1 Recap
- Lawmen: Bass Reeves Episode 2 Recap
- Lawmen: Bass Reeves Episode 3 Recap
- Lawmen: Bass Reeves Episode 4 Recap
- Lawmen: Bass Reeves Episode 5 Recap
- Lawmen: Bass Reeves Episode 6 Recap
- Lawmen: Bass Reeves Episode 7 Recap
