S03.E05: The House of Special Purpose

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Quote

Nikki and Ray's retaliation has consequences for Emmit; Gloria and Winnie start connecting the dots.

Promo:

[AuntiePam]

Interesting episode title.  "The House of Special Purpose" -- historically -- is the house in Ekaterinberg, Russia, where the Romanov family was kept after the Revolution -- and where they were murdered.  Hmmmm.

[AimingforYoko]

Damn, my stomach dropped when I thought Nikki was dead. Didn't know I cared so much.

Sy, as Douglas Adams could have told you, the last thing anyone needs is a dose of perspective.

[Primetimer]

Folks up north can cram a lot of misery into just a few hours of daylight.

View the full article

[Shriekingeel]

Now we know what a nagyka is. 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagyka

[Nordly Beaumont]

I'm not into this season and was about to give it up. And then Hamish Linklater showed up. He's so good in everything he does. So now I gotta stick with it!

[ShannaB]

7 minutes ago, Nordly Beaumont said:

I'm not into this season and was about to give it up. And then Hamish Linklater showed up. He's so good in everything he does. So now I gotta stick with it!

Ah...some one else who appreciates Hamlish Linklater!

The 'Siberia' story was mesmerizing while the Russian thug was looking out at the frigid countryside....and then it became terrifying.  Chills I tell ya!

I thought Nikki was a goner.  Looks like this was the episode that starts ramping up the story and action.

[knaankos]

I thought for sure Nikki was dead. It's surprising that they didn't touch her face at all. Did they intentionally leave her alive or was it a mistake? 

[KaleyFirefly]

28 minutes ago, Nordly Beaumont said:

I'm not into this season and was about to give it up. And then Hamish Linklater showed up. He's so good in everything he does. So now I gotta stick with it!

He was great in "Legion"!

Sy sure didn't try too hard to explain to the guys who Nikki was. He could have just made something up. And he didn't realize that he is always being followed and watched? Not the smartest guy.

The scene with the pee cup was too gross, I couldn't watch it.

6 minutes ago, knaankos said:

I thought for sure Nikki was dead. It's surprising that they didn't touch her face at all. Did they intentionally leave her alive or was it a mistake? 

It must have been intentional. These guys don't mess around -- if they want you dead, you'd be dead.

[CynicalGirl]

Hamish! I recognized his voice before I knew it was him. 

I also thought Nikki was dead, especially considering Sy's reaction. When she crawled up, I too expected much worse. I mean, obviously she was injured but it's not like she outwardly looked beat up.

[thuganomics85]

Since Michael Stuhlbarg is only a "guest" technically, I figured this episode was going to end with him dying, so they fooled me with that. And then they fooled me again, because I really thought Nikki did die, because I could see the show having a "surprise" death for one of its regulars.  Glad she pulled through, but it looks pretty bad.  Although, it's interesting that the goons seemed to avoid her face.  I guess they didn't want to leave any noticeable marks?

Looks like Hamish Linklater has become a Hawley favorite by scoring roles here and in Legion.  Great to see him, but it's safe to say that his role is a pretty dangerous one!

So, among other things, Varga is anti-Semitic, a fat shammer, and.... likes to pee in cups and force those who disappoint him to drink it.  Yeah, that was disgusting.  And is so trying to pit Emmit and Sy against one another.  We'll see if he can pull it off.

I wonder what Mary McDonnell's character will bring to the table.

Ray and Nikki use the Emmit wig again to make a sex tape to try and blackmail him.  The fact that Emmit's wife just packed up and left and didn't even try and hear him out makes me wonder if there were issues with the marriage before all of this.

Gloria is inching closer to the truth.  She probably would have broken Ray, if her boss didn't crash the party.

Still not feeling this season.  The only two characters I'm kind of invested in are Sy and Nikki, and that's probably mainly due to love for Michael Stuhlbarg and Mary Elizabeth Winstead.

[WaltersHair]

Not feeling the bathroom humor this season: tampons, periods, purging and urine in a Dad cup. Please, show, stop already.

Of all the characters, Nikki should be the last one to kill off. Just no.

Added bonus, the Tiny Prince rocker Diet Dr. Pepper commercials are freaking me out.  If anything, I'm staying away from that stuff.

[Accidental Martyr]

Interesting cover of World Party's "Ship of Fools" at the end. Shazam gave no results for the artist.

I listened to that World Party album (Private Revolution) a lot during high school/college.

Here's the original version.

[shapeshifter]

So we're 5 episodes in with 5 to go. I might just read recaps for the rest. If that. I guess Nikki and Ray won't be having any babies.

[Accidental Martyr]

Just found this concerning "Ship of Fools" cover at end of the episode.

https://www.reddit.com/r/FargoTV/comments/6bu8hy/ship_of_fools_sung_by_noah_hawley_closing_song_in/

[Charlesman]

I love the Laura Buxton balloon story. It's absolutely true and actually crazier than described in the show. http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/trivia/buxton.asp

[Lonesome Rhodes]

The big problem I have is how Varga seems to know absolutely everything, except somehow he missed the $10K withdrawal at the bank?  He knew all about the safe deposit box fiasco, but maybe not about the drilling?  I get that he may have intentionally been messing with Emmit about that detail.

Point being...just as with Malvo and the KC syndicate, Fargo has created impossibly powerful and smart villains who can't be beat - BUT - the Minnesota Hobbits will find a way.  Varga would never, ever, beat himself.  Some proof is in how he did not kill Nikki so as to avoid further entangling things with the po po.  The message got received loud and clear to the parties who needed to receive it.

Varga would have already moved heaven and earth behind the scenes to avoid the IRS inquiry about the $10K.  He would have seen it coming and he would have squashed it.  Again, he is omniscient of all things Stussy.  Ugh.

I thoroughly enjoyed the chilling recounting of Russian/Soviet atrocities upon their own people.  It really happened.  And yes, man will forever be capable of even more.  

So.  Now we have whacko characters with their lives backed up against the wall.  Another way of putting it?  Wounded animals who can and will stop at nothing to defend themselves.  Will the show go there?  Will we see real countermeasures against Varga?  It's war.  Siberian style.  Wanna bet we don't actually see one?

[Doyounot]

Oh man that was brutal as i also thought they killed her! And just hearing it was worse than some of the tv violence ive seen and then no sound was awful but im so happy she is alive! And what strength to pick herself up and drive to rays!

On a lighter note the you betcha was awesome! And nikki and sy's phone conversation and initial meet up was proper the two smart ones negotiating while the two brothers just saying fuck you to each other and yelling threats. (Is it just me or was that the first fuck unsensored in a show not on premium cable or streaming service?)

Alot of freaking out this episode which brought many funny moments from sy and emmit but then I was freaking out and it was not funny at all! I hope ray and nikki dont do something too stupid now, with the cops piecing things together so fast! I should feel for sy hes under attack from all angles but i dont just indifferent whatever happens happens. All in all started out funny but ended up really dark!

[ElectricBoogaloo]

4 hours ago, thuganomics85 said:

Ray and Nikki use the Emmit wig again to make a sex tape to try and blackmail him.  The fact that Emmit's wife just packed up and left and didn't even try and hear him out makes me wonder if there were issues with the marriage before all of this.

I'm not sure that there were issues in their marriage before this. Emmit told Sy that he'd been faithful to her for over twenty years and I don't know that he would feel the need to lie about that to Sy (not to mention that if he had been cheating on her, Sy probably would have noticed). I think that his wife is probably an honest person and therefore assumes that other people are honest too, which is why her immediate reaction to seeing the tape was not to wonder who would possibly have a reason to fake a sex tape of her husband. From her point of view, she just saw a blackmail tape that showed someone who looked like her husband having sex with a woman screaming her husband's name, so I can understand why she took it at face value. She's shocked and hurt and angry, so she didn't stop to wonder if his twin brother would stoop to doing something like that.

I know it was silly, but after Ray screamed at Emmit on the phone while riding the bus and then saw everyone staring at him and his explanation was, "My mom," I laughed.

Ray, ever the romantic, decides that the best time to propose is (1) after he says he's fallen in love with Nikki and her response is silence and then, "You're so sweet," (2) right before they shoot a sex tape to blackmail his brother. Ahhh, l'amour.

Edited May 18, 2017 by ElectricBoogaloo

[Spartan Girl]

Ok, I'm just gonna ask: who opens an envelope when it clearly isn't addressed to you?

[ElectricBoogaloo]

High five to whoever chose "It's Hard to Be Humble" by Mac Davis for this episode!

[ghoulina]

As someone mentioned upthread, I surprised by myself by being really worried that Nikki was dead. TWICE. I expected to see her dead body behind the car, but then she got up and struggled to get home. But at Ray's first glimpse of her in the tub, I thought she was dead again! I didn't realize I cared either. 

I'm not 100% sure, but I'm starting to think she really DOES love Ray. She seemed genuinely thrilled with the proposal. And if she was just using him, I don't think she'd care if she had a hooker wig on or not. But she wanted it to be just right. 

I do have to say, though, she's not as smart as she thinks she is. We know Ray ain't the brains of the duo, but did she really think that the "Your Eyes Only" shit was going to work? (Maybe if they'd done it the jr. high way, with "eyes" drawn on instead?) The IDEA of the sex tape wasn't bad. Twins can certainly get away with a lot more chicanery than most people. But they totally blew it by letting the wife see the tape. 

I felt bad for Emmit there. He clearly really adores his wife. "Stella!!!!" (I wonder how planned that was.)

Sy and "fornicating with our cookwear" - Wow. For some reason, that made me more squeamish than the tampon! I don't know, the way it was done, it was so realistic. I could almost smell the urine. *shudder*

It will be interesting to see what the future holds for Sy. Varga is clearly trying to sow the seeds of dissension and put a wedge between Emmit and his right hand man. Sy is trying to foist their problem off on someone else with a quickness. And now the IRS is sniffing around. It's getting quite complicated. 

[luna1122]

The sounds of Nikki's beating were brutal. I couldn't believe she'd be dead, but with this show, you never know. I was relieved when we saw her pulling herself up into the car. I too was surprised that they didn't touch her face; you'd think there would be smashed teeth and bloodied everything. I guess they didn't want to mar her pretty face, and just, you know, cause possible internal damage. I was also afraid when Ray found her in the tub that she'd died of internal bleeding.

I did feel bad for Emmit, too. He was devastated. I too thought it might occur to her that hey, Emmit has a twin and oh, yeah, that girl in the wig was actually in my house with that twin a few weeks ago, but she reacted emotionally and quickly and impulsively. I imagine Emmit will be able to make her see the truth, but who knows? She and the kids are no doubt safer OUT of his orbit now.

I just had to not watch the whole pee-in-a-cup scene. Too gross.

1 hour ago, Spartan Girl said:

Ok, I'm just gonna ask: who opens an envelope when it clearly isn't addressed to you?

Probably a lot of spouses, actually. She didn't seem suspicious about it or anything, that's not why she opened it. I'm assuming she and Emmit just consider all mail community property. I've known couples like that. It's kind of creepy, but it happens. They'd be the ones who'd share a FB page, too.

Had to immediately google the Laura Buxton tale. Cool.

Hamish Linklater!!

I had to laugh at Nikki's use of 'absurd' when she meant 'obscure', as I had a client at work commit that very same word salad jumble last week.

Mac Davis! I could not have told you I knew that song, or that he did it, but I immediately began singing along with the chorus, so obviously, it had lodged itself somewhere with the other useless effluvia in my brain.

The 'fuck you' barrage back n forth on the bus was hilarious, as was Ray's explanation: 'My mom'. Ha.

[ghoulina]

7 hours ago, thuganomics85 said:

Gloria is inching closer to the truth.  She probably would have broken Ray, if her boss didn't crash the party.

I needed MUCH more Gloria, and her hilarious sidekick, this episode.

 

2 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

Ok, I'm just gonna ask: who opens an envelope when it clearly isn't addressed to you?

Not gonna lie. I probably would. That envelope was all sorts of suspicious. Plus, it wasn't official "mail". 

I do open some mail addressed to my husband, but not secretly. I am the one who handles all the bills and filing of our papers. So if he gets statements from his insurance company and stuff like that, I open it and deal with it. He doesn't really get personal mail, but I'd leave that to him. But if some big, non-posted enveloped with instructions not to let anyone else see arrived at our door, I'd be opening that sucker! 

[AzureOwl]

10 hours ago, knaankos said:

I thought for sure Nikki was dead. It's surprising that they didn't touch her face at all. Did they intentionally leave her alive or was it a mistake? 

If guys like Yuri want you dead, you die.

They probably didn't consider her important enough to kill. If there is one thing that has become more apparent, it is that Varga and Co. have a really low opinion of women. That's why I'm inclined to think that the Widow Goldfarb will end up being Varga's undoing. He is likely to underestimate her.

As for why Nikki's face wasn't touched, I can think of 2 explanations.

1. The Doylist one is that they didn't want to have Mary. E. Winstead on bruises and cuts makeup for the rest of the season, given that Nikki being a femme fatale-wannabe and all, being "the hot one" is a big part of her character. Given the rate at which the story is moving, Nikki's face would have to remain fucked up for the remainder of the season. Things are unraveling too fast to allow a time-skip a la season 1. 
2. The Watsonian explanation is that Yuri is a habitual domestic abuser, so brutalizing women while leaving the face untouched must be so ingrained in him that he does it without thinking. Remember that the very first thing we learned about him, even before he appeared in the flesh, was that he strangled his girlfriend back in East Germany. As I understand it, guys like that don't go from 0 to murder just like that. There must have been some domestic abuse in the middle. 

[shapeshifter]

3 hours ago, luna1122 said:

. . . I had to laugh at Nikki's use of 'absurd' when she meant 'obscure', as I had a client at work commit that very same word salad jumble last week. . . .

Wow. Humor enhancement for you! But did it also work as a double entendre the way it did in the scene?

I was worried the envelope was a mail bomb from Varga and not the sex "tape."

Varga & Co. are practiced terrorists. They knew Sy wouldn't step in to protect Nikki after they'd made him drink pee and threatened to sexually assault his wife, and that he would be further emasculated by not taking action. But did they plan to have him take the rap for her beating?

[lazylou]

Those who are surprised the wife would open the envelope...the "for your eyes only" almost guarantees such a result, combined with it not having come through the mail.  Who would not be consummed with curiosity about such a package?  Leaving the envelope like that on the porch is just another symptom of the stupidity of Ray and Nikki.

The bank manager would surely be fooled by the wig.  However, I think the wife would have recognized this was Ray with a wig in the video and not Emmit almost immediately.  I can recognize my husband by the way he moves long before I see his face; I have identical twin granddaughters who look identical to most of the world but not to those who know them well. Oh well, though, who knows ... And Ray and Emmit are not identical...in the story...  I will not quibble though.  It was a wonderfully funny development in the story.

[welcomerain]

"Let's hope that as much as he hates her, he at least feels like an asshole for doing nothing to protect or help a woman he led to this location, and for abandoning her there for dead after she takes a savage punishment that should have been his."

This is the blackmailer and manipulator you're talking about here? Seriously?

[iMonrey]

Quote

Ah...some one else who appreciates Hamlish Linklater!

We need a fan club. I'm still mad CBS cancelled The Crazy Ones. 

I had to laugh at the big fight between the brothers and all the "fuck you's" and then Ray saying to the passengers it was his mom.

Ok, I was a bit confused when Sy called Nikki and told her Emmit's wife saw the tape, because it almost seemed like maybe they were working together? Like they were colluding to use Ray against Emmit for their own purposes. Anyone else get that impression? How did Sy even have her phone number? I was like "Oh, shit, she's in cahoots with Sy." 

Edited May 18, 2017 by iMonrey

[clb1016]

10 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

We need a fan club. I'm still mad CBS cancelled The Crazy Ones. 

I had to laugh at the big fight between the brothers and all the "fuck you's" and then Ray saying to the passengers it was his mom.

Ok, I was a bit confused when Sy called Nikki and told her Emmit's wife saw the tape, because it almost seemed like maybe they were working together? Like they were colluding to use Ray against Emmit for their own purposes. Anyone else get that impression? How did Sy even have her phone number? I was like "Oh, shit, she's in cahoots with Sy." 

That was exactly what I thought, so I expect it's more than just the two of us who thought so.  One of the (many) unsettling things about this series--through all seasons thus far--is that it sometimes makes me feel like a complete idiot.  Of course, by the end of the season, it's just as likely that this theory will prove to be correct.  Or not.  Whatever.

[Magic]

I'm still on the mildly interested side but there are still things to enjoy.

Like how Sy and Nikki think (and are, haha) smarter than Emmit or Ray but are so far out of their league with real bad guys.  Both Sy and Nikki similarly control their respective brother to a large extent except for the fact that there is just a level of stupidity that is not controllable, which is also funny.

And what Gloria and Winnie are going to do since the chief is throwing obstacles in Gloria's way, like stop investigating now or else, type obstacles.  Likely that just means some bodies are going to start piling up so even he will see something big is going on.

It was better to have Varga talking at more normal speed than his typical slowed down version of talking.

Now we have the widow Goldfarb, with hints she is Jewish, which Varga and friends are throwing enough anti-semitic opinions around that this may end up playing into the story.  And, she was also threatening what a bad ass she was so that Sy better not cross her.  Which, to her eyes he might end up looking like he is, because he is so nervous with what is going on with Varga/Emmit/Ray and is trying to process everything while still making the business look desirable to the widow.  So likely he will end up, in her mind, to be messing with her and she will bring her big guns to town so there can be some more carnage.  Maybe Sy can get Emmit to sign his part of the business over to her and then let her fight it out with Varga.

Does anyone think that if Nikki got the "ransom" from Sy, she would have returned to Ray versus driving away?  The way she said Ray was so sweet after he professed his love for her, made it hard for me to believe he is more than a pawn in her latest con which is getting money from Emmit.

She already gave up her apartment, according to Gloria's comments (she was going to try to track down "Vanessa" who was no longer renting the apartment).  Of course at some point she is likely to see "Vanessa" at Ray's and really put it all together.

Wikipedia shows that various of the episodes have a variety of writers and directors, which is kind of interesting too.  I'm liking the ones Noah didn't write better so far.

[luna1122]

26 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

 

Ok, I was a bit confused when Sy called Nikki and told her Emmit's wife saw the tape, because it almost seemed like maybe they were working together? Like they were colluding to use Ray against Emmit for their own purposes. Anyone else get that impression? How did Sy even have her phone number? I was like "Oh, shit, she's in cahoots with Sy." 

Oh, wow. I didn't think that, but now I kind of am.

34 minutes ago, welcomerain said:

"Let's hope that as much as he hates her, he at least feels like an asshole for doing nothing to protect or help a woman he led to this location, and for abandoning her there for dead after she takes a savage punishment that should have been his."

This is the blackmailer and manipulator you're talking about here? Seriously?

I'd hope that even tho Nikki is a lousy person that it would still be hard to hear and see her getting beaten to a pulp, even for Sy, also a lousy person.

10 minutes ago, Magic said:

 

Wikipedia shows that various of the episodes have a variety of writers and directors, which is kind of interesting too.  I'm liking the ones Noah didn't write better so far.

I see that Keith Gordon, who I remember as an actor back in the 70s-80s, is directing an upcoming episode, and just directed the last episode of "Better Call Saul".  Kind of cool.

[annzeepark914]

I'm really getting tired of watching just one scene and then enduring 5+ commercials, over & over again. It seemed to really be more irritating last night because the plot seemed to (finally!) be moving forward.  Also, is it me or is this season really focusing on gross behavior?  I don't remember Seasons 1 and 2 getting into scatological material and that's what I feel is going on now (not referring to the sex tape).  Do they have new writers for this season?  Malvo's beginning to look like a gentleman in comparison to the subhuman Varga.

It was good to hear It's Hard to be Humble.

[welcomerain]

  39 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

 

Ok, I was a bit confused when Sy called Nikki and told her Emmit's wife saw the tape, because it almost seemed like maybe they were working together? Like they were colluding to use Ray against Emmit for their own purposes. Anyone else get that impression? How did Sy even have her phone number? I was like "Oh, shit, she's in cahoots with Sy." 

Oh, wow. I didn't think that, but now I kind of am.

  47 minutes ago, welcomerain said:

"Let's hope that as much as he hates her, he at least feels like an asshole for doing nothing to protect or help a woman he led to this location, and for abandoning her there for dead after she takes a savage punishment that should have been his."

This is the blackmailer and manipulator you're talking about here? Seriously?

I'd hope that even tho Nikki is a lousy person that it would still be hard to hear and see her getting beaten to a pulp, even for Sy, also a lousy person.

  23 minutes ago, Magic said:

 

Wikipedia shows that various of the episodes have a variety of writers and directors, which is kind of interesting too.  I'm liking the ones Noah didn't write better so far.

I see that Keith Gordon, who I remember as an actor back in the 70s-80s, is directing an upcoming episode, and just directed the last episode of "Better Call Saul".  Kind of cool.

"I'd hope that even tho Nikki is a lousy person that it would still be hard to hear and see her getting beaten to a pulp, even for Sy, also a lousy person."

Which is very different from the original statement. Nikki had the beating coming more than Sy did, and I'm not interested in the hand wringing over Nikki being female. She's a player. She dealt herself in.

[iMonrey]

Quote

I'm really getting tired of watching just one scene and then enduring 5+ commercials, over & over again.

The commercials are interminable. There's no way I could ever watch this live. I always record and FF. The second half is particularly loaded with them.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

5 hours ago, luna1122 said:

They'd be the ones who'd share a FB page, too.

Ha! That made me laugh more than it should have. I always shake my head when I see those FB accounts for JohnAndJane Smith. 

[welcomerain]

Ok, I'm just gonna ask: who opens an envelope when it clearly isn't addressed to you?

Just about everyone.

[ChipBach]

2 hours ago, iMonrey said:

Ok, I was a bit confused when Sy called Nikki and told her Emmit's wife saw the tape, because it almost seemed like maybe they were working together? Like they were colluding to use Ray against Emmit for their own purposes. Anyone else get that impression? How did Sy even have her phone number? I was like "Oh, shit, she's in cahoots with Sy." 

I thought the same thing.  It sounded to me like he was more mad that the plan didn't work properly as opposed to the fact that it happened at all.  They had direct contact with each other was new.  I was thrown off a bit by the renegotiation element, upping it to two hundred.  I think he might have hired Nikki to seduce Ray and provoke him into a battle with his brother.  That is the only way that makes sense.  He was pretty upset with the Nikki beat-down, more than just being disgusted by the violence, especially for someone who has been the catalyst of the hard feelings between the brothers.  Plus, I don't take Varga as a person who is a liar.  When he told Emmit that Sy was conspiring with his brother, I think there may have been a slanted truth to it... 

[luna1122]

Just now, ChipBach said:

I thought the same thing.  It sounded to me like he was more mad that the plan didn't work properly as opposed to the fact that it happened at all.  They had direct contact with each other was new.  I was thrown off a bit by the renegotiation element, upping it to two hundred.  I think he might have hired Nikki to seduce Ray and provoke him into a battle with his brother.  That is the only way that makes sense.  He was pretty upset with the Nikki beat-down, more than just being disgusted by the violence, especially for someone who has been the catalyst of the hard feelings between the brothers.  Plus, I don't take Varga as a person who is a liar.  When he told Emmit that Sy was conspiring with his brother, I think there may have been a slanted truth to it... 

NONE of this occurred to me last nite, but now this all seems to make sense.

 

1 hour ago, welcomerain said:

Which is very different from the original statement. Nikki had the beating coming more than Sy did, and I'm not interested in the hand wringing over Nikki being female. She's a player. She dealt herself in.

Okay, gotcha. You were objecting the notion that Nikki was some delicate flower because she's female. I agree she got herself into this game and deserves consequences but I'm disinclined to say she deserved to get the shit beat out her. I rarely think anyone deserves that, male or female.

[Eulipian 5k]

3 minutes ago, ChipBach said:

2 hours ago, iMonrey said:

Ok, I was a bit confused when Sy called Nikki and told her Emmit's wife saw the tape, because it almost seemed like maybe they were working together? Like they were colluding to use Ray against Emmit for their own purposes. Anyone else get that impression? How did Sy even have her phone number? I was like "Oh, shit, she's in cahoots with Sy." 

I thought the same thing.  It sounded to me like he was more mad that the plan didn't work properly as opposed to the fact that it happened at all.  They had direct contact with each other was new.  I was thrown off a bit by the renegotiation element, upping it to two hundred.  I think he might have hired Nikki to seduce Ray and provoke him into a battle with his brother.  That is the only way that makes sense.  He was pretty upset with the Nikki beat-down, more than just being disgusted by the violence, especially for someone who has been the catalyst of the hard feelings between the brothers.  Plus, I don't take Varga as a person who is a liar.  When he told Emmit that Sy was conspiring with his brother, I think there may have been a slanted truth to it...

This is great work for "mere posters" like us. The thing that is curious is that we began the season with Stussy Lots having $1 million in assets ready to write a check to Varga. So why is Sy so desperate to drum up cash with Nikki or Mme Goldfarb?

[AuntiePam]

1 hour ago, luna1122 said:

I see that Keith Gordon, who I remember as an actor back in the 70s-80s, is directing an upcoming episode, and just directed the last episode of "Better Call Saul".  Kind of cool.

I remember him as Arnie in Christine -- he's been directing for many years -- Wiki page lists his credits.

I'm not buying Sy and Nikki in cahoots.  When he calls her, she says "Who's this?"  It is weird that he had her number though.  (But it was also weird that Gloria was able to track down the actress/waitress in LA, and the producer in a nursing home.  Did the cop find those people for her?)

Sy didn't have to do anything to keep Emmitt on the outs with his brother, not after the tampon business, and stealing the $10K, and trashing poor Luverne's cremains. 

An astute observer at the AV Club says Sy didn't drink pee -- it was water.  We see the mug being picked up off the desk and then we hear a liquid being poured into it, and the mug is given to Sy.   It was still gross, since the water was funky after Varga rubbed his junk around the mug, but it wasn't pee.

4 minutes ago, Eulipian 5k said:

This is great work for "mere posters" like us. The thing that is curious is that we began the season with Stussy Lots having $1 million in assets ready to write a check to Varga. So why is Sy so desperate to drum up cash with Nikki or Mme Goldfarb?

I don't think he's looking for cash.  I think he wants to unload the business, get out from under Varga and his crew.  But now that Emmitt has signed the partnership papers, he won't be able to sell. 

[ChipBach]

2 minutes ago, Eulipian 5k said:

This is great work for "mere posters" like us. The thing that is curious is that we began the season with Stussy Lots having $1 million in assets ready to write a check to Varga. So why is Sy so desperate to drum up cash with Nikki or Mme Goldfarb?

I don't know if money was the play.  Maybe a Stussy Parking takeover?  I don't think we've been provided enough exposition to know yet (by design).  Goldfarb is merely a convenient way to get un-involved by the Varga group.  He is an idiot for thinking that once he offloads the company on Goldfarb that he will be permitted to live.

[AuntiePam]

Well, there's no obvious connection between this episode title and the historical "house of special purpose".  But what Yuri said about all the deaths under the Czar and then Stalin made me wonder if he's dissatisfied.  He's no better off in the US than he was in East Germany or Russia or wherever he's from.  Czars and dictators die, but the little guy, the peasant, his life doesn't get better.

That area where Sy and the widow Goldfarb met -- the table all by itself with all that open space around.  Did the widow ask for that seating, to keep anyone from overhearing the conversation?  Because it looked like they were on a stage.  Weird.

[AzureOwl]

On 2017-5-18 at 0:03 PM, iMonrey said:

Ok, I was a bit confused when Sy called Nikki and told her Emmit's wife saw the tape, because it almost seemed like maybe they were working together? Like they were colluding to use Ray against Emmit for their own purposes. Anyone else get that impression? How did Sy even have her phone number? I was like "Oh, shit, she's in cahoots with Sy." 

A lot of people seem to have gotten that impression. But the rest of their conversation makes it unlikely. There was nobody else listening in but they continued to be as antagonistic as ever. 

On 2017-5-18 at 2:31 PM, Eulipian 5k said:

The thing that is curious is that we began the season with Stussy Lots having $1 million in assets ready to write a check to Varga. So why is Sy so desperate to drum up cash with Nikki or Mme Goldfarb?

Sy is not interested in the cash. He wants to unload the company on the Widow Goldfarb so Varga becomes her problem. I don't think they would've even considered her offer if they didn't have the Varga problem. 

Which is another reason I don't think Sy and Nikki are in cahoots. Nikki's meddling is doing nothing but complicating the Varga situation even further and putting Sy's neck at risk.

Edited May 19, 2017 by AzureOwl

[SlipperyPete]

I'm not certain about the outcome for anyone this season except Nikki. I just feel it in my bones that she's not going anywhere. She just got out of prison and something tells me this wasn't her first (or even worst) beating. Someone above said that Varga didn't need to kill either Sy or Nikki to make a point to either party. Might be a good plan normally, but I feel like he'll regret leaving Nikki alive. She was caught off guard by Varga's goons since she had no prior knowledge to their existence. Not gonna happen again. Is my crush on Mary Elizabeth Winstead obvious yet?

I swear the idea for Varga in the writers room must have been to make him the personification of VOMIT. Whenever this guy opens his mouth...bile. Whether he's speaking, or literally purging his last meal. Yet he is somehow so... refreshing compared to the usual pin-stripped/track-suit/poolside mob bosses we're accustomed to seeing on TV.

Edited May 18, 2017 by SlipperyPete

[WaltersHair]

I think the widow Goldfarb is in cahoots with Varga. Might be her money he's laundering. And, I thought there had to be more to it when Mary McDonnell showed up. She's too big to be shoved into a small, meaningless part. Could be wrong though.

[ghoulina]

1 hour ago, Eulipian 5k said:

This is great work for "mere posters" like us. The thing that is curious is that we began the season with Stussy Lots having $1 million in assets ready to write a check to Varga. So why is Sy so desperate to drum up cash with Nikki or Mme Goldfarb?

I don't think he wanted Goldfarb's cash. I think he wanted to dump the company on someone else, to make their Varga their problem. Not his. 

 

47 minutes ago, SlipperyPete said:

Someone above said that Varga didn't need to kill either Sy or Nikki to make a point to either party. Might be a good plan normally, but I feel like he'll regret leaving Nikki alive. She was caught off guard by Varga's goons since she had no prior knowledge to their existence. Not gonna happen again. Is my crush on Mary Elizabeth Winstead obvious yet?

It's likely Varga didn't know about Nikki until after the fact. Yuri and the other guy have probably been told to tail to Sy and keep an eye on him. While doing so they found that Sy was meeting this chick way out in the boonies. Do they even know who she is? I guess they could have his phone tapped. But I got the impression they didn't care so much about Nikki. The beating was more because she got sassy AND to teach Sy another lesson. Don't try to keep stuff from us because we will fuck you up at every turn. 

[Evagirl]

I just read a recap where Varga was "fornicating" with Sy's mug.  I thought he'd peed in it.  But I guess he just wiped it out with his noodle and then they made Sy drink water out of the mug.  I was gagging thinking they were making him drink pee.  Either way is bad, but being forced to drink somebody's pee is worse.

[meep.meep]

I didn't think that Varga and henchpeople knew anything about Nikki.  They tailed Sy, then she showed up.  The logical conclusion is that she and Sy met for a little hanky panky.  So they hurt her to teach him a lesson.

I was horrified that he just left without checking on her.  He's right up there in the inhumane pantheon.

[Bama]

Quote

An astute observer at the AV Club says Sy didn't drink pee -- it was water.  We see the mug being picked up off the desk and then we hear a liquid being poured into it, and the mug is given to Sy.   It was still gross, since the water was funky after Varga rubbed his junk around the mug, but it wasn't pee.

I'm glad you posted this because I was about to ask y'all, "why do you keep saying Varga peed in Sy's mug and made him drink it?".  There was no "peeing" sound and Varga was seriously moving his junk all around inside the mug and then we saw one of the henchmen pour water and it was pretty obvious in the close up that the liquid being forced into Sy's mouth/face was not pee.

I put way too much thought into urine while reading this thread lol.