S01.E12: Dirty Dexy Money

[formerlyfreedom]

Quote

Dex becomes fast friends with a new client, the owner of a male strip club who has been mysteriously losing money. Grey continues to help Hoffman and his new partner on the carjacking case.

Airing Wednesday, January 22, 2020.

 

[phalange]

I liked Tookie helping Ansel make that dessert for Dex. Dex and Ansel really need to talk about their parents though; Ansel deserves to know the truth. 

Good for Hoffman for following his instincts. I knew that other cop seemed overly invested in the case.

Dex, Grey, and Hoffman are teaming up! This should be interesting...

[LaMatadita]

I know Dex is the lead, but I still didn't expect her to get this involved with the undercover op. My sound cut out at a crucial moment, so I might be wrong, but my understanding is that Miles and Grey are going to ask Dex to pose as the buyer from LA, which is a little troubling. Dex is tough in her own way, but she doesn't really give off an "LA crime boss" vibe, and every time she tries to use even a simple cover story for her job, she gets made within 30 seconds. It seems like there is also high potential for gun play that could trigger her PTSD, which Grey should most definitely know even if Hoffman doesn't. If that doesn't come up when they're prepping her, I'm definitely going to question the writers on that one.

The sweet moment where Dex and Ansel promised to always be there for each other seemed to foreshadow something nasty on the way, but the show has been pretty lighthearted considering the subject matter, so I think it would be really off-tone for a main character to actually die.

Edited January 23, 2020 by LaMatadita

[EtheltoTillie]

How did the Cheryl Hines subplot get resolved?  I got lost after Dex was reported to the authorities. 

[kazza]

3 hours ago, phalange said:

I liked Tookie helping Ansel make that dessert for Dex. Dex and Ansel really need to talk about their parents though; Ansel deserves to know the truth. 

I missed a few episodes. What was the backstory with their parents leaving them?

1 hour ago, GussieK said:

How did the Cheryl Hines subplot get resolved?  I got lost after Dex was reported to the authorities. 

Cheryl Hines called a truce after Dex went to that SOB (lol) agency and complained about the working conditions and harassment at the Club. I can see why they wanted a lighter subplot to go along with Ansel's story and the Grey/Hoffman arc, but it just felt silly and contrived. Did she really need Dex to figure out that the guys were all stealing some cash? 

Was that Mimi from the Drew Carey show at the SOB agency?

Edited January 23, 2020 by kazza

[Lady Calypso]

2 hours ago, kazza said:

Was that Mimi from the Drew Carey show at the SOB agency?

THAT'S who it was! I was trying to figure out which actress it was. I didn't even think of Drew Carey Show! Kathy Kinney! That was bugging me all episode.

It was also bugging me that I couldn't figure out that it was Cheryl Hines who was playing Ginger. A lot of familiar faces whose names I couldn't remember.

Dex's case was not that great, but I guess it was more to balance out the more serious Miles/Grey plot (which seemed to be the A plot, anyway). I didn't mind Dex's case, overall, the conclusion was a bit too abrupt. 

For a moment, I thought that maybe the other cop was right about Miles and Grey and I genuinely had the thought that it was nice if we were seeing another side to this story, with Miles/Grey being shady. But nope, it's just the other cop who is shady. That works better for me, anyway. I like Grey and I like Miles, even if I don't agree with all of their actions. I'm glad Cosgrove was also fully supportive of Miles, even when he was hiding things...and she even called him out for it. 

Seriously, show. Give me more Camryn Manheim. 

Ansel's plot was a great C plot. It was fun.

I'm glad that Dex, Grey, and Miles will be working together...but Dex as the buyer? I'd never buy that, just because we've seen that she's not the best liar and she doesn't emit that sort of vibe. But I guess we'll see how it pans out. Maybe it won't be a total disaster.

[chaifan]

OK, I'm a bit confused on Dex's timeline.  At the end, with the baked alaska scene, Ansel says this is the anniversary of the day Dex came and got him "12 years ago".  That had to be before Dex enlisted, right?  So where was Ansel while Dex was in the military? 

Nit picky stuff - I generally like the way they style Dex.  She's very casual, but not sloppy, minimal make up, and that all suits the character.  I hate her hair, though.  (Straightened with the slight bit of the barrel curl right in front.)  It's a bit too "on trend", and it takes way too much time with a flat iron than I could ever see Dex caring to do. 

 

[CooperTV]

41 minutes ago, chaifan said:

That had to be before Dex enlisted, right?

When they showed the Benny's funeral flashback, Dex was in the uniform, and it was supposedly happened 12 years ago. There was also Benny's daughter there, who looked like she was 8. The timeline is super confusing.

[AnimeMania]

9 hours ago, LaMatadita said:

I know Dex is the lead, but I still didn't expect her to get this involved with the undercover op. My sound cut out at a crucial moment, so I might be wrong, but my understanding is that Miles and Grey are going to ask Dex to pose as the buyer from LA, which is a little troubling. Dex is tough in her own way, but she doesn't really give off an "LA crime boss" vibe, and every time she tries to use even a simple cover story for her job, she gets made within 30 seconds. It seems like there is also high potential for gun play that could trigger her PTSD, which Grey should most definitely know even if Hoffman doesn't. If that doesn't come up when they're prepping her, I'm definitely going to question the writers on that one.

I gave it a little thought and if I was Dex, I would go to the PTSD support group and tell them what was up. If she has a large crew of ex-vets, she can pull off the initial drug buying meeting with a skilled team in relative safety. For added effect, I would have a few snipers rappel on ropes from the ceiling after the meeting ends.

[saber5055]

The previews for this episode looked fun so I was looking forward to it. Turns out it was my least favorite of all time. The case of the week was stupid. Where were the guys getting that cash, from the bills tucked into their skivvies? If so, then how did Cheryl Hines know how much was being skimmed, is she counting each bill as it gets tucked? Maybe just put that unsmiling bouncer guard dude in the back to collect all the cash as the guys go into their dressing room.

This is a big male strip club and Dex has never heard of it? Our DEX? Portland isn't that big, is it?

This show had to hire Mimi and Larry David's wife? So distracting. And unnecessary. I kept waiting for Drew and Larry to be dancers in that club. Hey, maybe that would have improved this ep. Or not.

I didn't get why the drug cop was all about finding/shooting the drug guys all by himself. I guess I wasn't paying attention.

So now Grey spends all his time at the car thief place? What are they doing with the cars they boost? I don't see any going out the door. Don't they typically cut up stolen cars and sell those pieces? Why is the woman doing all the engine repair work, are they stealing crap cars from the junk yard?

The big drug dealers who owned that shipment they accidentally stole ... no one is looking for a missing million-dollar coke truck? I don't get that.

And I REALLY don't get pulling Dex into some drug bust when there are undercover cops trained for that. I call total BS on that story line. But show writers never listen to me.

Meanwhile, when baking does anyone get flour all over their faces? I never have. Tookie and Ansel must have different mixing/baking skills and a recipe that calls for flour floating through the air and sticking to any exposed skin.

[LaMatadita]

33 minutes ago, saber5055 said:

I didn't get why the drug cop was all about finding/shooting the drug guys all by himself. I guess I wasn't paying attention.

 

33 minutes ago, saber5055 said:

The big drug dealers who owned that shipment they accidentally stole ... no one is looking for a missing million-dollar coke truck? I don't get that.

Those two things are related. The narcotics officer wasn't trying to bust the bad guys by himself, he was working for whoever the heroin was stolen from and trying to steal it back. Miles set a trap for him and caught him in the act.

Edited January 23, 2020 by LaMatadita

[saber5055]

21 minutes ago, LaMatadita said:

The narcotics officer wasn't trying to bust the bad guys by himself, he was working for whoever the heroin was stolen from and trying to steal it back. Miles set a trap for him and caught him in the act.

Oh, duh. That totally went over my head. So thanks for clarifying!

[paigow]

Who is the head chef at Hold The Meat? He / She CANNOT make the best vegan enchilada in Portland. Tookie is the master of all. Although it might not be a menu item on the truck.

Dex should go as a census manager that embezzles the department budget to buy heroin and distribute it door to door.....

 

8 hours ago, saber5055 said:

Why is the woman doing all the engine repair work, are they stealing crap cars from the junk yard?

There has to be some legitimate repair activity or a lot of red flags would go up at all levels of government tax offices...

Edited January 23, 2020 by paigow

[saber5055]

7 minutes ago, paigow said:

There has to be some legitimate repair activity or a lot of red flags would go up at all levels of government tax offices...

Good thing that woman is there then because all those doofy guy car thieves don't do anything. And neither does Grey, it seems. They all just hang out there.

[AnimeMania]

4 hours ago, saber5055 said:

The previews for this episode looked fun so I was looking forward to it. Turns out it was my least favorite of all time. The case of the week was stupid. Where were the guys getting that cash, from the bills tucked into their skivvies? If so, then how did Cheryl Hines know how much was being skimmed, is she counting each bill as it gets tucked? Maybe just put that unsmiling bouncer guard dude in the back to collect all the cash as the guys go into their dressing room.

It seems a little unreasonable that Cheryl Hines would notice the money missing. I understand he had some medical bills, but his day to day expenses shouldn't have been that high. If you have 8 to 10 people each pocket $10 a shift, he should have been able to scrape by pretty comfortably.

Edited January 24, 2020 by AnimeMania

[paigow]

If her cut is 30%, she would notice a suspicious drop, given that she has an Amazon type Monopoly on the local market and the clients are still loyal.

[sharifa70]

Portland really does have a vegan strip club (probably more than one), and this is one of my favorite oh-so-Portland stories ever: https://thatoregonlife.com/2014/11/portland-police-arrest-35-black-friday-vegan-strip-club-riot/

Dex’s case annoyed me, too. I loved the Ansel & Tookie scenes (though why they were covered in flour I don’t know: my baking can get messy but not like that! And why did the flour look green? 

Please let the Grey-as-CI plot end soon.

[MisterGlass]

I was also not very invested in this one.  I found the client skeevy for taking advantage of her employees, and remain apathetic to the car theft subplot.  However, Ansel and Tookie were nice.

I'm starting to think they want Hoffman to be a character that is as emotionally turned around as Dex.

6 hours ago, saber5055 said:

Meanwhile, when baking does anyone get flour all over their faces?

My face?  No.  Every surface in a kitchen?  Yes.

Related question - is baked Alaska flambe a real thing?  I know you toast the meringue, but this is the first I've of heard of setting it on fire.

[saber5055]

39 minutes ago, MisterGlass said:

Related question - is baked Alaska flambe a real thing?  I know you toast the meringue, but this is the first I've of heard of setting it on fire.

I looked it up, and yes indeed, there is a version of baked Alaska flambé. The booze just adds to it, if one is so inclined. It didn't change the toasted look of the ones I saw on YouTube.

Actually, the recipe is fairly easy. I might even try one. (Although no flambé, I have no interest in setting my house on fire.)

[catrice2]

Sorry, but i am getting less and less invested in the show.  There is a difference between making a character "edgy,"or "imperfect"  and making them unlikeable. Dex is starting to be the character I am the least interested in on the show, and that is saying something considering that Grey bores me. 

The teaser line "you both were inside of me," ugh.....!!!

 

[tennisgurl]

The Tookie and Ansel plot was really sweet, and it was nice to get some more backstory on them. Getting that case must have meant a lot to Dex, she has been floundering so much since Ansel moved out. 

I thought that the client was sleazy from the start, sleeping with her employees and telling the one guy to sleep with Dex, so I wasnt surprised that she screwed one of them over when he got hurt. I thought that all the sneaking around was because they were planning on unionizing! She really went from zero to forty when Dex tried to make a deal between the strippers and Cheryl Hines, she got nasty real fast, so much that it seems like she isnt quite as happy with her life as she wants people to think she is. 

I figured that the cop was dirty pretty quickly, he seemed way too invested in getting the details on this case that has nothing to do with him. Grey is obviously not an actual undercover cop, while he is doing pretty well under the circumstances, he is clearly out of his depth here, and is getting too attached to this random chick. Throwing Dex into the mix is just going to add even more volatile elements to this mess. Should certainly be interesting though!

I am really glad that Dex went to the vet bar, thats a really big step for her! Just getting through the door is half the battle sometimes. I especially liked how the other vet caught on right away that she was trying to make a break for it and how she casually reassured her that it was alright to stick around.

Edited January 24, 2020 by tennisgurl

[MissLucas]

I'm intrigued that Tookie knew Dex and Ansel's parents and judging from his reaction nothing good will come whenever Dex feels ready to talk to Ansel. And we also learned a bit more about Hoffman - those were the two most interesting bits about this episode.

And I'm glad Dex refused to sleep with the stripper - that was such a skeevy situation. I also think think the 'client' got off too lightly. The list of complaints Dex delivered to the SOB was pretty severe even if we take some hyperbole into account.

[saber5055]

I've become obsessed with the baked Alaska, why it took Ansel and Tookie a zillion years to make some cake base when even Gordon Ramsey in his videos says to use an already made sponge cake. The hardest part is making the meringue correctly, and even that isn't difficult, just takes some extra time in the mixer. Gordon made a BA, from start to ready to eat, in less than 7 minutes.

But then the boys having meringue all over their faces wouldn't be such a cute helpless look I guess.

[paigow]

Surprised that PTSD meetings are in a bar....some of those vets may have one or more addictions already....Similar meetings on The Punisher were in a basement with bad coffee....

[cleo]

Bad ep, it seemed like filler. I continue to dislike Miles but I blame the writers at this point- bad characterization all around for him. I feel bad for the actor.

The whole CI plot has been cliched, rushed, and predictable. 

[Anela]

On 1/23/2020 at 9:53 PM, MisterGlass said:

I was also not very invested in this one.  I found the client skeevy for taking advantage of her employees, and remain apathetic to the car theft subplot.  However, Ansel and Tookie were nice.

I'm starting to think they want Hoffman to be a character that is as emotionally turned around as Dex.

My face?  No.  Every surface in a kitchen?  Yes.

Related question - is baked Alaska flambe a real thing?  I know you toast the meringue, but this is the first I've of heard of setting it on fire.

I've got it on my face before, but I haven't watched this whole episode yet. And yes, I've also got it all over the kitchen. When I ask my dad if he'll eat something, if I try to cook it, or think about making my own version of something, he'll say that it's easier to buy it - when I cook, he refers to our kitchen as "hell's kitchen". 

[paigow]

Family angst anvil for Miles. Daddy is a big shot criminal lawyer. Daddy issues ahead...

[saber5055]

15 hours ago, paigow said:

Surprised that PTSD meetings are in a bar....some of those vets may have one or more addictions already....Similar meetings on The Punisher were in a basement with bad coffee....

I totally agree. I wasn't paying that much attention, and thought Dex was looking for a new hangout bar when she went into that one. It wasn't until the other person (group greeter?) spotted her and started talking that I realized it was the PTSD group. If they are a bunch of drinkers, Dex will fit in. But what sort of meeting would they have, looked like everyone was crowded in at the bar, no one but that one person even noticed Dex. Way to make newbies feel welcome, show.

I laughed that the drug cop had a fork in his glove compartment. So do I. One never knows when one will run into a vegan enchilada, or a slice of baked Alaska.

Edited January 25, 2020 by saber5055

[ElectricBoogaloo]

On 1/23/2020 at 1:35 PM, paigow said:

Who is the head chef at Hold The Meat? He / She CANNOT make the best vegan enchilada in Portland. Tookie is the master of all. Although it might not be a menu item on the truck.

To quote Ted Mosby, "I'm going to go off menu here."

17 hours ago, saber5055 said:

I laughed that the drug cop had a fork in his glove compartment. So do I. One never knows when one will run into a vegan enchilada, or a slice of baked Alaska.

I always thought that when restaurant served baked Alaska, it was either a mini one made to serve 1-2 people or you ordered a regular sized one for the whole table. I've never heard of getting a slice of baked Alaska at a restaurant. Do they cut a slice and then put the whole thing back in the freezer? Doesn't that affect the texture of the meringue?

[saber5055]

7 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Do they cut a slice and then put the whole thing back in the freezer? Doesn't that affect the texture of the meringue?

Well, that's something that didn't even enter my mind. Now I want to know where that giant Alaska went that Ansel made, and after Dex didn't even take one bite of it before she left due to the beck and call of her two boyfriends. How rude, now that I think about it.

The video I watched of Gordon Ramsey making a BA, it was an individual one, the base about the diameter of an English muffin, but it ended up large enough that two people could share, if they were so inclined.

Either this show's BA was a fake prop or the whole production team got to dig in after that scene. I'm more interested in the BA than Miles' family issues.

[paigow]

Dex ordered it a diner....so it likely was a  slice ... Just like a pie, the remainder went to the freezer.

[catrice2]

On 1/24/2020 at 10:58 PM, paigow said:

Family angst anvil for Miles. Daddy is a big shot criminal lawyer. Daddy issues ahead...

Yep...said the same. 

[Orbert]

12 hours ago, saber5055 said:

Well, that's something that didn't even enter my mind. Now I want to know where that giant Alaska went that Ansel made, and after Dex didn't even take one bite of it before she left due to the beck and call of her two boyfriends. How rude, now that I think about it.

Yep, I was bummed and a little surprised that Dex would just up and leave like that.  Ansel and Tookie had obviously worked pretty hard on that dessert, and she just left.  Ansel is so chill that he probably would just figure Dex will be back and maybe have some later, but he'd have every right to be pissed.  She could at least dig a fork into it and eat a mouthful on the way to the car or something.

[Jacks-Son]

On 1/23/2020 at 9:14 AM, chaifan said:

OK, I'm a bit confused on Dex's timeline.  At the end, with the baked alaska scene, Ansel says this is the anniversary of the day Dex came and got him "12 years ago".  That had to be before Dex enlisted, right?  So where was Ansel while Dex was in the military? 

Did they ever specify a timeframe?  The lack of information leads me to believe that the writers haven't figured out their backstory yet. I'm probanly wrong but I get the sense that Dex did a tour in Aghanistan, and during that time her parents left Ansel in a home(?) and left. When Dex was discharged she had him released with her as guardian (Ansel still obviously a minor) and that's how they have been since Ansel moved out. There must have been neighborhood gossip about the Parios' putting their son in a home and skipping town. Maybe fraud, income tax violations, charity theft were in the future for them.  Who knows, almost certainly NOT the writers otherwise they would not be delaying the reveal so late in the series.

I'd like to go on record that Grey going undercover and Dex playing a wealthy buyer are total catastrophes in-waiting. Grey may have the skills to portray a criminal, after all, he's a convicted felon with a shady past but Dex portraying a woman of substance?  Puleeze, the woman is just a crafty vet with PTSD, AND BASICALLY ZERO posh.  She's a tomboy and probably can't pull off what they want from her. Anyway, I think Hoffman is asking too much from Grey and if something happens to Grey, Hoffman is going to have Hell on his hands.  Speaking of Hell, YAY, EVE!!!!!  Max, played by Inbar Lavi, who played Eve on "Lucifer", is a welcome sight and I'm glad she's getting work.  Just be available to play Eve in season 5 of "Lucifer", please.

Edited February 2, 2020 by Jacks-Son

[Clanstarling]

 

On 1/24/2020 at 5:34 PM, paigow said:

Surprised that PTSD meetings are in a bar....some of those vets may have one or more addictions already....Similar meetings on The Punisher were in a basement with bad coffee....

I was too - but I think that it might be part of the plan, in a weird way. They're trying to gather vets who are otherwise skittish about going to anything that smacks of therapy, formal or AA style. A bar where you can come in and sit by yourself if you want, seems like a decent plan. Then they can join in or not, and not feel out of place or pressured.

On 2/1/2020 at 3:15 PM, Jacks-Son said:

Did they ever specify a timeframe?  The lack of information leads me to believe that the writers haven't figured out their backstory yet. I'm probanly wrong but I get the sense that Dex did a tour in Aghanistan, and during that time her parents left Ansel in a home(?) and left. When Dex was discharged she had him released with her as guardian (Ansel still obviously a minor) and that's how they have been since Ansel moved out. There must have been neighborhood gossip about the Parios' putting their son in a home and skipping town. Maybe fraud, income tax violations, charity theft were in the future for them.  Who knows, almost certainly NOT the writers otherwise they would not be delaying the reveal so late in the series.

The only real timeframe we have, I think, is pretty much what you said. This episode gives us a 12 year time frame for when Dex got custody of Ansel. So that made him about 9 when Dex got home.

She had to be at least 18 to join up, and had to spend at least 3 years in the military (I'm out of touch with the length of enlistments, but you can do multiple tours during a single enlistment). So at a minimum, she would have been 21 to get Ansel - and would be 33 now. The math is hurting my brain, but that would have made Ansel somewhere south of 6 when his parents left. Which tracks, because he doesn't really seem to remember his parents.

Though the strip club plot was lighter than the drugs, I thought it covered some very topical points about sex workers being mistreated, and employers taking advantage of their workers.

As for the injured guy being able to live on a smaller amount of cash - he not only had medical bills, he had rent to pay, and was a single father feeding a small child and trying to find other work (and thus needs to pay for childcare). Light pilfering would probably not keep him and his child comfortable. Especially not in Portland - which is not a cheap place to live.

 

[Anela]

On 2/1/2020 at 6:15 PM, Jacks-Son said:

Speaking of Hell, YAY, EVE!!!!!  Max, played by Inbar Lavi, who played Eve on "Lucifer", is a welcome sight and I'm glad she's getting work.  Just be available to play Eve in season 5 of "Lucifer", please.

I still haven't watched that (aside from the first season, when it first aired). I recognized her from "Imposters".