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Reservation Dogs - General Discussion


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Was not predicting we'd get a flashback episode of the "elders" in the 70s!  Great casting all around.  The actor playing Young Brownie in particular was spot on.  Also thought the actress playing Mabel looked a lot like Devery Jacobs, which made me automatically tell she was liking related to Elora.

Poor Maximus though.  You can see why he ended up being a recluse and off his rocker as he got older.  Already isolated due to not having his parents and then his friends (understandably) don't believe him about the alien visitation?  Yeah, you can see why he ended up becoming who he is now.  Kind of hope he somehow finds his way back to the Rez (and not just because I want to see Graham Greene play off Gary Farmer, Wes Studi, etc.)

I wonder if the coach was Big's father or relative, because he gave off similar vibes, I thought.

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This was sweet and tragic.  For all his comments about his cousin, it seemed like Maximus was the one pulling away from family out of depression and jealousy.  It really hit me when Fixico said he loved him.

I was looking at imdb for this episode, and young Bucky was played by the series music composer.  I thought he did a good job as the younger version of Bucky, though the young Brownie actor was just uncanny

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I graduated in 1976 so was shocked that I am contemporary to the elders; thought they were all much older than 64 - 65. 
Gonna have to watch the episode again because the whole time I was doing the math in my head about everyone’s ages and how there are two generations to come that we know in the show - those of Cookie’s time and then the reservation dogs. 
Long story short, this episode made me feel very old. 

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12 hours ago, Juneau Gal said:

I graduated in 1976 so was shocked that I am contemporary to the elders; thought they were all much older than 64 - 65. 
Gonna have to watch the episode again because the whole time I was doing the math in my head about everyone’s ages and how there are two generations to come that we know in the show - those of Cookie’s time and then the reservation dogs. 
Long story short, this episode made me feel very old. 

Three generations. We got this episode with the current elders, Cookie’s generation is mine (born late 80’s/early 90’s) and then the current Reservation Dogs. 
From the struggles we’ve seen all the generations endure, grief, poverty, drug addiction, food deserts, limited healthcare, it’s no surprise that they’re wearing their age heavily. 

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Lovely episode. I loved seeing the younger versions of the elders. As everyone said, the actor playing young Brownie was just uncanny! Poor Maximus.

In light of the recent discussion on this thread about boarding schools and assimilation/cultural genocide, I really appreciated their conversation in the car about their own boarding school experience. Obviously, their school in the '70s was extremely different than Deer Lady's--no evidence that they were being malnourished/abused, at least some Native people on staff, their cultural styles/practices weren't prohibited, they got to go home over the summer--but they argued that a "nice" boarding school experience was still fundamentally wrong. I liked what Irene said about it being antithetical not to have kids growing up surrounded by their elders. Even if she could wear her hair in long braids and Fixico was going to be trained as a medicine man, it didn't change the fact that the whole setup of sending the kids away to school went against the long-held community-based culture of their people.

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I didn't really care for this episode - I felt like I was watching a completely different show, and it was literally Dazed and Confused, right down to the title - I was just waiting for Mathew McConaughey to show up and say "Alright Alright Alright!" I did recognize Brownie, Bucky and Mabel, but the rest I had to google. I didn't catch that Maximus was the guy that Bear stayed with when he was lost. The actor playing Brownie was spot on. Still, probably my least favorite episode - it just makes me sad that we have so few episodes left and I would rather focus on the current Res Dogs than a one off about two generations ago......

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4 hours ago, Ilovepie said:

I would rather focus on the current Res Dogs than a one off about two generations ago

But that has been one of the intrinsic messages embedded throughout the entire series:  you cannot truly understand the lives and motivations of the younger generation without taking into account the same facets of the generation(s) who raised them.

(AKA “Parents Are People, Too!”)  😄

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16 hours ago, Nashville said:

But that has been one of the intrinsic messages embedded throughout the entire series:  you cannot truly understand the lives and motivations of the younger generation without taking into account the same facets of the generation(s) who raised them.

(AKA “Parents Are People, Too!”)  😄

I totally get that, but I think the show has done a good job up to this point of incorporating all of the generations into the story at large - I don't think it was necessary to have a flashback episode that focuses exclusively on a whole different cast.

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6 hours ago, Ilovepie said:

I totally get that, but I think the show has done a good job up to this point of incorporating all of the generations into the story at large - I don't think it was necessary to have a flashback episode that focuses exclusively on a whole different cast.

It's possible they might tie it together in ways that makes it seem more necessary. Like Bear's already met Maximus/Choban, Cheese is living with Irene and Willie Jack's going to start studying with Fixico. Maybe she'll want to heal the wounds they have about what happened to him, for instance. If Bear recognized his friends from the past, he didn't tell him about it.

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Any episode that features Big, Bucky, and Brownie all together is certainly going to get an A+ in my book!  Gary Farmer, Wes Studi, and Zahn McClarnon are truly some of the best out there.  Loved how the initial camping trip was because they (and Cheese's grandma) were worried that Cheese was going down a similar path like Maximus did and they were trying to lift his spirits, and it ended up being Cheese who got these older men to actually open up about their feelings and even have a good cry.  Some pretty powerful stuff and well acted all around.

Still loved all the comedic moments though.  Loved that Bucky's odd method of fishing actually was the most successful one out of trio.  And I can safely say that this is one of the few times I laughed out loud at a fart joke.  That is really rare for me!  And then Big's get-up in general kept cracking me up.

Hopefully the regular Rez crew will remain tight, but I'm still worried that Bear might actually be the one who ends up like Maximus.  Of course, I'm really hoping he eventually opens up to the elders about meeting him and maybe there will be a way for the elders to reconnect.  Hopefully this is where that is heading.

Bigfoots!  Or is it Bigfeet?

Excellent episode.

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14 hours ago, sistermagpie said:

It's possible they might tie it together in ways that makes it seem more necessary. Like Bear's already met Maximus/Choban, Cheese is living with Irene and Willie Jack's going to start studying with Fixico. Maybe she'll want to heal the wounds they have about what happened to him, for instance. If Bear recognized his friends from the past, he didn't tell him about it.

This week’s episode went a good way in tying last week’s episode together.  It all made sense. 

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When Irene said Cheese's relatives were there, I was wondering who that was and why he was avoiding them. I'm not usually looking for suspense, but I love how this show can have low key suspense like that and make me care about it. You don't need adrenaline to have suspense! 

The sound of wind in the trees is one of my favorite things in life.

Bear has already been trying to tell folks about his experiences, and they keep shutting him down and not believing. Maybe after this, Cheese will think about that and get him to open up and be heard.

Cheese is a natural at the "counselor/social worker/caring professional/low key group leader" role, and he may be younger than the others, but he's also on of those kids who's kind of an adult even when young. You can see how each of the kids is forming into the next generation of adults, and what role they'll play in the community, what kind of elders they will be, and which of the current adults they are following in the footsteps of. 

I like it because it also undercuts the tendency to see characters only as they are now. When you look at the adults, you don't see where they came from, how they got to be that way, what their deep down motives really are, who they are inside. I think this happens in real life, too. When you see someone of one generation or another, do you see their history, who they were, who they will be? Or do you make assumptions based on the limited data you have in the present moment? When you see Big or Irene or Bucky or Fixico or Brownie or Maximus, you wouldn't necessarily think about Willie Jack or Cheese or Elora or Bear, let alone Daniel----- but with the backward and forward motion from episode to episode, they are starting to flesh out the ways each of them echoes the others. 

I like that they are not doing this in a heavy handed way, where you only care about one of them because of how they advance the other's story. Each one stands on its own, but there is also a web they're weaving for us.

Also, it never occurred to me that Big's Big Foot sightings were so significant for him because of how they echoed Maximus's seeing of the aliens. And the show giving us the button of the Big Feet (Foots?) "swordplaying" is just the kind of humor this show loves to give us-- but also, it shows the echoing between "ordinary dudes" and "supernatural dudes". Everybody is connected! LOL.

 

 

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This was a great episode.  I love the feeling of community and family they're giving us.  I'm hoping the talk of Maximus means we'll get to see Graham Greene again.

Watching the guys fish made me think of the Deer Lady's boarding school friend who wanted to go fishing and I got choked up.  This show makes me laugh and cry and I'm going to miss it when it's gone. 

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On 8/30/2023 at 9:44 AM, possibilities said:

When Irene said Cheese's relatives were there, I was wondering who that was and why he was avoiding them. I'm not usually looking for suspense, but I love how this show can have low key suspense like that and make me care about it. You don't need adrenaline to have suspense! 

 

The way I interpreted that was she considered close friends as relatives.  The next scene with Bear, Elora Danan and Willie Jack at the front door confirmed it for me.  Much like Big, Bucky and Brownie are considered Uncles even though they are not related.

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From Alan Sepinwall's review of the ep:

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As Cheese’s adoptive grandmother Irene encourages him to leave the house and spend time with Elora and the others, she calls him “Chebon.” This is the nickname that Maximus insisted on being called by during the events of “House Made of Bongs,” where we learned that he and Irene were part of the same friend group as teenagers. But it’s also a piece of Indigenous slang, which can either mean, simply, “man,” or be used to describe someone as an immature or foolish young man.

But as the episode continues, it becomes clear that Irene’s use of the term is not a coincidence. She, Bucky, and Brownie all have their old friend on their minds as they watch Cheese pull away from the other Rez Dogs.

 

 

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Chvon is a Mvskogee term for boy in the same way that an English speaker would call a boy son in an affectionate/familial way. It’s Irene’s pet name for Cheese, but any elder speaking to a younger guy could use it. I think either Bucky or Brownie called Big that, because he’s a generation younger than them. 

Edited by ZuluQueenOfDwarves
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As the kid who was never willing to bait the hook, I felt Cheese's pain.

On 8/30/2023 at 3:57 AM, thuganomics85 said:

And then Big's get-up in general kept cracking me up.

I could not get over the bib overalls.  I thought at first he was wearing an Army ball cap, but now I think it was actually an aged ball cap from the production company Crazy Eagle Media (picture) in a little meta moment.

Bucky was a close second in the cowboy boots and jean shorts.

ETA: Sterling Harjo is credited as Adult Bigfoot.

Edited by MisterGlass
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This was a lovely episode with some all star acting. It was connected to the previous one ...but still..
...this is the last season, we have seen 6 episodes and 4 of them are without our ensemble being together. And I hate it. It is like if they are trying to fit everything in this  season.  They should either go for one more season or a bigger last one. 
 

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8 hours ago, Zaffy said:

This was a lovely episode with some all star acting. It was connected to the previous one ...but still..
...this is the last season, we have seen 6 episodes and 4 of them are without our ensemble being together. And I hate it. It is like if they are trying to fit everything in this  season.  They should either go for one more season or a bigger last one. 
 

I agree 100% and at the same time I would absolutely watch a spinoff series about Irene, Brownie, Bucky, Mabel, Maximus, and Fixico both now and then.

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9 hours ago, Zaffy said:

This was a lovely episode with some all star acting. It was connected to the previous one ...but still..
...this is the last season, we have seen 6 episodes and 4 of them are without our ensemble being together. And I hate it. It is like if they are trying to fit everything in this  season.  They should either go for one more season or a bigger last one. 
 

 

1 hour ago, eejm said:

I agree 100% and at the same time I would absolutely watch a spinoff series about Irene, Brownie, Bucky, Mabel, Maximus, and Fixico both now and then.

I get the feeling that the show really feels like setting our Res Dogs in the context of the other generations is integral to their story and who they are so they're bringing them in to finish off their story. The guys in this episode lost one of their friends, just as they did, but stuck together otherwise and hopefully our kids will bring Maximum back to them.

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I actually had it in my mind that the most recent episode (where they take Cheese camping) was the finale, so when I saw the end, I thought, well, that's kind of low-key, but I can see how it worksFull circle, in a way.  Then I came here and realized that there are indeed more episodes.  Kind of like finding that one Christmas present that fell behind the couch, or waking up and realizing it's a 3-day weekend!

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I understand the desire to see more of the kids together, but I think it's really an important story to tell, about what happens to people who see things that others don't see, and how important it is to listen rather than panicking and throwing them away and handing them over to "the mental health system". Even though the people who came to pick up Maximus seemed kind on the surface, he's terrified of them and his life has essentially been destroyed by his experience not of  the aliens but of the people who are trying to save him from them.

Seeing aliens or seeing Deer Lady is not inherently a threat to well-being. We see how Maximus was subjected to multiple shock treatments and where he is now, which is a mess. By contrast, we see how Bear is being advised by his mother to at least to not tell people who can't be trusted, so he doesn't get thrown to the same fate. 

The difference between the lives of people with community acceptance and belonging and what was done to lots and lots of people in the mental health system during that time period (and maybe today-- I'm not as current with that issue as with the history of it), is a big problem and affects entire communities as the trauma of it ripples through not only the people who were assigned directly but also to their friends and family and everyone who knew them.

It's a big deal and not much talked about but I thought this episode did a good job of showing it and grounding it in a way that showing Maximus alone did not. I also thought that contrasting it to Bear's life was really important. Maximus is what would happen to Bear if he wasn't validated and allowed to reach his potential. 

This storyline is a gift to the people and communities affected by this problem. And it can warn others not to repeat the same mistakes.

 

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On 8/30/2023 at 9:44 AM, possibilities said:

Cheese is a natural at the "counselor/social worker/caring professional/low key group leader" role, and he may be younger than the others, but he's also on of those kids who's kind of an adult even when young. You can see how each of the kids is forming into the next generation of adults, and what role they'll play in the community, what kind of elders they will be, and which of the current adults they are following in the footsteps of. 

I just love this kid.  He's so considerate and caring without any artifice.  I love how he introduces himself with his pronouns.  Every week we see him, I just want to wrap him up in a big hug and tell him how important he is to everyone.

I love how Big acts so differently that you don't see any Leaphorn in his face or body at all!  What a great actor and I'm happy he's on 2 different shows for me.

 

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Glad that we got one final (?) Rita-centric episode and she (and Bev) got some closure with Cookie and her death.  I understand ending the show on its own terms and everything, but man am I going to miss exploring this universe and its characters some more.

Looks like Big/Bev are officially a thing.  And thanks to Cookie's spirit, Rita and the viewers know a whole lot about it!

This being the final season, I wasn't surprised that Rita accepted the job.  The question is will Bear follow her or will he stay on the Rez? I can see it going either way.

This was the episode Devery Jacobs directed.  I can definitely see her career going in some interesting places after this show.

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I don't mind too much all the eps focusing on the supporting characters, and this one obviously affects the future of Bear, etc. But at this point, I think I'm going to start a rumor that, behind the scenes, our four leads are prima donnas that hate each others' guts and, like a bunch of little Julianas and Archies, refuse to shoot scenes together 😂

Edited by Corgi-ears
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52 minutes ago, possibilities said:

I will miss this show so much when it's gone.

Oh me too. So Much!

I appreciate limited run shows, like they do in Britain. The showrunners have set in their minds the number of seasons the show will be and plan the story line accordingly. This usually results in much better storytelling. But darnit, it can leave the viewer wanting so much more, as is the case with this show. Still, it's a smart move to get out while still being loved and not overstay a welcome, like so many other shows do.

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11 hours ago, thuganomics85 said:

Looks like Big/Bev are officially a thing.  And thanks to Cookie's spirit, Rita and the viewers know a whole lot about it!

Somehow I could easily picture Big as Cookie did the sounds. Not sure if that's a good thing or not.

 

Quote

This was the episode Devery Jacobs directed.  I can definitely see her career going in some interesting places after this show.

There was one shot that was so beautiful, but it couldn't have really been planned. It was of Rita in the car, from the backseat, when a tear goes down her cheek. From our POV, it was right on the edge of her face. 

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On 9/3/2023 at 7:26 AM, Zaffy said:

This was a lovely episode with some all star acting. It was connected to the previous one ...but still..
...this is the last season, we have seen 6 episodes and 4 of them are without our ensemble being together. And I hate it. It is like if they are trying to fit everything in this  season.  They should either go for one more season or a bigger last one. 
 

I feel the same. This season has been.....different. Suddenly Maximus is the focus of the show? It just isn't resonating with me like with the kids. Hopefully we get more with them before this ends.

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1 hour ago, Ilovepie said:

I feel the same. This season has been.....different. Suddenly Maximus is the focus of the show? It just isn't resonating with me like with the kids. Hopefully we get more with them before this ends.

Maximus is not the focus of the show; rather, he’s a warning for the young’uns who are the focus of the show.  Think of Maximus as a cautionary tale of what happens when the old tribal ways collide with modern-days white society.  

In days past, Maximus’s visions (drug-induced or not) would have earned him a special status in the tribe - not necessarily as a medicine man, but at least as a person of spiritual significance.  In the white man’s world, however, Maximus is:

  • Labeled a whack job.
  • Collected by white authorities, who descend upon his trailer en masse.
  • Taken on a one-way trip to the Rubber Ramada.

Throughout the series, we’ve seen Bear struggling with how to relate to his visions - and more recently, we’ve also seen the aunties and uncles express their concerns about how much Cheese’s increasing isolationist tendencies were mirroring Maximus’ behavior at roughly the same age.

Purely my own conjecture here, but what I think Harjo is trying to say here is that AI/ANs of today have to find a balance between honoring and respecting the old tribal ways, while still keeping them within manageable boundaries when out walking in the world - because failure to do so can end very badly.  The world outside the tribe can be a very intolerant and unforgiving place.

 

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56 minutes ago, Nashville said:

Purely my own conjecture here, but what I think Harjo is trying to say here is that AI/ANs of today have to find a balance between honoring and respecting the old tribal ways, while still keeping them within manageable boundaries when out walking in the world - because failure to do so can end very badly.  The world outside the tribe can be a very intolerant and unforgiving place.

Is it outside the tribe though? His own friends laughed at him and didn't believe what he was telling them. This episode deals with their own guilt for abandoning him.

Taking the "lessons" out of it, I do think this season has been as much about Maximus as it has about Bear, Elora, Willie Jack and Cheese. Even the episodes that focused primarily on Bear and now Cheese were about him. Maybe that's significant since those are the two singled out as "outsiders", but with so few episodes left, I would just rather see the kids, that's all.

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GAH!  It’s Evan Adams!  Besides playing Larry, Adams is also a medical doctor in real life.  Larry, I feel you on La Bamba.  That is still one of my favorite movies.

Rita, Natalie, and Bev letting Cookie go broke my heart a bit.  I had a close friend die in a freak accident when we were in our 20s.  I still sometimes dream about her.  Nearly twenty years later and it still hurts that she was taken far too soon.

Edited by eejm
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On 9/6/2023 at 6:34 PM, Ilovepie said:

Taking the "lessons" out of it, I do think this season has been as much about Maximus as it has about Bear, Elora, Willie Jack and Cheese. Even the episodes that focused primarily on Bear and now Cheese were about him. Maybe that's significant since those are the two singled out as "outsiders", but with so few episodes left, I would just rather see the kids, that's all.

But that's still about them, imo. Each generation has the person they lost--Maximus's friends didn't give him what he needed and he got lost forever, the aunties lost Cookie and couldn't quite let her go while at the same time not looking after Elora the way they should. Our kids are going through their own crisis through losing Daniel. But they took a step forward by going to California (thanks to Willie Jack's idea).

They're not together as much right now because they're coming to the age when childhood friends all face a crossroads, but they've shown they can heal and come back together.

So Daniel's spirit has been put to rest, and now Cookie's has too. Maximus is important because he's still lost. Maybe he'll never be found and will remain a tragedy and a warning...but it seems like he means something to everyone at this point, especially Bear and now Rita, seeing spirits. Elora saw her grandmother's spirit, but couldn't see her mother's. Maximum is lost, but his old friends are still central to him, and they're still carrying him with them as well. That doesn't seem like the show being about Maximum so much as just a different kind of loss and wound. Our kids have come through that story and are now getting old enough to help others, imo. 

And this season they've all had connections with older people that they needed. Irene started out as just a nice old lady who took Cheese in, but then she led him to some older guys who could help him personally when she saw him becoming Maximum. Bear was showing his mom in this ep that he's becoming independent. He's grown out of his fantasies about his father. She believes him about the Deer Lady and now knows he sees spirits too--she's seeing them being more alike than she thought, and as a grown up.

Plus she connected with Elora, seeing what she needed and giving her what her mother wanted to give her. 

And finally there's Willie Jack happily learning real medicine from Fixico. The kids have to be separated to find their own paths at this time of life--they're no longer high schoolers hanging out to pass the time. But it's been established that they still *do* hang out outside of their individual pursuits.

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15 hours ago, sistermagpie said:

But that's still about them, imo.

To each their own. This season isn't resonating with me as much as the other seasons, despite a couple standout episodes. This is me though. I am glad everyone else is enjoying it.

I did love this episode with Cookie. It was heartbreaking when they were in the car and she was talking about being 20 forever and her frustration at the Aunties not being there for Elora. "Was it hard?" I hope they continue to keep watch over the kids.

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On 9/7/2023 at 7:58 PM, sistermagpie said:

Our kids are going through their own crisis through losing Daniel. But they took a step forward by going to California

I think this is key.  The starting arc of the story closed at the end of season 2.  The kids accomplished their mission, and there can never be as equally powerful a story intertwining them.  The impact of their arc is now rippling out through the wider community, and we are following it there.

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Figured Maximus would come back into play, but I didn't predict he would be reintroduced thanks to the Rez Dogs (along with Jackie and her crew more or less being recruited!) going to his psych ward and trying to pull off the most hilariously half-cocked heist ever!  Complete with hit all being for not since Maximus was there voluntarily and could just check himself out.  Ha!  Graham Greene continues to be a delight here.

Things really don't look good for Fixico though, so I wonder if this is going to lead to Maximus going back to the rez for good.  Still hope he reconnects with both Bucky and Uncle Brownie.

Paulina Alexis did some great work in particular here.  Definitely hope there are big things for her going forward.

Great seeing Kenny again and how he covered for the kids at the end (even though Big clearly knew what likely actually happened.)

The scene with Elora and Willie Jack was nice.

Can't believe we only have two episodes left!

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This was so good. Love everyone coming together. 

Mr White is a nice reference to Reservoir Dogs.

Loved seeing Kenny again, but now seeing Kirk Fox will forever make me think of Jury Duty.

Glad Maximus agreed to go see Fixico. When he was talking about writing letters to various people, I loved the sly little way he said, "The librarian." :D

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