S02.E05: Irish Spring

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Mickey is interrogated by Cochran, but Ray is unsure of how to proceed when he receives compromising information on the FBI chief. Kate is pursued by Avi, as she continues investigating the Donovan family. Abby's relationship with a new friend, as she spends time with her neighbours. Marvin leads Bridget into a situation that her father wouldn't be too happy about.

 

Promo:

 

Clips:

 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Please let this be the last we see of that reporter. I didn't like the character or the actress, which are two separate problems.

 

Ray really has his father's number. Mickey started out mocking the FBI while they watched him, declaring he would never rat out his own son, but he was definitely showing some cracks in his armor before Ray had Mickey taken out of there.

 

So Scrabble night really IS more than just Scrabble! I wonder who is more into the swapping/swinging between Cochran and his wife.

 

I was really surprised that Ray was so calm when that kid's dad grabbed Connor. I thought Ray would tell him never to touch his kid again and then punch him. I kind of loved that Connor and the other kid seem fine with each other and it's just the dad who is being a dick. I was having flashbacks to George Costanza when the dad was so adament about hearing the words "I'm sorry."

 

The only thing I like about the storyline with Marvin is that his dad doesn't want him associating with Cookie. What is this business that Cookie wants to discuss with Marvin? Is he getting a cut of his album sales/merchandise/touring or is he having this kid smuggle stuff back into the country or is it just dealing drugs?

Edited August 11, 2014 by ElectricBoogaloo

[whittaker9551]

Ray does have his Dad's number.

Mickey is always all talk, and he will always crack, just enough to slide out of a fix. (Remember last season with Sully.)

 

Scrabble Night aka Swingers Nite. Really icky. Mrs Cochrane is way cool with playing Scrabble, and needs an interested partner (See the extended preview scene between Ray & Cochrane's underling)

 

Marvin and Cookie; nothing good will come of it. Imagine the worst and double down, being certain to include Bridget

 

The reporter will be back, she still has the note and tape Mickey's buddy slipped in her purse.

 

Last season was establishing Ray as the "Man in Control." This season, not so much, heck, not at all.

Everything is turning to hell in a hand basket.

[damalanop]

So Scrabble night really IS more than just Scrabble! I wonder who is more into the swapping/swinging between Cochran and his wife.

 

I wondered about the logistics of Scrabble night as well.  Who is paired up with each other?  And who put the scratches on Cochran's back? Based on the scene in Cochran's office, it also seems like he (Cochran) is holding this wife swapping business over the other guy's head. 

 

This episode highlighted just how much dysfunction is going on in Ray's home that he is completely oblivious to.  The neglect of Abby and the disconnection from what is really going on with their kids illustrates that Mickey's habits as a father and a person have rubbed off on Ray, aside from the drug use.  So as much as Ray seems to fight against becoming Mickey, he is in fact just like him.

 

Although the whole Tiny/Sully/Linda situation appeared to have been wrapped up in the meeting with the reporter, something tells me that is not really the case.  I got the feeling that the reporter didn't get on the plane after Ray dropped her off.  She seems a bit too intrepid to fall for the story being handed over so simply on a platter for her.

 

Still hate the Donovan kids.  Connor is a grade A ass, and Bridget is losing whatever common sense she seemed to have at the beginning of the series.  Abby's behavior is becoming more and more child-like and bizarre as the weeks roll on.  One minute she's having a great time with the neighbors and the next she threatening them with bodily harm.  Then she directly propositions a cop that she just met while she is in a precarious situation.  Mostly, I don't like her or her story line, but I have to admit that I am mildly interested to see where things go with the cop and what will happen when and if Ray finds out.  I'd really love to see Abby get strong and leave Ray on her own, not necessarily due to the cop coming into the picture.

Edited August 11, 2014 by damalanop

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I don't think Abby will leave Ray. As she told the Trousdale wives, people like Abby and Ray believe in sticking it out instead of giving up and divorcing. She may stomp off to a hotel again but she is in this marriage through the bitter end. She will just stay and be miserable unless something really huge happens. Huger than knowing Ray is sleeping around and punching his own father in front of the kids and almost killing his daughter's boyfriend, that is.

[Dobian]

I like to call this show The O'pranos.  You have the underworld character with his milf wife and teenage son and daughter, and having to deal with his unpredictable father.  Very much like Tony and Carmela and their two kids, and his mom Livia and Uncle Junior.  Like Carmela, Abby is following her Catholic upbringing of sticking it out no matter what (and also like Carmela, she seems to forget about the bad stuff when hubby buys her a new toy, like that house), while privately toying with infidelity on the side because she knows that Ray is unfaithful.

 

I liked last night's epsisode, even though Ray's brothers weren't in it.  Mickey is always fun to watch, I laughed at him jumping around like an ape in the interrogation room.  I love the interaction between Ray and Ezra, and how they got that judge to comply last night.  I'm not sure that the Boston reporter chick bought any of it when they called her in to tell her the "real story" about Sully.

 

I enjoy seeing how Ray goes about solving his various problems each week.

Edited August 11, 2014 by Dobian

[scrb]

Haven't had to fix anything in awhile.

 

No reason to be out in Hollywood other than to get some celebrity out of trouble.

[cattykit]

 

I'm not sure that the Boston reporter chick bought any of it when they called her in to tell her the "real story" about Sully.

Thought the same thing, and half expected a shot of her sneaking out of LAX back into a waiting cab.  Next week I guess we either get the big headline in the Globe or more scenes of her playing Woodstein.  Hate, hate, hate the storyline.

 

Bunk is barely a walk-on.  Please make his role meaningful.

 

Mickey's a hard one to figure.  I think on some level he really did mean it that he wouldn't sell out his son.  I think there's some real regret here for what he's done in the past, but also that he doesn't understand why doing 20 years for a crime he didn't commit doesn't wipe the slate clean.  He's still clueless as to how much he still can cause hurt, though, witness how he set up Darryl as a punching bag in Mexico.  How much time are the writers spending on designing a new way for him to be haunted weekly by Rosanna Arquette?  The fact that he feels so much guilt, even though it really wasn't his fault that Sully killed her, does speak positively of him.

 

Why didn't we see Bunchy and Terry?  I thought at first the opening scene was Bunchy on his bike with a bunch of kids, but obviously not.  So we could get into Bridget and her BF and the magical reappearance of the man who bought him.  Could we maybe just once have a black character on an urban show who isn't a rapper, drug dealer or ex-convict?  Like maybe more Bunk?

 

Is Frances coming back or is she sleeping with the fishes?

[tricknasty]

What compromising info did Ray get on Cochran? Did I blink and miss it?

[ElectricBoogaloo]

He's wife swapping with his subordinate.

[tricknasty]

Thanks ElectricBoogaloo

[Happytobehere]

All I can say is that any episode that focuses heavily on Abby and those awful kids is bad by definition.