S04.E04: Reckoning

[maraleia]

 

Cullen deals with trouble at home as he takes railroad matters into his own hands. Campbell makes a move against Durant and Mickey.

 

[Sidney]

These eppys are must-see-tv now!!

Edited August 22, 2014 by Sidney

[Ohwell]

Hmmm..."Cullen deals with trouble at home."  Sounds interesting.

[Ohwell]

Ruth is really trying to deal with Cullen's marital situation but I do feel bad for her.  Cullen "did the right thing" but he does not love Naomi. 

 

I know Eva is missing Elam but I'm so sick and tired of her moping around, refusing help from friends like Durant and the newspaper woman, and offering herself up as payment.   Note to Eva:  It's pretty bad when a man has to tell you your cooter stinks. 

 

I'm really confused about what the writers are doing with Mickey's character this season.  The first couple episodes they had him acting all creepy with Eva and suggesting that he might have been the one who killed the prostitutes instead of Sean.  Now, they're painting him in a more sympathetic light, going up against Campbell and the carpetbaggers.    

 

So Brigham Young appears next week.  Why do I get the sick feeling that the Swede will once again prevail?  I so hope I'm wrong.

[bentley]

The bars on the Swede's cage were spaced way too far apart. I was so afraid he was going to reach his hand through and either destroy the telegram or strangle his Mormon accuser, or both.

 

I'm already tired of Cullen's wife. Her silent disapproval might crush a lesser man. I imagine it will only drive Cullen out of the "house" even more.

 

 

The first couple episodes they had him acting all creepy with Eva and suggesting that he might have been the one who killed the prostitutes instead of Sean.  Now, they're painting him in a more sympathetic light, going up against Campbell and the carpetbaggers.

I think both things can be true. He can compartmentalize his life, as many criminals can. He is likely a killer who came to a new place to escape getting caught. He may be the hero of the carpetbagger conflict, and yet a potential villain where women are concerned. He seems to do best when he's dealing with men, and he's always at his most likable in his scenes with Cullen. I hope he can keep the killer (alleged) side of himself in check, 'cause I'm kinda rooting for him.

[Ohwell]

I, too, was afraid the Swede was going to reach through the cage and strangle the Mormon.

 

I hate to say that I'm rooting for Mickey if he did kill the prostitutes, but I am.  Even though he thinks all women are whores, I haven't seen him mistreat any of the ones in his saloon, unless I missed something.  I'm not convinced that he actually signed the paper that Campbell handed him.  I think he might have put some sort of mark on the paper, but he folded the paper and Campbell never unfolded it and looked at it before he released Mickey.  I hope he really did trick Campbell.

[bentley]

I  thought that Mickey might have written "Kiss my ass" to throw the deal back in their faces, but I like your idea better. Maybe he signed his brother's name instead of his own to render the deal illegal.In the mean time he's free now to muster some allies, money, etc to get ready to fight.  Here's hoping.

 

I liked the way that although Cullen couldn't bust him out of jail (as satisfying as that would have been) he gave Mickey the encouragement to do what he had to in order to live to fight another day. So disappointed in Durant for abandoning Mickey. Just when you want to completely write him off,  he's nice to Eva and doesn't take her up on her offer of a "poke".

 

Maybe it's just human to hate the person who has exposed you as a fool, but you would think what's-his-name could show a little gratitude to Cullen for, you know, saving his life.It must gall him that his workmen look at him and know he's not fit for the job, but that's not Cullen's fault.

Edited August 24, 2014 by bentley

[nodorothyparker]

Why why why are they dragging out the story with the Swede and the Mormons?  Was anybody really clamoring to see more of that?  I guess they have to though to eventually play the Ezra is a secret Mormon who saw the crazy bastard kill his parents card.

 

They did a really good job of making both Cullen and Naomi sympathetic while showing that these are two people who really don't have much of anything in common except their child and still don't know each other very well at all.  It does make me wonder, though, if Naomi is such a true believer in everything Mormon and polygamy just how she sees this playing out.  He bolted their compound the first chance he got and clearly isn't interested in anything to do with it.  He's a railroad man to the point that everything else is going to come second to it.  She did get a nice passive-aggressive dig in about how her father could provide for all his wives and children and still have time for church.

 

I really loved the Durant-Eva scenes.  I like their friendship and that she seems to be the only person in this story that he actually feels any gratitude to rather than dumping her the moment she's of no further use to him like Mickey.  It does feel like they're having a hard time deciding who Mickey is right now.  Mickey is always at his best in scenes with Cullen and this episode was no exception.  Cullen couldn't get him out, but he really needed that pep talk from the one character who's under no illusions about what kind of user Durant is.

 

Ruth veered back into the brittle judgmental church lady I've never much cared for tonight, but she did at least try to correct while dealing with a fair bit of jealousy and resentment so I guess that's something. 

[BusyOctober]

I don't wish harm to come to Naomi and the baby but can the writers find a way to make them go away?  There is no chemistry between them and Cullen is "married" to the RR and the group of misfits that make up the town.  He's never going to be a model Mormon/farmer/merchant Naomi is hoping for, so why put the audience through the "torment" of their relationship?

 

The Swede, on the other hand...I wish loads of harm on him.  Mostly because I'm tired of the character.  He was excellent in the first 2 seasons but, now? YAWN.  Now we have to wait for Brigham Young to roll into town, take the Swede's side and watch him menace any Mormons who challenged him. Up until Ezra somehow crosses paths with him again and drops the DUN-DUN- DAH bomb to lead us into the next season.  YAWN

 

That said, I still enjoy this show.  Any way they can show Anson shirtless more often?  Oooh boy!

[RealityGal]

I don't wish harm to come to Naomi and the baby but can the writers find a way to make them go away?  There is no chemistry between them and Cullen is "married" to the RR and the group of misfits that make up the town.  He's never going to be a model Mormon/farmer/merchant Naomi is hoping for, so why put the audience through the "torment" of their relationship?

 

The Swede, on the other hand...I wish loads of harm on him.  Mostly because I'm tired of the character.  He was excellent in the first 2 seasons but, now? YAWN.  Now we have to wait for Brigham Young to roll into town, take the Swede's side and watch him menace any Mormons who challenged him. Up until Ezra somehow crosses paths with him again and drops the DUN-DUN- DAH bomb to lead us into the next season.  YAWN

 

That said, I still enjoy this show.  Any way they can show Anson shirtless more often?  Oooh boy!

 

I wonder if they might not set up a situation where Naomi flees back to the Mormon compound and takes the child with her.  I imagine she could try to use it as a move to try to force Cullen to become the man she wants him to be by refusing to leave and trying to force him into moving there with her.  And he, figuring they are safe, and he will "get to her as soon as the railroad is done" will just allow her to stay there.  Or the Mormons won't let him into the compound again, so he is forced to go back to the railroad without her.  That way she and the baby aren't dead, but they are also not around.

[Ohwell]

I can see Naomi going back to her family, and Cullen telling her that he'll join her as soon as the railroad is finished, and then the Mormons not letting him back into the compound.  The only thing is that if the writers want him and Ruth to eventually get together, the family would be hanging over their heads and he wouldn't be "free" to pursue a relationship with her.  However, if they have Ruth and Cullen remain just friends, then the "Naomi and baby leaving" scenario would work. 

 

Maybe that would be the best scenario anyway, with Ruth and Cullen as friends, raising Ezra together, because it seems like the minute people hook up, something bad happens.

 

Edit:  I know this is just a TV show and I'm overthinking this, lol, but I  don't think this friendship thing with Ruth and Cullen would work out.  No matter how close they might become, Cullen, and probably Ruth, would want to have a relationship involving sex with somebody.  If/when that happened, it would adversely affect their friendship.

Edited August 25, 2014 by Ohwell

[RealityGal]

I can see Naomi going back to her family, and Cullen telling her that he'll join her as soon as the railroad is finished, and then the Mormons not letting him back into the compound.  The only thing is that if the writers want him and Ruth to eventually get together, the family would be hanging over their heads and he wouldn't be "free" to pursue a relationship with her.  However, if they have Ruth and Cullen remain just friends, then the "Naomi and baby leaving" scenario would work. 

 

Maybe that would be the best scenario anyway, with Ruth and Cullen as friends, raising Ezra together, because it seems like the minute people hook up, something bad happens.

 

Edit:  I know this is just a TV show and I'm overthinking this, lol, but I  don't think this friendship thing with Ruth and Cullen would work out.  No matter how close they might become, Cullen, and probably Ruth, would want to have a relationship involving sex with somebody.  If/when that happened, it would adversely affect their friendship.

 

I don't think you're overthinking it.  I think Cullen is best when not in any relationship.  He is one of those guys that has that "deep, troubled" souls.  I don't know if he is meant to be 100% happy.  I think it would take something away from his character to be involved in a super healthy, happy relationship.  I think there always has to be a bit of dysfunction, generally somewhat of his own creation, IMO.  Every one of his relationships seems layered, and not simple.  Sometimes he and Durant are on good terms, sometimes they hate each other, they seem to have some respect for each other.  Elam was his best friend, and Elam seemed to have a deep dislike for him at times, and Cullen owned slaves.  I just couldn't see him in some super happy "I come home for dinner, we have sex 3 times a week, and then cuddle" type of relationship.

[Dowel Jones]

I have to say, I like the Swede's ability to channel Ben Linus, so to speak, and get inside the minds of every one of his captors.  That, and the makeup has him actually looking like Brigham Young, at least in portraits, makes them all squirm with the thought of possibly offending the hierarchy.  I still can't tell whether he's pulling the long con or he's truly made a psychotic break with The Badass Formerly Known as Swede.

 

Just for self interest, I looked at Google Earth and tracked the progress of the railroad.  They have a long, long way to go to get to Promontory Point, Utah.  In reality, the climb from Cheyenne to Sherman Peak is about 35 miles and rises only about 2000' in elevation, most of it shallow.  However ( a big however), it takes place from 6000' elevation to 8000' elevation.  Get 'er done quick, boys.  Winter's comin'

 

 

I'm not convinced that he actually signed the paper that Campbell handed him

 

I had to laugh at Mickey signing the paper too, for personal reasons.   One of my uncles pulled that very trick on his brother when they were boys, involving a bet on a baseball game.  He  was never really forgiven.  The other thing for Mickey is, he could pick up stakes with the railroad and set up the casino in the next town, in this case Laramie, I think.  As a good chunk of his business clientele might just follow the railroad, the carpetbaggers would be left in the distance.  It would be a gamble, to be sure.

Edited August 26, 2014 by Dowel Jones

[Jeebus Cripes]

I really loved the Durant-Eva scenes.  I like their friendship and that she seems to be the only person in this story that he actually feels any gratitude to rather than dumping her the moment she's of no further use to him like Mickey. 

 

I was kind of shocked by how much I enjoyed those scenes. Their relationship is sweet; something I never thought I'd say about Durant and anyone.

[justmehere]

As bad as the first ep of the season was, these last couple have been much better. I appreciate them delving into character more, and it feels like they're getting back on track after some big missteps. Much as I hated the barn-sex/shotgun wedding development last season, it has created some interesting conflict within Cullen now.

 

As for Cullen's marriage being an obstacle to a possible relationship with Ruth down the line... he's not really married. He told Naomi that they spoke vows, trying to be honorable and reassure her, but if she went back to the Mormon fort, there's no actual obstacle. She didn't even ask to be "properly" married, which surprised me a little. I don't know about common-law marriages in those days, but I rather wonder if Mormons would accept that. There is a way out. Whether he'd want to let William go might be another matter.

 

I was so glad that Durant took Eva in and that he's being honorable with her. The level of respect he has for her is really nice. But seriously -- Elam?? If he's coming back, it's about time to do so! And show, please finish the story with the Swede! Don't drag it out all season.

[Ottis]

Whether he'd want to let William go might be another matter.

 

 

Maybe, but he hasn't really shown much interest. When he picked up William this episode upon returning to his tent it struck me how rare that was, so much so that it seemed weird that he picked the baby up. I don't see a strong connection there, even when you include the fact that raising a baby was dangerous back then and many didn't survive (and so parents may have been less doting).

 

That comment from Naomi about how her father took care of his wives and kids was shitty, and telling. That seemed to signal she will be going back to the fort, eventually. The fact that Naomi doesn't recognize the tightrope Cullen is walking says a lot about their incompatibility. And I still wonder if that is actually his kid ... his sleeping with her was so out of character and odd.

[Ohwell]

And I still wonder if that is actually his kid ... his sleeping with her was so out of character and odd.

Yeah, I mentioned before that I had a sneaking suspicion that that wasn't his kid.  Methinks Naomi wasn't the innocent young virgin when he had her in the barn.  There was that young guy at the compound who was relaying messages to Cullen, and I wonder if he and Naomi were secret lovers and whether he could be the father of her child.

[Ailianna]

I don't think it's Naomi's fault she doesn't understand Cullen's situation at the railroad and in Cheyenne.  It's not like he has explained his history with these people to her, or sat her down to discuss the politics of the thing.  Even he had to catch up, and he had people flat out telling him what's changed since he was gone.  These are all strangers to her, and all operating in a complex web of relationships that you can't immediately discern.  We've seen her ask about things and people, and essentially get no answer.  I'm sure that if he would talk to her, she would cause less problems and stick out less--but that would require him to actually let her in a little, so we know that's never going to happen.

[Ohwell]

I agree that it's not Naomi's fault that she doesn't understand Cullen and the situation in Cheyenne.  She is in a strange situation (so was Cullen at the Mormon fort); however, Cullen hasn't abandoned her.  He asked Ruth to look out for her and the baby and to basically welcome them to Cheyenne.  He did this, knowing that Ruth would probably feel hurt and anger at this new situation he's found himself in.  Yes, Naomi has asked about things and people, but people don't trust her and don't want to associate with her because she is a Mormon.  It's going to take time for some people to feel comfortable around her.  I think she left the compound because she was seeking new adventures with Cullen.  Nobody, including Cullen, told her it was going to be easy.  

 

In the end though, I don't even think any of this matters because Cullen doesn't love her and I don't believe for one second he would have married her if she hadn't been with child.    

Edited August 27, 2014 by Ohwell

[Ottis]

It's not like he has explained his history with these people to her, or sat her down to discuss the politics of the thing.

 

 

Except ... she knows he once worked at the railroad, can infer from the reaction of those around her to Bohannon that Cullen was once important and she saw him take a job, any job (one working mostly with freedmen, so that alone would signal a job below his station for that era), in order to support his family instead of try to leverage whatever importance he used to have. Even Naomi should recognize the principles in play here for Bohannon. But her words indicate she doesn't care, she wants to be taken care of.

 

The fact she said so, despite her Mormom upbringing to be secondary to her husband, makes her words even more meaningful.

[Ailianna]

But without knowing the politics of the thing, his decision to repeatedly turn down good paying jobs, with prestige, and much less danger than the one he did take, is pretty baffling.

[Ohwell]

Not knowing the politics of the thing is the very reason why Naomi should have trusted her husband's judgment in not accepting the jobs.

[Ailianna]

Wow.  I don't think anyone would advocate Eva or Lily Bell should just sit back and trust the man to do their thinking.  Why should Naomi have less agency than anyone else?

[nodorothyparker]

I wouldn't advocate for any woman to let the man do the thinking for her.  But at the same time, Naomi has repeatedly shown that she either can't or won't exercise any agency.  This is a woman who answered "I'm not if you're not" to simple questions about being tired or hungry in previous episodes.  

 

Naomi should be asking questions.  She should be trying to understand who all these people are and what makes them do what they do, including her own husband.  She's a stranger in a strange place where she knows people of her background are viewed with suspicion and negative opinions.  It must be terribly overwhelming for her and more than a bit of a disillusionment after how hopeful she was leaving the Mormon camp.  Part of this is Cullen's fault, because we know he's not really in the habit of justifying himself and probably isn't the most forthcoming.  But part of it is her fault too for choosing to sit in the tent and snit instead of more actively trying to figure it all out.   

[Ohwell]

My point was that Naomi should have accepted her husband's judgment in not accepting the jobs since she doesn't know the situation in Cheyenne, not that she shouldn't have an opinion at all.

[Ottis]

But without knowing the politics of the thing, his decision to repeatedly turn down good paying jobs, with prestige, and much less danger than the one he did take, is pretty baffling.

 

 

I'm not sure why the politics matter:

• Naomi knows Cullen once was important, and now he is not.
• She knows he intends to provide for her and the baby, because he took a job - one that clearly has less status than what he used to do - and he took it *willingly* without complaint (in fact, he chose to take this route) in order to have income. Clearly there is a danger in him pushing for other, higher status jobs. The why doesn't matter, though since Naomi knows Cullen, she should have some insight into this and probably has more than an inkling that pride or principle is involved. Probably not pride, given the job he did take - he didn't take the easy way. So principle.
• I'm not sure Naomi knows he was offered a better job by Campbell.

Knowing just that, I would think Naomi would back off. But something else seems to be driving her.

[ikmccall]

I think Naomi and the baby will die. I just don't know if it will be the Swede or someone else.

[nodorothyparker]

I don't know what they have planned with Naomi and the baby, but please no recycling the dead wife and child storyline the show started with.  We've already seen it.  Plus add in Lily Bell who was murdered shortly after she and Cullen hooked up and he's then got a track record that doesn't make him a safe bet for any woman to consider pairing up with.

[lonestar]

My dislike for Ruth is growing. She used the ordination of women as a reason to condemn mormons. This is the 1860s and almost every religion excluded women, so her point was out of place.  It seems like a line some feminist added to the script.