S02.E01: Never Missed A Pigeon

[formerlyfreedom]

Quote

In the wake of the Kingstown Prison riot, violence and chaos ensue in the newly formed tent city. Mike and Bunny discuss what must be done to solve the leadership void on the inside. Kyle begins his new job with the Michigan State Police.

Dropping on Paramount+ on Sunday, January 15, 2023.

[Chaos Theory]

Interesting way to open the series.  Everything and everyone is in a state of chaos after the riot with Mike trying to keep the peace.    Mike realizes Milo escaped but no one else wants to admit one of the most dangerous inmates in Kingston escaped.  And then we have Mom McLusky who isn’t playing by the rules of the town and lets a kid who robbed her go instead of overcharging him so he spends the next decade in prison.  Ian “He’s going to kill somebody.”  Ma McLusky “No your gang will kill him first.”   

I also really like that the show is making no illusions about the brutality of the riot.  Alot of guards were killed and the ones that weren't were raped with their own batons.   And to take back the prison there were alot of inmates killed.  So now there is a huge vacuum inside the prison and because of that there is no one in control and becasue there is no one in control of the prison there is no one in control on the outside.    

Edited January 15, 2023 by Chaos Theory

[AnimeMania]

S02.E01: Never Missed a Pigeon

In the wake of the Kingstown Prison riot, violence and chaos ensue in the newly formed tent city; Mike and Bunny discuss what must be done to solve the leadership void on the inside. Kyle begins his new job with the Michigan State Police.

Premiere Date: January 15, 2023      

[dwmarch]

Good opener to the season and definitely not shy when it comes to how harsh Kingstown can be. We've got a prison guard with PTSD from a sexual assault, a gang using a pitbull to kill another gang member, a cop shooting said pitbull and another cop shooting a young black kid all within the first ten minutes or so. I was half expecting Iris to get murdered on the boat while she was all by herself.

There was a little bit of humor with the maple syrup smugglers. Kyle, hardened by the brutality of Kingstown, rolls in like the military on Canadian dudes who are just trying to avoid paying a tariff.

I know everyone on this show is cynical and world-weary but those cops who were briefly protecting Iris were pretty blase about Milo being out there somewhere. Didn't Milo murder the last set of cops who had this job?

[Moviesnob]

Great opener. Not sure how much time has passed, but maybe just a few days? Almost 200 people dead, that is insane. I'm honestly surprised there wasn't more presence from the National Guard.

Interesting how they're hiding the shooting location change - I laughed at how we didn't go back to Bunny's front yard, and instead he's on a random rooftop. The back walk-up to Mike's office clearly isn't the same, but close enough. I wonder if we'll get back to the cabin at all.

I am very interested in Kareem's storyline - he is in a shitty place, because all he's known is being a guard. He could join that lawsuit, but that would be changing everything he knows for no promise of a payday - so instead he goes back in, keeps his pension, and gets his revenge.

Also, not sure what Miriam thought she was going to accomplish with her class - she assumed the guards would listen to her, but she is definitely not in that same prison anymore. She has to get used to this new normal like everyone does, and I think her actions with the young robber will definitely come back to bite her in the ass - I wonder if she'll be killed at some key point and make Mike/Kyle lose their shit.

LOVE what they're doing with Kyle. The boat maple syrup bust and Kyle going off on the other guard - amazing. I REALLY hope Kyle keeps his ass up-state, but we know that he's gonna wind up back in Kingstown sooner rather than later.

Also I'm sure the pigeons will come back - drug-smuggling pigeons into the tents?? Why not!

Edited January 15, 2023 by Moviesnob
Added a thought I forgot about pigeons

[mledawn]

6 hours ago, Chaos Theory said:

Ian “He’s going to kill somebody.”  Ma McLusky “No your gang will kill him first.”   

This exchange was a perfect way to end the scene (although I did laugh how Ian was slightly chagrined with "He resisted!").

Michael Beam was fantastic in this episode (the traumatised corrections officer) and the scene by the outhouses was brutal.

I don't usually like when they kill the dog, but I'll accept this one time. Ian was hilarious in that scene - so excessive, and then SO RELIEVED.

Loved seeing Robert again, and I noticed Hamish is listed in the main credits which I'm happy to see.

Kyle going overboard on the boat was so bang on, and the Statey saying how if it were drugs, he'd let them go anyway because he has a family. Priorities.

I laughed at that massive boat being pulled behind the yacht like it was a dingy. Why didn't he just leave it at the mooring? 

Finally, I did laugh out loud at Bunny's parting remark to Mike: "Jehovah's Witness-looking motherfucker"

[raven]

On 1/15/2023 at 2:50 PM, Moviesnob said:

Also, not sure what Miriam thought she was going to accomplish with her class - she assumed the guards would listen to her, but she is definitely not in that same prison anymore.

She gets on my nerves a bit.  She should be more aware of the riot repercussions; maybe she thought nothing would happen in the women's prison but that seems awful naive of her.   I think Dianne Wiest is great and I appreciate that she is playing Miriam with an abrasiveness but it's difficult for me to like or warm to the character.    One thing I did like about her was that she was true to her convictions by not pressing charges against the mugger.   That mugging scene was brutal - the show doesn't shy away from that.

It definitely seemed like it was only a few days since the riot, however Iris looked pretty well healed from where Mike dug the tracker out of her.  Convenient that she found a perfectly fitting bikini on the boat *eyeroll*.    She doesn't want to stay at the cabin because of the bear??  I couldn't quite follow her reasoning.  We're all different but I would have been thrilled to sit in my quiet cabin and watch the wildlife roam by. 

Mike is learning that in Iris's case, 'If you save someone's life, you're responsible for them forever. '  I can't blame her for not wanting to stick with the FBI.  

I like the woman D.A. so hope we see more of her.   The PTSD storylines could be interesting; I just hope that this season isn't more of Mike making dire predictions that no one listens to and inevitably come true.

[Moviesnob]

I think Iris is a fan of pretending - when she was on that boat, she could pretend her life was different. I did love how Mike let her have her way, and then got pissed at himself as he left, lmao. 

[raven]

27 minutes ago, Moviesnob said:

I think Iris is a fan of pretending - when she was on that boat, she could pretend her life was different. I did love how Mike let her have her way, and then got pissed at himself as he left, lmao. 

Good point - I can def see the appeal of hanging out in the sun by herself, esp after what she's been through.  I'd be worried about someone else approaching on a boat, but it was a nice day to get a tan.   I try to picture myself in her place, with basically no options, and it's not a great place to be.   Emma Laird is doing a good job with a complicated character.  It's nice to get a tiny bit of levity in this grimdark show.

I really, really don't want Iris's relationship with Mike to go beyond platonic, for many reasons.

[mledawn]

As Mike left the boat, all I could think of was what she would eat. Sure, I would want to stay there too but with snacks! Then showing her later with different clothes, etc - we get to hand wave the supply delivery. Although I am not sure when Mike would have had time to do it…

Hard agree with Mike and Iris remaining platonic (fingers crossed).

[Moviesnob]

Mike said earlier he was going to make them dinner in the galley - so I would assume there was probably food she could eat in there the next day.

I'm fine with Mike & Iris or Mike/Iris, but given Sheridan's MO, I would be shocked if they remain platonic in the end game, particularly since last season we saw Mike yearning for a fulfilling romantic relationship (like his attempt at a date with the DA). And that whole "I try not to listen to my heart," line. That said, ya never know, he could find what he needs in helping Iris find a new life (though I doubt she'll accept it, even if Milo gets taken down).

Edited January 18, 2023 by Moviesnob
Added a thought

[Ottis]

I spent half this ep trying to figure out what the season 2, post-riot reset was, only to realize there wasn’t one and the show is simply continuing the dumb arc from season 1. No idea why anyone lives in a place that becomes lawless so quickly.

It’s a shame, because I like Renner and the show has a good setting. It just doesn’t know what to do with it.

Miriam, annoying as she can be, is the only character who clearly represents a POV. 

 

 

[Orbert]

I think Mike will have a moment of weakness and give in to Iris at some point, but he'll immediately regret it and they'll both realize that they cannot become a thing.  Or at least Mike will realize it, but Iris won't.  Actually that means nothing will change because Mike already knows what a horrible mistake it would be.  Iris just has no idea.  She has no way to relate to this.  She's 22 and no one has ever, ever cared about her, so she's totally attached to Mike right now.  She doesn't even know what that means, but she is.

Kyle was a riot.  Yeah, come down hard on those Canadian syrup smugglers!  "They've hidden drugs in the syrup! They've got guns!  You didn't even frisk them!"  No, Kyle, they're just some dudes trying to beat the tariff.

Ms. McCluskey was stupid.

Ian and Robert both crack me up.  So does Bunny.  I think what works is that these guys are all for the most part unlikeable assholes, because they have to be, but we sometimes see how ridiculous it is and can laugh at it, and that laughing breaks the tension.

[mledawn]

On 1/15/2023 at 11:50 AM, Moviesnob said:

Great opener. Not sure how much time has passed, but maybe just a few days?

I saw an interview with Tobi Bamtefa (Bunny) and he said it had been 10 days since the riot.