S01.E04: All In

[Guest]

Quote

Pressure from Daphne forces Charlie to take extreme measures at a high stakes poker game on a yacht. After meeting Emma’s family, Charlie’s confidence in their relationship strengthens, but his criminal activity continues to threaten their future.

 

Airing: March 19, 2023

[AnimeMania]

David Douglas as Doug Daniels
Veronica Burgess as Ida, gambling ring bookkeeper
Daniel Sunjata as Robert Renway, underground gambling ring boss
Darren Lo as Bing
Sachin Bhatt as Vikram Singh
Freddie Basnight as Vince
Marin Hinkle as Claire Fox

[buttersister]

I forgot it was on. 🫢

[KaveDweller]

I was not surprised the CIA had taken Charlie, but I was surprised they just told him right away about Amma being an agent. I thought that reveal would take all season. Does the CIA really just spill that info to someone BEFORE they have cleared him of suspicious behavior?

It really looked like Emma recognized Charlie when he had the mask on, but I feel like even the best CIA agent wouldn't be able to do that. It will be interesting to see if she is now playing him though. 

[Sarah 103]

I know I've watched too many old movies, because I am convinced that the combination of Charlie wanting to go straight, looking for the last big score, and falling in love has doomed him. I am loving this series and cannot wait to see what happens next. 

[Simba122504]

I enjoyed this one more than the other three. Let's be real. This relationship would never actually last,  but that's the fun part until everything is out in the open. 

[Trini]

Surprised that the CIA reveal happened so soon, and that Charlie learned about it ... from the CIA. On one hand, it's a nice change of pace, but on the other hand, they could have milked that a little longer. Now -- how long until Emma connects Charlie to Daphne/etc.?

Considering he was kidnapped and interrogated, Charlie is taking this CIA news about Emma remarkably well.

Huh -- nice fakeout with Emma's father being the one to dislike Charlie right away. But his instincts are right, though.

I wasn't sure about what was going on with Emma's brother and the woman he apparently was obligated to hire? I guess we'll get into that later on.

I kinda knew the family wouldn't be able to get out that easily; but I'm not sure I like the Irish Brother being in the mix at this point.

[AnimeMania]

I think I would like the show better if Charlie and family were working with the CIA to help capture criminals. I don't like that they are spending so much time taking down Daphne Finch, I wish they would finish her and move on the shark circling Emma's brother.

[Trini]

9 hours ago, AnimeMania said:

I think I would like the show better if Charlie and family were working with the CIA to help capture criminals....

I think this is exactly where the show is headed once Emma's learns about Charlie's criminal connections.

[Raja]

On 3/20/2023 at 9:29 PM, Trini said:

Considering he was kidnapped and interrogated, Charlie is taking this CIA news about Emma remarkably well.

I think he was more relieved that it wasn't the Irish mob or the  FBI going extralegal and his families deeds had hit their radar. That the CIA, at least to Emma, let it go with the just in jail in Nicaragua story was too easy

Speaking of which their mark on the episode, although written off as just a mercenary supplier for a "security firm" you would think he would be taking such precautions and that flash money and a fast cover identity wouldn't be enough to get invited into their circle. Or that in those circles would they actually carry cash to gamble.  It reminds me a Barney Miller when Detective Harris was dealing with a kid drug dealer that he had one thing the kid would never get "credit" he can sign for something on his word payment would be made.

 

On 3/20/2023 at 9:29 PM, Trini said:

Huh -- nice fakeout with Emma's father being the one to dislike Charlie right away. But his instincts are right, though.

I wasn't sure about what was going on with Emma's brother and the woman he apparently was obligated to hire? I guess we'll get into that later on.

I think the Senator is thinking political operative putting a honey trap on his daughter, precisely what I think the lobbyist was trying to plant on his son.

 

On 3/20/2023 at 7:19 PM, KaveDweller said:

I was not surprised the CIA had taken Charlie, but I was surprised they just told him right away about Amma being an agent. I thought that reveal would take all season. Does the CIA really just spill that info to someone BEFORE they have cleared him of suspicious behavior?

What I got from Clancy and the Jack Ryan series, most of them are just government employees not 007's, even most agents are known to the governments when overseas.

On 3/21/2023 at 4:58 AM, AnimeMania said:

I think I would like the show better if Charlie and family were working with the CIA to help capture criminals. I don't like that they are spending so much time taking down Daphne Finch, I wish they would finish her and move on the shark circling Emma's brother.

That does seem to be what the pre season promos promised. That the Irish are reneging on deals and practically are using the family as slave labor can only last for so long.

 

 

[Court]

I haven't yet decided if I like this show yet. But I actually think it doesn't need Emma and the CIA angle at all. This show really just makes me miss Leverage. 

[circumvent]

I don't get this show. Maybe I am bored by it but did I miss an explanation, a back story about why the whole family is composed of grifters? I don't want a show that glorifies people who steal just because it is the only thing they know how to do. They all seem to live a relatively comfortable life, so why do they need to steal? As much as I love to see billionaires losing money, I would prefer to see them being psychologically tortured, to the point of paranoia. 

On 3/21/2023 at 7:58 AM, AnimeMania said:

I think I would like the show better if Charlie and family were working with the CIA to help capture criminals.

Except that the CIA is just another criminal organization. Moreover, the CIA does not operate in US soil, it is a intelligence (haha) agency that plots to (and does) overthrow governments the US doesn't like, that conducts clandestine operations and engage in rendition. The FBI - another criminal organization - is the one operating domestically. Moreover, the CIA doesn't solve anything, they just claim "national security" to justify their crimes. The FBI solves less than 10% of the cases. In this mix of criminals, I am with the ones stealing for survival but they are not in this show. As it is, I just don't like anyone. 

In the end, the show is about a bunch of criminals, being threatened by a bunch of "badder" criminals, and all of them being watched and/or chased by a criminal organization.

 

[catrice2]

It drives me crazy that as grifters they don't wear better disguises.....at all times, and always avoid cameras.  I mean it is always possible that a "mark" would come into  a BAR that they own in the city as a patron.  

It was an o.k. premise that got silly pretty quickly.  Although I am glad the "reveal" happened how to keep the show going with them knowing about each other can only really be resolved by her becoming corrupt, or by his family working with the agency.   I agree that I can't see why the CIA would be investigating some of these things. 

 

[Sarah 103]

14 hours ago, catrice2 said:

 I agree that I can't see why the CIA would be investigating some of these things. 

I decided they are operating under TVLand logic and you roll with it. Not everyone is willing or capable of doing that, which I totally respect. 

[Trini]

But the Drug Lord Father, and his operation, are from Ireland, so that makes it international, right? (Yeah, I know, it's still flimsy TV reasoning.)

[Raja]

Just now, Trini said:

But the Drug Lord Father, and his operation, are from Ireland, so that makes it international, right? (Yeah, I know, it's still flimsy TV reasoning.)

I'll be the heretic and say there is nothing flawed with a CIA liaison with local law enforcement about a foreign criminal operation with activities in their jurisdiction. But  it does seem as if Emma and the CIA are running independent in the states with a FBI agent around to legalize things. Because the two agencies have a different focus on ultimate justice, person versus the organization the CIA playing the role of the FBI on shows about local police, needing to get their case and ignoring that they got the bad guy on the local murder so who cares. if I am remembering the pilot episode correctly.

 

[Dowel Jones]

Considering that FBI International is bouncing all through Europe and running roughshod over national sovereignty, I'll give the TV-CIA a pass.

[Sarah 103]

On 3/27/2023 at 8:07 PM, Dowel Jones said:

Considering that FBI International is bouncing all through Europe and running roughshod over national sovereignty, I'll give the TV-CIA a pass.

My understanding is that in the real world the FBI can operate in other countries, usually with the assistance/cooperation of that country's law enforcement agencies. This can occur if an item was stolen from the U.S then transported overseas, or if money involved with a criminal transaction goes through the U.S banking system. 

That being said, with this type of show, TV Land logic is usually a totally valid answer.