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S02.E07: Black Maps And Motel Rooms


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awesome find.

 

in the preview clip above there is an image of a man in front of the LA Times building.  Blowing it up, it looks a lot like Paul.

Edited by Jextella
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No riot shot in that gun. Nice knowin' ya, Paul.

Things I loved:
As soon as he saw Davis was dead, no hesitation, Ray turned right around and got the hell out of dodge.

Finally seeing the menace in Frank.

Paul being a badass before he bought it.

  • Love 1
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Oh, fuck it, Paul was such a terrific soldier, I wanted him to make it. The way he took out all those guys down there. He was really good at this soldier thing. It's his life he couldn't handle.  And then James Frain kills him. James Frain, of course.  All of a sudden Frank got interesting to me.  90 more minutes to go next week. This was a really good episode, I thought.

Edited by magdalene
  • Love 6
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Gosh, I understood everything that was going on in this episode. Amazing! So with the obfuscation removed, it's just a bunch of corrupt cops, corporations, politicians, and mobsters colluding to make a mint off the rail corridor, with the root of the rot beginning when the LA cops robbed that jewelry store and financed their way into Vinci and its feeding trough. Frank is just one of many dupes along the way to bring the corridor deal to fruition.

 

But when their financial guy, Caspere gets killed, the whole scheme is threatened and everyone goes into murderous CYA mode. Ironically Caspere is killed by the vengeful children of the couple whose murder/robbery started it all.

 

Oh, Stan, you weren't gold; you tried to sell out your boss for thirty pieces of silver. Frank: lousy businessman but great at payback. Will he take Ray and Ani to Venezuela? (j/k)

Edited by Cardie
  • Love 13
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I see exactly what's wrong with this show - direction.  There's a fabulous shootout in the tunnels of LA, and instead we get minutes, and minutes, of Ray and Ani staring at each other.  The one thing the show shouldn't have done, but that we all knew was coming, was some romantic interlude.  Not very True Dectectivey, lots of Soap Operay.

  • Love 7
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Gosh, I understood everything that was going on in this episode. Amazing! So with the obfuscation removed, it's just a bunch of corrupt cops, corporations, politicians, and mobsters colluding to make a mint off the rail corridor, with the root of the rot beginning when the LA cops robbed that jewelry store and financed their way into Vinci and its feeding trough. Frank is just one of many dupes along the way to bring the corridor deal to fruition.

 

But when their financial guy, Caspere gets killed, the whole scheme is threatened and everyone goes into murderous CYA mode. Ironically Caspere is killed by the vengeful children of the couple whose murder/robbery started it all.

 

Oh, Stan, you weren't gold; you tried to sell out your boss for thirty pieces of silver.

A rock-solid summation of the case there, Cardie.

  • Love 1
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OMG, I am so upset that Paul is gone. Is it way beyond belief that he could still be alive? I loved him, sweet guy, honorable soldier, would have been a great father. It's  a shame he had to suffer being ashamed of his sexual orientation, a damn shame. 

 

Ani and Velcoro hook up, I've been waiting though there wasn't much skin. They might as well, I think it's a good match seeing as they seem to be working toward peace within those inner demons that they both have. 

 

For the first  time,  Frank had my on the edge of my seat rooting for him. Damn the series is over and...well better late than never since I do love VV and was always rooting for him in the role. 

 

I wanted all the characters that I think have some hint of integrity to get the hell out and live happily ever along with their loved ones. 

 

Loved Ani and the scene with her dad. Damn, she was raped for four days....

Edited by represent
  • Love 3
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Did Velcoro said that the woman in the picture was someone they met at the catalyst offices, she was the secretary? I don't remember them going to anyone's office but doctor Pittler.

In the first episode, Ray goes to Caspere's office and meets the secretary.  Ani meets her at the movie set.

  • Love 1
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Agree, but now who are Leonard and Laura in present-day?

Ani thinks that Laura was Caspere's assistant--thus she'd know his schedule and some of the dirty business he was in. Way back when I posited that the set photographer they run into where the movie was shooting was Birdman because he is as random as Lawnmower Man. The assistant showed up at the set and the cops thought that odd.  Was she conspiring with her brother, the photographer? Will Birdman come to the rescue and Kill James Frain? Or had Leonard and Laura only found out about Caspere and not the dirty cops who did the actual robbery? Did Caspere actually remain loyal despite torture?

  • Love 3
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Oh, OK, thanks although she looks nothing like the girl in the picture. Both those kids in the picture look like they are of Latino descent. That secretary at the movie set did look like that to me and she looked like she had light brown, maybe even dirty blonde hair, no?


Did we ever get to see the photographer brother?

  • Love 3
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Could Leonard/Birdman be Lt.Burris/James Frain? He has the right look and seems to be about the right age. Also, it makes sense that Leonard would become a cop. He would want to enforce law and order, and he could find revenge to be easier.

Edited by susannot
  • Love 2
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I thought Ray identified another woman in the picture, Ericka, as Chessani's secretary.

 

So if there's an APB/BOLO out on Ani for the security guard murder, that means they actually called the police to that high rollers' orgy? Really?

And Paul runs through the tunnels, takes a random ladder up to the surface and just happens to go out the door where someone is waiting to shoot him in the back?

 

It shows how weak the writing is if the only way the audience can figure out WTF is going on is a 5 minute exposition by Ray, Ani and Paul as they magically understand all the documents they've stolen and suddenly all the pieces fall into place. Right.

Edited by Quilt Fairy
  • Love 13
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We saw the photographer. Ray and Ani questioned him briefly. I'm speculating he might be the brother although we don't see him with the assistant. He's played by a guy named Luke Edwards and here's his imdb page with photo: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0250180/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t37

 

I thought Ray identified another woman in the picture, Ericka, as Chessani's secretary.

 

I think Ani meant that she could be Laura. Obviously she wouldn't work for Caspere (not Chessani) under her real name.

Edited by Cardie
  • Love 1
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No. Leonard was around 6 years old when Burriss stole the diamonds in 1992.

Duh. Shows how closely I've been following. So,Burris shot Paul because he was too close to figuring out the diamond heist? Who were the other people shooting at Paul? A whole bunch of other dirty cops? Edited by susannot
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Ani and Velcoro hook up, I think it's a good match seeing as they seem to be working toward peace within those inner demons... 

 

For the first  time,  Frank had my on the edge of my seat rooting for him. 

More like "we are dead anyway" sex...is it odd that Velcoro has longer hair than Bezzarides? Is it odd that Frank hangs around watching everything burn instead of hauling ass to the airport?   

  • Love 1
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More like "we are dead anyway" sex...is it odd that Velcoro has longer hair than Bezzarides? Is it odd that Frank hangs around watching everything burn instead of hauling ass to the airport?

LOL, it's not that odd considering the ego of these men. He's not going to let whoever have what he's built. Men like him take the chance, the hair thing, that's not odd either to me. What would be odd is if Velcoro had Ani's hair cut, now that would be weird to me. He still looks rugged and manly and she still looks cute, a little washed out and rough around the edges, but cute.

  • Love 2
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Isn't there a big money deal that's going to take place the next day?  I thought Frank was sticking around to intervene on that and then split for Venezuela?  Also, why that particular country?  I wonder if it'd due to the US not having an extradition treaty with them.

 

The writing this season has been SHIT. 

Edited by LilaFowler
  • Love 8
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Isn't there a big money deal that's going to take place the next day?  I thought Frank was sticking around to intervene on that and then split for Venezuela?  Also, why that particular country?  I wonder if it'd due to the US not having an extradition treaty with them.

Frank is running from the Russian mob, not the feds...the tickets might be a decoy...

 

Thanks for mentioning the deal... a storm scrambled my satellite during the "face boarding" session so I missed that nugget about the money drop.

Edited by paigow
  • Love 2
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Duh. Shows how closely I've been following. So,Burris shot Paul because he was too close to figuring out the diamond heist? Who were the other people shooting at Paul? A whole bunch of other dirty cops?

They were whatever blackwater-y team that Paul used to work for.  His old friend that he hooked up with was there and said that the private security firm only had one client now and that client is Catalyst Group (The shell company buying up all the corridor land).

  • Love 4
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Who the fuck was Paul?

 

(Sorry.)

 

I don't know what to say about this episode.  They finally tried explaining some of what has been going on, but none of it was really any sort of a twist or anything.  I mean, I guess it is surprising that Black Mountain is the new Catalyst security and includes the Vinci cops, but who really cares.  The whole point of that just seemed to be that Vinci PD is killing everybody up in here, and also Paul did this to himself with his filthy straight lies.  Someone killed Davis, I guess it was these jerks?

 

Are Antigone's formerly repressed memories still in play plotwise?  Is this BOB guy going to show up now?  Or is this all we need to know, that she was a missing girl and now she remembers and can hopefully start to move on from the past?

 

Sorry, but I think I'm going to have to give Ray and/or Antigone a one week prognosis.

 

Paul's mom and girlfriend are trapped in the motel room forever.  The only people they know are the pizza guy, Huell from Breaking Bad in the room next door, and possibly Nate from Six Feet Under from that miniseries he did about the motel room.

 

I still don't understand who has the diamonds.  Does Frank have them?  Does he think the Russians have them and he's going to steal them?  I don't even get it.  And the masked man has the hard drive, and wants everyone to know he has it (was waiting in the house with a shotgun loaded with rubber riot rounds for someone to see it before he took it), but doesn't want anyone to find him or the drive. 

Edited by Consternation
  • Love 9
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Bezzerides exulting over finally getting to kill a man was quite unpleasant. Seeing it make her horny enough to go for Velcoro scruff was doubly so. 

 

Of course Blake didn't lie. Torture always works: It's in the Constitution, or maybe the Bible. 

 

paigow is correct...there is no reasonable way for James Frain to have set his ambush. Since Kitsch was the only one whom we don't know to have murdered someone, naturally he was doomed. 

 

For Birdman to have been at the house and not get the hard drive would be more than amazing. Birdman as the jeweler's son doesn't have a reason to go easy and not kill Semyon's crooked cop. How Birdman could find out that Caspere had the diamonds but not find out Burris and Dixon were the killer cops is not easy to explain. 

 

It is not actually clear how Caspere paid for Osip's protection from Frank. And since McAndless had to be in on ripping off Frank, why he didn't just have the re-named Black Mountain security protect him?

 

Mayor Senior may have had Davis killed. Her superiors could get her for starting a rogue operation that led to the murder of a security guard, for their own benefit and for a favor to McAndless/Catalyst. 

  • Love 1
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I assume Paul was being either facetious or sarcastic when he told his mom and fiancée to stick to room service. They'd be lucky if that motel had daily maid service. Of course I guess he could be referring to food delivery from restaurants, but no one calls that "room service."

  • Love 5
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Oh for f**k sake how could James Frain possibly know where Paul was going to surface from a set of underground tunnels that run under "the entire city"?  He just randomly chooses a ladder and someone is lying in wait at the end of that completely unpredictable exit strategy?  Absurd.

 

I am really glad I'm not related to any of these characters because, damn.

Edited by WatchrTina
  • Love 16
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 Damn the series is over and...well better late than never since I do love VV and was always rooting for him in the role. 

 

I wanted all the characters that I think have some hint of integrity to get the hell out and live happily ever along with their loved ones. 

 

 

The series is not over, there is the final episode next week. 

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I still don't understand who has the diamonds.  Does Frank have them?

Frank does not have the blue diamonds...He met with the diamond dealer to arrange a swap of the $12MM [- 40%] that will be hijacked for untraceable stones.

  • Love 1
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Boo!!!! I am very upset they killed off Paul.  :(

 

Unsurprising that Ray and Ani hooked up. I can only hope that they get vengeance on James Frain now. Which seriously, was that the only other way out? Did he have a tracker on Paul....That's pretty....weird.

  • Love 2
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Paul is fighting for his life and the other two are humping?

Virtually every character is downing some hard liquor all the time. It's a way to set atmosphere.

But for Frank, Ray and Ani to be getting buzzed when they have reason to fear for their lives? Oh no doubt in the finale they're going to be bad asses with the guns while under the influence.

  • Love 4
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So...few questions:

  • Why are the Russians after Frank?
  • To echo Ani, why send the cops on the chase?
  • Did Ray get all this on his recorder?
  • Was Paul's Black Mountain partner set Paul up?
  • How did Vera get the diamonds to put in the safe deposit box to begin with?
  • Are we sure Frank is just a dumb dupe or is their more to his story?
  • Love 1
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Whelp, I certainly don't see a swerve like they did with Ray in episode two.  I have to think Paul is a goner, unless this season really does go full-blown fantasy or takes place in someone's head (hey, it wouldn't be that far off.)  Have no idea how Lieutenant James Frain knew which door he was going to come of, but whatever.  At this point, I've just expected that some things are going to be hand-waved or convenient.  I still think the Paul character got stuck with an obvious story that brought nothing new to the table, but credit to Taylor Kitsch for doing his best.

 

They did it!  We finally found out who killed Stan!!!  All is right in the world!  Well... except that it turns out Stan was shady.  You broke my heart, Stan!  How could you?!!

 

In all seriousness though, they finally make me kind of like Frank.  And all it took was him finally shutting his pie-hole and just shooting fools and burning stuff down.  I actually think Vince Vaughn is pretty good with nonverbal intensity.  I really think it was just the crappy dialogue the character was saddled with, that drug his performance down.  But I'm hoping he's going to end up being a decent wildcard in all of this.

 

Turns out the lost girl they saved really isn't grateful.  Kind of jerk, really.  I know it was evil as hell, but I cracked up over Ani being "Fine, if you go back to them, I'll just let everyone know you talked to cops, and then you'll get iced!" about it.  I'm with you on that, Ani.

 

Not surprised Ray and Ani hooked up.  I had kind of suspected they might try it.  Eh, whatever.  I doubt it will amount to anything in the long run.

 

I given up on trying to figure the case out, so thanks for all the recaps.  All I know is that, of course, Lieutenant James Frain was in on it!  Death and darkness always follows James Frain!

 

Finale next week, but I see Nic and crew are going to drag this out for an hour and a half.  I'm sure there will be a lot of talking. Hopefully, not all of it will be boring.

  • Love 6
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But for Frank, Ray and Ani to be getting buzzed when they have reason to fear for their lives? Oh no doubt in the finale they're going to be bad asses with the guns while under the influence.

 I think Ani and Ray are both scared for their lives, and I think if you ever find yourself on the way to the emergency room with chest pains, or something related, you may gain some understanding about the cliche of people getting it on when they are that frightened.

 

 

Oh, Paul. You were so badass until you forgot to look behind that one little door. I will miss your constipated face.

 

 

"Everything is f***ing."

 

Ani's journey as a sexual abuse victim who goes from anger to resignation is a story in itself, and I'd like to give NP points for that exchange, but I can very well understand why so many people have been frustrated about it being convoluted into the main mystery via Daddy's camp.

 

If I were Ray right now, I'd be paying a visit to a certain newspaper reporter ... if said reporter wasn't too frightened off the story.

Edited by FemmyV
  • Love 5
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As someone who has worked at the Hall of Records, I second the general consensus that there's no way that James Frain could've known where Paul would emerge. There really are tunnels under the building that lead to no less than 5 or 6 other civic center buildings as well as multiple parking lots and exits. But hey, maybe everyone that has ever worked at Vinci PD not named Velcoro was posted at an exit and Paul just happened to pick door number Frain, right???

On a different note, kudos to the lighting/magic for the Hall of Records shots when Paul first arrived... It looked soooo much nicer than it does in reality.

  • Love 6
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Great episode. I really enjoyed the acting and the scenes: Bezerides in the opening scene, Woodrugh in the car.

When Woodrugh met that dude in front of the bldg he was told he is being watched from all over. The whole bldg was covered, Burris just happened to be the one to shoot him. I liked the dramatic effect of that scene.

Word spread quickly that Frank was up to no good, hence the Israelis showed up.

Edited by thegreathoo
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I assume Paul was being either facetious or sarcastic when he told his mom and fiancée to stick to room service. They'd be lucky if that motel had daily maid service. Of course I guess he could be referring to food delivery from restaurants, but no one calls that "room service."

When they showed his mom drinking a Big Gulp as she was watching tv, I thought huh, why doesn't my 7/11 deliver?

  • Love 10
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