S02.E03: Because I'm Mrs. Claus

[formerlyfreedom]

When Letty and Javier go on Christmas vacation with Estelle and Rob at a secluded luxury hotel in the mountains, the family finally bonds in a way they never have before. But a man following Estelle threatens more than just their holiday. Meanwhile, Christian and FBI Agent Lashever have their own private getaway.

[Nancypants]

Wow. I didn't see THAT coming. 

Rob cracked me up this episode..." Your gettin ' a bike for Christmas"

Jesus Mary and Joseph, JDB is smoking hot.

[justmehere]

Holy cow -- that was a fantastic episode, even before the shocker ending.

I'm going to assume that agent Lashever knew whoever owned the cabin. Otherwise, breaking and entering! She loves to throw her FBI weight around, but without a warrant.... A little convenient, though, to be so close to the resort.

Poor Christian. She seems to like him -- or like using him -- but that's over now (I hope). Good. She's a bully, really, with him.

Oh, Letty -- gut reaction, picking up the gun, but such a bad move. And oh, Estelle. What have you done? She had to have called Lashever after Letty said Javier was the drug dealer they wanted. I know Estelle likes Javier, so was there a personal threat, or was it because of Jacob? Pretty cold to be a major part of the con in addition to informing. I wonder what this will do to her relationship with Rob.

I don't quite understand the cash gift though. Lashever identified Estelle as the informant with it, but what was the point of her giving it, and of Lashever taking it?

Rob - you are the best. Period.

Feeling sorry for Ava. Lost her brother (in a sense), her ex-husband, and now her ex-boyfriend has used and betrayed her. It seems a little convenient for him to be part of the FBI sting.

Letty was awesome in this episode. Loved the Mrs. Claus act. She practically sparkled. Loved the gift/prank of sending a dog to Jacob. --Love Javier, too, and the scene in the car with Jacob, and their talk in bed -- great dialog. The two of them together are something else. So much chemistry.

Can't wait to see where this goes.

[TaraS1]

First order of business for Letty and Javier when they make their way out of this mess?  Take back that "World's Greatest Mom" mug.  Rob, of course, can keep his Greatest Dad one.

I mean, I get it.  She thinks she's protecting Jacob and Letty, and I'm sure Lashever made her promises and probably told her Javier was a killer, but still...Estelle has never struck me as the type of character to get in bed with the FBI against her own kid, no matter what the circumstances.  

Now can we please have the old trope of the two of them getting married ("We never had a honeymoon...") so they can't testify against each other?

[dubbel zout]

6 hours ago, justmehere said:

Rob - you are the best. Period.

He really is. So open-hearted. He's a big, dumb, loving dog in the best ways. I loved how moved he was by Javier's "World's Best Dad" mug. Hee.

6 hours ago, justmehere said:

I don't quite understand the cash gift though. Lashever identified Estelle as the informant with it, but what was the point of her giving it, and of Lashever taking it?

Estelle gave Javier money ostensibly to use for Jacob, because she knew he wouldn't spend it on himself the way Lettie might. I thought that gift was for real? Now I'm confused.

Letty calling Jessica by name was very funny. I really like how Letty is so good at thinking on the fly.

[abbyzenn]

Certainly didn't see that ending coming - good for managing such a surprise.  Shocked that Estelle could be that cruel - wonder if she really just wants Jacob back?

Lovely scenery - reminds me of episode 2 or 3 when they went to that country hotel.

[CKTV123]

Wow. Damn Estelle. That was some cold s**t. 

I couldn't stand Rob last season but he's such a big knucklehead he kinda won me over. For now. "You're getting a bike!" Ha ha ha ha ha

On pins and needles waiting for next week. I wonder if anything will come about over the "grown up party" that Jacob wasn't allowed to attend? Great parenting Sean. You know you're getting your son for Christmas so naturally throw an adults only party in addition to bitching about buying his school books. What a jerk.  

Edited October 30, 2017 by CKTV123

[TaraS1]

7 minutes ago, CKTV123 said:

Wow. Damn Estelle. That was some cold s**t. 

Right?  So cold.  It took me almost all of last season to warm up to her some and now this.

But I can't figure out what's really up with Lashever.  She's driving around in her own FBI van, ostensibly breaking into someone's cabin, and her only "backup" is that one guy.  It doesn't add up.  Whatever she's doing, I get the feeling it's not an officially sanctioned FBI investigation.  For all we know, they fired her after she managed to let Javier get away last season, and this is her own personal thing.  Maybe she's got someone she wants him to kill.  

[helenamonster]

Totally shocked by that double whammy of a twist. Good job, Show. But now what?

I think Lashever told Estelle about Javier when she was at the house in the first episode, we just didn't see it. It was brutal what she did, but I can see where she's coming from. She doesn't want a hitman around Letty and, more importantly, Jacob. It also looks like she tried to make a deal where Letty would be left alone but then Letty went and pulled a gun so that went out the window.

Agreed on the love for Rob. He is such a genuinely good, warm-hearted person. "You're getting a bike" was for sure the best line of the episode.

I loved the wig Letty wore during her stealing spree. The whole look, with the makeup and dress, was great. And I'm a sucker for Letty stealing montages.

Man, Daniela and Sofia are having none of Teo's shit. I loved their suspicious looks to each other.

[thesupremediva1]

This episode was everything I want from my Good Behavior:

- Minimal Jacob

- Superb soundtrack

- Feels and family dynamics with Rob, Estelle, and Javier

- Hotel heists!

- Letty in a wig playing Mrs. Clause!

- Hot Javier just walking around being his gorgeous self

- Rob being sweet, wonderful, and genuine - he's the moral compass of the show

-  Steamy Jetty sex

- Rhonda/Christian subplot hilarity

- An epic twist in which Estelle goes back to  being the cold bitch we met in episode 1. I gotta say, that character might be the most well-drawn of all. Like most mothers, you love her one day and hate her the next. She's doing what ultimately looks like the right thing, even if we hate her for it. She tried to protect Letty and she put Jacob's interests first. Sure, Javier looks like a cool, nice guy who takes care of Letty, but Estelle has common sense and knows that running from the FBI won't work in the long term. She's trying to save Letty from herself.

I loved that Letty's gut reaction was to fight for and defend Jav, even if he wasn't willing to run himself or try to risk her. Faced with 2 FBI agents and no backup, she just reaches for a gun. It's not logic, it's desperation because she can't lose Javier. GAH so many feelings. They were so close to a perfect Christmas. The song and montage at the end was another bit of perfect poetic noir. Like any family holiday celebration, everyone starts out with good intentions before things ultimately go downhill.

So Teo is somehow at the resort, and has talked to Ava's father? I definitely think he took out Silk and is trying to frame Javier for it. 

Lashever is now travelling with a one-man backup with Bonnie and Clyde? Yeah, that'll end well. Looking forward to seeing my prediction come true of having Letty and Javier working for the FBI as counter-intelligence agents instead of going to jail. Then we can get Christian, Lashever, Letty, and Jav in scenes together without the threat of prison and the electric chair. Woot!

I laughed my ass off at Rob thinking every vacation is all-inclusive.

Edited October 30, 2017 by thesupremediva1

[slf]

"One thing you would never guess about me is that I'm very quiet during sex."

Oh, Rob. His toast was fantastic. A bit TMI but that's Rob, right?

[dubbel zout]

4 hours ago, helenamonster said:

Man, Daniela and Sofia are having none of Teo's shit. I loved their suspicious looks to each other.

I know. They were so great. Do we know anything about Teo besides being an ex of Ava's? I feel like we heard something about him last season, but I can't remember what it was.

[slf]

If the writers are trying to make me despise Leshever this season they're doing a great job. She's a terrible person even if she's a "good guy."

[attica]

6 hours ago, thesupremediva1 said:

-  Steamy Jetty sex

I feel like I wanna go with 'Levier'. Saves me from remembering  that it's gonna have it be pronounced  'hetty'. 

I totally misted up at how moved Rob was at his mug. 

The number of hotel guest that leave cash around in stacks, no envelopes or wallets or anything, kind of puzzles me.

Did we find out how Letty knew the room safe combos? 

[CKTV123]

Quote

The number of hotel guest that leave cash around in stacks, no envelopes or wallets or anything, kind of puzzles me.

Did we find out how Letty knew the room safe combos? 

No kidding. Must be nice to have so much cash you can just fling it down any old place. 

The safe thing bothered me too. Is there some universal code that all hotel safes can be opened by? Please say no.

[Nancypants]

Questions:

The point of the cash gift? What's the motive? So Javier can buy ramen noodle and honey buns off commissary in prison?

Why did Lashever take Christian to the cabin at all? Seems extraneous.

The hotel safe code? How do she know? 

Estelle, what the Fuck?

[TaraS1]

8 minutes ago, Nancypants said:

Questions:

The point of the cash gift? What's the motive? So Javier can buy ramen noodle and honey buns off commissary in prison?

When they arrested Javier, Lashever pulled the money out of his pocket and said something about it being money to "get rid of" Estelle's supposed phone sex guy.  She had Estelle give it to him so Lashever could then claim it was money for a hit.  Which, again, is just another red flag that this whole "case" is bogus and Lashever is up to something else.

Edited October 31, 2017 by TaraS1

[Joimiaroxeu]

It can't be said enough: Lawdamercy, Javier is so freaking hot.

Jacob is going to be a problem. He's too too bright and observant to take things simply at face value. I hated seeing Lettie and Javier try to gaslight the poor kid.

They're getting a lot of use out of that hotel set.

Lol at Rob wanting Javier to regard him as a father figure. But good on Javier for playing along.

Sean was filming porn while Jacob was there? WTF? Poor Jacob. When he gets older and is really able to understand what was going on around him...

Dang, Rhonda executed that takedown perfectly. And Lettie's mother helped her? What did she have against Javier? And yeah, I agree with the speculation that Teo probably killed Ava's husband and set Javier up to take the fall.

We're not even halfway into the season! This show is amazing.

Edited October 31, 2017 by Joimiaroxeu
because going in was a little too on the nose

[slf]

35 minutes ago, Joimiaroxeu said:

Sean was filming porn while Jacob was there? WTF? Poor Jacob. When he gets older and is really able to understand what was going on around him...

Whoa, I must've missed something because I don't remember that!

Letty's laugh when Sean got on the phones to complain about the dog was so cute. Almost as cute as Rob getting Javier a gold-plated gun with his name engraved on it. The friendship between the two men is sweet and a turning out to be a highlight of the show (and I'm not one for "bromances").

[meep.meep]

2 hours ago, Nancypants said:

 

The hotel safe code? How do she know? 

They were the kind of safe that the user sets the code.  She was trying the room numbers.  So if you are staying in room 576 then that's what you set the safe code to.   At least I think that's what she was doing.

I cracked up when Javier peeked in the room and the guy "stalking" Estelle was working on the puzzle.

[Lonesome Rhodes]

The one thing I truly liked in this ep was the observation that 5-Star properties are typically a la carte.  It's entirely illogical, but the high end places charge you for every little thing.  Nothing, especially WiFi/Internet access, is included.

So, the only way this show can continue is for Javy and Letty to be set free.  How does a hit man and a multi-time loser who pulled a weapon on an agent get out of custody?  Bigger fish.

Leshever must be after Javy Daddy.  

Otherwise, Letty gets shipped back to the care and custody of the new and super-mad director of parole who has it out bigtime for her and Javy sweats out an indictment for contract murders.  Good luck getting bail for that.

[attica]

The rueful exchange between Letty and Javier, about knowing the worst about each other from the beginning, still coming together, and yet both wanting to change each other, is, I hope, some kind of foreshadowing. Because of the rules of TV, there's no way they won't wriggle out of whatever Lashever has got for them, and I'd like to see them embracing the bad in each other going forward. Because "please, baby, don't rob" and "please, baby, don't kill" is a tiresome recipe when repeated so often.

[dubbel zout]

Word to your entire post, attica, and I'd add that Letty and/or Javier being arrested can't happen too often for the same reason. I'm kind of surprised Christian hasn't seemed to have done any research on Lashever, but maybe that's coming up. Once he figured out the cabin wasn't hers, he should have done some sort of due diligence.

Speaking of Christian, is he still working as a parole officer? I can't remember how that was left. I know he was demoted in order to force him to quit, but did he decide to stick with it?

[helenamonster]

On 10/31/2017 at 11:49 AM, slf said:

Whoa, I must've missed something because I don't remember that!

I think it was implied because the party was adults only and Jacob wasn't allowed downstairs that they might be filming porn. They didn't confirm either way. It was still shitty of Sean to have an adults-only party, porn or no, when the son he never sees was there for the holidays. Made me feel less bad about Letty cheating her way to primary custody.

[Lonesome Rhodes]

6 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

Speaking of Christian, is he still working as a parole officer? I can't remember how that was left. I know he was demoted in order to force him to quit, but did he decide to stick with it?

He was summarily fired by the young POS hotshot Director, who basically made it his mission in life to make life miserable for Letty.  It's the biggest hole in this show, imo, that she has not been put back in prison for violating the stew out of her probation terms.

[gibasi]

I agree with everyone here-it was a great episode. I love shows that are able to write good secondary characters and to get talented actors to play them. Ava, Daniela and Sofia are perfect and although they weren’t on much they were important to the story and nailed it. 

Rob is another great character and as was pointed out by thesupremediva1 is the moral compass of the show. And he is just so damn happy! I love him. 

Estelle is acting in Jacob’s best interest. She is one tough woman. She has shown she can be determined and resolute when it comes to Jacob. In one of the early season one episodes, Letty was desperate to see Jacob and her pain and tears were breaking my heart but Estelle did not give in. 

I am not as crazy about Christian and Leshaver-but it is mostly Leshaver i don’t like. But without her I guess we wouldn’t have Christian.  Her kind of moral rectitude puts me off-her certainty that whatever she does is all right because she is one of the good guys. 

[Moxie Cat]

Really, really hope that the clue here is the FBI's van being completely outlandish. As mentioned above, maybe it is a personal vendetta and she has no federal jurisdiction, and the guys (or at least Teo) were hired by the family to kill Javier and hooked up with her somehow to do it.

There is simply no story if Letty loses Jacob and they both go to jail. I understand Estelle's motives but Letty sure won't.

Rob reminds me of Jason Stackhouse (Ryan Kwanten) from True Blood, which is a great thing. "Santa???"

[gibasi]

19 hours ago, Moxie Cat said:

 

Rob reminds me of Jason Stackhouse (Ryan Kwanten) from True Blood, which is a great thing. "Santa???"

 

You are so right!  I don't know why I didn't see it before.

[UncleChuck]

I could enjoy Letty's stealing sprees more if they were the least bit believable.

Can we accept that in these days of Platinum credit cards and debit cards, that ALL of those random people visiting that Santa would be keeping stacks of cash in their hotel rooms?  And they would all be stupid enough to use the room number as the safe combo?  And there are no cameras anywhere in those corridors?  Doesn't she realize that every time a key card opens a hotel room door, that the hotel computer logs that info and it can be checked?  And matched against camera footage to see who used it?  And not every person she might encounter in a room will be a gullible little girl?  And she continues to waltz around the hotel wearing the same green dress that will show up on the cameras?  Oh, wait--she was wearing a wig--that'll fool 'em!

I hope that whatever twist TPTB have concocted to keep Letty and Javier out of prison is more entertaining than her clumsy stealing routine.  Now, if they were to somehow team up with Christian and the FBI agent for some nefarious schemes, that might be fun.  Anything more creative than Letty just wandering around picking up stuff and no one ever notices?

Edited November 7, 2017 by UncleChuck

[Moxie Cat]

1 hour ago, UncleChuck said:

Oh, wait--she was wearing a wig--that'll fool 'em!

I was thinking she needs a fat suit. More than a wig, in any case. Plus, she should leave the hotel as soon as the spree is over. I mean, it wouldn't take too long for all those safe thefts to be reported - and not to mention the little girl's description of the strange woman who had been in her hotel room. A red wig only goes so far.