S02.E01: Yo Soy Captain

[David T. Cole]

An FBI agent learns Ray and Mickey took part in killing Sully Sullivan and demands that Ray bring in his father as Season 2 begins.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

A more detailed episode description has been released:

An FBI agent learns Ray and Mickey took part in killing Sully Sullivan and demands that Ray bring in his father as Season 2 begins. However, Mickey is in Mexico setting up a fight and isn't eager to leave. Meanwhile, Ray rescues a client from a violent confrontation; Terry obsesses over his ex-girlfriend; and Conor assaults a classmate.

[TrininisaScorp]

Mickey makes me angry.  Even on this show where everyone is unraveling all the time, he's just the worst.  Leading Daryll to that slaughter AND betting against him was messed up.  

 

It was nice to see Lena and Avi.  I felt like we saw them more this episode than almost the entire last few episodes of last season.  I like both actors and hope that trend continues.

 

Oh, Terry.  Oh, Bunchy.  Sigh.  So messed up.  

[ElectricBoogaloo]

ITA - Mickey is a horrible father. His sons have all loved him at one point or another. Some of them still do. Yet he insists on making every possible choice to screw them or exploit them. Darryl is finding out the hard way that Mickey will always be an asshole. He not only expected Darryl to pay for his accomodations (and his hooker) for a month out of his own pocket, which is shitty enough, but he let Darryl take a beating so he could bet against him.

 

At least Darryl was smart enough to realize that Mickey was just using him as a punching bag/ATM. Not surprised that Mickey refuses to acknowledge that Terry's illness is in any way related to having his bell rung repeatedly. Nope, nothing is ever Mickey's fault.

 

Ha, I loved seeing Lena hanging out with Avi and his mom watching American Idol.

 

I don't know why Ray was so vague when asking Terry to help him find Mickey. If he had just told him that someone planted pot on Bridget because of Mickey, Terry would have helped him right away.

 

I also love that Ray has an open account at the store for whenever he needs a new non-bloody outfit. And curbside service! At least he's practical. He took off his coat and shirt before going back into the bar with his baseball bat.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Showtime has posted the season 2 premiere on the official Ray Donovan YouTube channel so anyone can watch for free! The swearing has been bleeped out, but I think that's the only change (there wasn't any nudity that had to be cut or blurred out that I can recall):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3L9Z6hwz-Rs

Edited July 14, 2014 by ElectricBoogaloo

[SomeJabroni]

 

Showtime has posted the season 2 premiere on the official Ray Donovan YouTube channel so anyone can watch for free! The swearing has been bleeped out, but I think that's the only change (there wasn't any nudity that had to be cut or blurred out that I can recall):

 

 

EB - oh yes there was!  Liev has been to the gym in the off-season.  Gluteus maximus, indeed.  Rawr!

 

So that was the premier.  Damn, I hate this show.  On paper, it should be an excellent, compelling story - and it certainly stars the talent to pull it off - but, gaaaawwwwd daaaaaamn, could the writing be any more ham-fisted or the action be any more screamingly telegraphed before it actually occurs?  The only Boston-Irish stereotype missing is Denis Leary putting out the fire in the gym after Bunchy leaves his crack pipe unattended.  And poor Bunchy.  He's so gonna get molested/something grossly sexual by that guy from the support group by the end of episode 3.

Edited July 14, 2014 by SomeJabroni

[Haleth]

I was trying to explain this show to my husband.  He said, "So he (Ray) is the good guy?"  

Well, no, he isn't a good guy.  In fact there are no good guys.  (Terry comes closest to being someone to root for.)  

"But the father is a character."  

Yeah, he's a character.. a ruthless, violent criminal character.

"???  I don't get it."

 

At least Avi survived his gunshot wound.  Funny finally meeting his mother and watching the three of them watching American Idol.

[renard]

I was trying to explain this show to my husband.  He said, "So he (Ray) is the good guy?"  

Well, no, he isn't a good guy.  In fact there are no good guys.  (Terry comes closest to being someone to root for.)  

"But the father is a character."  

Yeah, he's a character.. a ruthless, violent criminal character.

"???  I don't get it."

 

I was  coming here to say goodbye. I just can't any more and your husband pretty well summed it up, I think. I didn't even make it through the whole episode; I stopped, erased and canceled the series record when "Shane" from The L Word (can't remember her character's name) told the girl in the park that if she didn't go along with the story, they'd come back and shoot her again. I may go back and force myself to watch the episode but I think I'm out for good. Sorry, just can't think of one reason to stay, except the Elliott Gould "mystery" plotline but I don't know if they'll ever fully reveal that  before he completely loses it.

 

Is Showtime the home of really crappy parents: Nancy Botwin to Frank Gallagher now to Mickey Donovan? Did I miss anyone? I'm not counting The Borgias because they're at least based on real people/events. Now I need a "Silkwood shower" to get this out of my head. The really cynical part of my brain says that somewhere there must be a real Ray Donovan behind the scenes along with sleazy agents, managers, lawyers, studio execs, etc. doing the same thing we see on Sunday nights in order to get the show made itself and by watching/supporting, we enable the whole circus. Make that 2 "Silkwood showers".

[jennylauren123]

Jon Voight is just so damn creepy as Mickey. He is almost too creepy to watch, especially when he is dancing with (or otherwise cavorting with) younger women. He makes me squeamish. The way he wiggles his hips and tilts his head up and squints his eyes. Ugh. He is just such a slimy, reprehensible character. When he was in the ocean, before I realized it was a dream, I kept thinking: Drown, dammit, drown!

 

And Showtime? Thank you for the first scene. I didn't mind it at all.

Edited July 14, 2014 by jennylauren123

[scrb]

For all the lousy things he does, Mickey has a way of being likable to many people.  We'll see if the kids and Abby stay mad at him.

 

There seems to be no genuine malice when he sets up his son for the beating.  He didn't hide the money and offers to share it with him.

 

Somehow though, only Ray stays mad at him.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

oh yes there was!  Liev has been to the gym in the off-season.  Gluteus maximus, indeed.  Rawr!

And Showtime? Thank you for the first scene. I didn't mind it at all.

Heh, I totally forgot about his naked ass showing up! What I minded about the scene was that there was nothing in it for Abby. He just grabbed her, fucked her for about 15 seconds, and then rolled back over. Then she tried to spin it as "lots of women would love having sex with their husbands twice a day!"

 

Somehow though, only Ray stays mad at him.

And that is what makes me feel like Ray is the only one in that family with a lick of sense. For all of this other issues (and yes, there are a lot), this is the one example of Ray having superior common sense. As he told Darryl, Mickey will continue to hurt them and let them down as long as they let him remain part of their lives. That's why he wants nothing to do with Mickey. He sees him for what he is and wanting Mickey out of his life is a proactive step in my opinion. It's everyone else who's stupid for allowing their toxic dysfunctional relationships with Mickey to continue. I give Connor and Bridget a pass on that since they are young and don't know all the horrible things Mickey has done, but everyone else knows what a dick he is and they let him keep being a dick to them and disappointing them.

 

I didn't recognize Brett Spiner as the marriage therapist. But I loved that when he asked Ray if they could agree no more violence in front of the kids, Ray amiably said, "That seems reasonable." Ha!

 

And Sherilyn Fenn is playing Cochran's wife, but we only caught the quickest glimpse of her when Ray called him late at night from Rosarito. Can't wait to see more of her this season.

 

I haven't been to Rosarito in years, but I remember when it was literally a two bar town. It has grown a lot since those days! I don't know if they actually filmed in Rosarito (probably not worth the drive down since there are plenty of backlots or places in LA they could have used for the hotel, beach, and bar scenes).

[cattykit]

 

Showtime has posted the season 2 premiere on the official Ray Donovan YouTube channel so anyone can watch for free! 

So I pay my monthly subscription to Showtime because??

 

I hate to say it but the Feebee is right.  Ray is nothing but a thug.  I thought in the first half of the first season that he had some finesse, but really he just beats his way through life.  For all his hatred of Mickey, the apple hasn't fallen a millimeter from the tree.  That sex scene in the beginning was just brutal. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

So I pay my monthly subscription to Showtime because??

Because you want to watch the rest of the season? Well, maybe not! They do that frequently with season premieres to try to get new subscribers. They think if they can suck you in with one good episode, they can convince you to become a subscriber. Sometimes they do free weekends right before the season premiere so that people can marathon the previous season for the same reason.

 

Ray's sense of morality was never more evident when he and Abby met with the principal about Connor pushing that douchebag kid down the stairs. After hearing the principal's spiel/explanation, Ray simply said, "So the other kid started it?"

[VagabondDays]

I gave this all of Season 1, and now I've started Season 2, but I don't know how much I can take.  Abby's accent is quite possible the worst Boston accent ever on television.  And yes I went to college in Boston and live here now, so I have really, really good true-life examples all around me.  Ray is good, Jon Voight is everything, and the rest...  I don't know.  And those kids can't leave my screen quickly enough.  I don't know -- maybe another episode or 2, but I don't have high hopes, at this point.

[Joimiaroxeu]

That American Idol-esque scene with the girl being rolled on stage in a wheelchair with her arm in a sling: did anything like that actually happen on the real show? Apparently I can't figure out the right words to google so I can find out on my own.

Edited July 15, 2014 by Joimiaroxeu

[Happytobehere]

Mickey continues to be an all around monster. Ray the now rapist (?) continues to be his father's son, as he was revealed to be in Season 1. This is why he so clearly understands that Mickey is a cancer that needs to be excised, but while not as pervasive a disease as Mickey, Ray is a cancer too. The difference is on some level Ray seems to want to be better, he just doesn't know how.

I will watch this season, but unless some changes are made -- this means you Abby and your annoyingly, stupid and entitled kids.

[cattykit]

 

Abby's accent is quite possible the worst Boston accent ever on television.  And yes I went to college in Boston and live here now, so I have really, really good true-life examples all around me.

My mother was from South Boston and I have tons of Southie relatives, and that accent reeks.  I suppose it's better than not trying it at all, considering that most actors playing working-class folks from Boston usually sound like they're from Brooklyn, but the fake accents are very, very grating. 

[jonesingjay]

That American Idol-esque scene with the girl being rolled on stage in a wheelchair with her arm in a sling: did anything like that actually happen on the real show? Apparently I can't figure out the right words to google so I can find out on my own.

 

No. The only thing that I can remember, during the early seasons is one of the female contestants leaving due to exhaustion. I can't recall anyone suffering a major traumatic event, and going on to perform that evening.

 

So, Bunchy was getting hit on by that guy at the group meeting? I'm curious to see where that ends up going. Bunchy is a stunted fellow. Maybe, stuck at the age when the molestation began? I don't know. I don't see him being capable of having a romantic relationship with a woman or a man at this point in his life. 

[topanga]

I see the reaction to the season premier is mixed at best, at least on this forum, but I really liked it.

 

Ray continues to be disturbingly awesome. And hot. Abby is still kinda annoying, but I feel for her--it seems Ray doesn't have much respect for her as a person. To him, she's the woman who takes care of the kids and and provides him with a vajayjay, no matter how dry (ouch), whenever he needs to bust a nut. I think he cares more about his daughter Bridgett's feelings than he does Abby's. I wonder if marriage counseling will help them.

 

My favorite line of the night? When Ray says, "So the other kid started it?" to Connor's principal. I'd been thinking exact the same thing. No, it wasn't right for Connor to shove his classmate down the stairs. But the other kid did start it by knocking Connor's cell phone out of his hands and breaking it. Destroying another person's property isn't part of the school's zero tolerance policy?

 

Lena. Yay. Avi. Yay. And once again, I wonder how long Ray can handle all of his responsibilities to other people before he cracks. How many phone calls did he get in one day from people who need his help?

[BigDfromLA]

Abby sounds like Carmella Soprano...which isn't a Boston accent.

 

The character of Mickey is the most rotten human being I have seen in a TV show. 

 

Ray's son is turning into a psychopath.

[truecrystal]

I will watch this season, but unless some changes are made -- this means you Abby and your annoyingly, stupid and entitled kids.

 

Same here, though I'm not sure how much my dislike of Abby is the character or the acting. I've loved Paula Malcolmson in everything I've seen her in but something about her performance here grates. I am definitely sure that I can't stand those damn kids.

 

Much like last season, I found this episode wildly uneven and was only engaged when Abby and the kids weren't around. I'm hopeful that Lena, Avi and Ray have more interaction since they are a welcome relief from Mickey's unrelenting douchebaggery.

Edited July 20, 2014 by truecrystal

[renard]

I had a window Saturday night and got to watch the rest of the episode; I was so disgusted last Sunday that I erased it about 10 minutes in and canceled the record order. Only confirmed my initial thoughts and feelings. I love Hank Azaria, both as a comedic actor (Mad About You and The Birdcage) and a dramatic actor (Huff, I hated that it only lasted 2 seasons). I is ironic that his Showtime series saddled him with a father not too dissimilar from Mickey Donovan. That said, I could not believe they would pull such a ham-fisted trope as setting up Bridget for pot possession. I can't decide which is more unbelievable: the fact that the FBI would somehow has "access" to use CHP or that a person deemed to be the next FBI Director would pull such a thug move on a teenage girl. Granted he is fighting against Ray and Mickey, et. al. but still.

 

Like I said before: I'm out. The Eliot Gould "mystery" still intrigues me but not enough.

 

Also an interesting turn that Avi was a thug of The Night Shift the past 2 weeks.

[paramitch]

I totally agree that this isn't a show for everyone, but I liked this and thought it was a strong starter to season 2. I love the show and thought Season 1 was pretty amazing, and by the finale, pretty poignant as well. I care about Ray, Abby, and Bunchy, although honestly I don't really like either of the kids. This, for me, picked things up in a smart, swift way -- we got the sense that we were starting right where we left off, and yet the time jumps were seamless.

 

I definitely was disturbed by Ray's behavior to Abby, but I also found her reaction so true to the character. She was angry and upset at what had just happened, but also managed to communicate worry and fear for Ray, acceptance, and concern. I thought Paula Malcolmson was brilliant in that scene -- I don't mind her take on a Boston accent, and I continue to love Abby (shrewishness and all) and find her fascinating. I'm also kind of hoping therapy actually does something for Ray, as it's obvious the abuse is torturing him even if he won't admit it yet.

 

I felt kind of bad for Ray's son in that he's always the Big Bird in the Mr. Snuffleupagus situation -- he really does know all these people, and nobody ever seems to believe him. I do hate that he's turning out to be a thug just like the rest of the men in his family, however, and for a minute I feared that he'd actually killed or paralyzed that kid.

 

I hope this season we'll get more of Avi and Lena, as they're two of my favorite characters. Meanwhile, I second those who find Jon Voight unbelievably creepy. He was the reason I waited to watch Season 1 (I just cannot stand him), but I admit that he's excellent as Mickey, but the character is so unbelievably gross and reprehensible that, yep, I still can barely look at him.

 

I'm most psyched about Hank Azaria, who I think will be a terrific antagonist (he's got this ferocity to him in non-comedic roles that I like), and Sherilyn Fenn, who I've always loved -- interested to see how much her character will be involved here.

[SunnyBeBe]

I loved this show last season, but am not able to watch it this season.  I came to this thread as it seems to be the fist one of the new season. I was dying to know what happened to Ray's brother's girlfriend.  He had been busy taking care of the body in the gym when his girlfriend returned to confirm that they had taken the guy to the hospital.  It ended with him just standing there looking at her.  What happened?  Did he lie or tell her the truth?  Is she still alive after what she witnessed?  

[Kobo Duram]

I loved this show last season, but am not able to watch it this season.  I came to this thread as it seems to be the fist one of the new season. I was dying to know what happened to Ray's brother's girlfriend.  He had been busy taking care of the body in the gym when his girlfriend returned to confirm that they had taken the guy to the hospital.  It ended with him just standing there looking at her.  What happened?  Did he lie or tell her the truth?  Is she still alive after what she witnessed?  

 

She knows the truth.

The broke up for a while, partly because she was scared for her life from Ray because of what she saw.   They finally got back together and agreed to move to Ireland together.

 

They're trying to get the money to make that happen.... but its a long story....

[Milburn Stone]

After this episode, I'm right on the cusp of feeling like it's worth my time. I don't hate a single thing about it, and there are a number of elements I like a lot. But it's not gelling into compelling.

 

I guess I'll give Episode Two a shot, and see where I come out.