Claws: Season 2/ Episode 8 “Crossroads” – Recap/ Review (with Spoilers)

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With Desna hitting rock bottom, the question isn’t when she’ll pick herself up but how and whether her next plan actually succeeds.

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Network
TNT
Director(s)	Cherie Nowlan
Writer(s)	Jeff Augustin
Air Date	7/29/2018

Welcome To Rock Bottom: Desna, Mandy, Clay, Roller, Zlata, Polly

Desna is in jail, well holding, and it all comes as a bit of a shock to her. Her crew too and when Polly learns of Desna’s situation, so begins the shredding and calling up a lawyer. But, at least Desna has company in holding. Who? Well, Mandy – the realtor. Yeah, her writing off bad checks because her husband spent all their money has her in prison. Add in a coke addiction and she is seeming kind of rough. Perhaps to the point that, if Desna didn’t have so much going on, she’d do for her like she did for Polly and the rest. However, Desna got too much on her plate right now to deal with a coke head.

Speaking of coke, Clay and Roller nearly get robbed by their Dixie Mafia cousins for theirs. Luckily though, Bryce being named dropped, alongside the man Bryce killed, Ted, that seems to cool things down, for now. Since it seems Ted son liked Bryce enough that, when he hears that the Russians shot him, it makes him and the others change their mind.

Oh, and when it comes to everyone’s favorite fictional Russian to hate? Well, she is turning things around again. She bails out Desna, comes clean about the Ruval thing, and begins to push Desna to join her in revenge.

Commentary

This show is such a hot mess. Between Mandy’s appearance to all the Dixie Mafia drama, there is a real need to wonder, once Ruval and/or Zlata gets handled, what is going to be next? For either way, there is going to be a power vacuum. One which, considering how Palmetto is now, imagine what it would be like with one war after another happening. First the Russians vs. the Haitians, then the Aryan Brotherhood and Columbians gunning for new business and territory. Then, following that, let’s not forget the Dixie Mafia coming in. Likely making jokes that while they are southern, they are not the Aryan Brotherhood, and things like that.

This Is Goodbye: Desna, Dean, Virginia

At one time, Desna provided stability for Dean. She was consistent, made promises she generally tried to keep and provided a safe environment. For quite some time now, she hasn’t really provided any of that. In fact, probably taking note of what Desna is no longer capable of, or willing to do, Dean has been making it so he can be more and more independent. Something that Desna probably doesn’t realize she has been fostering, alongside Virginia. For, with Desna going to jail, Dean is ready to cut loose.

Especially since, when he tried to bail her out of jail, he got treated in such an unkind manner. So, taking note of that, it seems he is done. After Virginia says all the right things Dean needs to hear, he takes the money he was going to use to bail out Desna and decides to move out with Virginia. To where exactly? Who knows? Maybe the old house. Either way, he is not trying to have any real interactions with cops anymore.

Commentary

For the most part, Claws isn’t necessarily political. It does have some f***ery that lets you know it exists in some form of the real world, but isn’t political. Yet, with how Dean was getting treated when he was trying to bail out Desna, I honestly expected the worse. Particularly since it if Florida, Dean isn’t a small guy, and when he gets agitated, he starts raising his voice and you saw at the end of that scene an officer reach for his gun, right?

But, at the same time, how great will it be to see Dean on his own? Not that he hasn’t been rather independent already, for it isn’t like Desna cooks and cleans for him. However, you got to wonder if Virginia is ready for the full weight of Dean’s neurosis? I mean, she has shown that she has become accustomed to it but now she can’t tag in Desna if it gets bad. Which, with Dean being in a new environment, dealing with new situations, and maybe not feeling fully in control for a little bit, he may be heavily reliant on her for normalcy. Something that, for a girl who just started to really experience normal, might be a bit much to deal with.

Don’t Call It A Comeback: Hank, Jennifer, Bryce, Ann, Arlene, Desna, Zlata, Ruval, Dr. Ken, Polly

Let’s go from nutty and WTF to what truly matters. To begin, Hank decides he is going to try to kill Bryce and kidnap Jennifer and her kids. Why? Well, because Jennifer doesn’t have enough going on, that’s why! So now she has to deal with this crazy Jewish dude who wants to force her to go to Israel with her. Something which doesn’t happen because Bryce shows up, barely able to walk, as well as cops who are either there because he called them or because they are still trying to find more evidence against Desna.

Oh yeah, forgot to mention, the salon gets raided. Luckily, despite Ann being pissed at Desna, she still shows up when needed and helps shred a whole bunch of documents. Also, she embraces Desna when she sees her. However, as Desna talks about her new plan to take Zlata down, Ann is ready to tap out again. That is, until Desna reveals Arlene is back on the force. With this, Ann breaks down a bit for she is really running out of people who haven’t disappointed her at this point.

She isn’t alone though. Polly has to deal with Marnie’s mom showing up, and the threat of her leaving, on top of Dr. Ken being revealed as the snitch. Leading to her kicking him out! Now, as for what Desna’s plan is? Well, currently it doesn’t deal with snitching. Instead, it seems she is going to go along with Zlata’s plan to kill Ruval for now. Though, when she may decide to switch things up is anyone’s guess.

Commentary

Did anyone see the Hank thing coming? Him showing up at the hospital didn’t seem weird since I figured that was just a religious thing. Not him trying to make a move but show support. Yet, I guess it was him trying to move in while Bryce was on his way out. But, you gotta admit, him going from acting odd to full-blown loco came off weirder than this show’s characters usually are. Also, it kind of seemed like overkill for doesn’t Jennifer have enough going on? I mean, they could have just cut the whole Hank thing and just have had the cops raid Desna’s home with Jennifer and her kids there. Thus bringing back this need to question, how much are members of the crew really willing to sacrifice for Desna?

After all, it is one thing for Ann to give up a girlfriend but Jennifer maybe losing her kids? That presents a real challenge. But, going back to Ann and Arlene, and let’s even throw in the Dr. Ken situation, you have to wonder if these two exes may decide, now that they don’t have to worry about their significant other, to go all in. Dr. Ken likely isn’t trying to lose his license to practice, never mind disappoint his mom. So him turning in everybody seems like it could happen. Especially since he did work for them under duress. He could even correlate his story with the other clinic doctors. Thus taking down everybody and getting free.

Well, at least getting away from the Dixie Mafia. As for the Russians and Haitians, who knows if Ken ended up in the middle of nowhere if he would be safe? It isn’t likely Chip was the sole dirty cop. Surely the Haitians have their own person who could present a problem for Ken.

Leaving this Desna situation, for the Marnie one is so far on the back burner it fell onto the lawn. At what point will she admit she is in over her head? Seriously. While she got some wits about her, clearly she isn’t some up and coming gangster who is ready to take over from long-established mobsters. She could barely handle Clay when she was over him. So imagine her somehow coming out on top and now she has the clinics and maybe even Ruval’s stuff to either defend or take. She already is on the radar for the cops now so, is she trying to get in deeper or will she look for an out? Is it too late for Desna to get out of this period?

Question(s) Left Unanswered

1. So, are the FBI going to shut down the clinics in Desna’s name and the salon? If she is accused of money laundering, among other things, wouldn’t it make sense to do so?
2. When it comes to the Haitian mob, is Gregory’s mother retired or still very much the head and Gregory is her top general?
3. When will we see the other gangs pop up?

Highlights

1. Virginia calling Desna her big sister was a sweet moment. Alongside Desna not being disgusted with being called that by Virginia.
2. How Arlene and Dr. Ken may act now that they aren’t dating Ann and Polly, respectively.
3. Dean moving out on his own.

Low Points

1. Hank going full-on psycho, seemingly out of nowhere.

On The Fence

1. Desna prepping to make things worse for herself and her girls. All while being under federal watch.

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