Average Joe: Season 1/ Episode 9 “Sounds Like Mail Man” – Recap and Review (with Spoilers)
Delving into a whirlwind of espionage, emotional revelations, and confronting the shadows of the drug market, this episode masterfully intertwines the fates of its characters, offering both thrill and poignant introspection.
Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
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General Information
| More From The Series | |
| Previous Episode: “Ride Or Die” | Next Episode: “You Must Be Joe” |
| Release Date | (08/09/2023) |
| Director(s) | Eric Dean Seaton |
| Writer(s) | Rob Cullen |
| Noted Characters and Cast | |
| Joe Washington | Deon Cole |
| Angela Washington | Tammy Townsend |
| Leon Montgomery | Malcolm Barrett |
| Jennifer (Jen) Washington | Ashley Olivia Fisher |
| Touch | Michael Trucco |
| Dimitri | Chris Petrovski |
| Cathy Montgomery | Cynthia Caye McWilliams |
Recap
The episode delves straight into a cheerful flashback, showcasing Leon engrossed in a playful game of ‘cops and robbers’, armed with a nail gun. Joe stumbles upon this scene, teasing Leon about the quirks that later inspire Leon’s moniker, the “nail man.” The narrative then hurtles forward, with Leon ambushed by a Russian operative during a break-in at a garage. Undeterred, Leon uses his nail gun to tackle this adversary. Concurrently, Angela deciphers the imminent danger from Nicolai’s agents and devises a crafty strategy to safeguard herself.
Sergeant Pamela, on her mission to rescue the team, touches upon the poignant past of Officer Touch, marred by opioid addiction. As the story unfolds at the Russian lakeside base, Joe grapples with the daunting task of orchestrating an escape plan for his expectant daughter. In another subplot, Cathy’s search for a buyer for her mysterious product culminates in a potential deal.
The climax is rife with tension. Joe and Leon’s rescue mission at the Russian base is initially triumphant with Jennifer’s extraction. However, the victory is short-lived when a retaliatory attack from Arina causes a vehicular accident, jeopardizing their escape.
Highlights
Quick Thinking
Jennifer’s pivotal moment arrives when she decodes a silent message from her father. The knowledge that she bears Nicolai’s grandchild, an invaluable bargaining chip, empowers her. She audaciously uses this fact to challenge an armed henchman of Nicolai’s.
However, Arina, with maternal instincts aflame, prioritizes retrieving her child. She doesn’t hesitate to alert Nicolai when sensing Jennifer’s absence.
Emotional Resilience
Amidst the tumult, Angela shares an emotionally charged moment with Tony, an acquaintance from the hospital. Their shared narratives reveal Tony’s misdemeanors in love, and the gunshot wound it earned him. Angela, initially reticent, eventually confides about her ordeal at the hands of a Russian mobster. Tony’s insight forces Angela to confront a bitter truth about her husband Joe’s potential role in her predicament.
This epiphany, coupled with Angela’s astute observations, helps her uncover a lurking threat: a seemingly benign hospital visitor with sinister intentions. Angela’s resourcefulness shines when she neutralizes this threat with just water and a defibrillator.
On-The-Fence
Cathy’s arc, though intriguing, treads on sensitive territory. Her endeavor to sell a kilo lands her in dire straits, leading her to consume heroin. The portrayal is disconcerting, especially when juxtaposed with Officer Touch’s recent victory over opioid addiction. As Cathy teeters on the brink of addiction, one cannot help but question the narrative choice given its potential implications for a beloved character.
FAQs
Why was Angela targeted?
Angela was targeted by the pierogi-loving mobster solely due to her connection with Joe. Although she initially denied her husband was complicit in the matter, a conversation with Tony suggests Joe’s involvement might be the reason she’s in danger.
Is there any insight into why Tony was shot by his wife?
Tony confides in Angela that he was shot by his wife after he had been a bad partner. He says that she remained supportive despite his mistakes, giving a sense of his past and possibly foreshadowing Angela’s relationship dynamics with Joe.
How did Angela incapacitate the intruder?
Using water and a defibrillator on his head.
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