Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
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All eyes are on Dean as Desna becomes desperate to bring him back under her wing. Leading her to boss up to accomplish that goal.
| Network | ||
| TNT | ||
| Director(s) | Clare Kilner | |
| Writer(s) | Sharon Lee Watson | |
| Air Date | 7/14/2019 | |
| Introduced This Episode | ||
| Governor Patel | Bernard White | |
| Etienne | Richardson Chery | |
| Gretchen | Seana Kofoed | |
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Recap
Goodbye Dean: Desna, Virginia, Dean, Mac
Thanks to Mac, Desna, and Virginia lose any influence they have on Dean. Why? Well, Mac validates the feelings Dean has long had about people trying to control his life. Which, as Dean comes to realize Desna and Virginia are trying to coerce him to do as they want, he makes a break.
Will My Heart Go On?: Polly, Arlene, Quiet Ann, Etienne, EJ, Jenn, Virginia, Brenda, Clay
With Dean possibly breaking up with Virginia, she is faced with a similar problem to Polly – who do you go to? Desna isn’t much of an option for she’ll redirect you to what is going on with her. Then, with Polly, her issue deals with Joe, and she can’t go to anyone. Heck, when she does, it blows up in her face!
As for Virginia? Well, she goes to EJ and with Jenn seeing them talk in her home, she dresses Virginia down. Which is followed by an apology, later, but the isolation continues.
Yet, being lonely is hard. I mean, let’s face it, Desna has stirred up a whole lot of trouble that led to people losing their loved ones. Making it so some, like Clay, didn’t have viable alternatives. Hence why Brenda is on his mind, and he is trying to have her in his hands. Heck, with Quiet Ann pregnant, she sees this as a possible means to pick up where she left off with Arlene. Even if the father, Etienne, is someone she is blackmailing for Desna. Which could bite her in the behind.
Though considering Arlene proposes, maybe this time Quiet Ann may have a solid member of the force to keep her out of trouble?
By Any Means Necessary: Governor Patel, Desna, Jenn, Melba, Mac, Dean
Desna refuses to let Dean be his own person, and this just angers Dean more and more. Especially since he knows it is because he is autistic and that might be why he lets Melba and Mac adopt him. An act that may seem the end of the line but with Desna and Jenn getting financial records and more to use on Governor Patel, and offering him a better deal to clean his money, this could be it.
Well, it seemed like it was for Mac and Melba until they mention the Macau Triads. Making it seem they are the Dixie Mafia to the Triads Russians.
Review
Highlights
Quiet Ann Has A Storyline
For most of the season, I’d even submit the show, Quiet Ann hasn’t played a large role. She has been consistently around, but when she wasn’t with Arlene, she was as present as the wallpaper. So her getting pregnant, bossing up in her own way, and being part of Desna’s schemes is a nice change of pace. Here is hoping it leads to bigger and better things.
Virginia Is Heartbreaking
Tran has really done wonders with this character, and you have to appreciate the growth the writers have inputted. Taking note of her journey from a simple sex worker to a girl with a family, a fiancee, to now her questioning if Dean was the key? It messes you up a bit. Making me glad Desna didn’t abandon her as Dean did, but you can see with Dean being the first good man she has had, until he flipped on her, it has left her shaken to the core. Leading to a drastic counter of this playful makeup and accessories and reminding you, no matter how old Virginia might be, she is still a girl finding herself and possibly dealing with one of her first true heartbreaks.
Dean Feeling Caged
It could be easy to judge dean for his actions and acts of cruelty, yet you have to admit he is right. Because of his autism, Desna acts like she owns him and while his leash isn’t short, the fact he is a grown man questioned about everything he does must be frustrating. Especially since Desna doesn’t support most of his ideas unless one of her friends are monitoring him. So him breaking apart is unfortunate but necessary.
Desna’s Isolation Tactics
I don’t think I realized until this episode how isolated Desna makes sure her girls are. Who can Polly run to if she has a problem? Desna. Virginia? Same deal. Jenn is pretty much limited to Bryce, who barely agrees with her, or else Desna. Hell, Desna pushed Quiet Ann to dump Arlene a few seasons ago for her friendship. Never mind she got Roller so wrapped up we barely see him around his family.
When you think about it, Desna really is all Dean accuses her of and not just with him. It’s just, under the ruse of friendship, she has everyone else held close under different means.
Low Point
This Gretchen & Dr. Ken Thing
To me, Dr. Ken is a waste of screen time, and if he died, like Yolanda, I would hunch and move on. For at this point, it seems they are just keeping him around to eventually reunite him with Polly. Not because he brings anything to this show, but just to be a possible end game love interest.
On The Fence
Uncle Clay and Brenda
While murderous Toby is a fun Toby, who knows if he’d have the opportunity to kill again? Yet, Clay’s family is usually only interesting when it is falling apart. Otherwise, when things are peaceful, they can be as boring as mud.
How Long Can This Show Really Go On?
So should we see Mac & Melba as Dixie Mafia level and the triad over them as the Russians or Haitians? As likely said before, the issue with Claws will always be it has to escalate, and while the show tries to do that, it also seems like it is repeating itself. I mean, hell, they gave Dr. Ken a Polly clone, Desna and Roller are back together, Dean has been off and on about Desna being too involved in his life forever, and Arlene and Quiet Ann have boo’d up once more.
In my mind, like most shows, this shouldn’t probably go past a season 4. Even then, at the end of this season, this show may need a time jump just to shake some things, and people, loose.
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