Reservation Dogs: Season 1/ Episode 6 “Hunting” – Recap/ Review (with Spoilers)

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Reservation Dogs continues to focus on individual members of the ensemble, with this episode focused on Willie Jack and featuring Daniel.

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Aired	9/6/2021
Network	Hulu
Directed By	Sterlin Harjo
Written By	Sterlin Harjo
Newly Noted Characters
Daniel	Dalton Cramer
Leon	Jon Proudstar

Recap

Let’s Go Hunting Like Old Times – Willie Jack, Leon, Daniel

Hunting is one of Willie Jack’s favorite things, and, at one time, it was Leon’s as well. They’d go to their family’s former hunting grounds, until Leon’s great grandfather sold the land in the 30s, and have some quality father/ daughter time, with Daniel also joining them. However, since Daniel’s death, Leon hasn’t really wanted to hunt anymore.

An Ode To Daniel – Willie Jack, Leon, Daniel

Though it should be noted, Daniel didn’t really like hunting. Not because he had something against killing animals, but the waiting was so dull for him, and it made the experience insufferable. Yet, with him gone now, things like him farting, scaring the animals away, and things like that? Both Willie Jack and Leon miss this.

Yet, despite what Willie Jack will miss if and when she goes to California, she recognizes that her dreams are stifled at the reservation. Whether it is becoming an MMA fighter, gourmet chef, or dog rescuer, the opportunities are better in California, Los Angeles specifically, than Okern and the surrounding areas. This isn’t something Leon likes to hear, but he gets it, and he supports her.

But, before she leaves, she does get to kill the legendary Chunk, a deer she and Daniel named, and goes to his grave to tell him. Which closes a chapter for Willie Jack and perhaps is one of the last bits of unfinished business she has.

Things To Note | Question(s) Left Unanswered

Question(s) Left Unanswered

1. Was Daniel actually Willie Jack’s cousin, or was that just an honorary/ cultural thing?
2. Did we ever get the specifics on how and why Daniel died?
3. What happened to everyone being in school? Is it summer vacation already?
4. Considering Elora may have spoken to Daniel the night he died, what did they talk about at the honky-tonk? Assuming I understand the timeline of when Daniel died.
5. Who was in bed with Leon? Was that Willie Jack’s mom?

What We Hope Happens Next

1. With us focusing on individual characters in the last few episodes, I hope Elora is next and it focuses on who Daniel was to her.

Collected Quote(s) & .Gifs

I just always believed tend to my own garden. Let everyone else tend to theirs.
— Leon

Review

Highlights

Solo Features Establishing Individuals Outside The Group

With Willie Jack one of the initial hooks to watching the show, I appreciate us getting a solo episode with them. One that, like with Cheese, gave you an idea of what they want to do with their life, but with Willie Jack having family, also establishing the dynamics and relationships she has outside of the group. Which, granted, didn’t fully flesh out how she became the person we know but did allow us to see her as an individual rather than just a character with good one-liners.

Getting To Know Daniel

This is the first episode we got to see Daniel in the flesh and have him show us who he is, rather than the romanticized version other people create due to his death. We got to see him be an ass, a potentially lonely kid, and through Willie Jack, potentially a big brother figure. Thus making it so you can almost feel like you have your own feelings towards him dying, rather than it being vicariously through the characters.

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