We’re getting close to mid-season and the already renewed hit kept the stakes high with this one. Focused around the RECNY Gala, everyone is in high tension over possible retirement announcements, who will make the big speech, and Tom’s possible move over recent business details.
The RECNY Gala is the event of the season every year. Thrown by the Roy charity, it brings the elite of New York together and guilts them into giving unreasonably large amounts of money to charity. All while making the Roy family look like generous and decent human beings. You know, fancy people being fancy. I’m starting to develop an admiring yet disgusted feeling with the show. It’s incredibly well done with amazing dialogue and wondering who will betray whom next. But it’s also watching rich people being spoiled, selfish rich people. That gets irritating.
There are a couple main story threads running through this episode so we’ll start with the biggest one. Logan (Brian Cox) is trying to show everyone who is still in power. He does this by showing up at the office unannounced. Does it again by peeing in Kendall’s (Jeremy Strong) office. Does it once more when he usurps the event speech right out from under Kendall. This maneuver comes after Connor (Alan Ruck) finds on the teleprompter that someone typed a line for a surprise retirement speech. Well, it wasn’t Connor. And it wasn’t Logan. And…it wasn’t Kendall. Logan confronts Kendall and unless Kendall got better at acting (he didn’t, and I mean the character, Jeremy Strong is great) I don’t think he did it. So the question remains, who did? Who would want to usurp Logan and Kendall?
Well, it could be Roman (Kieran Culkin). Although he’s a daddy’s boy, he really doesn’t like it when Frank (Peter Friedman) gets reinstated to watch over him. While some kids might see it as their father trying to prepare them for rulership, in this family you have to question every move by every person to figure out what their motive is. Also going on is Roman having an odd marriage. It seemed to me in a past episode that he might have different sexual persuasions than he lets on. In any case, he and his wife have a strained relationship. He can’t fart in front of her. Sounds like they don’t always stay together anyway. Or maybe it’s an extra girl since apparently as he brags about to his brother a bit, he’s quite a busy guy sexually. I don’t buy it. But those two clearly have their own dynamic going on.
Or could it be Shiv (Sarah Snook)? She’s currently advising a political figure who wants to run for president. But after the candidate’s husband uploads a photo of a very, very private body part, Shiv finds herself fighting against her father’s own media group to keep the story hushed and move on to something else. Eva (Judy Reyes) reminds Shiv that just because her name is on the building doesn’t mean she dictates what is news. Or how long it remains news. Everyone else is reporting it, they can’t stop just because Shiv’s involved. If she was in the top spot, she could control the media for her job and her political interests.
In any case, Tom also has reason to suspect Shiv’s motives. Tom got officially moved into his new position only to find out some serious news. The cruise line owned by the Roy’s was supposed to immediately return to American port when a crime occurred on board. However, they would instead go to places where police were more flexible with such issues. Meaning a lot of payoffs and non-disclosure agreements and well Tom, you wanted a seat at the table, right? Here’s your big boy seat. He confides in Greg who assures him he won’t share the information. The only other person Tom tells is a veiled comment to Shiv. So how does Gerri know? She tells Tom he needs to keep his mouth shut. Turns out it was Greg who spilled the beans. So what’s his motive? Only time will tell.
The show continues to bring intensity and complications. I have no doubt it will continue to do so. Next week’s episode will center on Thanksgiving and I’m sure sparks will be flying.
