The prestige Starz drama Power is back ya’ll! BSO will be doing episode recaps again this season.
It seems like forever since we saw Angela arrest Ghost for the murder of FBI agent Greg Knox and flip his world upside down. Sunday night’s premiere episode is titled When I Get Out, interesting and deliberate, as Ghost is in jail looking more like Akon than a man about to get out (shouts to ESPN’s Amin El-Hassan).
If you’re familiar with my Power reviews, you know I am a fan of show runner and EP, Courtney Kemp. She begins the episode with chaos. We move back and forth between scenes of Ghost being processed in jail and flashbacks to warning signs he was given, but didn’t see, about Angela. This is an excellent way to open the episode, for the first time we are truly seeing Ghost, as a man without control. His cell is ringing, with a call from Tasha (to let him know his son is missing), and he can’t answer it.
Chaos, uncertainty, distrust, and upheaval permeate throughout the remainder of the episode. Dre and Dominique are trying to deal with the club and the Karen Bassett business. And although we get a nice reveal learning Tasha’s friend LaKeisha (La La Anthony) is not dead. That “happy” moment is shrouded in uncertainty and distrust. LaKeisha can’t tell Tasha where she was or that Tommy saved her. So, Tommy saved her instead of killing her, like many speculated. Do we think those two are going to smash? Too soon?
Angela, after arresting the man she loves (yes, she still loves him and that will matter) for allegedly killing the dude she was sleeping with is feeling some type of way. She opts to self medicate with a bottle of red wine, though she’s too paralyzed with guilt, and fear to actually drink it. The image of the glass shattering and the red wine spilled out below her shaking leg and forlorn expression was good. This is a woman as fragile as that wine glass. She makes the arrest. But it’s for a crime we all know Ghost didn’t commit. Punishing Ghost is how she is hoping to fortify herself. If and when he is proven innocent, where does she go next? How does she go on? Does she pursue him for other crimes? Will she be capable and more importantly credible if and when that time comes?
The recently arrested and booked Ghost reaches out to his attorney Proctor, who is in the middle of dealing with his junkie ex-wife and her endangerment of their daughter. Proctor reassures Ghost he will get him out on bail. Proctor calls Tasha (they’ve never met) to let her know what happened to Ghost, as if she isn’t panicked enough. She then informs Proctor that Tariq is missing and someone has asked for ransom. Proctor emphatically lets Tasha know she cannot tell Ghost about Tariq. Proctor gets in to see Ghost and lets him know what the prosecution has. Ghost’s fingerprints were at the crime scene on the fire escape window. His DNA was found under Knox’s fingernails. Ghost tells Proctor he was in Greg’s apartment but didn’t kill him. That story won’t fly but Proctor is still confident he can get bail. Do we know how Ghost’s DNA wound up under Knox’s fingernails? Did someone put false information on the police report? I don’t recall Sandoval planting any after he killed Knox. He planted the cell and wiped away any evidence he was there. Knox did pull a traffic stop on Ghost the night he was killed. Could be from that encounter.
After seeing Ghost, Proctor calls Tasha and tells her to come up with $2M of clean money for bail. That’s a bit problematic, as we know their lifestyle is funded by the sale of drugs and to make matters worse, Ghost has emptied all of their legitimate accounts, much to Tasha’s surprise. It’s actually pretty incredible to watch Tasha go through the serial betrayals from Ghost yet still remain a “steadfast ride or die.” Imagine having a woman who will stand by you when you’re in prison, cheat on her, and consistently lie and endanger her life and the lives of your children. Shouts to Tasha, she’s a real one.
Meanwhile back at Ghost & Tasha’s penthouse the feds show up with a warrant. Tasha hits agent black Donovan with the “you can’t just barge in here like this!” He responds, “Yes, that’s actually what this paper says.” Classic comeback. Angela arrives on the scene and LaKeisha is ready to throw down, all she needs is the word. Angela and Tasha engage in petty banter. Angela tells Tasha it’s not personal. But of course it is. Raina arrives home from school and sees her home being turned upside down and Angela attempts to comfort her but is rebuffed. Still think it’s not personal Ang? Those hurt feelings go both ways. Angela sees that she is ruining lives, and deep down knows she is ruining hers as well.
The long running Tariq, Slim (Kanan), Jukebox, Ray-Ray kidnapping extortion plotline has dissolved in a sense. With Ghost being arrested Kanan decides to let Tariq go with the help of Dre. Jukebox balks at Kanan for letting Tariq go but ensures she and Ray-Ray each receive $15K per week for their part in the kidnapping plot. Weird way for that storyline to end, but it had to at some point. When Dre finally brings Tariq home, he is still as disrespectful as ever and gives his mother and Tommy some cockamamie story about what happened. Tariq asks about the whereabouts of his dad with the knowledge from Slim about what already happened. Looking cocky and arrogant as hell doing it too.
Ghost is denied bail during his arraignment. That was an easy one; the storyline of Ghost in prison needs to move forward so they couldn’t let him out. How much is Ghost going to change while he’s in prison? How much is his world on the outside going to change while he’s locked up?
Overall a good episode to start the season, letting us know where each character stands and introducing new characters with key roles to play.
A few extra thoughts:
- Anyone else think Dre is going to slip up? He was playing a “double agent” and now triple agent as the legit front for the clubs. He’s wearing a lot of hats, one too many I think. Plus Tommy is extremely weary of him and how he handled the Tariq situation.
- Speaking of Tommy he still has to keep the product flowing on top of dealing with Ghost’s family. He’s installed Julio as distro. How do we think that’s going to play out?
- Julio telling Dre he has to hire that pro to work at the bar. LMAO.
- Inmate Tony Teresi is going to be a problem for Ghost. We see that coming, right? AUSA John Mak (Sung Kang) is just the kind of crooked lawyer to make that happen.
- John Mak and Tony Teresi during a conversation where Mak tries to get Teresi to snitch in exchange for getting out of prison early and helping his wife who is dying of cancer. Teresi: “So I talk, I come out, but she dies anyway and now I’m a rat for the rest of my life.” Mak: “At least you wont miss the funeral.” Damn. That is so cold on both sides.
- When Tasha visits Ghost in jail, so much is said with expression. Omari Hardwick and Naturi Naughton have tremendous on-screen chemistry. He lets her know where to come up with the bail money through code. By the way, where do we think Ghost is? Rikers right?
- R.I.P. comedian and actor Charlie Murphy, he’s the security guard hassling Ghost. Knocked over my man Ghost’s breakfast tray. (Cellmates getting food without him). Also teamed up with another guard to beat Ghost’s ass.
- Proctor to Ghost: “Keep your mouth and your sphincter shut.”
- Jukebox to Dre: “You walkin’ up into our spot. I think the question is, who the fuck are you?”
- Tariq to Tasha: “I’m not a snitch ma. I’m not going to let them get in trouble because I fell asleep like a little kid and they sent a picture.” Yo, who is Traiq talking to like that? And there is no way any mom is buying that bullshit, right? Real parents, am I right?
- LaKeisha to Tasha: “When you go visit him in prison, all of that needs to be covered up. All of it.”
- Angela to Tasha: “He (James) was sleeping in here (office)?” Tasha: “I was worried he might transfer bedbugs from your place.” LOL.
- Angela & Tasha during the search of the St. Patrick home after Tasha opens the safe where a gun is hidden. Angela: “Is it loaded?” Tasha: “No. I wouldn’t keep a loaded weapon around children!” Burn. Tasha of course referring to the loaded gun Tariq stole from her apartment during a sleepover.
- Tommy and Tasha thinking Kanan is dead. Wait until they learn the truth.
- Tommy to Petar (Milan’s former #2) “What’d you lose a bet or something? You look like a fucking ferret.”
- Power is a well-scored series. Anyone catch “Good to Love” by FKA Twigs in the scene when Tasha finds the diamond necklace. Shouts to Jacob & Co.
What do ya’ll think? Get at me on twitter @jshector Please share with your friends and people you think would enjoy the show. As always thanks for reading and visiting BSO. See you next week!