Last night’s episode of Power was, let’s call it interesting…Where this series struggles, is when they try to juggle too many storylines. You can make the argument the show went off the rails when, instead of killing Ghost or Angela in previous seasons, Courtney Kemp and the creative team decided to add characters and increase the storylines for bit characters. As a result, we get episodes like “Whose Side Are You On?” A plot mover with convoluted storylines that have to play out in the manner they are.
We begin in the aftermath of what Ghost believes is the successful murder of his ex-BFF and brother Tommy. Being the “smart” and always calculating man that he is, Ghost realizes that killing Tommy would put him at odds with Jason Micic and the Serbs. He decides to preempt any possible conflict by offering up money as a form of restitution. Season 1 Ghost, would’ve known that wasn’t going to fly. But, he did lose the love of his life and Tommy (he thinks) in a 72-hour span. We can forgive him for being a little messed up…
Jason sees an opportunity for a shakedown, because he knows Tommy is alive, and will play Ghost and Tommy against each other. Not that either of them needed any help for that. Not sure all of that is needed. But, because we have Jason and the Serbs as expanded players in the Power universe they need to be connected to the final season’s story arc, in a way that we (audience) will find “interesting.” Ghost is now on the hook for $100K every two weeks. Damn. That’s a hell of a nut. That’s $2.4M a year. How much money do we think Ghost has made over his lifetime as a drug dealer? How much money do we think his collection of nightclubs brings in after all expenses are paid?
Since Tommy knows that it was Ghost who tried to kill him, he has to stay underground for a while. That leads to a ridiculous encounter with his primeras. Tommy explains he’s sort of “dead” and they need to keep their mouths shut and do their jobs (sell drugs).
Can we talk about this ragtag crew of primeras? The deaths of heads of various gangs have left Tommy with dudes you wouldn’t want handling the simplest tasks. Much less handling the distribution of drugs across an entire territory. Their small mindedness and petty grievances will become a problem for Tommy. We’re looking at you Spanky and 2Bit.
Tommy and Ghosts storylines get further complicated later in the episode when Tommy has a clear shot to kill Ghost and instead he’s abducted by Jason’s men. Jason feeds Tommy some bullshit line and Tommy believes him because, well, Tommy isn’t that bright. Plus Jason is going to keep Ghost alive so he can keep bleeding him dry. All while allowing Ghost to think he can kill Tommy, but knowing he won’t be able to because Tommy has Serbian bodyguards.
Raise your hand if you had Jason Micic as the leader in the clubhouse after two episodes…
Meanwhile the Feds, are being led by NYPD Sergeant Blanca Rodriguez who is now the smartest person in the room and sees the whole chess board clearly. She and Donovan head to question Tasha about the missing Terry Silver. Rodriguez wants to push the envelope and get more aggressive with the line of questioning. She even suggests setting up a “tail” on Tasha, which she sort of does (without authorization) later in the episode.
The mechanics and logistics don’t track. The federal law office in any district supersedes the authority of the local police department. There is no way the U.S. Attorney would allow an NYPD Sergeant (who was a detective last season) to lead a task force. Anyone else pick up on the fact that Saxe and Rodriguez both say they are leading the task force? Last episode the U.S. Attorney said he’d give Saxe enough rope to hang himself, and Rodriguez begged the U.S. Attorney to start a task force and let her lead it? Speaking of, where was U.S. Attorney Jacob Warner this episode?
Saxe is undoubtedly feeling guilty over the death of Angela, if only for the way he treated her when they were colleagues. He’s like a dog with a bone and won’t let go of the Ghost and Tommy as heads of a crime syndicate that are responsible for the deaths of Angela, Mike Sandoval, Greg Knox, Tony Teresi, Felipe Lobos, and countless others. Of course he’s right. But Saxe is the “Barney Fife” of this operation.
Rodriguez who is new to the entire case, having only become involved last season due to the death of Raina St. Patrick and crooked cop Raymond Jones, already knows what’s going on and thinks she can solve it. Another leap in logic that doesn’t quite track. But the one thing we can say, is her motives seem the most altruistic. She is legitimately trying to connect the dots between all the dead bodies and the St. Patrick family. She’s also the only one in law enforcement concerned with the “disappearance” of Terry Silver.
All roads to Silver link to Tasha at least on the surface. This was a pretty packed episode for Tasha. She initiates divorce arbitration proceedings against Ghost. A long time coming. She meets with Angela’s sister Paz, after Paz assumes she was texting Ghost to set up some kind of meeting, for what? A confession? Tasha also confronts Ghost, again, on the whereabouts of Silver and puts on a show as the “dutiful wife” during Angela’s funeral. More on the funeral later.
The most interesting of Tasha’s scenes this week were her interactions with Tommy and Keisha. First, she stops by Keisha’s apartment looking for Tommy. She receives a very cold greeting from Keisha, and rightfully so. Keisha even remarks to Tommy “Tasha’s only my friend when she wants something.” Banned from the apartment, Tommy agrees to meet with Tasha without Keisha’s knowledge. It’s here where Tasha learns of Ghost’s attempted hit on Tommy and Tariq knowing what went down. This was also the first time we see Tasha deviate from the script that Ghost must stay alive for her kids’ sake. She says “I don’t know what I’m saying” but we all read between the lines on that one. Ghost dead would solve a lot of her problems. It would surely create others, but maybe if she weighs them all…
One of the things we love about Power is the callback to earlier seasons. The Tommy, Keisha, Tasha connection is just how the Ghost, Tasha, Keisha connection used to be. Tasha was the rich wife of a drug kingpin living lavishly, etc. Now it’s Keisha getting gifts from her kingpin Tommy (jewels from Jacob, Chanel bag), and Tasha who has to move into a smaller apartment and figure out where she’s getting money from. Keisha is showing Tommy she understands the territory and who moves weight where, just like Tasha used to. The call backs are so familiar to the most minute of details. Even Keisha’s son Cash playing video games with Tommy, the same way Tommy and Tariq did.
Speaking of ‘Riq. He’s now the drug distributor at Choate. This storyline, while hilariously and poorly acted, at least makes sense. Rich kids at a fancy boarding school in Connecticut. They have to get their drugs from somewhere. Why not ‘Riq?
His roommate is ridiculous and a caricature of the White boarding school kid who thinks he’s down because his roommate is Black. The one thing Power gives us are jokes. I’m definitely here for some levity and laughs.
Growing this out to a full on distribution network within Choate, while funny, is another storyline that needs attention. Runtime for episodes range somewhere between 46 and 53 minutes give or take. Unless there will be 15 episodes this season, expect that storyline, among others to race through pacing. That being said, you see the need for the presence of Effie to counterbalance the nitwit roommate.
We conclude the episode at Angela’s funeral, which was paid for by Tommy. Unbeknown to Ghost. What do we think will happen if Ghost ever finds that out? Be that as it may, this funeral was performative on so many levels.
We already discussed Tasha playing the “dutiful wife.” Saxe shows up and proceeds to talk shop with anyone who would listen. Donovan, Tameika and Saxe are amazed to see Ghost and Tasha arrive together, and even more stunned when Tommy arrives. As of course is Ghost when he realizes Tommy isn’t dead after all.
Everyone there besides Paz is playing a role. Even Ghost, who besides Paz is the only one there who truly loves Angela, is playing a sort of role with Tasha.
Then there is the funeral itself. I’m not well versed in public funerals for Assistant US Attorneys, but are they often treated like a police funeral? Yes, I realize an AUSA is a form of law enforcement, but this seemed a bit odd.
Nonetheless, a type of episode that has become all too familiar with this series. A few good moments surrounded by messy storylines. Making titanic episodes of prestige television is no easy feat. Sometimes showrunners and creatives get stuck on delivering the big moment, they lose track of the building blocks.
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