Last night’s Trust was a bumpy ride for viewers and young Paul who spent a lot of time in the trunks of cars. I kept waiting to understand what I was seeing before typing anything into the recap and was glued to the screen until the show ended without writing a word. So today, I’m just going to explain the episode to the best of my recollection. When you watch as much mind-numbing reality TV as I do, watching something that requires a handful of functioning brain cells is hard.
It’s hard to believe Paul was just wandering around the clubs of Rome at age 16. Why was he not in a fancy pants boarding school somewhere? This episode doesn’t answer that question but it does explain how a fake kidnapping was being set up and how it went terribly wrong.
First we see a home invasion that ends with Primo, a really bad guy, brutally robbing an older couple. Primo’s partner in crime says Primo’s name which results in the assassination of both hostages and Primo’s accomplice. We’re left wondering what that was all about for a while, but Primo will show up again later.
Berto, the restaurant owner who was fond of Paul’s paintings, was becoming tired of trading paintings for food after the four kids ran up $6,000 in debt. Paul manages to get one more meal for a cute painting of Berto’s adorable dog. As it turns out, Marcello has been using the Getty name to get cocaine from Berto. That is why the debt is so high. Marcello tries to smooth things over with Berto by inviting him to a party where Roman Polanski will be. Berto could not be more excited to meet Roman and go to a party with the rich and famous. For reasons I don’t quite remember at this point, the kids all ditched Berto and he was heartbroken about the let down. But at this point, Paul agreed to a fake kidnapping that would make Berto rich. This required Paul to disappear and live in a rundown building that quite literally didn’t have a pot to piss in. After a couple of days of faux captivity, Paul snuck out and went to the club. This screwed everything up, so Berto sells Paul to Primo, the bad guy from the opening scene. Primo likes killing people so he killed Berto and threw him into the trunk of his car and made Paul crawl in next to him.
The kidnapping is now very real, with a very, very bad guy calling the shots. If anyone still has episode two, I’d love to know if Primo was in the room when Fletcher went to meet the mafia.
The editing on this episode was back and forth over time and a bit hard to follow. I believe episode four has a different director. And maybe now we will be on a linear timeline. I’ll miss Berto and his cute little doggie. Are y’all still watching this?
I’m watching! I haven’t seen this episode yet. I’ll watch it tonight
One of the many things that confuse me is that when the cowboy (Fletcher Chase?) goes to Italy to look for Paul III doesn’t he meet Berto at the restaurant? Wouldn’t Berto be already dead? Watching last night I kept waiting to him to show signs of life. Help!
Hey, that’s right! I am intrigued with this show. The kid playing Paul is cute.
That was an insane episode to try to follow! Primo is one badass dude. I was also confused about Berto being alive when Fletcher was there but dead in the trunk this ep. I’m still all in, even if I don’t know WTF is going on lol
Paul was not in a “fancy pants” school because he had been expelled from school. Remember, also, that his mother didn’t have any real money.
You are right, but it makes even more sense that if he got expelled, they WOULD send him somewhere more strict, and you would think his father would have to pay for it. Oh well!
I believe that, despite the portrayal in the film, his father may still have been addicted to heroin at the time. Or, if the timeliness is accurate, he was much more concerned with his recovery and working his way back into his father’s good graces.
I’m not sure what kind of support order, if any, had been granted. I’m not even sure what country the divorce was granted in. And remember that both his father and mother were living bohemian lifestyles. His father had spent years traveling between Morroco, Rome and Thailand (where he developed his drug addiction.)
Also, (and not knowing your age, I don’t know if you’re old enough to remember) the late 60’s and early 70’s was a time period when lots of young people were doing what Paul did.
I am engaged. The timelines are tricky but after the Andrew Cunanan series, my brain is warmed up. I am now reading wikipedia to get the characters straight. This is going to get more confusing because of a postal strike in Italy that delays delivery of J.P.Getty’s ear.
Thanks for getting this up because I was so confused🤷♀️ . Now I get it
John Paul Getty does have millions in trust. Memory fades but I believe they were not yet available because he hadn’t reached the age limit set in the trust. He must have thought Grandad could take the money from his funds.
I don’t remember all of the details because I was 13 when all of this happened. I read an article about the whole thing before I started the series so I wouldn’t be complaining confused. Is showing everything out of order for this and Versace something FX is going to keep doing? It’s confusing AF, but it does make me pay closer attention and even watch more than once.
I think episode three was a series of flashbacks mixed with present day to explain how the fake kidnapping turned into a real one. The guys who directed the first three episodes are done directing and a new people will be doing future ones. I believe we are all caught up to the same day except for Paul’s dad. I think he had a bit of shenanigans we haven’t seen yet. Or not. I do think it will be easier to follow now that we have the foundation.
I wonder about things like why didn’t Berto just take 6K from the briefcase with the money before taking it to the mafia. That could have solved the whole thing. The timeline with Fletcher arriving and leaving and Berto dying is a bit confusing.
Or why didn’t Berto just take the whole suitcase of money and “give” Paul back, because Berto being alive at the meeting with Fletcher means they were still in the fake kidnapping scenario and he hadn’t sold Paul to Primo yet. Literally the entire thing would’ve been over, Berto could’ve had the money Paul and his friends owed and Berto could’ve paid back his debt to the mafia and if he was smart he could’ve sent Paul with Fletcher and he would’ve been put on a private plane with his mom and siblings and sent back to London, which would mean Berto would’ve got to keep everything in the suitcase instead of splitting it with Paul, oh and Berto would still be alive. I don’t remember how much was in the briefcase or if it said but maybe they thought they could get more, until Getty Sr. decided he wasn’t going to pay a dime.
Andy, that is what I thought too. I am assuming there is something they are not telling us.
I was Getty III age. YIKES
I’m watching but behind. Please keep recapping! This is one of a couple of shows I need…not want… to watch without distraction. I’d even like “dh” to watch but he never stops talking, ugh! Needless to say I haven’t read your recap yet. I’m completely in on moving away from HWs and will continue to watch and support any programming change you make. Thank you TT!