I’m going to stop trying to rush through this like I do a reality show where everyone just waits for me to get something up so they can list all the cast members and why they hate them and the show and Andy Cohen. I’m going to start savoring the good shows and saying what I think and asking you all questions and maybe God forbid do that for a few long hours and days until I am ready to post it. Then we will all hopefully still remember the episode and have grown up conversations as we try to break down the plot and what every birdcall and chicken coop, and knife hidden in a book means. And most of all, we will all work together to figure out where he hell the real cocktails are. So I hope you are okay with that.
Shelly Cohen is alive y’all. It just hit me that Paul Adelstein was Leo Bergen on Scandal and I want to stop and watch the final episode that aired tonight before I get spoiled. It’s late and I am exhausted. But I really need to get a bit further in this show. Right now this show and Killing Eve are the two best shows on TV. So Shelly (Paul Adelstein Producer, Director, Guest Actor on this show) wakes up in the hospital handcuffed to the bed after being shived by Maddie last week next to an old guy with a longer life expectancy than Shelly. Yet somehow, Shelly gets the old man to help him escape his hospital room in the same bloody suit he came in with.
And so we begin…
Sally is interrogating the hell out of Max but he truly doesn’t know what is going on with the TOV, or the FBI or Maddie, or where the ring is. The doctor is listening to him through the vents. He is much more interested in what they did to Sally. The doctor calls and Sally and they leave together.
I watched an episode preview or something today on twitter and it was interesting to me that Jules picked the Mexican city because it was “her city” this explains why she had so many connections and a job where she didn’t have to rob people. Yet when she goes with her friend to the art commune, she’s never seen the place before. It’s interesting to me that she has to meet the passport maker face to face, or face to penis actually since he was in the bath when they met. But he seems to have a tell me no secrets I’ll tell you no lies philosophy. He says as long as she brings the rest of the money by next week, they are good to go. Wait? I thought Ezra already gave her enough money for their fake passports?
On her way home, a Mexican woman asks her directions and realizes she is American. Jules realizes that Ezra’s protagonist in the novel he is working on got his name from a street sign. “Calle Schumann” and not his cousin as he claims. He’s lied to her just a day after their new ex code that forbids lying to each other. So she reads the writing he has been working on and it is all about his scheming ways. Every single con he has done and how to improve them and someone her calls “R” who he has been working with. Basically, it’s a journal. Jules and Richard begin to follow Ezra and find him meeting up with Rosa. Richard is happy for him but Jules is pissed. Rather than confront him, she goes back to the artist commune.
It’s time to check in with Maddie and see how group therapy is going. The answer appears to be not well.
So let’s go back and hang with Jules at the art commune. She’s dancing and drinking and smoking. After copious amounts of tequila, her girlfriend arrives and takes her away by herself to drink some special tea. It will take her back in time to deal with any unresolved shit. Jules goes back in time to when she was a young brooding artist in a rich family of privilege. Her sister lets us know that Jules is the family fuckup who enjoys suffering. Next we see her wake up in an outdoor hammock in the same clothes she wore to the party. She hurls over the side of the battery. It’s a rough hangover. She walks into a huge family breakfast where everyone is very happy to see her. It’s the family she has always wanted.
Maddie has a one on one session where the therapist calls her out for lying in group about having a sister. She talks to her about the dynamic between one’s fake self and the authentic self. This is a surprising spot on topic for this therapist to bring up on session three. Does she already know all about Maddie? She gives Maddie an assignment. Go sit in the chapel and imagine your own funeral. Who would be there and what would they say about you? Amazingly she does this. He parents and the TOV are there. Ezra speaks first. He says that Maddie taught him he was capable of true love and he knows he will find it again. He says it is sad that she died never having that in her life. As he is speaking a shadowy male figure makes his way down the aisle. I thought it would be Patrick. But it’s Shelly Cohen! And he shoots Ezra! Then, just as he turns to shoot her, someone comes in to invite her to a workshop. She is super anxious.
Max and Sally are in a car going who knows where and Max seems really happy to be reunited with Sally. He is rattling on about the greatest moments of their past. Sally is silent except for the occasional curt driving direction. They break into a house, and disconnect the landline and the power. They sit in silence waiting for their victims to arrive. Max can’t take the silence and tries to goad Sally into talking him by saying he’s not the one that betrayed her. She betrayed him first. Sally points a gun at his head and says maybe she should just kill him right now. Clearly, she’s not ready to move on with Max yet.
Richard is playing the video game that Ezra plays when suddenly, on screen, a pop up comes up from Meshuganah52 that says, “Ezra, are you seeing this?” Richard freaks out and leaves. He goes straight to Ezra where he was staying with Rosa. He blows his cover completely to get Rosa to leave. Then he he tells him that he got a message and he needs to call his parents immediately. Max answers. The house that Max and Sally busted into was Ezra’s parents. The boys head to the commune because they need to expedite the passport situation and get home. The passport dude can’t be bothered to get it done until next week as planned. He has whiskey to sip and books to read.
Finally, we see Patrick. Patrick has twins? Did we know this? He was late to their birthday and the ex is pissed. She introduces him to her new neighbor, Leslie, who just moved from “Ohio, a town called Fairfield, just outside Cincinnati.” He remembers Ezra and Maddie talking just like that. I believe that is right near where Maddie is originally from. I am pretty sure that Leslie is Maddie’s sister. Patrick asks for time off to spend with his family to reconnect. He gets two weeks unpaid leave.
Ezra goes to find Rosa. He tells her that his family is in trouble and he needs to cross the border illegally. She says she will not help until he tells her the whole story. When she hears the story she agrees to help him for ten percent of the ring. Oh, and she mentions that her name is really Sophia. Richard and Jules don’t trust Sophia or her coyote. And speaking of broken trust, it seem Jules has a rainy day fund the boys didn’t know about. Oh actually, she just asked her parents to wire her the money.
Patrick goes to find the former agent who used to play his auntie. He needs a partner for his plan to get close to Leslie and find Maddie. Even if that is his sister, how the hell would she know where Maddie is?She agrees to work with him to find Maddie on the condition that he agrees they will take down The Doctor too.
Ah, I see the writing on the wall now. Maddie is leaving the wellness center place, because she really did get some insight and wants to connect with her authentic self. With all the sister stuff going on this episode, she is clearly going to go see her sister who is right next door to his ex-wife. The script is starting to be a transparent as a housewives show. As she gets to the gates, she has a flashback to her being bullied on a school bus.
Instead of leaving, she blows my theory right out of the water by turning around and going to the therapist’s office and telling her she wants to tell her the truth about everything.
Next week, the sister drama continues as Jules perfect sister, Poppy shows up to rescue them from Mexico. It doesn’t appear to go well. Which suits me just fine. I am not ready to leave Mexico.
Another great episode! And yet still so many questions!!
I agree with you, I thought Ezra was able to get all the money they needed last week… he made it a point to say it when he was placing money on the table and now they need an extra 10,000?
Is Ezra supposed to be a main character and other two just side notes on this show? It nags at me that he was only one they showed wanted by fbi, and the message through the video game was addressed to Ezra.. even though Richard was playing. And Sally and max are at ezra’s parents home. Are the other two just there to build Ezra’s storyline?
The producers of show hint that someone will die this season— I just hope it’s not one of these three. I love them together!
And where is Lenny??
OMG I must have not paid attention when Leslie came on. I thought it was this older woman not someone that could be Maddie’s sister. I will go back and look again. I thought Maddie was from Pennsylvania (Pottsville)?
If you realize you’re parents are being held hostage wouldn’t you leave and call the police? That weedwacker scene was dumb. I always thought Ezra’s parents had a deeper connection to the doctor.
What was the name of the woman at the center who talked about her sister in the group therapy? Seems like we will be seeing more of her. She seems awfully stuck on Maddie.
I agree. I think there’s more to know about Ezra’s parents.
Thanks for the recap, my dumbass missed Lindsey possibly being the sister, but now that whole conversation makes sense ?
Please bear in mind that my brain is mush. I could be completely wrong about the sister thing. It just seemed like a sister story arc.
Also, I don’t think Erza is so much the star but he was the first victim we met and the one that seemed to be the most in love with and devastated by Maddie.
I’ve been checking off and on all day for this. You nailed it! Thank you for taking your time with the recap, this show deserves it. I have so many questions and opinions. Just got home from dinner and a lot of wine so I can’t post tonight but I’ll be back tomorrow. Can’t wait to see what everyone has to say. Thanks so much for reviewing this show, your the only one doing it.
I LOVE this show. I need to rewatch this episode. I feel like if I walk away to get water I miss everything. Anyway it comes on SO late here I cant follow it live. Thanks for recapping.
Not ready to leave Mexico, either. Gorgeous and mysterious and sultry. I got nothing anout Maddie having a sister, but my memory’s shot. I live moment to moment. I knew Maddie wouldnt be able to leave. She’s terrofied and so ready to unburden herself.
What happened to Sally? Looks like the Dr tortured her. If I were her, I’d kill that snake Max.
And where’s Uma?? Her hubs is ine creepy and scary dude. SO many questions.
Sorry for typos. Two martinis and a tiny phone.
“Two martinis and a tiny phone,” LOL. Great name for a book or a blog! xo
I see best seller written all over it!
I keep meaning to watch the first season over, I guess I’m watching for entertainment because everything seems to be connected and I’m not connecting or remembering a lot of details you guys are picking up on.
I want to live in the artist compound.
I want to live on the artist compound too! What’s the party for? It’s THURSDAY!!! WHOO HOOO!
Oh please. This is the crowd where we don’t worry about typos.
I don’t have time tonight but I vaguely remember a sister from my season one recaps. See here http://tamaratattles.com/category/imposters/ you will need to scroll all the away back if you want to start over because poss are in reverse order.
I think it looks like the poured acid on Sally’s face. I think we might see it elsewhere in the future. I hope I am wrong.
Again, I am just a person watching like we all are. I’m used to being the smartest person in the room but for the past decade I am THE ONLY person in the room most of the time. So I have no one to set me straight.
This is a lot different from a reality show where I can same this bitch is in the right and go fuck yourself if you don’t agree with me. This is quality programming that where we are all trying to unravel the clues together. I’m no expert on this show and also the kind of girl who needs to turn to someone and ask things like “Is that the girl we saw on the elevator at the beginning of the movie?” So take my take on things with a grain of salt.
Sally reminds me of Dorinda
She does!
Whenever Shelley is onscreen I’m all in. I love him and his pink tinted glasses and absurd fashion, he’s the bomb! Hilarious scene in the hospital with the older man, as Shelley is so casually getting re-dressed in his blood splattered clothes and takes a flower for his lapel. Funny but sinister and I kept waiting for him to off the old man. His look back at the camera as he waited to take out the security guard was perfect. That’s why I really like this show, it’s fun and smart.
maybe “smart” is a stretch, but it is fun!
Thank you for recapping! I am obsessed with this show. I’m over the housewives . I’m curious how Jules sister is going to play into this . Will she help them?
Interesting take on Leslie being Maddie’s sister. Is it a coincidence that we were introduced to Jules sister too on this episode? I think not. I love the scenes in Mexico too.
Who messaged Ezra when Richard was playing the video game? Who is Joyce at the retreat and why is she so interested in Maddie? Do y’all trust Maddie’s therapist? I get a “danger, danger Will Robinson” vibe from her. Am I the only one?
I didn’t notice the songs in the episode, like they blended into the background.
Did anyone notice that Shelly is typically a girl’s name but is a man and Lenny is typically a man’s name and is a woman in this show? I doubt it means anything, but it struck me as don’t assume anything with this show.
I’m going to rewatch this episode again and pay more attention to see what I missed.
TT , thank you for taking the time to recap this show.
At first I thought for sure the therapist and the wind chime guy and basically all of them were part of some elaborate trap for Maddie. But how would they have that all set up when Maddie seemed to just wander into normaltown USA?
Now I want to believe that the therapist is the one true place of solace for Maddie. Then my real life trust issues come into play. Because as soon as you let your guard down with someone, more often than not trust is violated and you feel like an idiot who should have known better. Maddie is all alone in the world with a bunch of people trying to kill her. She clearly wants to tell someone what is really going on. But should she with the therapist? I want her to, but… I’m on the fence about it.
Exactly. With this show, you never know. But given her panic attack outside the gate, she may instinctively know that this is a safe place for her. So much backstory to tell on all of these folks, but how Maddie went from small town, wrong side of the tracks to master grifter is most intriguing to me.
Am curious to see how Ezra et al wind up back with Maddie. And if Patrick can take down the Doc without scooping up all our favs in the process.
I agree. But I guess I’m having trust issues with the therapist! I do think Maddie wants to get it all out. But when she asked the therapist what she’s obligated to report, didn’t she say something about hurting someone in the past? Now Maddie may not think she has, since she hasn’t killed anyone (that we know of), but swindling folks may fall under that category.
In the scenes from next week, isn’t it the therapist and a tall figure at her door? Who could that other person be?I
I’m going to out my thinking cap on and watch it again today.
It has crossed my mind that maybe she was injured more than we know by Shelly and this whole spa experience is her in a dream-like state exploring her subconscious.
At one point the therapist says something like ‘…you haven’t been here this whole time…’.
Oooooooh!! That would be wild! She’s in some coma while everything else is happening around her. Mind blown ?
But then I think Shelly would have finished the job. So maybe not.
WHY ISNT ANYONE WATCHING THIS SHOW!!!!! ITS SO GOOD
Radchick, good catch on the names “Shelly” and “Lenny.” I think the awesome writers put a twist on every detail of the show, giving us so much to dive into. I read an interview with show co-creator Paul Adelstein (Shelly), and he said Lenny was originally written for him, until his co-creator Adam Brooks suggested Uma for the role. They created Shelly as Lenny’s counterpart, even down to the fabulous wardrobe details. Sorry, I’m an uber-nerd and I love Paul Adelstein.
I read that too, but to me that just says the role was written for a man and they just kept the name when Uma agreed to come on.
Ezra’s story arc with Sophia shows to me that he is a super con always one step ahead. So I’m curious how he was ultimately out conned, was it just bc of love?
Love this show and your recap of it!
I’ve been wondering why he seemed like such a sitting duck with Maddie but now he is the best con artist around myself. Clearly, he had at the very least really good pickpocket skills to start with.
Can’t I just believe he was blinded by love?!
Then he was in denial, then he was angry, then as I recall, (I really need to watch the first season again if I stand a chance keeping up w/you guys!) Then didn’t he get mad, at parents, brother, fight as I recall?
Laid into himself for a bit until he got “right” enough to go look for Maddie. He could very well still be in denial even though he’s passed through more then a couple of stages of grief. Backsliding happens.
He got good at “the game” because he knows….question mark that that’s the only way to find her and maybe keep her?
Seems like Sophia will end up joining the three. I just hope she doesn’t replace one of them
When Patrick was sitting through his files and he picks up Ezra and Maddie’s pics.. there is another picture of a lady on the table that what clearly visible. Are we supposed to recognize her? Did anyone else notice?
BTW I’ve loved Mary Kay Place in everything. “The Big Chill?” Beaufort SC? So love that movie. So love Beaufort…it’s been too long….
Ithinkiknow, I’m going to go back and watch that scene again to see if I can figure out who the picture is of.
Something else popped into my head. Jules sister’s name/knick name is Poppy. Hmmm, interesting as in poppy flower? Opium, drugs, Mexico? Could the doc be a drug kingpin?
Whoever said it in the above comments, everything is a clue. Now I’m trying to figure out if the bird names or their sound is code for something
Thank you Radchick!
I don’t know why Poppy’s name would be anything other than her name. We don’t obsess over any of the TOV names. Or Maddie’s sister’s name. Poppy is a pretty common nickname for Penelope.
I’m late to the party but had to join the fun.
I’m loving Shelly! I hope we see an episode with Shelly and Lenny together. I saw a preview of Lenny and Jules together at a bar. Lenny was saying something like you’re the chasee and I’m the chaser. Maybe Shelly is going after Maddie and Lenny after the TOV. Who the hell knows.
Sally is a bad-ass. Max is trying to talk old times and she’s not having it. For some reason I think the scar is fake.
I’m kinda loving Jules’ bitch sister Poppy. Wonder what was “fixed”. I hope we find out what was in the envelope for Jules and I think it was devastating for her.
I wonder why Sally (I know Maddie thinks she’s dead) and Max weren’t at Maddie’s funeral. And why does Shelly shoot Ezra. I read an interview that someone dies this season. I really hope it isn’t one of the TOV. I have no idea what’s going on with the spa, Linda and therapist but something is fishy.
If I were 45 years younger I would selling my house, rounding up the dogs and packing to move to The Neighborhood.
I originally thought the FBI may have been tracking Ezra’s online gaming but now I think he was playing with one of his parents. Meshugenah means crazy person in Yiddish (I use to have the greatest little old lady neighbor) and Ezra’s family is Jewish. I think the Doctor would know they had a way to get in touch with him. Josh is an idiot. I thought at first he got his nose cut off by the weed-whacker.
Rosa gets pissed because Ezra told her his name was Eddie then we find out her name is Sophia. I wouldn’t trust her with 10 cents much less 10K.
I may be an idiot but for some reason I believe Maddie really loved Ezra.
I love reading the recaps and comments for this show. I always have to watch again because you guys bring up such interesting questions.
Kipper, The Big Chill – one of my all time favorite movies and best sound track ever.
Omg such good points!! You’re so schmart
So many questions and now I need to know Why does Shelly shoot Ezra????
I guess since we were in her subconscious and if Maddie really loves Ezra, she sees Shelly/ the doctor as ‘killing’ her chances at love.
This show is probably on wrong network. My husband loves it too and he never would’ve found it on bravo. In fact he stays far far away from bravo
OK. I’ve rewatched the scene with Patrick looking at the photos. Many, many times, frame by frame. The photos I saw were of Maddie in her wedding dress to Ezra (?), a scene from the coffee shop she met Patrick in, Ezra driving a car and the one of Ezra’s Mom. Now I’m even more confused about Ezra’s Mom’s background and why the FBI would have a picture of her. I’m also curious as to why there’s no pictures of Richard and Jules.
Something else that stuck out to me was when Patrick was asking for time off he said he needed to reconnect with his “wife” and kids. Wouldn’t the FBI know he was divorced?
Omg that’s so interesting about Ezra’s mom! I knew the pic looked familiar but couldn’t place her. Thank you!
This show is so addictive. It seems like everything is a clue. I even researched the meaning of Salazaar because the camera lingered on the turquoise Cafe Salazaar sign. Got nothing from my research other than it’s a very old name.
It’s killing me that I can’t even come up with a theory about Ezra’s Mom and her connection to the doctor. Ex wife? Sister? Cohort in crime?
In the previews for tomorrow’s show, there’s Maddie’s therapist and 2 men knocking on what appears to be Maddie’s room. It also shows 2 FBI badges. How would the FBI know where she’s at?
ithinkiknow I’m interested in your thoughts and theories! Maybe we can put out heads together and figure it out. You, too, TT! I’m looking forward, as always, to your recap of this show.
One more thing, is it normal for me to panic with the low ratings, there won’t be a Season 3? Just curious.
I don’t think we have a chance at a season 3. I just hope they don’t burn off all the episodes of season 2. 🙁
This show needs to be on FX or FXX.
I was afraid you were going to say that. I hope they don’t leave us hanging either. You’re right about it being on FX or FXX.
Any thoughts on why the ratings dropped this year? What else is worth watching in Thursday’s? It was such a hit last year.
I’m in ‘til the end ??
I feel certain that Ezra’s mother will have a big role to play; why else have a recognizable actor in the part? Other “small” characters have been relative unknowns.
Does anyone know if “The Neighborhood,” artist cooperative is real?
I doubt it, but if it is, I’ll move there with you! 🙂