What I’m Watching: Boss

Boss: Season 2, Episode 5 “Mania” (A-)

This episode was increasingly hard-hitting, starting out with an astounding amount of sex, even for this show, and then featuring some devastating dramatic moments. Tom’s repeated utterance of “My friends are my enemies” couldn’t be truer, and as he continues to deny it, his hallucinations are just getting much worse. Ezra is becoming a problematic element, and Tom calling the D.A. a pig was truly an awful situation, even for him. It’s good to see at least two people fight back, as Mona didn’t try to suck up to him and thank him for being horrible like everyone else and Jeff reminded him that he’s not an employee and needs to be treated with respect. Ian, on the other hand, offered up his sexual services without blinking an eye, and Tom didn’t even acknowledge his gesture, which is sure to continue festering his anger and resentment towards the mayor. Tom’s fury about the pothole caused his second public meltdown of the episode, and it’s no surprise that he took off driving, unaware of how to rectify the situation in the present. It’s only logical that Maggie would enable her husband’s sex addiction at the office to prevent him from fulfilling it with other women, but her loyalty wasn’t as strong after the news of his affair with Alderman Ross’ wife broke. That doesn’t bode well at all for Ben’s campaign, but Kitty is the one whose actions are far more questionable. After she was rebuked by Sam when she tried to trade sexual favors for information, she acted like she was still working in the mayor’s office and timed the news to break right in the middle of the campaign, a dirty trick that her candidate surely wouldn’t support. At this moment, even Ben and Ian are starting to look sympathetic, which doesn’t say much for the character of people on this show.