What I’m Watching: Banshee (Season Finale)

Banshee: Season 2, Episode 10 “Bullets and Tears” (B+)

The mark of any good finale that ties up a major storyline is a flashback to a point well in the past where things were far more idyllic. Seeing Rabbit, Olek, Carrie, and Lucas toast together and discuss the impending diamond job with smiles on their faces was strange, and getting to watch Carrie meet Job for the first time was entertaining. Learning that Rabbit called the police on them was enlightening, as was the fact that Racine, who we got to see again, knew about it and used it to try to break Rabbit. The siege on the church looked like it was going to end badly when the Priest’s henchmen all pulled machine guns, and Lucas was ready to sacrifice himself once again so that Carrie could get away, but fortunately Job and Fat Au were on hand to come to the rescue. The music in that extended sequence was great, and the final scene with Rabbit, full of quotes like “Eternity can wait a bit longer” didn’t disappoint. Carrie leaving to let Lucas be there to finish the job was important, and hopefully this chapter can be fully behind them. It does appear that Deva overheard all three of her parents arguing in the yard, and that’s a whole new hurdle for Lucas to overcome in season three. Rebecca brutally murdering Alex was unexpected, and though I didn’t quite understand why Alex became such a tough guy over the last two episodes, it’s good to see him taken out of the equation. Unfortunately, Kai has just been released from jail and he won’t have much time to rest before Chayton, who snapped someone’s neck for fun in New Orleans, returns to Banshee to wreak havoc on anything in his path. Rebecca and Kai getting closer is no surprise, and it’s all dangerous, disturbing territory there. I’m not sure how I feel about Emmett and his wife getting gunned down on their way to serenity in Florida, since all it does is suggest that this world really is a dark, evil place where even the most innocent can’t escape a horrific fate. This season as a whole was nonetheless extremely strong, and season three can’t come soon enough.

Season grade: A-
Season MVP: Ulrich Thomsen as Kai