Sunday, August 16, 2015

What I’m Watching: Rectify (Season Finale)


Rectify: Season 3, Episode 6 “The Source” (B+)

This extended episode did some justice for a season that was far too short, and all of the content of this installment was informative and engaging. This episode achieved a particularly impressive balance between the appreciation of the beauty of nature and the world as Daniel sees it and actual things going on for him and for the rest of the world. Daniel’s goodbye with Jon seemed more emotional than his goodbye with his own sister, but that was much more due to Jon’s apparent investment in Daniel as a client and friend. Jon’s visit to Senator Foulkes was unexpectedly vicious, and the line that it didn’t much matter if he was dead or alive going forward was the perfect response to Foulkes’ slowly-uttered retort. Chris’ opening confession was intense and in-depth, and Trey’s reaction to his later arrest was far less forthcoming but seemed to indicate that there is more going on than it seems, even if Daniel is not the prime suspect as he has been for so long. Daniel connecting with a young kid on the beach was a nice moment, just about the only one that wasn’t unnaturally interrupted or less satisfying than usual during his trip, with his fish choice and the music timing ranking as lamentable developments. Daniel and Tawney meeting in a dream where she came to visit him in prison was an interesting scene because it seemed to show both of their true feelings, and, surprisingly enough, it was Tawney imagining it and not Daniel. The best interaction of the entire episode was Teddy and Amantha sitting down to eat Chinese food and play gin rummy, a truly worthwhile scene at the end of a solid season-ending episode. I’m not sure where season four will take us, but after these past two episodes, I’m invested.

Season grade: B+
Season MVP: Abigail Spencer as Amantha

No comments: