This week on “Claws,” while the Dixie Mafia puts the fun back in “Funerary,” Desna scrambles to make sure she’s not the next one six feet under.
We rejoin Desna and Virginia right where we left them, watching Roller’s bloody body bopping around in the pool. Despite Virginia’s assertion that they’re “a team now,” they can’t help bickering as they figure out what to do. They decide to dispose of the body by dumping it in a nearby boat, setting it ablaze, and sending it out to sea. Desna then shoots up the house to throw suspicion off what really happened, and later hurls the murder weapon into the swamp. Two things of note from the cover-up so far. First, the women discover a second body on the boat, with Virginia quipping that Roller “won’t be lonely.” So it's possible that the story of how this additional corpse came to be there will be important. Or – given Jack Kesy is a series regular – it might turn out that this body has been misidentified as Roller’s by the cops and he’s somehow still alive. Also, one of Desna’s ornate nails breaks off at some point so you know that stub is going to pop up where she least wants it to.
The next day, Virginia has disappeared so Desna spends most of the episode texting her, calling her (I couldn’t help thinking it was a bad idea for Desna to create these suspicious phone records), stopping by her dumpy apartment to quiz her roommate. She eventually figures out that Virginia has fled to a fleabag seaside motel. When confronted, Virginia has a point when she says that she didn’t know if she could trust Desna, that Desna has every reason to sell her out to Uncle Daddy. Desna asserts that they’re in this together, but that she’s in charge and that Virginia will do what she says from now on. This relationship seems like it’s going to be an important one as the show continues. We already had Desna note in the pilot that Virginia reminds her of herself, and I think Virginia is looking for a mentor and mother figure, especially when she asks Desna to stay with her until she falls asleep.
Desna orders Virginia to show up at Roller’s funeral and...oh boy, Roller’s funeral. It’s quite the affair, with a processional featuring strippers on poles, a reading from Arnold Schwarzenegger’s autobiography at the service, and joints being passed around at the after-party. It’s, to be fair, in character given what we know about Roller, but it also comes off a little try-hard-y on the show’s part. Desna is unnerved that people seem to be viewing her as “the widow.” But things get even crazier when, as the episode ends, Virginia bursts in, all beaten up, trying to sell a story that she was kidnapped by the people who killed Roller.
In subplot news, Desna uses money she stole from Roller’s house to put a down payment on the fancy salon, but is warned by her realtor Mandy (Christina Moore, “90210”) that the franchise will be sending a spy to check out her operation. Of course, Desna is distracted with everything else that’s going on, and other disruptions - including Quiet Ann’s hookup from New Year’s Eve stalking her and Dr. Ken (Jason Antoon, “Kings”) freaking out about needing money laundering services – lead to the girls messing up in front of the spy. Mandy later calls to tell Desna the deal is off, but I can’t imagine that’s the last we’ve heard of this.
Also, Uncle Daddy approaches Bryce about taking over the medical clinic operation, but Jenn firmly shuts that down by threatening Bryce with a sex drought. I think the idea is that she’s worried about his sobriety being compromised (and the show did a nice, subtle job laying that groundwork), but given her own involvement in the money laundering, it’s an interesting place for Jenn to draw the line.
The things that worked for me in the pilot still work for me here. The scenes with the women interacting are my favorites. The other three comforting Desna when she gets the “news” about Roller is a good one, as is a discussion between Polly and Quiet Ann about complicating sex with feelings. There’s also a fun recurring bit that seems to be emerging with the salon’s clients telling ridiculous stories. On the flip side, Uncle Daddy continues to be a problem for me. I tend to like the character and the performance from Dean Norris more when he’s being quietly menacing (as he is in a scene where he summons Desna to the salon to bandage his battered hands and questions her about Virginia) versus over the top (i.e. him and his wife full-on slapping each other, or him collapsing in performative, wailing sobs at the funeral).
What did you think of this week’s “Claws?” Don your “Funerary” finest and join the discussion in the comments section.
