This episode is a bit of transition to how the girls get involved into the deeper aspect of Rio's game thanks to Beth. We also have a couple of liars with the best and worst of intentions.... Let's dive in!!!
The business of being in business with Rio
So as the episode opens Beth's son Kenny is begging for one of those over-the-top parties that will make him the most talked about kid in his class. The only problem is the father that Kenny thinks is perfect has depleted the family finances and Beth is having to be the bad guy and tell young Kenny that the party of the year cannot happen at the Boland residence. While she's gently explaining to her son that he may need to lower his expectations, her daughter bounces down the stairs to ask who has taken up residence in her bed. Once Beth investigates, she finds a man bleeding all over the place that her baby girl rests her head.
Meanwhile Ruby is serving the most bratty and spoiled teenagers at her diner. This scene was a bit hard to watch because we watched as these boys disrespected Ruby and took pleasure in it. They lack the insight and understanding to a working mother and human being who must swallow her pride every time she serves them and fish the small tip they gave her from the bottom of number one spoiled kid's unfinished milkshake every time they came in and graced her station. This time, Ruby has had enough and takes the privileged bros to school and lead bro burns his hand on what I can only assume is on purpose because Ruby didn't warn him that the plate would be hot because apparently common sense needs to be explained these days. This will set off something that has consequences for Ruby later on and only throws her deeper into lying to Stan and getting in deeper with what Rio has to offer.
Annie is trying her best to mother Sadie and get her off to school on time but her daughter is having an issue with the clothes she will wear to school. Annie is perplexed because she just bought Sadie some pants that she now refuses to wear and the reason just breaks my heart into a million pieces.... It turns out some boys at school have been pulling Sadie's pants down to see 'what she is'. I mean, I too wanted to kick these kids in the arse for doing this to Sadie but that is the reality we live in, some children are taught to bully what they find different and Sadie is suffering because of it. I am not sure if Greg's suggestion of private school will alleviate this, but Sadie has the right to attend school and not be harassed for being the amazing human she is, and this is where Annie shines as a mom, she makes light of the situation and makes her girl smile which is what she needs. Annie suggests they get some belts and get to school but that is not the only solution she comes up with to solve the problem her daughter has been facing.
While Annie and Ruby deal with their daily issues, they also have to be clued into what Beth has been up to and let's just say, things are not easier on the Boland side of the street. Beth shows them Rio's latest 'project' bleeding out on the sheets of Beth's daughter's bed. Annie and Ruby are confused about all of this transpired when Beth comes clean and confesses she offered to do more for Rio. Annie is quick to understand and even takes a light hearted approach while Ruby chastised Beth and reminded her that she can't sign these two up for crime like she does a bake sale. The differences need to be put aside because this guy needs to exit pleasantville as quickly as possible and when he wakes, he holds a gun to Beth and steals the Boland family mini-van (car seats and accessories included), and now the ladies wonder what exactly is next.
Rio shows up and tells them they can't choose their job and he knew no one would look for his boy there. He offers them substantial cash for the job and this perks up all of them. I know when this show premiered that people worried about how they'd sustain the premise and I think we are getting our answer. It is not the initial robbery, it is the domino effect from it and how far these three will go to keep their heads above water and also keep the cash flowing.
Party Time!!!
The ladies visit a Cloud 9 superstore and if you're a fan of NBC's SuperStore you recognized those store vests right away....nice connection NBC! They shop for Kenny's party and when the cashier tells them they can return things within thirty days with a receipt, it is time to turn the party merch up a notch and get Kenny the best of every thing. This also lays the seeds for how they will continue with Rio later on.
Greg and Annie meet at Sadie's school after she punches the guy who has been pulling down her pants, and Greg is angry at first, but for a moment we see what brought these two together all those years ago. Annie asks him to let her handle it and he reluctantly agrees.
Now you didn't think I'd forget Boomer did you? For better or worse this guy is a thorn in our girls' side and he isn't going away, especially after losing the last two rounds to Annie. He is seen in this episode visiting an FBI agent named Agent Turner and is ready to spill the beans on the trio's crime spree. At first, Agent Turner dismisses him as a guy who is obsessed with a woman who just isn't in to him, but as we see later on, Boomer provides him with a connection that wides up with him at the doorstep of Beth at the end of episode. Boomer also decides it is a good idea to hand deliver Kenny's cake and extend an olive branch to Annie. Sorry but almost raping someone negates someone from throwing out the old 'let bygones be bygones' trope. Boomer is their disgusting advisory and he gets some ammo in the form of seeing Rio that helps his case later on.
Ruby is still dealing with the fallout from diner boy and his burned finger and Stan wants her to suck it up and apologize because the stakes for their family having this income is more important than proving this little brat wrong. Alas Ruby cannot stand by and just take the garbage he and his mom are slinging and tells them off. She tells him and his mom that 'if kids like you are our future, than god help us!' and she tells her manager that she'll clear her locker out. Now I applaud her for sticking up for herself but she lies to Stan and pretends she's still off to work and had taken his advice to suck it up. This will not end well for their marriage, mark my words.
Now it is time for the party with Dean playing remorseful husband and Beth trying to keep it all together in the midst of some unwanted guests. Rio shows up and wants to know about his boy and the aforementioned Boomer recognizes him, to boot Dean wants to know who the the tattooed guy his wife is conversing with is.
A New Deal
In the next scene Annie recruits previously wounded guy to show up at Sadie's school and confront the bullies that had been pulling her pants down and I have to admit, I loved this scene no matter how wrong it is. Wounded guy tells the boys that pulling down someone's pants isn't cool and if they do it again, he'll break every bone in their bodies.... To prove his point, he breaks the lead bully's finger after he scoffs at his threats. Now I loved these boys being scared after what they put Sadie through but dang! I don't think Annie knew how far this stunt would go. She proudly shares it with Greg who wants to know where she got this kind of back up and their 'moment' is quickly shattered and an argument ensues. I am not sure but I feel like Greg still has something for Annie but he stops himself because he wants to be more grown up and evolved, we will see.
Finally, the girls meet with Rio and have a proposition for him. They will help launder his cash through the guise of returning goods to the super center and he plays it cool but eventually agrees to give them 20% of the profits (but he would have given them more). I am not sure how this rouse will work, there is only so many times you can return things before a store will get suspicious but I am sure we will evolve again and things will get in deeper than before.
In the closing scene we see Beth welcoming Dean back in light of his cancer but once again Dean proves what a pig he is when we see his internet search history includes How to fake cancer, ugh Dean you really will do anything, won't you? Boomer presents Agent Turner with a picture of Rio leaving Beth's and we see that he has been building a case that involves Rio and turns up at Beth's doorsteps in the final moments.
So what did you think? Do you hate Dean even more? Or do you understand his plight? Also, do you like the added layer of a fed now being in the mix? Let me know!
