This third episode opens with a dream sequence in which Velcoro, having been seriously wounded, imagines a conversation with his father who is outfitted in his police uniform. The scene recalls the dad Velcoro knew as a child. There are far too many characters and subplots introduced in this episode, and the only unifying strand is the negative imprint of fathers on their children.
The program offers variations on the "sins of the father being passed to the son" theme. But what specifically have the fathers done that damaged their children? There is nothing to suggest that Antigone's new age father was abusive. Velcoro's dad seems like he was a decent father and an honest cop. Frank Semyon's grandfather was a drunk who recklessly endangered the grandson by locking him in the basement. But all of these loose plot strands do not add up to any significant statement about family dysfunction. The dialogue is also uneven with a number of the characters using incorrect grammar and the word "ain't." Yet in the same breath, they are able draw upon a rich collegiate vocabulary for words like "apopletic."
By the end of the program, the narrative has not advanced very far towards solving the murder of Ben Caspere. The most interesting relationship thus far is that of Antigone Bezzerides and Ray Velcoro. Ani has been instructed by the state authorities to use Velcoro as bait, entrapping him into revealing the sordid details about corruption in Vinci. But recognizing some decent values in Velcoro, Ani is reluctant to betray a fellow officer. She is a true detective!
The program offers variations on the "sins of the father being passed to the son" theme. But what specifically have the fathers done that damaged their children? There is nothing to suggest that Antigone's new age father was abusive. Velcoro's dad seems like he was a decent father and an honest cop. Frank Semyon's grandfather was a drunk who recklessly endangered the grandson by locking him in the basement. But all of these loose plot strands do not add up to any significant statement about family dysfunction. The dialogue is also uneven with a number of the characters using incorrect grammar and the word "ain't." Yet in the same breath, they are able draw upon a rich collegiate vocabulary for words like "apopletic."
By the end of the program, the narrative has not advanced very far towards solving the murder of Ben Caspere. The most interesting relationship thus far is that of Antigone Bezzerides and Ray Velcoro. Ani has been instructed by the state authorities to use Velcoro as bait, entrapping him into revealing the sordid details about corruption in Vinci. But recognizing some decent values in Velcoro, Ani is reluctant to betray a fellow officer. She is a true detective!