Mikes Film Talk

Things have gotten deadly in “The Family” this week. “Sweet Jane” sees the net start to close in on pock-mark man and we finally get a better idea of who Ben really is.  The boy is apparently a former  “foster kid” and desperate to stay with the Warrens. Sadly, Agent Clements (Matthew Lawler) follows up the lead on pock-mark man with fatal consequences from an unexpected quarter. 

More is revealed about the Warrens and Hank Asher. Pock-mark man’s name, we learn, is Doug.  Doug, is married to Sweet Jane and the wheel turns full circle to reveal that Doug; the cabinet maker,  was in the Warren’s neighborhood “almost” 10 years previously, working on Hank’s mother’s kitchen cabinets.

We also learn what Ben’s key is for.

Hank provides the  narrative this week, talking about masks and how everyone has one and  this episode proves him to be correct. All the characters in “Sweet Jane” are wearing masks and they are, as Asher says, embedded. Hank also points out that if the mask slips, even for a second, you risk being seen.

Which is what happens to Ben on one of  his many trips to his former foster home≥  Meyer spots him using his left hand. The mask has fallen down for that second and he has been seen.

This  has already happened to Claire, with her drunken meltdown last week.  All the players in this episode let their masks slip, Sweet Jane, Doug’s very pregnant wife, for example lets her’s slip when she kills the unsuspecting Agent Clements.

Willa proves to really be all about manipulation after the Governor’s wife shows her pictures of Claire’s misery filled night. The campaign manager releases old texts between Detective Meyer and her father to head off the potential scandal.

Claire is horrified and furious.

As well as  being on top of keeping her family together, Willa lets her mask slip to reveal that she is also resentful of her sacrifice which brings up  the other theme of this episode; consequences.

Everything about “The Family”  this week is generated by consequences of actions, events and re-actions.  Claire’s alcoholic meltdown last week generated a blackmail attempt by the seated governor.  Ben’s trips in the middle of the night lead to Meyer realizing that this kid cannot be Adam.

Nina talks to John Warren about Adam and he mentions the weak pitching arm, she makes the connection between seeing the boy using his left arm to John’s statement about how weak he throws.  She heads to the file and finds a picture of Adam pitching with his right arm.

Meyer, is stopped mid-action by the consequences of Willa’s heading off the governor’s chess move by releasing  the decade old sexts between Nina and John.  Agent Clements is killed by Jane (Zoe Perry) with a cast iron skillet because she already knows of “Pocky’s” (Doug’s) recent misbehavior as Meyer questioned her already.

It could also be said that Clements death is the consequence of Meyer splitting the investigation even after being told to focus on the dog.

Asher (Andrew McCarthy) comes to tell Claire (Joan Allen) about Ben’s nightly jaunts and she reacts angrily. Hank reacts by telling her that she is not watching her son, just as she did not 10 years previously.  

Hank: “Your head’s so buried in the sand, you need the friendly neighborhood pedophile to come over here and tell you that you should be a better mother and keep and eye on your son.”

Rather interestingly, Asher also tells Claire she does know who her son really is.

The last consequences has to do with Doug the pock-mark man, Asher’s mother, those kitchen cabinets and Hank’s being visited by Adam every day 10 years ago.

The writers of “The Family” are taking all these interconnecting threads and tying them neatly together.  As intricate as a spider’s web these plot lines are being woven tightly and cleverly.  Plots and subplots are all making perfect sense as the story moves on.

For example, Claire bonds with Ben after he offers to tell her all about Adam. The process ends with Ben telling her that one day Adam just got sick (and died).  Claire goes and thanks Asher.  Later she puts a spy cam in Ben’s room so she can…What? Spy on him or watch over him. The former seems more likely than the latter. Claire has her mask back on.

Clements being hit with a skillet was surprising but not as much as Jane already knowing her husband’s pedophilia predilection.  On a sidenote, the “Lady Macbeth” touch of repeated scrubbing at the blood on the murder weapon was brilliant.

So too was Doug’s reaction when he realized that Jane knew what he had done. One single tear forms in his left eye. Doug (Michael Esper) is upset that he has been caught with his mask down.  It is not a tear for the dead boy or his wife’s knowledge, it is because he has been caught out.

This was a splendid episode of “The Family”  with its main theme of masks and the underlying one of consequences.  It appears that even though the police are getting close to catching Doug, and proving that Ben is not Adam, Willa’s checkmate move against the governor, along with Clements’ death, has put that in jeopardy.

On a personal note, it was terrible to have one of the most likable characters in the show get taken out by a frying pan. RIP Agent Gabe Clements.

“The Family” airs Sundays on ABC. Tune in and see if that meaningful glance and dialogue between Hank and Doug means that they worked together a decade ago.