Podcast Review of American Rust 2

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 382, in which I review the second season of American Rust.

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American Rust season 2: Zooming In on that Ending

My wife and I really enjoyed the first season of American Rust on Showtime nearly three years ago, and we enjoyed the second season on Amazon that we binged in the past few days even more.

Everything ranging from the dialogue to the plot to even the ending was in high gear in this second season.

[And here now is an advisory about Spoilers in what follows.]

Plotwise, it took a really long time before you could tell who the killer was.  And once we found out and he was disposed of, our heroes were challenged by another killer, which led to the high-octane, ambiguous ending.

By high octane, I mean Grace and Del and Billy and family sitting around a dinner table for several harrowing minutes as Fisher gets them in his sniper sights, perched outside.  When Billy, now with the benefit of some Army training a marksman, spots a red dot, he goes outside to take care of the sniper.  And there second season ends, as we hear a shot ring out.  I looked over that final scene several times, and it looks to me that though Fisher is aware that Billy or someone has exited the house, he hasn't had time to refocus his aim on Billy.  So if there is a third season -- and I surely hope there is one -- I predict we'll find out that Billy shot and killed Fisher before he got off a shot.  (My wife takes a more ambiguous view.) On the other hand, it's certainly also possible that Fisher got off that shot, not at Billy, but at someone inside the house at that dinner table.)

I will say that one problem I had with that great ending is why didn't Fisher shoot at Del or Grace right after he had them in his sights?  Of course, I'm no sniper, so maybe that's what snipers do, play around with getting their targets just right.

Meanwhile, another acutely cliff-hanging note near the ending comes when Steve's assistant cop Hannah comes to in the hospital.  She was pretty much awake when Del gave Steve his confession.  And though Steve was killed by Grace -- another great scene -- and the recording of Del's confession destroyed, Hannah could trigger an investigation of Del and the three murders he confessed to if she remembers what Del said at that moment and anyone in authority believes her.  But, optimist that I am, I think even remembering what Del said is fairly unlikely given the bad shape that Hannah was in -- having been shot by Russell and barely hanging on that moment. Also, I assume that even if she remembers what Del said, anyone defending him at a trial could impugn Hannah's testimony, by letting the judge and jury know what condition she was in when she heard or thought she heard Del talking.

Now, I said that the dialogue was in high gear.  My favorite line: when Vic walks into the bar with his broken finger in a bandage, and the bartender asks him that perfect, sarcastic question.  Not only a great line, but she delivered it with just the right tone of voice.

I read somewhere that Amazon cares less about what reviewers are saying than how many people are viewing a series.  Here's hoping that they're legion, and we see a Season 3 before too long.

See also American Rust 1.1-2: Pennsylvania Noir ... American Rust 1.3: Highs and Lows of Life at the Same Time ... American Rust 1.4-5: Tightening Noose and Fraying Relationships ... American 1.6: The Debts ... American Rust 1.7: The Dead Can't Buy Drugs ... American Rust 1.8: Finally, Some Hope ... American Rust 1.9: Needed, Another Season, or at Least Episode

American Rust Season 1 Finale: Needed, Another Season or at Least Episode

The ninth episode of American Rust was just on Showtime.  The first strange and compelling thing about this episode is that it's the season finale (which, since the series hasn't been renewed as yet, could be the series finale).  Why not the usual eight or ten number of episodes?

Though, actually, ten would've made immensely greatder sense than eight, given what we saw in this ninth episode.

[Spoilers follow ...]

Let's see ... Dell winds up killing drug-dealing Bobby Jesus and the drug-supplying pharmacist, and while he was at it, the old lady who shot him in the arm with a shotgun.  With Bobby dead, there's no case against Billy.  Unfortunately, his life still hangs in the balance, since those Nazis in prison beat him to a coma.

Meanwhile, Isaac doesn't know that the star witness against Billy is gone, so he's taken a Greyhound back home to turn himself and the wrench in.  In the final scene, Dell tells him to put it back in his pocket, and never tell anyone about it--

And that's where this episode ends.  Left unexplored: Steve looks like he's on the way to realizing what Dell did -- more than enough for another episode.  And Dell has learned courtesy of Grace's husband that she set fire to her own house.  That also would have worth exploring in another episode.  And two Pittsburgh detectives are questioning Dell about what recently happened there.  Also worth further elaboration.

But it looks like we'll have to settle for another season, which still hasn't been announced.  Count me in as someone who most definitely would be watching and reviewing it.

See also American Rust 1.1-2: Pennsylvania Noir ... American Rust 1.3: Highs and Lows of Life at the Same Time ... American Rust 1.4-5: Tightening Noose and Fraying Relationships ... American 1.6: The Debts ... American Rust 1.7: The Dead Can't Buy Drugs ... American Rust 1.8: Finally, Some Hope

American Rust 1.8: Finally, Some Hope

It was especially good to see the superbly acted, dire American Rust 1.8 tonight because, finally, a ray of hope.

Let's get right to that: Isaac is on his way back to tell truth about what happened to the corrupt former cop: Isaac killed him to save Billy from the cop, who was about to kill Billy.   Bobby "Jesus" had Billy in his grip, after Billy had decked the former cop.  If Isaac can get that truth to the authorities, Billy could get out of prison.

Pretty big "if," of course.  The season finale will have to deal with all kinds of things if the season is to have anything resembling a happy ending:

• Isaac has to get from Nebraska, somewhere close to Wyoming, to western Pennsylvania.  That's a long trip indeed. (Although I suppose the money Isaac took from his benefactor could buy a plane ticket.)
• We left Dell tonight on the verge of going after Bobby to kill him.  Grace certainly won't forget that mission.  So Isaac has to be back in town and talking to the right people before Dell does his worst to Bobby -- who certainly deserves it, but Dell's soul is unlikely to survive such an action, even with Grace's love.
• Billy needs to survive in prison -- a place where who knows which guard is in league with the Nazis.
• And just for good measure: will Dell or Steve realize that Grace set the fire to home?  Why else would she take the pictures with her?  Dell might well forgive and forget that.  But would Steve?

Lots to be resolved next week, and I'll be back here with my take on this finale to one memorable season of a series.

See also American Rust 1.1-2: Pennsylvania Noir ... American Rust 1.3: Highs and Lows of Life at the Same Time ... American Rust 1.4-5: Tightening Noose and Fraying Relationships ... American 1.6: The Debts ... American Rust 1.7: The Dead Can't Buy Drugs

American Rust 1.7: The Dead Can't Buy Drugs

A disturbing American Rust 1.7 -- which means, good, as far as narrative goes -- with two somewhat bright spots.

Let's start with the disturbing.  Grace tells Del, emotionally wounded and under soul-crushing pressure, that the two of them are a team, and they'll look out for each other.  She tells him this twice, in two different scenes.  The first time I thought, yes, this is a redeeming scene. It's good to see Grace and Del together.  The second time, I don't know, something about the way Grace said it made me think maybe she's just using Del, for whatever help he can give to Billy.  I hope I'm wrong, but if this is true, Del's in for more heartbreak before this story ends,

Billy certainly needs help.  I'm assuming he won't be brought up on charges of assault for being thrust into that fight by the inmates, betting on Billy as the victor.  But now he's failed again to keep out of a fight, to control his punches.   And this time it wasn't the slightest his fault.

So what are the bright spots?  It was good to see that security guard show some decency to Isaac.  Of all the beleaguered people in this story of America, Isaac is the most pathetic.  But his sister, Lee, finally moves up to doing something helpful.  It was good to see her pressure Rachel to let Lee help Rachel in Billy's defense.  The beating scene is just more dire evidence that he needs help.  Lee is right that Billy will do almost anything Lee wants.  Would that include making Isaac a target of the law?  Probably not.  But maybe, before then, Del will be able to get his hands on Jesus the drug dealer.  (Again, I don't get why they're selling drugs that kill their best customers?  To get them addicted, I get.  But dead people can't buy drugs.)

Only two more episodes of this powerful series.  I'll be watching both of them, and I'll back here with a review next week, and another the week after.

See also American Rust 1.1-2: Pennsylvania Noir ... American Rust 1.3: Highs and Lows of Life at the Same Time ... American Rust 1.4-5: Tightening Noose and Fraying Relationships ... American 1.6: The Debts

American Rust 1.6: The Debts

I don't usually title my reviews with the given title of the episode of whatever I'm reviewing, or even with a title that resembles the official title of the episode, but the story in tonight's American Rust episode, 1.6, was so deeply about debt, in at least two ways, that I had no choice.

First, Del's former partner from Pittsburgh, Chuck, calls upon Del to pay his debt -- in this case, murder some guy who committed a heinous crime years ago, and got away.  The backstory: there's a "brotherhood" of Pittsburgh police who kill bad guys who've evaded the law, the killer cop apparently not being the cop who was investigating the crime, so the original investigating cop can have an alibi?  (I'm not completely sure of that.)  Anyway, unsurprisingly, Del can't pull the trigger.  (But then Chuck goes in and does the deed himself, and then turns the gun on himself, and I'm not quite sure why Chuck killed himself, either.   Because Chuck knew he could no longer rely on Del to back him up?  My wife thinks it was to give Del a haunting memory as pay-back for Del not killing the bad guy.  Maybe both explanations played a role in Chuck's ultimate motivation.)

Meanwhile, Billy almost pleads guilty out of loyalty to Isaac.  There's some kind of debt in there, too. But, like Del, Billy can't bring himself to do that.  He pleads not guilty at the last minute.  He's off to a hardcore prison with bail denied, but he still has a chance of a good life.

Not many if any of the characters in American Rust seem to have much of a chance at that.  Lee's husband Alejandro realizes that Lee has been sleeping with Billy, after Grace all but tells Alejandro so.   No one's very nice in American Rust, either.  Grace gets her just deserts soon after, though: someone (likely someone who doesn't like her unionizing) burns and blows up her car.

I haven't even mentioned what happened to Isaac.  A grim but powerful episode indeed.

See also American Rust 1.1-2: Pennsylvania Noir ... American Rust 1.3: Highs and Lows of Life at the Same Time ... American Rust 1.4-5: Tightening Noose and Fraying Relationships

American Rust 1.4-5 Tightening Noose and Fraying Relationships

Catching up with my reviews of American Rust, which continues to be one of the best shows now on television, right up there with Mare of Eastham and Your Honor from last year.

Episodes 1.4 and 5 saw the noose tightening around Billy.  Despite Del's best efforts, he's hauling Billy off to custody at the end of 1.5.  At least Billy has a chance to shave and get his hair cut by his mother Grace, though I think he looked better beforehand.

Lee's best effort to help also reaches a dead-end, at very least we don't know what she told her would-be lawyer after she (the lawyer) informed Lee that she'd have to choose between her brother Isaac and Billy, because she (the lawyer) couldn't ably and ethically defend both.  And however that conversation ended, Lee's situation regarding Billy only got much more difficult with the unexpected arrival of her husband from New York.

It's still not completely clear (as indeed it shouldn't be) what happened inside that mill where the former cop  Novick was killed.  Billy punched him, Isaac hit him in the head with a pipe, but we still don't know if that was the cause of death.  I'm still betting on Bobby Jesus -- but, how did he do it?  Go back to the mill after Billy and Isaac left, and hit Novick in the head, in the same place, again?  I can't quite see that happening.  But I still think Jesus did the deed.

I also wanted to mention that I think Steve (played by Rob Yang) is a great deputy to Del, one of the most savvy and loyal I've seen in a deputy on television in a while.  Del has his demons, and though he fights to keep them in check, he's not always 100% successful.  Plus loves he loves Grace, and therefore understandably is quick to want to protect Billy.  He's lucky to have someone like Steve at his side.

Last, for now, I hope we and Isaac haven't seen the last of Jojo (Nicole Channel Williams).  She's good with and for Isaac, and though I get that Isaac realizing that Jojo was not really talking to Zoe shattered the illusion that Jojo was working so hard to project, I'm hopeful she'll see the wisdom in continuing her partnership or whatever it is with Isaac.

And I'll be back here continuing next week with a review of the next episode.

See also American Rust 1.1-2: Pennsylvania Noir ... American Rust 1.3: Highs and Lows of Life at the Same Time

American Rust 1.3: Highs and Lows of Life at the Same Time

A superb third episode American Rust on Showtime last night.  I like the way the show has a way of juxtaposing the best and the worst on the screen at the same time, exemplified in the concluding scenes last night of Billy in bed with Lee (she came over to his place, after saying the love they made last week never happened) and the guy who drove to West Virginia phoning in to the sheriff that he saw Billy punch out the former cop who wound up dead.

Except the caller didn't say that he actually saw Billy kill the ex-cop, and there's no guarantee at all that Lee will keep being with Billy, so it's not quite the worst or the best for Billy, and that ambiguity amidst the life and death is one of the best part of this series.

I also especially liked two of the many good conversations that animate the narrative.  Del's telling Grace why he left Pittsburgh provided a crucial insight into his life, helpful to Grace and us in understanding him.  And the young woman recounting her recollection of the man who fed his dog one night and "barbecued" it the next is not only a priceless little piece of Americana, but a good entree (pardon the expression) of what will be a significant relationship for Isaac, based on the coming attractions.

Meanwhile, the whodunnit of the murder still looms large.  Here's my current best guess: it's neither Billy nor Isaac, but the caller heading into West Virginia.   That would be his motive for calling the sheriff -- get the law to focus on someone other than him.  But, it's only the third episode, and we'll just have to see.  I have a feeling American Rust is going to take its own sweet time in making this ultimate revelation, and the trimmings in this narrative are so compelling, I'd say that's all for the better.

See you back here next week with my next review.

See also American Rust 1.1-2: Pennsylvania Noir

American Rust 1.1-2: Pennsylvania Noir

My wife and I just had a chance to see the first two episodes of American Rust on Showtime.  We'll definitely be watching the ensuing six episodes.

It occurred to me that American Rust is part of what may be called Pennsylvania Noir, joining Mare of Eastham (which received three impressive Emmys the other night) and Your Honor (which should have received some Emmys).  American Rust is the most down in the dirt, depicting a way of life under siege from poverty and the elements, with characters who know what's good even if they can't have it, and escape to New York City if they can.

The acting that portrays those characters is outstanding.  Jeff Daniels is Chief of Police Del Harris.  He's on some kind of PTSD-control drugs, in love with Grace Poe (played by Maura Tierney), who is married to a jackass husband Virgil (Mark Pellegrino), but Harris still manages to do his job with a moral code that transcends the law.   But I think my favorite character is Billy Poe (played by Alex Neustaedter), somehow involved in a murder which I'm guessing he didn't commit, and reminding me a lot of Riggins (Taylor Kitsch) on Friday Night Lights, which is a very good thing.

More on the murder: the whodunnit is the heart of narrative, and so far it has some compelling players. Harris will bend the rules to the point of breaking them to protect Billy, and it's not clear at this point what Harris really believes.  Billy's in love with the sister of the guy who may have committed the murder with Billy, or maybe did it just on his own, and I was glad to see the two of them totally together again, even for just a night, because I'm a hopeless romantic.  It was sweet to see Lee (Julia Mayorga) fall asleep in Billy's arms as they were dancing at a wedding.

So there's a lot of story to see in American Rust, and I'll be back here with weekly reviews.