Drink up, Rayburns.
This is the final season of Bloodline. Despite it being one of the best Netflix original series I've come across, the show was one of many that ended up being prematurely cancelled. For Bloodline, this mainly came as a result of location. It was simply too expensive and time consuming to keep filming down in that area. Given the number of catastrophic hurricanes that have ravaged that part of the world recently, this was probably a wise move.
While it was ultimately the show's bane, it can't be denied that the tropical Floridian setting was as integral to the fabric of this show as the vast deserts and mountainous hills of New Mexico were to Breaking Bad. It's an immensely gorgeous yet dangerously volatile environment, the weather changing from magnificent vistas of sunny sky and sparkling sea to heavy rain and dark storms. It's the perfect habitat for these characters, and this particular family.
Though, can it really be called a family anymore? 'Part 24' seems to display that the Rayburns have been irreparably sundered by the vicious cycle of violence and lies that they have all perpetuated. They are all scattered and making increasingly self-destructive decisions.
We begin right where we left off. John still tries to lose himself, venturing off into the night in search of oblivion. Kevin is running scared after he impulsively murdered Detective Marco Diaz, a man who was once like family to him. Meg confessed to her mother that John killed Danny and that she and Kevin helped him cover it up, only to later go on a drunken bender. Sally reacts as she usually does to stressful traumas: by going into major denial; although, now her denial is fused with a type of practiced survival mode.
This time it ends up gobsmacking both Meg and Kevin, the latter of whom later runs to mommy and confesses to murdering Marco. Meg is shocked at Sally's phlegmatic stance, and Kevin is caught off guard when she simply locks him out after feigning sympathy. Of course, she is obviously disappointed in her last two sons, but isn't willing to give up on them either. She makes an arrangement with Roy Gilbert in regards to Kevin, and presses John with her "for the family" card when she finally gets ahold of him.
That no longer works on John, who seems to have completely lost faith in his family. He's opened his eyes to the violent, toxic, self-destructive nature they all share. He doesn't believe he can protect them anymore, and probably doesn't believe he should. I can still kind of appreciate the singleminded logic of John's decision to just walk away from it all.
Near the beginning, John crashes his car after he accidentally runs over an alligator crossing the road. He takes a moment to study the sad, prehistoric creature as it gasps helplessly for air before shooting it with Ozzy's gun, putting it out of its misery. I'm thinking the alligator's fate may be foreshadowing the fate of John and the Rayburns. Right now, they are the dying animals, gasping for air, seemingly helpless and unable to avoid what's coming.
John and Meg, in their growing ambivalence, are aware of the inevitability of their situation. Meg tries to drown her sorrows away and recklessly drives home while completely wasted. John is just eager to escape before he is once again consumed by problems he can't possibly control.
Sally and Kevin, on the other hand, still believe they can salvage the situation. Kevin tries a number of things. After running and changing his clothes, he makes a half-assed attempt at covering up his crimes. He seeks help from John, Sally, and Roy, who all leave him hanging. He goes to Belle, only to reconsider laying any of this on her. He goes to turn himself in to the police, only to reconsider. In the end, Roy (at Sally's request) gives Kevin a second chance. He offers to clean this mess up for him so that he can have a life with Belle and their future son. It's clearly a deal with a devil. And he is clearly not strong enough to refuse.
And so the cycle of violence and deceit continues spinning, round and round. Only this time, it's bound to go completely off the rails. Taking everyone else with it.
Bits and Pieces:
* The choral music that bookended this episode felt like something you would hear at a funeral. I suppose that is fitting.
* "Bye Bye, Blackbird" by Peggy Lee plays twice in this episode. In case we didn't know this was the beginning of the end.
* The scene with John and the alligator was remarkably poignant, even if it did remind me of that one hilarious scene from Me, Myself and Irene. The beast's wounded, guttural moaning was just sad.
* While they're getting loaded, Meg and Chelsea talk about the past and their brothers. Meg remembers snorting cocaine for the first time with Eric in high school. What she didn't know was that Danny was pissed at Eric and broke off their friendship for a time when he found out about it. Meg -- who didn't have as great a connection to Danny as John or Kevin -- is surprised. This no doubt contributes to her guilt over what she did to him.
* Kevin walking into the police station to confess his cop-killing only to find everyone cheerfully greeting him with ice cream cake was some grade A black comedy.
* On the other hand, John calling Janie to tell her how much he loves her and Ben was a real tearjerker.
* I think Young Sally and John's lines were dubbed over by Sissy Spacek and Kyle Chandler. Either that or those actors were able to mimic their voices. If so, then that is very impressive.
* I was expecting Ozzy Delvecchio to be killed off relatively quickly. It was a surprise when he was able to turn the tables on Luis and choke him to death. So, he's still the wild card in this deck. More wild than ever, in fact.
Quotes:
Sally: We have to protect your father.
Meg: What?
Sally: He didn't mean to do it.
Deja vu, I suppose.
Officer Tammy Peters: That is some crazy shit.
You said it, Tammy.
John: I'm running. Running.
Lady Driver: I bet you are a real angry son of a gun, aren't you?
Meg: (tipsy) These fucking brothers not answering their fucking phones.
Sally: You have to help the family. There's nothing more important than that. Come home right now. Tell me where you are.
John: I can't.
Sally: Yes, you can. And you fucking will!
John: Mom--
Sally: How could you, John?
John: ... I can't come home.
Sally: John, how could you? How could you lie to me like that?
Indeed, how?
Young John: We lied.
Young Sally: I don't want you to think of it that way.
Young John: Should've just got on the boat.
Young Sally: You helped the family...
Young John: I should have just went with them.
Young Sally: ... Nothing's more important than that.
Young John: We lied.
Young Sally: You helped the family.
Young John: We lied.
Oh, that's how.
Roy Gilbert: (to Kevin) You fucked up but good, son.
Three out of four poor alligators.
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