Briarpatch 1×04 “Breadknife Weather” is the same brand of confusing as the last episode, as the show itself has become. Something is supposedly going on – many somethings. People are crooked, some extra crooked, but not Allegra, no. She’s the good cop in a city of bad cops, and she’s going to find out what happened to her sister, come hell or high water.
Yawn.
We’ve been here before, in many other shows and movies. In fact, we’ve been here so many times before that this whole thing is only more or less predictable. The only reason why we care, or should care, is because of Allegra, because of the characters. That’s how you make viewers invest in a show like this one.
But that’s not what Briarpatch seems to be doing. Even my considerable Rosario Dawson goodwill is running dangerously low these days, because even Rosario isn’t enough to get me though, well, whatever it is that’s happening. And I know the people behind this show probably think they’re clever. If you don’t get it, this show isn’t for you kinda clever. And maybe they’re right.
Or maybe, just maybe, you can make an interesting show that appeals to people, without needing to resort to gimmicks. Maybe.
FIVE THINGS ABOUT “BREADKNIFE WEATHER”:
- Are they ever going to find all the zoo animals? Are we supposed to just think that’s normal and cool? What is this metaphor supposed to be about, because it’s not only that I don’t get it, it’s also that I don’t actually care to.
- How does Allegra still trust Jake Spivey? I get they have history, or I sorta do, because we still haven’t seen enough of that history, but come on? If I’m going to believe the fact that despite her reservations, she keeps trying with him, I’m gonna need something more to go on here.
- How long has it been? It feels like it’s been 45 years, but it’s probably only been a few days, since they’re just holding the funeral.
- Why is the show so fond of time jumps and not explaining what happened at the end of the latest episode? Cliffhanger, then bam, start the next episode like nothing happened is my least favorite type of storytelling.
- Grief is weird and hard and intimate and wholly your own. The rest of the world doesn’t get to decide who Felicity was, at least not to Allegra. We all carry the people who leave us in our hearts in different ways, and that’s okay.
Agree? Disagree? What did you think of “Breadknife Weather”? Share with us in the comments below!
Briarpatch airs Mondays at 11/10c on USA Network.
