‘Big Sky’ 1×15 Review: “Bitter Roots”

Every week, as I watch Big Sky I take notes This week Big Sky episode 1×15: “Bitter Roots,” gave me tons. With the season finale coming next week, this episode did not hold back on anything.

Let’s get into it.

Our Secret

Big Sky 1X15 Review: Bitter Roots — ‘Big Sky’ 1X15 Review: “Bitter Roots”

My goodness, are Ronald and Scarlet a messed up couple! in Big Sky episode 1X14: “Nice Animals,” it ended with Scarlets daughter Phoebe catching Ronald in the middle of burying Mary’s body. Phoebe asked him what he was doing and he told her he was burying a deer. It’s clear that she didn’t believe him but she’s so scared of him and his behavior that she doesn’t really push him for more. He finishes what he was doing and then tells her to keep it a secret between the two of them.

Later in the day Scarlet receives a phone call from Marshall Lindor and Jerrie alerting her that they think something may have happened to her sister Mary. They ask her if she can come down to the station to see them and answer some questions. After she abruptly ends the call, Jerrie and Lindor are a little confused by her lack of concern. Thankfully, they were able to pick up her location so Lindor takes off to track her down.

Ronald is surprised that Scarlet was able to get a cell signal and wants to know why the cops called her. She tells him that it’s about Mary. Scarlet seems distraught but it’s not for the reason you would think. Look, if someone told me my sister was missing, I’d lose my shit. Scarlet literally doesn’t care. What she is concerned about is her little hidden secret down in Mary’s basement. Remember Steve? the ex-boyfriend whose body Cassie and Lindor found the first time they went to Mary’s house?

Mary tells Ronald they have to get to Mary’s because she’s got something the police can’t find. As she and Ronald head over to Mary’s she gives Ronald a backstory about her relationship with Steve. While filling him in, she nonchalantly tells him she killed Steve by sticking a screwdriver in his skull, then wrapped his body in plastic. Ronald doesn’t even blink. Scarlet also tells Ronald that Mary is a bully and looks can be deceiving. Boy how right she was.

One of the more shocking moments of Scarlets conversation with Ronald comes when she lets him know that she has always known he is. I mean, honestly as she started getting weirder with him, I was starting to think she knew. She was just far too comfortable with him but in a weird way. Seems these two have found the perfect match.

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Dewell and Hoyt

In this season of Big Sky, Cassie and Jenny have gone through some shit. I feel like they have not had one moment’s peace sense they set foot in Lochsa county. As Gil was showing Cassie and Jenny what the Kleinsasser’s have been hiding on their property, Horst shows up. Gil has Jenny and Cassie take off because he’s worried about what will happen if they are all caught. Gil tries to talk his way out of the situation but Horst is no fool. He holds him at gunpoint and makes him get into his truck.

Cassie and Jenny who are running, decide to split up which, as always, is a bad idea. I keep saying, STOP SPLITTING UP! SAFETY IN NUMBERS. Jenny is running and ends up being caught and knocked out by John Wayne.

Cassies situation isn’t any better because Rand catches up to her. The difference with her is, she pulls her gun and shoots him as he tries to run her down with his truck. Apparently her shots landed because he rolls his truck over. Unfortunately, he is able to hit Cassie right before he crashes and she ends up knocked out in the dirt.

When Jenny comes to, she realizes she has been locked up by John Wayne under the instruction of Horst. They pull her out, take her in the house and Horst tries to find out what she wants. It doesn’t go too well. Cheyenne happens to show up and makes it clear she’s going to take over. Horst isn’t having any of it and while they are distracted and arguing, Jenny tries unsuccessfully to knock Horst out and run away but ends up stopped by John Wayne. She’s quickly locked up again.

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Cassie is rescued by Rosie and she enlists her to track down Gil because he never made it home. Cassie lets Rosie know that Rand tried to kill her but she shot him and he crashed. When they get to his truck, it’s empty but there’s a lot of blood so it’s obvious he’s not doing well. Cassie and Rosie follow the trail of Rand’s blood back to his place where they find him dying. Big Sky is like Game of Thronesi with killing people. Literally anyone and everyone on this show can die.

Margaret, shows up just in time to be with her son as he lays dying. Rand was nutty but, his death scene was sad. I felt bad for Margaret because her kids are all messed up and it’s because of Horst. She says as much as her son dies in her arms.

You’re The Bad Guy Now

When I first started this season of Big Sky, I thought that John Wayne might have been the sane one who was the voice of reason in the family. That was until he killed Blake, his own brother back in Big Sky episode 1X12: “No Better Than Dogs.” I truly think the pressure of taking over the farm got to John Wayne and he just snapped. John Wayne did any and everything his dad wanted him to. Although, killing Blake was definitely not part of that.

Once Cheyenne revealed to Horst that John Wayne killed Blake, he immediately told him he would not be taking over the farm. John Wayne was shocked to hear from his dad that he was going to have Cheyenne take over. Horst wants his kids to do as they are told in order to prove their loyalty to him. Clearly Horst instructed John Wayne to kill Jenny and although you can see he’s struggling with having to do that, he makes the decision to follow orders.

Jenny however, is a fighter so she doesn’t let that happen. Once Jenny gets control of the situation, she is able to get John Wayne to admit that he killed Blake. She shoots him in the leg and Cassie, Rosie, and Cheyenne show up. Cheyenne tells John Wayne that it’s over and he attacks her. While they are on the ground, fighting, she shoots and kills him. As he is dying, he looks her in the face and tells her “you’re the bad guy now.”

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I’ll be honest, I did not expect John Wayne to end up dead. I mean, I just didn’t. Every single one of Margaret and Horsts boys are now dead. I felt a bit cheated because things did not work out how I wanted them to. I don’t feel like Rosie or Blake got the justice they deserved. Both Rand and John Wayne orchestrated and attacked her for the sole purpose of John Wayne getting the farm.

They made Blake look like the bad guy when it was Rand and John Wayne the whole time. I feel even worse for Margaret now because her sons are dead. I don’t know how much Horst cares because he’s the reason they grew up the way they did. I’m not sure where the Kleinsasser family will go from here but now that Cassie and Jenny have all of the information they need to bring them down, there’s nowhere else they can go.

I Need To Finish This

I’ve already told you how much I love Jerrie. She’s such a strong person especially after all the trauma she’s faced. She and Lindor have been working together to track Ronald and they realize they may have finally found him.

While Jerrie was tracking Scarlets phone, she sees that she’s headed to Marys house and not the station. Lindor was on his way to the original location where her phone pinged but after getting that new piece of information from Jerrie, he heads back to Marys.

Jerrie is tired of being scared and she wants to bring Ronald in once and for all. She shows up at Mary’s ready to roll. Lindor was about to make his way in because they know that Ronald and Scarlet are inside. He tries to talk Jerrie out of coming with him but she doesn’t listen. Jerrie won’t be able to rest until she sees Ronald captured.

As she and Lindor kick in the door of Mary’s house, Ronald and Scarlet are down in the basement and realize that Steve’s body has been moved. Scarlet knows her time is up. I’m not sure what she and Ronald can do now but I am so ready to find out next week.

Other Thoughts

I feel bad for Phoebe, she’s just a kid but her home situation since Ronald showed up really sucks.

Still really mad that Blake died before his name was cleared.

Still really mad Rosie didn’t get proper justice after being attacked.

“I’m done being the good girl.”

Cassie, Jenny, NEVER SPLIT UP. It’s always a VERY bad idea.

Margaret putting Rand’s actual blood on Horst’s hands was a heavy moment.

John Wayne’s scream outside. Yeah, I felt that. Sometimes ya just gotta scream it out.

“You are the cancer on this house.”

The Kleinsasser’s man. This is definitely one family I will never forget.

I’m going to miss seeing Kyle Schmid on my TV screen. He looked pretty damn hot in Big Sky. I think it’s time to pull my Blood Ties DVDs back out for a re-watch.