Big Sky is getting right into the nitty gritty this season. Because we have developed relationships with all the main players in the show, there is no need to waste time. That makes it easier for us to focus on the new characters the show is constantly adding. As you know, new characters always means a new storyline which episode 2×01: “Wakey Wakey” introduced us to. In episode 2×02: “Huckleberry” we’re continuing to follow them through all of that drama.
Let’s discuss the episode.
Rinse, Wash, Repeat
Okay, as I said before, I know people really loved John Carroll Lynch as Rick Legarski in season one of Big Sky but, was it really necessary to bring him back? I personally was not happy when we initially learned that he had a twin brother. As soon as I heard that piece of information, I just knew he wasn’t done yet. Don’t get me wrong, John Carroll Lynch is a very talented man, but his storyline feels a bit like a rinse and repeat and the writing is just lazy.
John’s character Wolfgang or “Wolf” Legarski has a similar personality to Rick. As soon as he opened his mouth to talk to Ronald who we learned he kidnapped and is now holding hostage, I rolled my eyes so hard, I think they rolled into the back of my head. Wolfgang talks just like Rick with his riddles and beliefs about a woman’s role, only thing that’s different about him is he’s supposed to be the reverse of his brother.
Unlike the late “Big Rick,” Wolfgang plans to reprogram Ronald and “undo the evil he’s unleased on the world.” He thinks Rick was incompetent and is basically re-training Ronald as if he were a dog. He’s got him chained up, he makes him beg for what he wants, and he beats him with a stick if he doesn’t listen. Wolfgang’s ultimate goal is to get Ronald to “accept his position in the pack and follow the law of the jungle.”
The Kids Are Not All Right
Max, and her friends Harper, Madison and Bridger are dealing with the aftermath of their decision to take a bag full of drugs and $500,000 from a crime scene after witnessing a murder. Every single one of them is dealing with the situation in their own way. Madison and her brother Bridger are the complete opposite of each other in how what they did is affecting them. Madison seems totally unfazed, but Bridger is letting the guilt eat him alive.
He decides to go to the police station to report the crime they witnessed in the hopes of putting everything behind them. As he’s sitting in the waiting room, he hears a man whistle “A hunting we will go.” That’s the same song he heard being whistled right before they witnessed a man’s murder. When he looks up to see who is doing the whistling, he realizes it’s one of the Deputies named Harvey played by The Vampire Diaries Michael Malarkey. Bridger is absolutely terrified and naturally, he makes the choice to take off and doesn’t file the report.
Max, who is hiding the money and drugs at her house ends up using $2000 of it to help her mom get some dental work done. While we know it wasn’t wise of her to use any of that money, we can’t look past the fact that Max committed a selfless act in taking care of her mom. She does tell everyone what she did even though she knew they would be upset. They’re teenagers so everything for them is the end of the world and they end up arguing over the cash. Max, being a diplomatic person, gives them all $2000 of their own to do with as they see fit. Needless to say, it shuts them up.
During their meet up, Max also informed everyone that she had stopped by Cassie’s office and saw a photo of the man they witnessed being murdered. That means someone is trying to solve the case. It also means, there is a chance that Cassie will find out about the missing drugs and drug money. Once again, the creepy man is watching them from the bushes, and he confronts Max and Harper on their way home. Props to Max for carrying pepper spray and using it on him because there’s no doubt in my mind that he wouldn’t have hurt them.
It’s clear that Max is running out of ideas for what to do with the money and the drugs. Keeping all of that stuff is dangerous and putting so much pressure on her. Max only stresses out more once Harper reminds her that because Madison and Bridger’s parents are lawyers, if shit goes down, they will be fine, but she and Max won’t be. That was a sad moment because as I said in my review of Big Sky 2×01: “Wakey Wakey,” I didn’t understand what Madison and Bridger had to gain from getting that money.
From what I can tell their lives are just fine while Max and Harper are both struggling. Harper apparently has a solution to their problem and it’s one I totally disagree with. These kids are all extremely naïve and I have no idea how life will turn out for them after stealing that drug money. Max asked Harper to help her get rid of the drugs but Harper thinks they should sell them. The big “NO HARPER” I yelled at the TV was probably loud enough for my neighbors to hear.
It was already a terrible idea for the kids to take the drugs and drug money but selling them is even worse. That means they have to add one more person into the equation who will know what they’re hiding. What’s even worse about this situation is now T-Lock knows something is up. As Max was leaving the shed where she’s been hiding the drugs and money, she runs into him and he confiscates a baggie she was on her way to take to Harper. Shit has hit the fan and whatever T-Lock decides to do with Max is going to be bad.
We all knew that Cassie/Jenny team up was coming, right?
Season two of Big Sky didn’t waste any time getting Cassie and Jenny back together for a job. After Cassie discovered that someone has been watching her and her son Kai, she decided it was time to step back from the hunt for Ronald. She does still want to know what’s going on with the search but she’s leaving it all up to Lindor to do. It’s far too risky for her to keep working on the case and she does not want harm to come to her son because of her choices.
Her decision to stop working on Ronald’s case has finally freed her up to work on some paying cases. The one that falls into her lap ends up being a missing persons case. A waitress named Tonya shows up looking for her boyfriend who happens to be Sam Teske AKA “Big Sam” the dude who got murdered in episode one. While Cassie is trying to help her figure out what happened to Sam, Jenny who has rejoined the police force is also doing the same. As the two of them get into their investigations, they “coincidentally” learn they’re trying to solve the same thing and ultimately, they team up.
Ren, the Queen Pin
We knew the drugs and money belonged to someone and we met that someone in this episode of Big Sky. Ren, the Queen Pin played by Janina Gavankar has arrived in Montana to check on her investment. She’s a wild card, and a little off her rocker. From the moment she steps off her jet, shit gets crazy. We learn that Deputy Harvey is working for her as well because of course there’s a crooked cop working for the queen pin.
Despite her pop culture references and fashionista attitude, Ren is a dangerous woman not to be fucked with. That much is clear when she shows up on Tonya’s doorstep. Even though she’s given a clear warning from Harvey that Montana is a much different place, and she can’t just come in destroying things, she just doesn’t care. Ren wants her money and her drugs, and she doesn’t care what she has to do to get it. That includes kidnapping Tonya who Jenny and Cassie will now have to look for.
Other Thoughts
- First, we had “Big Rick,” now we have “Wolf.” I CANNOT.
- Well, seeing Max’s mom drinking and then finding out she’s been clean for three months, her dating T-Lock all makes sense now.
- Jerrie took and passed the exam to become a PI. That’s queen shit and we stan.
- So Scarlet is also being held prisoner by Wolfgang and his wife. Anyone else thinking that she and Ronald are gonna end up pulling a double team to kill them?
- Even though he’s playing a bad guy, it’s good to see Michael Malarkey on our TV screens again.
- During that Lindor/Jerrie dinner date we could see the disappointment in her face when she realized he invited her out to learn how to get closer to Cassie.
- The Max/Harper kiss was adorable.
- Yup, Stone is still hot as fuck.
- Jenny’s got it bad for Stone and we can’t blame her.
- Stone being around has its advantages. Since he’s undercover in the drug world, he’s able to provide Jenny with some tips she wouldn’t have known otherwise.
- What kind of name is Donno?
- There were some odd transitions in this episode. When Ren and Donno show up at the diner where Tonya works, they speak to her and then it goes to a commercial. When it came back, they were at her house interacting with her like they hadn’t just seen her inside the diner.
Agree? Disagree? Don’t hesitate to share it with us in the comments below!
Big Sky airs Thursdays on ABC.
