Wild Cards Season 2 Episode 5 Review: ‘Catch Me if You Con’

Wild Cards Season 2 Episode 5 features a murder case that, at least for us, takes more of a backseat than usual in an entertaining hour that sends Max and her childhood friend Maddy on a journey. First, they’re reunited (and it feels so good). But then, there’s some real — and justified — tension. After all, despite telling her friend she’s working with the cops to help shorten her dad’s jail sentence, Max finds herself caught on camera, picking up the payment for a hit. Whether it’s part of a “Catfish Killer” con or not, that still runs the risk of ruining everything. Yes, that includes Detective Ellis’ very fragile trust that his ~~girlfriend~~ partner broke at the end of last season.

Luckily, this series doesn’t like to make us suffer (too much, at least). So, things work out in the end. Along the way, while we try to figure out who killed tennis pro Josh Hanson, “Catch Me if You Con” also asks us to figure out whether or not the friendships that stand the test of time ever actually do. And if so, how. Of course, since no two relationships are exactly the same no matter how similar they may seem, the answer is “it depends.” As it should be. Arguably, Max and Maddy’s friendship might be in a much better place at the end of the episode than it is at the beginning. But we’d have to have Maddy back later to know for sure…

…and no, we’re not just saying that because we loved seeing Katie Findlay and Vanessa Morgan play not-quite frenemies. Though, for the record, we 100% did. Not to mention, if this whole debacle is just an excuse to have someone from outside the ElliMax circle see what everyone else sees (but them) so they can just say the obvious out loud, well, that certainly also works. Which brings us back to our previous point of needing her to return at some point because, seriously, Maddy deserves an “I told you so.” We certainly do, no matter what.

MORE: ElliMax have had some trust issues this season, but they’re working through them. Read our Wild Cards Season 1 Episode 1 review to see what we thought of their rough start.

“The Grifter Sisters, the Con Queens, the Dynamic Duo. Together again.”

For a large chunk of Wild Cards Season 2 Episode 5, Maddy comes across as one hundred percent that friend — the one we outgrow but can’t totally let go of, who can’t completely let go of us either. She comes to town unannounced, and the two old friends are initially happy to see each other. However. When they play catch-up, Maddy doesn’t exactly come across as someone who gets Max’s life. Case in point: expression when Max first says she’s a police consultant is, uh, certainly something. Then, she goads Max into spending a night playing cons by telling her she’s “gone soft.” And. Well. There’s the whole issue of setting Max up.

In some ways, this is the story of Max realizing her old friendship can’t quite be the same as it once was if she wants to also have the life she has now. And Ellis is right to ask Max why she keeps cleaning up after Hurricane Maddy. At some point, knowing someone forever and having it always be like this isn’t an excuse to keep dealing with a trainwreck. You can’t keep someone who’s bad for you around, especially if you’re in grossly different places in life. So, in those cases, no matter how difficult it can be, we do have to move on because we’ve outgrown whatever that friendship was.

But Wild Cards Season 2 Episode 5 isn’t telling that kind of story. Max and Maddy find a way to adapt because what they have is the real deal. They mean enough to each other to figure it out. Sure, it’s a bumpy start. But as they both have similar ideas about conning their way into the tennis club, battle it out in that less-than-friendly tennis match, then ultimately team up to get a confession out of Bob, Maddy starts to find an appreciation for what Max does. She might not completely get it, but she sees that her friend is happy and respects that. Do we think Maddy’s ever going to settle down like this? Probably not. But that’s ok!

Most importantly, Max apologizes for her part in damaging the friendship — ghosting her friend. Throw in an “I love you” and a hug, and we’re all set. That’s markedly different from, say, Bob killing his good ol’ pal because of a non-existent affair with Sandra. (Or even Peyton and Lisa’s mess, which also has as happy of an ending as it can.) Max and Maddy may not always be able to have exactly the same type of adventures together as they once did — sorry to the Sydney regatta — but if they work on their friendship, which it seems like they want to, they can still have a good one. It actually brings to mind the whole “something new” conversation from Wild Cards Season 2 Episode 2. Different type of relationship, clearly, but this one also has to grow and change if it’s going to continue to last.

MORE: In Wild Cards Season 2 Episode 4, Max had a partner in (solving) crime who wasn’t Ellis.

“We’re just partners” for ElliMax?

Part of what comes with knowing someone practically your whole life is that they, well, know you. For Maddy, that means recognizing the look in Max’s eyes when she’s using her conning powers for good to solve murder mysteries. But let’s be real. There’s more to it than that, and Maddy picks up on it very early in Wild Cards Season 2 Episode 5. Literally, right away, “are you the boyfriend” when Ellis shows up at Max’s door, unannounced, to give her a bag from his silly, boring conference. (Get you a man who thinks of you like that when you feel left out, honestly.)

And she keeps dropping hints that she knows. When Max and Maddy have their big fight at the tennis club, there’s the “you got a job, you got a boy” bit. That brings us back to the end scene and the discussion of that “rush.” Notice how quickly Max jumps to deny that the glimmer Maddy saw in her eye is about anything other than being “just partners.” That, right there, is a dead giveaway that it is something more.

Because she knows Max, though, Maddy doesn’t push the issue and says she wasn’t talking about that. But then, there’s…this: “I saw that look when you were working the case with Ellis. And I think this is where you’re getting your rush now.” She could have just said “working the case.” She didn’t. Instead, she specifically added the “with Ellis” part. For very, very obvious reasons. Wild Cards has never been subtle about its love for the genre and all the tropes that come with it. This is the plot device where someone from your past shows up, creates a little bit of tension with your partner, and then…gently nudges you in the right direction.

As a surprise to no one, the series nails their version of it.

But where are ElliMax, really, right now? Well, we have the late-night delivery, for starters. Whatever you do, don’t think about the look on that man’s face when Max opens the door looking like that either. Anyway. Where were we? Hm. Yes. The state of the ship: Wild Cards Season 2 Episode 5 also features the very them disagreement in the Jeep, which takes a detour into Max opening up more about how she had friends when she was a kid but still didn’t feel like she could be honest enough with any of them about her parents and her life — except Maddy — for them to get her. So, whatever you do, don’t think about how she’s told Ellis, a cop, quite a lot about all of that.

And we end not only with Maddy telling Max she sees what’s there — without really leaning hard on the work not being the only source of that rush — but, right before it, there’s that very sweet ElliMax moment where Ellis apologizes “for the Maddy thing.” He is incredibly vulnerable when he admits to being triggered when he thought she might be hiding something, and she’s just all making love eyeballs at him as she accepts the apology and tells him “we’re all a work in progress.” Because they are a work in progress.

So, basically, we’re still on track for a slow burn. And a good one at that.

MORE: Wild Cards Season 2 Episode 3 gave us one of the sweetest ElliMax moments yet.

More on Wild Cards Season 2 Episode 5

“It’s more like a chance for big tech companies to peddle a bunch of elaborate and expensive gadgets the department will never buy.”
“Kind of a badge only thing.” “Since when has that stopped me?”
Nobody looks that soft when they hang back just to tell their “just work partner” the event she’s being left out of isn’t even that fun. Come on.
“Besides, we’ll have all the time in the world together soon.” This…concerns me. Characters usually only say that when it’s an opportunity to be like “narrator: they would not, in fact, have time.” Then again, this is a mostly hopeful show, so…
“I don’t have a wallet, but you can help yourself to some mint chocolate chip ice cream.” She gets me.
“Are you sure that’s all?” “Yes.” A) She’s lying. And 2) SHE’S LYING. LOOK WHO SHOWS UP AS PROOF THAT SHE’S LYING.
“No. Definitely not.” Sure, Jan.
“I thought you were homeschooled.” “Oh. Who knew that you paid attention?” Just say you’re married and go.
“So, what are your intentions with Captain Tall Drink of Justice?” “Oh, shutup. He is just my partner.” I do love an excuse to be like the lady doth protest too much. Because, uh. Yeah.
Marc!!! Oh, and he is not happy about Mother sending him to voicemail.
She’s totally dreaming about her partner, huh.
I like seeing Chief Li get to be more involved here. Terry Chen’s great in these interrogation scenes. There’s an interesting sort of dynamic between Li and Max, and Chen does a good job of keeping that professional boundary in place while showing us how different things are now than other times Max has been in hot water.
All these selfies with delivery people. Amazing.
“At least I’ve got you.” OMG a traitor to Marc.
Bye, dog.
“Do you know what it’s like to care about somebody who also drives you nuts?” “I think I have an idea.” And I think I hate them sometimes. Imagine asking that! To him! When you’re…her.
“At a certain point, you’re going to have to pick whose side you’re on.” Concerned.
“Ohhh, bummer. Your new friends?” Katie Findlay is so much fun in this episode, and this condescending bit right here is probably one of my favorite moments of many great ones.
It’s the hurt look from Max when Maddy just leaves the precinct after lashing out at her for me.
“Come on, McEnroe, grab your fuzzy balls and come with me.” As a Suits fan, I can say this is very Darvey coded. Can 100% imagine Donna saying that to Harvey. If you don’t know the end of that 12*-year story, whew. Go look it up!
Hilarious that ElliMax are just as annoyed with Maddy turning on the steam as Ellis usually is with his ray of sunshine doing similar things.
“Bob killed me.” “That’s not how the law works.” So in sync!
“For anything specifically? Or should I make a list.” Married behavior, yet again.
“I know how much you love the rush.” Is that what we’re calling Ellis now?
Justice for Marc. Stop cuddling the dog!