Wild Cards Season 3 Episode 2 Review: When Can We Say ‘Bye, Bye, Bye’ to Jessica

Wild Cards Season 3 Episode 2 ‘Quit Playing Games (With My Life)’ centers on a murder investigation that’s all about the 90s boy band nostalgia. That makes the hour both the kind of entertainment we’ve come to know and love this series for…and a giant “hi, you’re old” to those of us who are living for certain real-life boy bands’ recent reunion tours. The title is an obvious nod to one real group’s smash hit. And, if you have an ear for that sort of thing, you might pick up some similarities between the hour’s fictional chart-topper “Our Love Is On The Line” and a certain other group’s popular song. (If nothing else, the former frontrunner having a solo career and a massive ego makes it pretty clear which boy band is really the inspiration for this episode.)

The case of the week has some fun moments and cute surprises, especially for Michael Xavier’s Detective Simmons who turns out to be as much of a fanboy as Max is a fangirl. But it’s also a cautionary tale. You can’t go back, can’t force the good ol’ days into today, no matter how many fond memories you have. In short, there is no “back to normal” after a major shift. The show may go on in the end, but it’s not at all the reunion tour as planned. And living in the past means you can’t move forward or appreciate who you are now. Also, sometimes what looks like a harmonious little family actually makes for some deadly discord.

Perhaps our dearest, dumbest Detective Ellis should pay very close attention, not only to this little lesson on nostalgia, but also to the group’s name. Too Good 2B True. If he’s not learning anything from the doomed reunion, maybe Max should rethink things with her recently not-dead mom. Which, at least in some ways, she does make that connection after hearing an (overly) emotional speech from the boy band’s members. I’m still not entirely certain whether or not we can even trust Vivienne. But, at least for now, given the clear parallel with the band’s 15 years apart and them ending up in both a group hug and a sweet, little dress rehearsal by the end, there’s at least some chance that, any future rocky patches aside, Max’s dysfunctional family can find a way to move forward together.

Cat Dad Cole will remain in the dog house until he comes to his senses, though.

MORE: Last season’s second episode also had a musical element. ElliMax got very close during a slow dance at a country western bar.

“We communicate really well”

Wild Cards Season 3 Episode 2 sees Max trying her very best to support Detective Dummy Ellis’ new relationship. (What’s that old saying about “if you love something, let it go” again? Hm.) But every time the subject comes up, it’s awkward. As it should be. The tension in that Jeep is about as bad as it’s ever been, but it’s not at all the same as it ever was. Because now, instead of it being about two people wanting to reach for each other while knowing they can’t (yet), it’s about trying to force a casual new normal that absolutely nobody is ever going to be able to pull off. As Max tries and fails to push her own heartbreak down in favor of supporting her partner’s happiness, Vanessa Morgan does a really strong — if totally painful to watch — job portraying just difficult that struggle is.

Max tries to smile along as Cole tells her how he met Jessica the journalist, but it’s very much a “grin and bear it” type of expression. As in, mostly, she only manages to grimace. And when Ellis has the audacity to talk about their great communication, capping it off with that line about how “easy” things have been, that quiet way Morgan just looks down and swallows says it all. Things have never been “easy” for ElliMax — most things worth fighting for never are — and, after finally getting to a place where Ellis’ life is more easy and free, Max’s situation is about as complicated as ever. In fact, in retrospect, Season 1’s egg heist mess, which had these two star-crossed fools at odds to start Season 2, is a walk in the park by comparison.

Somewhere around the “easy” comment, Cole finally gets a clue that maybe this isn’t the best conversation to be having, so he starts nervous-laughing about it being “weird.” Then, when Max goes for the very forced, awkward reassurance about coworkers telling each other things (a super delivery from Morgan), he sounds disappointed as he repeats “coworkers. Right.” Which, like. Great. Some part of him he can’t access directly realizes he still doesn’t want to only be Max’s coworker. But this is always the least interesting, and most frustrating, part of these partners-to-lovers arcs. So, I still think it’s unfortunate that this series is paying tribute to the greats by repeating that same, irritating mistake.

It’s also worth pointing out that, as we see in Wild Cards Season 3 Episode 2, things aren’t actually easy with Jessica. And their communication actually isn’t anything to write home about. She leaves first thing in the morning to get ready for her first day back at work (instead of, you know, planning ahead if she was actually invested in sticking around). And, rather than asking her to stay, Cole just goes along with her leaving and does the confused/disappointed thing while she fails to notice. So, it’s pretty rich that, when they do talk things through, she’s all “truth is in my bones. I can’t do it any other way” because she’s already proven she can. Furthermore, until she has a way to say “I love you” without actually saying it, like “I’ll be your cricket,” this isn’t a ship with the kind of communication viewers invest in.

So, I’m going to circle back and relate this to the case of the week a second time: It’s all Too Good 2B True.

…except it’s not even good. Because, first of all, there’s not even any chemistry. When a guy hands over a “sweet” gift like a toothbrush to convince someone to stay over — especially when dude looks like that — I should be melting. Instead, I’m just sitting here upset at Marc the Cat for, apparently, being nice to the intruder. Seriously, what are we doing wasting our time here? These aren’t the good ol’ days of guaranteed multi-season arcs.

MORE: Remember how much Uncle Ricky pampered Marc when ElliMax played house last season?

“I just can’t pretend that no time has passed between us”

Although Wild Cards Season 3 Episode 2 includes so many scenes at Ellis’ home that are, uh, less-than-welcome, I’ll call them, Max’s family situation is actually compelling. In the first place, Tamara Taylor continues to make every second she’s on screen count. As Vivienne, Taylor’s every bit the mom who’s trying to reconnect with her daughter, reminding her of all the good things about their relationship — French Toast Friday, sharing secrets over the phone, the impromptu dance party in the living room — while smiling just a little bit too brightly and trying a bit too hard to relive the past. Even though this is a very, uh, unique situation, it’s a familiar sort of dynamic in terms of a parent trying to hold onto a younger version of a kid who’s all grown up now.

But we can never go back, and that idealized version of the past was probably never real to begin with. Max hears that message from the murder investigation, loud and clear. So, she breaks out of the pure childlike joy of having her mom back and reminds Vivienne that 15 years have passed. It’s a quiet, vulnerable sort of scene that begins with the right kind of angst and ends with a good time — just a girl and her mom, chatting it up about music. Apparently, Vivienne likes ska, not the pop stylings of Max’s favorite boy band, who she used to pretend to love for her kid’s sake. Which leads to an utterly scandalized Max…eventually making a deal to give her mom’s playlist a shot. She wants to know who this person is now, after all these years, and that’s something both women can look forward to.

Hopefully, this isn’t just some act from Vivienne. From what we’ve seen so far, I’d like to think at least part of it is genuine. Even so, it’s difficult not to be a little (a lot) protective of Max, Ricky, and the pointedly-absent George. I mean let’s be real: These people are all con artists. And, if Vivienne so easily sold her love for that boy band — to the point of our very smart heroine not even noticing it was a lie, even now that she’s all grown up and with her own skills of deception so carefully honed — it’s pretty hard to take anything else she says or does at face value.

Not to mention, Taylor drops Vivienne’s excited mom act completely when it’s just her and Ricky. (Easily one of my favorite exchanges of the whole episode.) So, there’s that. It’s at least a hint of something a little bit less loving mommy, a little more sinister. And I, for one, am here for it. (As long as we get a happy ending, somehow.)

MORE: Vivienne isn’t the first person from Max’s past to return and have us worried she’s no good for her. Maybe if the Maddy situation could work out in the end, this mother-daughter reunion can, too.

More Wild Cards Season 3 Episode 2 reactions

• “I admire your positivity.” “Which is lessening by the minute. I’m glad that your dead mother is alive, but does she have to do that living in my kitchen? What’s she doing, whipping up a solution for 15 years of abandonment?” Leave it to Ricky to be that friend who isn’t going to sugarcoat things and is always watching your back when you’re not in a position to do it yourself.
• I’m kind of mad we haven’t gotten to hear his opinion on the Jessica of it all since the ice cream and 90s romcom never happened at the end of the season premiere, thanks to Vivienne’s mess.
• “Of course I’m angry at what she did. But it’s my mom. And I have her back. So, that’s all I want to think about — that I have my mom back.” The way Vanessa Morgan’s voice softens and gets all emotional on “it’s my mom” about killed me.
• Save me a seat for French Toast Friday, tbh.
• But also: Don’t try this at home, kids. If your parents hurt you (especially with something as extreme as faking their death!), you don’t have to keep giving them extra chances.
• “Resentment, anguish, the seething rage of betrayal.” Me when I watch the boat scenes in Wild Cards Season 3 Episode 2.
• “Is that, uh…is that right, Ricky? Are you happy I’m back?” “Absolutely. You’ve taken millions of dollars from me and endangered my life, but bread soaked in egg and cinnamon makes it all worth it.” No, really: I LOVE THIS DYNAMIC. Fletcher Donovan and Tamara Taylor make this so interesting. Ricky’s letting Vivienne know he is not to be F-ed with, and it’s the only place we get to see Vivienne as anything other than the over-eager mom. As in, she is…also not to be F-ed with.
• “You know, you do a lot more yelling when I’m the one making you breakfast.” Because you’re his person, and he’s telling you what an idiot you are, Detective Dipsh**.
• “I’m Marc’s favorite.” The audacity.
• “So! Jessicaaaa!” Absolutely slayed by the way she says that name.
• “Why would it be weird?” As soon as I’m done insulting him, I’ll get around to throttling her for this one. And, you know, for not telling him why she didn’t show up to go for their love cruise.
• “And coworkers…tell. each. other. about their cool…new…girlfriend!” AWKWARD. Imagine being a detective and not picking up on how terrible this delivery from Max is (which means it’s excellent from Morgan), especially coming from someone who’s usually such a smooth liar. Fire that man.
• Yates and Simmons, actual dream team. I said it.
• “This band. Was my childhood.” Fangirl Max is so excited and bright and fun. There’s my girl!
• …and Detective Dumb-Dumb is raining on her parade.
• “Sorry. Fangirl. Reaction.” Never apologize for being a fangirl. Unless you become a stalker or toxic or whatever…but that’s not a fangirl reaction. That’s just being a bad person.
• Big fan of Pyro Poppy. She belongs on the back of a rockstar’s tour bus. Super character stuff from Jill Teed.
• “Think Beatlemania with Nokia phones and frosted tips.” I’m old. Officially.
• “You? Knowing pop culture outside of whale documentaries?” GET HIM GIRL.
• Also, how insecure is he that he just had to watch a whale documentary with whatshername after hearing this today? Also-also: He’s thinking about something his “just a coworker” said to him when he’s making plans for date night on the boat with his “easy” girlfriend. Ok then.
• Clifton Murray’s great as this totally-not-JT guy. Super melodramatic, loved that high-pitched voice when he asked who’d want to kill him. Very…self-absorbed and totally separate from everyone else in pretty much every scene.
• She’s having so much fun listening to them.
• “Max. What happened to profesh?” “I’m human. Ok?”
• “Let’s not listen to Captain Buzzkill.” Exactly.
• Simmons out here, trying so hard to act cool and unaffected by this boy band case. Check out how he stutters through asking about “that boy band, right” while he has the eyes all shifty, tracking back and forth!
• …while Yates just clocks him. Obviously. Nothing but respect for the superior Wild Cards partners!
• Always here for Yates’ dumb boy voice when she mocks her partner. Forever and always here.
• Interesting song title there. Keep telling him “our love is on the line,” Max. Go ahead.
• If they constantly say “we’re family,” run. That’s a red flag.
• “Cute trumps pipes in a boy band.”
• “It’s hard to believe anybody could be that good at lying. Except for maybe me. Because truthfully? Noah sounds great on ‘Chillax.’ But as a song, it’s incredibly min.” Not this fool excuse for a detective being surprised she can lie this well. And he’s totally going to (continue to) take the wrong message. Like, instead of “wow, maybe Max is laying it on thick about how ok she is with all of this, I should consider that she’s hurt,” he’s going to be all, “poor me. She fooled me into thinking she cares.” Ugh.
• I do love the banter, though.
• Notice how Yates picks up on her partner’s weird, out of character way of speaking. Queen. And Michael Xavier totally kills all of Simmons’ way-too-careful dialogue. So hilariously stunted, and the longer he tries to keep up the lie, the worse that “oh, sh**” look in his eyes gets. Amazing.
• Wild Cards Season 3 Episode 2 didn’t need another clown. We already have Mr. Arms and his “coworker.”
• Oh, look at that grin.
• “That must be hard. Having the thing you love most taken away from you.” She would know! Her “dead” mom, dad in prison for all that time, and now Detective Doofus finding someone else because she couldn’t get in touch before he left…yikes.
• “I just wish we could go back to how things were.” Same.
• “You’rrrrreee offering a suspect a snack?!” “Standard practice.” “No. It’s not.” SHE KNOWS.
• “Is this a good cop, bad cop thing?” “No. It’s a…’we’re both cops, so why are you acting like this’ thing.”
• “Oh, just that, uh, Simmons is a giant, mega, possibly-stalkeresque Too Good 2B True fanboy.” “What?! Simmons? You’ve been holding out on me?!” Amazing. It’s like we don’t even need whatshisname anymore at all. Just go for the Max/Yates/Simmons triangle. Boom. Done.
• The singing, the dancing, the favorite foods…my heart. I just want Max to actually get to keep this joy. She deserves some happiness!
• In retrospect, I now understand my “there’s a lot going on here” note on how Morgan plays that loaded beat after Vivienne suggests going to a concert. Ouch. At any rate, I now want some mac and cheese with extra cheese.
• Not Marc snuggling up and sitting in this girl’s lap. Traitor cat.
• In his defense, though, he does get up and mrow like “bye, b****” when she says she’s going to leave. But still. I expect more hostility from someone who wants to go live with Max and Uncle Ricky someday.
• “You need a hobby.” “I have hobbies.” “No. Appropriate hobbies.” “I have appropriate hobbies.” Hi. Yates and Simmons are hilarious — as always. But also, I feel attacked.
• Also, how is this the weirdly more appropriate parallel to Max’s mom decking the place out in merch for her???
• Again. This is tense and awkward. “Great” acting, not remotely “great” viewing experience.
• “We were crazy to think we could go back to how things were.” ElliMax, listen up. This is y’all after that kiss and cricket thing last season.
• I need Pyro Poppy and Yates to hang out. Weird? Maybe.
• “I would never hurt these guys. They’re like sons to me! Ok, ok, like nephews. Like hot, 40-year-old singing nephews, but…”
• “What? This is my chance to make a pop star entrance!” I LOVE HER.
• If Wild Cards wants to be like “any excuse to make Vanessa Morgan sing and/or dance” every episode, I’m totally fine with it.
• “Family? I don’t even like you people! You’re a bunch of entitled has-beens!”
• This Axton dude’s meltdown is classic. Very fun stuff from Juan Riedinger.
• …but Pyro Poppy steals the show. “Well. Thanks, kids, for cracking this one. Totally thorough, relentless, completely annoying. Just like my buddy Buzz.” And that little pat on her heart.
• (I agree. ElliMax are completely annoying right now.)
• “…it’s about moving forward. Embracing who we are now. Together.” Dumb and Dumber are going to take this the wrong way, or else I’d be all “OMG LOOK AT THEM LOOKING AT EACH OTHER DURING THIS.”
• No, seriously, why are you on her lap, Marc? Et tu?
• “…sometimes…it’s hard for me to open up to women. Because the last time I did, I got burned.” He has no idea. Thanks. I hate it.
• “15 years ago, we had tickets to go to the concert. But we didn’t. Because you died.” I can’t stress this enough: Pain. Morgan’s delivery, Taylor’s little reaction…pain.
• “Hey. I wanted to say…you know you’re more than just my coworker, right? You’re also my friend.” So close, yet still so infuriatingly far away.
• But also: This is why ElliMax will be endgame. They’re very, very good friends. Not just some randoms that it’s “easy” for, who met on vacation after reaching for the same drink.
• “And as my friend, I’m happy that you found somebody that makes you happy.” For all the struggling to be supportive earlier in the hour, she really tries even harder here and is much more convincing. But there’s still that bit of sadness underneath. Because, well. It hurts.
• At least she gets to go live her dream and party onstage with her favorite boy band. While Simmons just parties it up in his little shirt he wants them to sign, no less. Very cute, happy ending. Classic, feel-good Wild Cards, even. Good to be reminded that the comfort show can still be a fun, little comfort. At least there’s that.
• Ellis needs to quit playing games with Max’s heart, though. It’s gonna be Max? All I ever wanted (was ElliMax). Ok. I’ll stop the boy band song titles.
• …anyone else want to learn the choreo?

Agree? Disagree? What did you think of Wild Cards Season 3 Episode 2 ‘Quit Playing Games (With My Life)’? Leave us a comment!

Wild Cards airs Monday at 8/7c on The CW.