Photo Courtesy of USA Network
Graceland, Season 1, Episode 8: “Bag Man”
Written by: Ryan Scott
Directed by: Renny Harlin
Airs Thursdays at 10 pm (ET) on USA
On this week’s Graceland, Briggs pushes Mike too far, Charlie and Johnny investigate a suspicious house member, and Mike breaks a major house rule.
With “Bag Man’s” brilliantly-shot cold open depicting a locker room drug trade via Briggs/Odin and the subsequent drug delivery to Bello, Graceland returns from its week-long hiatus with a rapid-fire plot pace that continues throughout the episode.
Since the show’s reveal that Briggs is the elusive drug dealer Odin, that stakes have been much higher; Head of Household Briggs is forced to run himself ragged as he attempts to keep his double identity a secret during a crucial meeting with Bello whilst his fellow agents sit nearby running surveillance. The strain makes him slip up multiple times: he leaves a shred of DNA evidence on the drugs he sold to Bello, pushes Mike into risking his life to protect a not-so-innocent civilian Bello tortures, and narrowly avoids being cornered by his own team post-Bello meet. It’s too soon to determine if Briggs is actually a corrupt agent since his motivations behind dealing drugs have yet to be revealed (right now, it’s more likely he’s simply deep, deep undercover), though the show’s hinting a desire to bring down the Mexican drug cartel that resulted in Briggs’s heroin addiction could be a major factor behind his Odin persona.
In opposition to Briggs, Mike wrestles with his own rule-breaking dilemma when dull-as-ever Abby suspects Mike of cheating on/with her thanks to his numerous secret phone calls and texts, plus his refusal to show her where he lives. Mike, afraid of losing her, caves and shows Abby Graceland when the house is supposedly empty. Unfortunately (or fortunately, if you don’t like Abby), Abby spots Paige wielding a gun, then finds Mike’s own gun hiding beneath his jacket and leaves in a teary hurry. Hopefully this break-up will stick, as every plot line featuring Mike’s relationship has been nothing but a huge weak link thus far.
Lastly, Charlie enlists Johnny to help her investigate Briggs when her suspicions surrounding his recent behavior overwhelm her. Surprisingly, Mike, who actually knows about Briggs’s shaky relationship with heroin, never suspects Briggs of anything. Maybe he’s still too trusting of his training officer, whom Mike even refers to as the brother he’s never had. Recently the show’s been examining Graceland’s meaning to each house member, and it appears Mike’s slow acceptance of the house as a family is already affecting his professional judgement, at least where Briggs is concerned. Elsewhere, perennially-grumpy Jakes clashes with carefree Johnny over one another’s attitudes re: Graceland, suggesting Mike isn’t the only house member struggling to define and understand Graceland’s true purpose.
A review for Graceland‘s last episode can be found here.
Ashley Laggan