Task Recap: Suspicious Minds

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I’m starting to feel a little disappointed, honestly. This show definitely *has* potential – there are glimpses of something really special – but it’s getting lost in a maze of misleading clues and storylines that go nowhere. The actors are fantastic, but there are just so many of them that it’s hard to really connect with anyone. It’s impossible *not* to compare it to *Mare of Easttown*, and that show was so focused and fearless in its storytelling. This one feels…scattered, pulling me in so many directions without giving me enough time to care about any single character. I often struggle with shows that have huge casts – I tend to lose interest. I remember it took me a few episodes to really get hooked on *Mare*, so I’m trying to be patient, but I don’t think this show is going to have the same cultural impact as Brad Ingelsby’s last hit. It’s a tricky balancing act with all these characters, and it’s not quite working. Still, it’s not *bad*. It’s a cozy show to watch as the weather gets colder, even if it is full of the usual prop coffee cups at every stakeout, study session, and police meeting.

The episode opens with Tom plagued by reminders of a warning from last time: “Trust no one.” It’s a little cheesy, but it sets the stage. The show explores how suspicion can tear communities apart, especially when people are desperate to escape the boredom of small-town life. Everyone is trying to uncover who their true enemy is. The Dark Hearts want to know who’s targeting them, Robbie and Cliff are focused on escaping to Canada with their families, and the police are determined to find out who kidnapped Sam. They initially suspect Cliff, but that line of investigation doesn’t lead to many answers.

Perry, the leader of the Dark Hearts gang, is determined to uncover the truth about what’s happening within his organization. His men want Jayson removed, and Perry needs to understand why. The reason Jayson killed Robbie’s brother, Billy, was revealed to be a personal one: Billy was having an affair with Jayson’s wife, Eryn. Jayson brutally attacked and killed Billy, and the fallout has haunted the gang ever since. They disapproved of Jayson taking the law into his own hands. Now, Perry suspects someone is secretly leaking information about the Dark Hearts. He’s correct in his suspicions, though he doesn’t realize it yet, and Eryn will remain silent. This creates another dangerous situation. Ultimately, Perry punishes Jayson for not being truthful about his motives for killing Billy, inflicting a brutal whipping with a chain.

Tom is still no closer to finding the FBI mole, and the show strongly suggests it’s his boss, Martha Plimpton. Their plan to make a drug deal with Cliff fails when he doesn’t show up at the meeting place. On a brighter note, they learn Sam is still alive and manage to get a glimpse of Robbie, though his identity remains a mystery.

Okay, so things got seriously intense! The FBI didn’t get to Cliff first, but the Dark Hearts did. Robbie was waiting with all the fentanyl, and then they just ambushed Cliff, flipping his car and taking him hostage. They quickly figured out he wasn’t working solo, and Jayson… well, Jayson really went after him. Cliff wouldn’t give up his partner, even under torture, and honestly, it was the most brutal scene I’ve seen on the show so far. They ended up suffocating him, which was awful. Even though they didn’t get a name out of Cliff, they found a gun and Perry traced it back to Billy using an old photo of him with his daughter, Maeve. But here’s the kicker – Maeve is done with Robbie’s plans. She’s given him until morning to turn Sam in, because she knows they’re never going to make it to Canada with all this craziness. It’s a total mess!

Lizzie and Grasso find themselves at a bar again, and this time, their connection intensifies as they share a passionate dance to Gwen Stefani’s “The Sweet Escape.” They quickly end up back at Lizzie’s apartment, but intimacy is complicated by her desire not to be intimate in her bed. This romantic tension provides a much-needed break from the episode’s otherwise inconsistent rhythm.

Emily’s storyline is arguably the most compelling part of this episode. In therapy, she finally confronts her anger towards her adoptive parents, explaining she didn’t choose to be adopted by Tom. While grateful, she admits she often feels stifled and unable to express negative emotions, especially after Tom states he can’t forgive her brother for his past actions. To cope, she goes out with colleagues and ends up coming home drunk, culminating in a heated argument with Tom. She lashes out, telling him she regrets being adopted if it disrupted his life. It’s a raw and cathartic moment for Emily, allowing her long-held frustrations to surface. The episode leaves everyone on edge, suggesting a major conflict is about to erupt and leaving viewers wondering who will be left standing when the dust settles.

Misses and Bull’s-eyes

It seems like the show is currently set four days into its storyline. It’s possible each episode covers a full 24 hours, but that’s not entirely confirmed. Unlike *The Pitt*, this show doesn’t heavily rely on a ticking clock to build tension.

The show is trying to make us invested in the upcoming father-daughter dance between Robbie and Harper, but Harper hasn’t been developed as a fully realized character, making it hard to connect with the storyline.

It’s striking to see Isaach de Bankolé appear in this series, especially considering his role in Claire Denis’s *The Fence*, which is screening at the New York Film Festival this week. Unfortunately, he feels underutilized in both, almost as a symbol rather than a fully developed character. This is a far cry from his memorable performances in films like *Chocolat* and *No Fear, No Die*, or even his past television appearances.

Emily’s friend described her drink as cherry water ice with a surprisingly large amount of vodka. Lizzie responded by saying it wasn’t the words that mattered, but the overall experience.

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2025-09-29 05:55