Black Rabbit Recap: No Partners in Crime

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The show *Black Rabbit* is starting to feel a little drawn out. This episode, being shorter than usual, feels like it’s trying too hard to reach the required eight-episode length – it could have been a more impactful five or six. It’s not ideal to feel this way halfway through the series, but the cast and crew continue to deliver excellent work. The story is picking up speed for the group in Brooklyn, and it’s clear things are heading towards a dramatic and quick reckoning.

The episode opens with Amyl and the Sniffers’ song, setting a bleak, early morning mood in New York. While the music is great, it feels like one of those overly curated soundtracks-a random Spotify playlist slapped over the show’s scenes, as evidenced by another song playing during a rather bland romantic moment. However, the opening also features a striking visual: Roxie walking down the street, with a glimpse of graffiti on Jules’ art gallery-a harsh message directed at him. Meanwhile, Vince is in high spirits, surprising Gen with coffee and a baseball game invite. Gen is wary of this gesture from her often-absent father, sensing it’s insincere and a precursor to trouble – and she’s right. Vince is flush with cash from a recent, minor scam and, feeling generous, impulsively calls Junior, promising to repay a debt immediately.

News of Mel’s overdose at the charity event has already leaked to the press, and Jake is frantically trying to manage the fallout. He quickly checks on Mel, making sure she’s okay and will keep quiet about everything. Then, he hurries to a brief, awkward encounter with Estelle, quickly leading to a moment of intense attraction. The whole scene feels like a cliché from a cheesy romance movie, and it’s made even more ironic by Jake’s complicated history – his inappropriate relationships with colleagues and the problems that are sure to follow.

Just as Jake and Estelle finish their business, a mysterious man named Campbell (Morgan Spector) arrives at the Pool Room. He’s working for Jules, though he doesn’t reveal that right away – it’s typical for someone in his line of work, with a lot of powerful connections. Jake quickly understands that Campbell’s “client” is very interested in Anna Dixon, especially since she’s been talking to a reporter. Ironically, Jake gets a text from Mel warning him that the very *New York* Magazine journalist Anna spoke with is now poking around the Black Rabbit kitchen. Jake urgently tells Jules to stay away from his restaurant, not as an act of rebellion, but because he’s genuinely worried.

This is where Jake starts to lose the moral high ground he’s held over Vince throughout the series. While it was a mistake for Vince to quickly tell the Macusos he could repay them, Jake has already secretly used the $100,000 from the charity benefit to pay off their debts. He also reveals plans to expand to the Pool Room, which Vince views as a dangerous risk to both of their lives. However, after learning that Vince’s friend Matt was responsible for Mel’s bad drugs, both brothers blame each other and angrily walk away.

Jake confronts Anna on the street, practically ambushing her, and warns her that Jules might retaliate if things escalate. Throughout the conversation, Jake seems more concerned with appearing like the good guy than acknowledging the threatening nature of his words. Abbey Lee, as always, powerfully conveys Anna’s disbelief with a single, cutting look. Jake consistently justifies his past bad behavior – a crude remark about Anna was blamed on being intoxicated, and a relationship with a younger hostess was excused as a result of his divorce. Finally, Anna bluntly tells him, “You’re not my friend,” and demands he stay away if he intends to take action.

Roxie is grappling with the consequences of staying silent for too long. Over a home-cooked meal with her ex, she admits she knew things were happening but avoided getting involved. Despite being surrounded by past mistakes and potential future ones, this moment feels genuine and untainted. As she opens up, a possible solution involving Jake becomes clear: instead of leaving the Black Rabbit, why not take control of it? The path forward is still hazy and drawn out, seemingly stretched to fill the episode’s runtime. However, her motivation is understandable, considering everyone else’s position in the Black Rabbit game. If Roxie stays and becomes the leader, she believes she can improve things, create a safer environment, and make amends for her past inaction-effectively avoiding the worst possible consequences.

Back at the Black Rabbit, Junior and Babbitt arrive before Vince, wanting to make sure he pays up. The constant cycle of Vince promising money and the Mancusos demanding it is becoming tiresome. Fortunately, they assure Vince this will be the last time as they head to Jake’s luxurious apartment. There, they trash the place and give Jake a final week to deliver the full amount. They also make Vince drink a lot of Jake’s expensive alcohol and force him to reveal Anna’s name and address.

It’s unfortunate, but Anna finds herself in a dangerous situation through no fault of her own, caught between two powerful and violent groups. Campbell offers her a deal – $275,000 and a new life in Cancun – to escape. However, the more unpredictable Mancuso family ultimately controls her fate, and she is killed by Junior and Babbitt. The show leaves viewers hanging, revealing this outcome in a very short timeframe, a common tactic in modern streaming series. Despite this, the upcoming events leading to the planned robbery still seem promising and filled with danger for the whole group.

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2025-09-18 19:55