By Kofi Outlaw
The theme of this week’s CANE was definitely “bros before Po’s.”
The investigation of the Samuels family’s murdered henchman, Quinones, finally reached Alex’s door, as he and loyal bodyguard Santo were brought in for questioning about the murder. Though they were grilled hard, both men kept their cool, Santo’s going so far as to write “Besame el culo.” (I’ll let your parents translate that one for you kids) on the paper laid out for his confession. Before long Alex and Santo’s were ‘George Jefferson walking’ right of the station, free men…for now.
However the law wasn’t the only institution Alex was having trouble with this week. The Duque company took hit on the political front too, when Senator Barnes, their ace card in acquiring the ethanol subsidy, was forced to resign from office when he was discovered in the company of a male prostitute. He should have gone with the Eddie Murphy defense.
Frank proved that white girls are a hard habit to break when he stormed the home of ex-fling Ellis Samuels for a late-night booty call, only to keep it P.I.M.P. and leave her high-an-dry (well, high at least,) when she tried to patch up things between them. Frank was not the only one under the Duque roof to get some action: Alex’s daughter Katie quickly became hot and heavy with her new, older, boyfriend, whom she’d met as long ago as last week’s episode. A video camera taping the pair’s “proceedings” suggests that a sex scandal and a bit of blackmail may be on the horizon for the Vega’s.
Finally Frank continued to prove that a leopard can change its spots (or at least pretend to) when he deftly corroborates Alex’s albi about the Quinones murder to Detective Grasso, who exploited the invitation of a mundane afternoon of watching football to probe Alex about what Grasso is increasingly concerned are serious skeletons in his friend’s closet.
The episode did well setting up subsequent plotlines, each juicy enough to end in disaster if Alex cannot wheel and deal his way through them without dropping the ball. I do like how the show is adding layers of complexity to its characters, wisely avoiding the mistake of making them one-note constructions. Frank’s role is as dubious as ever (it’s debatable whether he will ultimately be Alex’s best ally or worst nemesis), Santo, as both the most ruthless and honorable character still remains my favorite; and even Katie is showing shades of gray, shirking the virginal act this week to indulge in a little illicit pleasure. I stress again that it is the characters of the Duques and their ilk that are drive this show (the plotlines need work) and if the producers are smart they’ll definitely keep their eyes focused on the fiery Cuban-clan.
Do you even give a hoot about CANE yet? Rant and let me know—I’m beginning to feel like the boy in the bubble covering this show.