“My sister was the only good, clean and honest thing I had in my life, and you ran off with her... You got her killed. You just had to be a big shot, had to get on the TV and run your mouth. It’s your fault she’s dead” – Danny Ruskin (Jane’s brother-in-law)
“Yes, it is. I know that – it is my fault. And I just hope that one day you’ll forgive me, and maybe one day I’ll forgive myself... I’m sorry” - Jane
I am positively thrilled at how this season is unfolding so far. After a sharply witty opening that dealt with Jane’s attempts to distance himself from those he loves for their own safety, I thought we might be lumbered with a redundant, run of the mill, episodes that avoided the main story arc. What we were dealt instead was a non-Red John episode that was still crucial to the forward momentum of the show.
We are given a glimpse into Jane’s marriage – something relatively untouched until now – through meeting Jane’s con man brother-in-law, Danny Ruskin, who blames Jane for the murder of his sister, yet is still capable of maintaining a good relationship with Jane, which is used to brilliant effect here with their con men-duo act, to resolve the case at hand. The loss they have shared together affords us a closer look at Jane’s self-blame over the murder of his family, and also gives us Jane’s first visit to their graves – him claiming he has never returned there since the funeral “because they are not here” (meaning it is just their bodies that lie there, not his family themselves). And we are also given a sturdier insight into Jane’s past as a 'carnie' and the strong ties that he still holds with those people.
Whilst tackling all of this sombre content, the excellent level of humour from last week is still maintained; the highlight here being a scene where Jane pretends to die after being ‘shot’ by his brother-in-law, which is played intentionally very chessily by Jane (so much so that it’s hard to see how the killer falls for it), which makes it all the more hilarious; as he gets up, Jane states: “Connie, Connie, Connie, you fell for the oldest gag in the book, and one of the cheapest – $3.55 at a novelty store near you. Beats the hell out of the cackle bladder.”
Another funny moment is Jane’s old woman con-woman friend Nicki, after trying to con Van Pelt, stating: “This sweet piece of fruit is a cop?” and Jane’s subsequent threat that if she doesn’t provide them with the information that they are seeking, that “this nice piece of fruit will take you downtown and treat you to a cavity search.” And also Jane’s repeating of ”thank you Lisbon,” louder and slower than before, when she says “I didn’t hear that” to imply that she would look the other way on a matter.
It was wonderful to see M. C. Gainey, of Lost fame, here playing an old ‘carnie’ friend of Jane’s excellently.
This episode is brimming with taught emotion, brilliant humour and relevance to this show’s main story arc; all exactly what we need this season.
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