American Crime Review: Season Two Episode Nine
The second season of American Crime has been a rollercoaster ride through current society mores, and even though the penultimate episode has its faults, “Episode Nine” is a great set-up for next week’s finale. “Episode Nine” does such a fantastic job of exploring how complex relationships can be, even more so within a family structure.
The best part this week involves Coach Dan and Steph, two characters I haven’t been impressed with, dealing with the fact that their daughter Becca is a drug dealer and plays a small part in Taylor’s assault.
Dan: This kid is looking at me as if the things that matter to me … don’t matter.
This is a perfect example of the disconnect that exists between the parents and children on this show. The parents are pinning all their drama onto the kids instead of listening to what their children need from them. Both Taylor and Eric want acceptance. Taylor receives this from Anne, but she doesn’t listen to his pleas that he intends to move on from the assault.
These events snowball leading to Eric being outed, attempting suicide, and getting disowned. Coach Dan and Leslie don’t listen to Eric or think that outing him will lead to bigger problems, but it does. And it’s all because these adult characters are willfully blind to what is going on with these children.
Dan doesn’t see past his championship banners and overt masculinity. Taylor doesn’t matter to him because he doesn’t belong to his elite group of athletes. All of the awkward scenes with Becca make sense because he never intends to get to know his daughter. He has this vision of her in his head and neglects to see who she is.
Speaking of Becca, we’re starting to see a less than favorable side to her. Not that it’s any surprise considering she’s a teenager obsessed with social media, sells drugs, and is apprehensive about her future. Her attitude and casual selling of pot and oxycodone stem from Steph and her drug use. She sees them so casually used in her home that it’s no surprise that she wouldn’t want to cash out.
I also have no doubt that she supplied the drugs the night of the basketball party and can only hope that some form of punishment comes her way.
Given the glacial pace of the show, this episode may be the hardest to place in the overall story. The biggest issue is that it’s hard to see where the events are trying to go and when it finally gets there, it’s not fulfilling to the audience. But these elements of the story aren’t as important as character relationships.
Particularly the relationships between parents and children.
Other Thoughts:
- Leslie disbanded the Leyland board after a cyber attack.
- Taylor is still facing sentencing.
- Chris faced his assumptions about racism in the forgotten Marshall High storyline.
- I have a feeling that this season is going to end like the first and I’m not going to get any definite answers, but have to deal with philosophical thinking for the rest of my life.
What did you think of this episode of American Crime? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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American Crime airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on ABC.
Jessica Kreamer
Jessica has a degree in History, an MLA is Liberal Arts, and a great desire to consume as much quality television as she can. By day, she's an office worker and caregiver. By night, she's a tea drinking television fanatic. Her current favorite television shows include: Madam Secretary, How To Get Away With Murder, Jane the Virgin, and Veep. Her greatest wish is to make tea drinking into a payable skill. Follow Jessica on Twitter: @pythiaprophet