Power Book II: Ghost Season 3 Episode 3 Review: Human Capital
Power Book II: Ghost Season 3 Episode 3, “Human Capital,” explores manipulation, exploitation, and boundaries while highlighting a lot of the season’s secrets. While Tariq, Brayden, Effie, and Cane have been making power moves to meet the new larger demands, they don’t necessarily make decisions that serve the group as a unit.
Cooper Saxe seems to have his own agenda as he finds out the truth about Davis’ client, Theo. Meanwhile, Monet deals with a relentless Whitman, and the Tejadas’ face some shifts in their power hierarchy.
Business appears to be booming as Tariq and Brayden upgrade their wardrobes, suiting up in a very Kingsman-esque moment with Brayden even making a reference to the savvy spy film.
The episode is full of random anecdotes, unanswered questions, and things that are not particularly fleshed out. We are still dying to know how convicted felons get unlimited campus visitor passes.
So, business seems to be moving well, but it’s still not enough as Noma’s henchman threatens their loved ones with photos of Tariq’s grandma, Diana, and Brayden’s parents as insurance. They honestly should’ve established bigger threats, it would’ve been crazy if it was Tasha or Yas.
While Tariq does essentially care about his grandmother, she has made some poor decisions in regard to Yas. With the amount of power Noma supposedly has, this should have felt like a much more monumental threat.
This episode focuses on using people for one’s own advantage, a concept discussed heavily in Tariq’s Ethics class, which is something the show tends to use to connect its themes.
Human capital is evident in this episode, not just in the classroom, but across the series as we see connections based on mutual benefits and alliances, sometimes even without the knowledge of an individual party.
The classroom discussions are always interesting, especially in contrast to the events simultaneously occurring in their lives. From differing views regarding capitalism, privilege, and using others for one’s own benefit.
In our review of Power Book II: Ghost Season 3 Episode 2, “Need vs. Greed,” we discussed the many complex connections in this universe and the fact that no one can be trusted, even amongst law enforcement who are always undermining each other.
We were first got introduced to Theo during Power Book II: Ghost Season 2, but we weren’t given the backstory of how the brother of a defense attorney ended up behind bars. Now, Power Book II: Ghost Season 3 is beginning to fill in the blanks.
Hip-hop fans will immediately notice the unexplained casting change of Theo previously played by Redman. Will Saxe ultimately help Davis expose corruption or set him up?
One thing we’ve learned from the Power universe is that if everyone were actually on the same page things would actually work out in everyone’s favor, but individual desires always get in the way of the bigger picture.
What did you think of this episode of Power Book II: Ghost? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Power Book II: Ghost airs Fridays at 9/8c on STARZ.
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Nadya Martinez
Nadya Martinez @gothamgeekgirl is a freelance journalist/reporter, content creator and creative writer with a focus on Entertainment and pop-culture. 7 + years of experience in digital media with news writing, list articles, features, Op-eds and editorials, film + TV reviews, Press Interviews, screeners and event coverage. Nadya has a very strong passion for comics, film, video games, tech and a love of writing. Founder of Gotham Geek Girl, Former Staff Writer at the Latin Times and contributing reporter for G33K-HQ, Otakus&Geeks, All Ages of Geek & The Cherry Picks.