Loot Season 3 Episode 9 Review: Slide
On Loot Season 3 Episode 9, “Slide,” Molly navigates her newfound relationship with Maro Gold while Nicholas and Howard try to lift Arthur’s spirits after the breakup.
Something Season 3 has been lacking is the magic that comes from Arthur, Howard, and Nicholas spending time together.
In theory, this trio should not work, given how different all these characters are. Yet, somehow, Nat Faxon, Ron Funches, and Joel Kim Booster bring their unique sensibilities together to craft a comedy goldmine.
Despite how sad it is that Arthur is mining all his significant life moments to pinpoint the exact moment he became “a dumpable loser,” the trio keeps things surprisingly light and fun without detracting from Arthur’s journey.
The trio serves as a reminder of how friendship can come from unexpected places and epitomizes one of Loot‘s core tenets.
When you open your heart up to new experiences, you make room for love that will help you grow.
The big conundrum Arthur consistently runs into is this push-and-pull between wanting to step outside his comfort zone without completely changing himself. Can he fully be with Molly if he cannot show up for her in these spaces that he doesn’t enjoy being in?
There isn’t a clean-cut answer to this dilemma, and Loot recognizes it in how Arthur moves forward.
In a refreshing moment of security for the character, Arthur finds peace with who he is. Faxon does a lovely job at taking this happy development in melancholy with the realization that, because he’s fine with who he is, it may come at the expense of being with Molly.
Loot doesn’t paint this as a good or bad thing, just a part of life.
Nicholas’s admission that Molly made the wrong decision also signals an important moment in their dynamic. For the first time this season, it feels like Nicholas actually supports Arthur as Molly’s partner.
After spending the episode reluctant to even show up for Arthur, it’s a nice step forward for Nicholas.
Molly’s plot parallels nicely with Arthur’s journey as Maro Gold reminds her of why she loves Arthur in the first place.
Maro clearly enters the narrative as a foil for Molly and Arthur’s relationship; however, Zane Phillips brings a strange mix of charm and flakiness that makes him fun to watch.
He’s not sinister or evil in a way that we often see with “the other man” trope. Gold may not have much to offer when it comes to brains or personality, but his biggest crime is simply that he and Molly are not compatible.
He’s a shiny, exciting toy, but sometimes the “safe” option is more appealing.
Molly’s complete inability to connect with Gold’s friends also emphasizes the big crux of the series as well.
Molly was not always a billionaire; she has a tether to the real world outside of the money. The people who fully see her and stimulate her personally and professionally are not in that room with her.
As Arthur realizes he likes who he is, Molly is reminded that him being himself is precisely why she loves him in the first place.
She’s able to grow with Arthur as he balances her chaotic life. Ultimately, unlike a lot of the people Molly is forced to hang out with on this episode, Arthur is a person with depth and soul.
Before we can relish in Molly and Arthur’s developments, however, Luciana returns with a fury.
The Wells Foundation took a backseat for most of this season, so it’s exciting to see some major conflict return on that front. Even more exciting is the fact that the conflict is in the form of Darcy Carden playing one of her most deranged characters to date.
It’s a fun foil and puts the Foundation in a tricky predicament that hasn’t been explored yet on the series. They’ve never been this close to completely shutting their doors. There’s a new element of danger present.
With one episode to go, “Slide” leaves us in a precarious yet exciting position. Hopefully, Loot will be able to land the plane successfully for the finale next week.
What did you think of this episode of Loot? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to leave your own rating!
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New episodes of Loot air Wednesdays on AppleTV+.
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Adam Patla
Adam grew up less than 3 minutes away from a movie theater so he was always destined to love all things entertainment. He studied Broadcast & Cinematic Arts at Central Michigan University before working as a talent agent in the Chicago area until 2020. During lockdown he began discussing film and television on TikTok where he cultivated a platform of over 49,000 followers. He is currently a member of Chicago Indie Critics.