Gary McCurry reviews the fourth episode of Bloodline…
Among the kind compliments I received regarding the first Bloodline piece, a couple of people (one being my father so I’m not sure that one counts) text stating that they plan on starting the show based on what they had read. This is one of the most satisfying aspects of writing and although one had said “Does Bloodline get any better after the first episode? I feel so duped.” she later agreed to continue to watch until episode 4. Here we are then. It’s go big or go home for at least one viewer.
Now for the easiest two words of my review – spoilers ahead.
Instead of the spacious and luxurious setting of the Florida Keys resort where most of the show’s action occurs, we start in the people packed lower deck of a boat. One struggle turns into another as the sighting of a coastguard spooks the drivers and leads them to escape the speeding vessel. The scene below deck turns chaotic as the passengers onboard frantically attempting to exit the fire that has begun. We see the boat succumb to the flames and explode. A great way to start the episode, now where do we go from here? The answer: Not very far.
Bloodline actually slows down in the fourth installment, that in itself is quite something considering its already measured pace. We do have the extension of a couple of threads, the main one being the story behind Sarah Rayburn. Throughout “Part 4” Robert, now released from hospital is tormented with fleeting memories of his daughter, Sarah. These are starting to piece together, giving us a clearer picture of what happened. Sam Shepard gives the segments a sense of quiet desperation and allows these moments to sink in without any excess baggage.
Talking of excess baggage, Kyle Chandler’s voice-over is missing from this episode. I didn’t even notice until the end and we lost nothing so, if that’s the case, do we really need it? It’s not really an annoyance, more an unnecessary extra.
Everything is seemingly well with the family, dad is home, Danny is fitting into his role and even getting along with his harshest critic, brother Kevin. Baseball games, leisurely drives with all the Rayburn boys only lead to bigger come down when Danny’s dad, Robert asks him to leave. The kicker? He passes over a cheque to soften the blow. It’s clearly visible how hurt Danny is even though he tries to put up a front. He believed that the effort he’s put in is worth not only his love but also his respect. Robert doesn’t agree, although it looks like it’s more to do with the memories of Sarah plaguing him and the part Danny plays in them.
This helping is certainly the least thrilling, however you’ll find that many scenes pack a hefty emotional punch. Roads towards further development involve Meg receiving a job offer from a larger law firm in New York and Kevin looking to make an offer to the neighbouring boatyard. Both are little more than side notes so far.
Gary McCurry – Follow me on Twitter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=pnc360pUDRI&list=PL18yMRIfoszFLSgML6ddazw180SXMvMz5
Originally published April 15, 2015. Updated April 13, 2018.
