Banshee Recap: “Meet the New Boss”
Original Air Date (Cinemax): Friday January 25, 2013
Season 1 Episode 3
by Julianne Snow:
The third episode opens with Carrie disabling a guard before sneaking into Rabbit’s (Ben Cross) NYC apartment to hold him at gunpoint. From the exchange that follows, you can see that they have history. After handcuffing him to the bed, she gives him back his diamonds in exchange for freedom – she just wants him to leave her and her family alone. Shrewd and angry, Rabbit makes a counteroffer: she can have her freedom, as long as she gives him Lucas. Thinking over the offer, Carrie sedates him then kisses him on the cheek. Her final words reveal a single truth: goodbye Daddy.
In Banshee, Proctor is working with the local Native American tribe, whose leader is Benjamin Longshadow. To help grease the wheels for the new hotel with the tribe and the town council, Proctor has helped to bring a mixed-martial arts bout to the casino. The tribe leader’s son Alex isn’t happy and believes that the revenue made on tribal land should benefit the tribe and not Proctor.
A brief glimpse into Lucas’ past shows that he was once in a fight while in prison where he was beaten and then shanked.
At the funeral for Reed, Lucas shakes the Senator’s hand who holds it for a long moment, staring intently into his face. Once his hand has been released, Lucas is approached by the Gordon Hopewell (Rus Blackwell), the DA for Banshee and Carrie’s husband. He extends an invitation to dinner which Lucas accepts.
As they sit around the patio table, Lucas asks Deva how she’s doing just as her brother Max starts to cough and have trouble breathing. A mask is placed over his mouth and nose and it is revealed that his condition started when he was a toddler, but you don’t really learn what the condition is. Gordon thanks Lucas for looking after Deva and reveals that all crooked roads in Banshee lead to one man: Proctor.
In a rare moment alone, Carrie tells Lucas that he used to be kind. Lucas responds by telling her that after 15 years of being forgotten, he has reason to be unkind and storms out of the house.
Later that night, Lucas is seated at the bar with Sugar who asks him if he wants to talk. Lucas is in the process of declining when Rebecca saunters into the bar, drinking random drinks as she makes her way to Lucas. After a few words of flirtatious banter, they have sex in what appears to be a storeroom.
Sugar calls Proctor, letting him know that Rebecca is back at the bar. He comes to pick her up and asks if she’s getting tired of the rebellious streak and reveals that his choices have shunned him within the community. You begin to learn that while Proctor may be the bad influence in town, he’s tortured by the choices that he’s made. Rebecca is not scared of him and Proctor knows it. She even taunts him with: why don’t you just admit that you like being bad?
It is announced that Sugar will referee the mixed martial arts fight at the casino. During the press conference, Lucas and Proctor have a conversation about the rave and Reed’s death. Lucas pulls the pills found in Reed’s pockets from his own and asks for Proctor’s help in finding out where they came from. Proctor plays himself off as a philanthropist.
As Lucas is leaving, the fighter, Sanchez goads Lucas, trying to get him to go a round with him in the ring. Lucas declines and leaves. Sanchez then turns his attentions to one of the waitresses, whom he asks to bring a bottle of champagne to his trailer later that night.
Carrie visits Lucas that night, her intent to give him back the diamonds she took back from her father after he was drugged and make him leave town. Lucas turns the tables on her and tells her to take the diamonds and get out; he won’t be bought.
The scenes with the Sanchez and the waitress don’t go well for her. As a result of the beating and rape, the waitress winds up in hospital and Lucas knows the he has to arrest Sanchez. At the casino, Lucas goes to confront Sanchez, backed up by Officer Kelly (Trieste Kelly Dunn). Proctor stops Lucas as he enters, asking him to wait to arrest Sanchez until after the fight. Officer Kelly gets upset as Lucas turns, thinking he is about to leave after kowtowing to Proctor. Coming face to face with Sanchez’ manager changes his mind, especially after he hears that the manager thinks that all of the women who make allegations of rape against Sanchez do so for the money. Lucas takes obvious offense and turns back to arrest Sanchez. Sanchez eggs him on and they fight after Lucas throws the first punch. Lucas is obviously less skilled and takes a beating to the point that he gets kicked off the stage- literally. In the end, Lucas prevails after Sanchez breaks his right hand punching Lucas and then Lucas breaks the fingers on Sanchez’ left hand. None of the crowd attempt to break up the fight. When Lucas collapses on his way out, Sugar helps him up and takes him to the bar.
Proctor is upset at the turn of events and confronts Lucas at Sugar’s bar. While he complains about the money that Lucas lost him, Lucas returns with a simple phrase: blame Sanchez. Proctor is ultimately upset that Lucas won’t be owned and Lucas reveals that he’s not afraid of Proctor. Proctor tells Lucas that perhaps he should be and Lucas invites him to show him why. True to form, Proctor declines and leaves.
Later that night, Sanchez’ manager is on the phone telling his bosses that Lucas messed Sanchez up so bad that his career is over. Proctor’s assistant shows up to collect the money that Proctor had provided to them in return for the fight. The manager refuses to give it back and turns to enter the trailer. In a moment of utter calm, the assistant removes his glasses and enters the trailer where the sounds of a brutal beating can be heard.
In the last scene before the credits, you flash briefly to a guard who had recorded the fight between Sanchez and Lucas. He is about to hit publish on the video when the credits begin.
There is another bonus scene at the end of the credits and let me just say, you are not going to want to miss it!
As I watched this episode, I was again plagued with a few questions – how is Rebecca able to get away from her family, especially dressed in Western clothing? Why didn’t Lucas take the diamonds and leave? It was what he came to Banshee in the first place for…
DarkMedia contributor Julianne Snow was first lulled into the horror genre by her parents during an ill-advised viewing of Alien when she was only 4 years old. Since that date, it’s been a given that Julianne will watch and read anything that is horror related. Her short fiction has appeared in anthologies from Sirens Call Publications and Open Casket Press, as well as The Sirens Call and various other websites showcasing short fiction. She is the author of the Days with the Undead series, which can be found on her website dayswiththeundead.com. Her first novel, Days with the Undead: Book One was published in early 2012 and is based on her popular web serial. Find her on Twitter @CdnZmbiRytr.
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