SundanceTV's Rectify - Episode 2.10 "Unhinged"
Daniel has concerns about Jon Stern's advice; Tawney reconsiders several of her choices; and Ted Jr. asks a favor.
At the start of this season, I stated how I really loved Rectify but I didn't think it leant itself to weekly reviews all that well. I will still stand by that statement - to an extent. It's still immensely enjoyable to binge a couple of episodes of Rectify at a time. Season one was so insular in its focus about Daniel adjusting to life on the outside after being released from death row. It was about Daniel's journey one day at a time. It also did interesting stories with sister Amantha and stepsister-in-law Tawney but it was largely about Daniel walking around in life.Season two was given an expanded order of ten episodes. The show didn't change from the show it was in Season 1. However, it did expand upon its premise and scope of its narrative. It dealt with this group of people learning how to move on in life. They've all grown immensely since he's been away. His return was a big culture shock but now he's been here for awhile. They need to figure out what's next for them. That gave the show the ability to go bigger without ever losing the touch of human emotion it planted on the smallest of materials or possessions. That gave the show the chance to experiment - Daniel's trips to Atlanta and Florida, Lezley's party, etc. - while also better defining the emotional point-of-views of additional members of the supporting cast. Ted Jr. is far from a sympathetic figure but the show put in the effort to show things from his perspective. Then when we got to the big moment last week where Tawney left we were just as emotional and sympathetic to him as we were to her.
And "Unhinged" is a masterfully done finale - easily the series' best episode to date (and that's saying something!) If this were any other show on any other network, the mystery surrounding Hanna's murder would be the driving force of the narrative. Daniel's innocence or guilt would be what brought us into that character. Rectify simply has no desire to give a simple solution to that mystery. "Unhinged" is one of the more plot-focused episodes of the series as Daniel has to share his side of the story on the record to receive a plea deal. And that elongated sequence is fantastically written but still leaves things somewhat ambiguously. Daniel does state that he did kill Hanna. But the sequence very much plays with Daniel's thought process and remembering things from that night. It's the most detailed telling of the events so far. But there's still plenty left for the imagination.
Daniel went for this plea deal of banishment so easily because he just wants all of this to be over and to be free to live his life for the first time really ever. He doesn't want to drag it out any farther. He's made his own decision. Something that he hasn't really done throughout his life. Jon and Amantha are against it because they still believe they can clear his name. Jared doesn't understand why Daniel would confess to something if he didn't do it. And yet, no one wants to just ask Daniel if he did kill Hanna. If they did, I'm sure he would say something philosophical about what the truth actually is and what one believes to be true.
Nothing is ever simple on this show. And that's what makes Rectify so great. Daniel is ready to go to Mobile, Alabama and never see his family ever again. They've been fighting for him for so long. And now, he's just willing to give up their love in order to be free. The only person he's had a genuine connection with since getting out is with Tawney - and even then he doesn't believe that he should deserve someone like her. He sees himself as a bad person not worthy of being loved in an intimate way. He's respectful of others. He knows Tawney just needs a shoulder to cry on and a good laugh. But he's also deeply personal. What he did to Ted Jr. was wrong and now he recognizes that. He knows he has moments of being unhinged which he believes is why people shouldn't be close to him. No one knew what he was going to say on the record. He tells the Senator and the prosecutor what they wanted to hear but he's much more focused on remembering the exact events of that night. And now, all of that may not even matter! Ted Jr. is willing to press charges now. George's body has finally been found. The Sheriff went to George's house and is now testing Trey's DNA. Daniel went into the courthouse expecting this case to finally be over. But that doesn't seem possible now. He doesn't get the closure he so desperately wants. And that is just wonderful to behold. Bring on Season 3!
Some more thoughts:
- "Unhinged" was written by Ray McKinnon & Kate Powers and directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal.
- Tawney learns the truth about what Daniel did to Ted Jr. but that doesn't change her decision to leave. She recognizes that he's not the one she's meant to be with. Daniel's not the right choice either. Nothing either one did would have changed her mind and I'm so happy she doesn't end the hour back with one of them - instead she's at the car wash!
- Amantha is still just trying to figure out what she wants out of life. She fought so hard for Daniel. And now that he's - in her mind - giving up, she doesn't want to be a part of his life unless he reaches out to her. But who is she without her brother? She's just a girl working at the local convenient store.
- After the few weeks out, Daniel still does not know how to tie a tie.
- That music was beautiful!
- I'm not quite sure where Rectify will place on my year-ending Top 10 list but it will definitely be on it!
