Pa drives a stolen ice-cream truck to Hector's house in Mexico, while James interrupts Felipe's astronaut training in Houston.
In 2018, there were 495 scripted shows airing amongst the linear channels and streaming services. The way people are consuming content now is so different than it used to be. It happens according to one's own schedule. As such, there is less necessity to provide ample coverage of each specific episode in any given season from a show. Moreover, it is simply impossible to watch everything. As such, this site is making the move to shorter episodic reviews in order to cover as many shows as possible. With all of that being said, here are my thoughts on the next episode of Epix's Perpetual Grace, LTD.
"Felipe G. Usted. Almost First Mexican on the Moon. Part 2" was written by Steven Conrad & Bruce Terris and directed by James Whitaker
Hector made it seem to James that it was impossible for him to interrupt Felipe's astronaut training and deposit the money in his accounts at the same time. And yet, he could have reasonably pulled off both of those tasks here. It's because he believes it to be impossible that he enlists outside help which only further complicates things. Moreover, it's actually easy to complete these tasks once James and Glenn actually arrive at their destinations. James has to convince Felipe to give up his lifelong dream of becoming an astronaut even though he is in his last week of being eligible according to the age requirements. He does so by saying that space will forever be out of his reach because of this deal that has gone awry. Felipe doesn't ask for any of the details. Nor does he return to Hermosillo with James and New Leaf. He just wants to experience zero gravity and promises to return after that 40 minute detour is complete. That's the extent of his involvement in the conclusion of the two-part story that bears his name. That's slightly odd. Glenn is the much more critical and important character on display here. There is always this sneaking suspicion that something horrible is about to happen to him. He has already been brutalized by this world. James is trying to befriend him even though he caused the accident that now contributes to his hearing and vision problems. The show actually depicts the world as Glenn experiences it too. It is absolutely agonizing. As such, it's more than just a quirky set of character traits that make him stand out as a unique inclusion in this overall story. Now, they are actually obstacles that prevent him from completing this task for the person who says he is Glenn's best friend. Of course, his lack of knowledge about the world also contributes to him getting lost in Mexico. His father is a severely lacking parent. Sure, he is featured here for the first time and has immediate concern that his son doesn't seem to be at the pawn shop keeping the business afloat. That's the only thing that motivates him into action. But he still goes running towards the police station. That's bound to become a major complication moving forward. Nothing bad happens to Glenn though. He gets lost in the desert for awhile. He waxes on and on about how he'll possibly die from dehydration while also refusing to wear the sombrero he has just bought because he purchased it as a gift to his father. He sticks to his values. That's honorable even though he is no where close to actually dying of thirst. It's just perceived as such. That's still significant though. James continues to tease him along this adventure. It is a celebration when he gets there in the nick of time. But it's also dangerous that James and Glenn are now in the same area as Hector, Pa and Ma. That proximity is bound to lead to even more clashes. There may still be a lot of loose ends up in Half Acre with characters who have yet to be fully explored. Right now though, the action is firmly set in Mexico with Hector, Pa and Ma trying to exploit the family connections of their new antagonists in a way that actually stings in a lasting and brutal way. For Hector, that is burying Ma in the desert with enough oxygen to still survive. For Pa, that's actually trying to kill Hector's sons. And so, that continues to prove that everyone remains out of their depth when it comes to dealing with Pa and Ma. Some of that does result from the world's overall incompetence. It's actually fairly easy for Ma to escape from the big group of criminals. She just has to cause one distraction that gains the attention of both the criminals and the guards. She still can't outrun Hector though. That's an amusing sequence. It shows that there are still some limitations for these people. Those are likely to be exploited along this journey as well.
