USA's Pearson - Episode 1.07 "The Immigration Lawyer"
Jessica tries to square a debt. Nick reels from McGann's bombshell. Yoli deals with personal news.
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 USA's Pearson.
"The Immigration Lawyer" was written by Jameal Turner and directed by Emile B. Levisetti
Jessica keeps trying to assert that she took this job in the mayor's office because she wanted to make change in Chicago. And yet, she continually has to remind herself of that fact because she fears that she is falling back into old patterns. She has so much love for her old colleagues in New York. But she doesn't want to be the power-hungry broker who managed a prestigious law firm again. She doesn't want to be seen as the woman making backroom deals that have major real-world consequences. She wants to be part of the solution. She just doesn't feel like she can fully engage with the system when its individuals are keeping information from her. Of course, this hour also presents as Jessica wanting everyone to know that they need her help. Some are willing to accept that. It just takes some gentle pushing. Others refuse to believe that she is their sole salvation. Angela is so grateful to have a place to go after her building is torn down because of Pat McGann's greedy ambitions. She and Jessica continue to grow closer and remind each other of the value of this world and the work they are doing. Angela has deep roots in her community. She doesn't want to leave but she also accepts the generous nature of Jessica's gestures. Meanwhile, Jessica wants to be seen as the personal benefactor for the communities who have long gone without a voice in city hall. But here, she has to make several significant moves just in order to create a business that the city could hand an extensive contract to because of a pledge to support minority-owned businesses. At first, she wanted to make amends for her past actions against the union leader. He is no longer at the top for the construction workers. Instead, he is running his own private business that is no where near as steady or stable. Jessica wants people to instinctively trust that her actions are pure and genuine. That's just hard to do after a season in which she was blindly loyal to Bobby and did some unsavory things for McGann. And now, she has the confidence to act out on her own because she knows just how vulnerable McGann truly is. He's not the big power player in the city everyone believes and fears him to be. He still has leverage against the mayor. He has a tape of Nick essentially confessing to murder. Bobby sees that as the scandal that can take down his entire administration. It proves to be very destructive for the brotherly bond as well. Nick lashes out in such a violent and physical way. He sees that as the only way McGann will understand the message. But it's purely him reacting in the heat of the moment. Everyone else basically has the awareness that so much more is at stake and could grow even more complicated because of this one action. It means Nick is running away refusing to accept any help from Jessica. She wants to extend it. She knows just how much of a bully McGann has always been. Meanwhile, Keri also starts to realize just how deep McGann has his hooks in Bobby. She knew they had some kind of a shady relationship. But now, the mayor is willing to completely reinvent a deal she worked tirelessly on just in order to appease the man he is indebted to. That's startling. It too runs the risk of destroying their personal relationship. Jessica warned everyone that secrets had a tendency of being exposed and causing so much harm. She wants people to be careful in how they operate. And yet, this continues to be a world in which it is very difficult to bring about change even when those intentions are clear and important. Yoli still has to ask for help because otherwise she'll get scammed out of her money. Jessica may not be able to reunite her with her mother but she will certainly fight for it because that's the person she wants to be in this new city.
