Episode Report Card Chuck: C- | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT The Naked and the Dead
By Chuck | Season 5 | Episode 1 | Aired on 01.05.2002
Back on the bus, the Muslim woman (Mrs. Arif) is talking to Mrs. Hill about America's fucked-up drug policy, which supplies narcotics and then arrests individuals for using them. Father Mukada, acting like a pussy, comes back and tells her that other passengers want her to shut up, as Jewel screams in the background, making the bus sound remarkably like all of my recent flights, where I seem to attract wailing babies like allergic people attract cats, and again making me wonder about the viability of an adults-only airline. Mrs. A feels like she's being asked to keep it down because she speaks the truth, and calls out that the country's drug policy is excessive, oppressive, and racist. You got that right, sister. She advocates treatment and spouts off alarming figures about escalating prison populations as Mukada tries to shush her by saying that Carrie's (lily-white) baby is trying to sleep, which is such an annoying argument for quiet, implying as it does that people deserve special treatment and consideration just because they've made the questionable choice to procreate. Give the baby a damn Valium and let the woman speak her mind.
Older, wiser Mrs. Hill saves the day, asking Mrs. Arif if her husband is an addict; he was, she says, but has found Allah and the strength to resist his cravings. He no longer hurts the family as he did when he was using. My son was an addict as well, says Mrs. Hill (her natty hat demonstrating where Augustus gets his fondness for costume). She advises Mrs. Arif that the facts that cram her head will never be as good as simple truths, and that the story of a man who overcame his addiction is the one that people need to hear. I'm not really sure I see her point here, but Mrs. Arif looks edified, so whatever.
In the cafeteria line, Arif is in a good mood because Mrs. Arif is on her way. His contentment is marred by the sight of slop-slinger Ryan O'Reily (looking pale and haggard), who disgusts Arif with his brutality, as evidenced in the Arif-witnessed bludgeoning murder of Patrick Keenan. Looks like O'Reily's not wild about Arif either -- he throws food on Arif's tray and tells him to move along before seeing something that inspires him to leave his post. It's slow, puffy Cyril, talking to some guy with a bad Joey Buttafuoco look. Ryan wants Cyril to stay away from the guy, but Cyril says he likes him. Name's Henry Stanton, apparently, and Ryan warns him to leave Cyril alone or suffer the consequences. Ryan wants to know what Cyril told Henry, but Cyril maintains he said nothing and gets all huffy. Pancamo comes over and tells the O'Reilys (a.k.a. "you mick fucks") to get back to work.
Arif sits in Leo's office, complaining that he agonized about tattling on O'Reily for murdering Keenan, but that after Said finally convinced him to come forward, Leo has done nothing. No hard evidence, counters Leo, and wonders if Arif has changed his mind about speaking publicly, which might help things along a bit. Arif, no dummy, knows that if he says anything, he's a dead man. And now, suddenly, he remembers that Ryan pulled a shamrock off the dead man's neck, even though the flashback scene clearly shows Ryan standing with his back to Arif (who's standing awfully far away for decisive pendant identification) and totally blocking any view of necklace-ripping. Sorry -- a sudden desire for plausibility made me forget where I was. Arif tells Leo not to let this one slip -- "Justice must be done," he intones, in that stock Muslim-y grave, serious way.