Episode Report Card Pablo G: B+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Trial and Error
By Pablo G | Season 1 | Episode 18 | Aired on 04.25.2012
In a hurry? Read the recaplet for a nutshell description! Finished? Click here to close.We've flashed forward to December and are already nearing the end of Daniel's trial. It's probably better that way since this should pretty much be an open-and-shut case by all stretches of the imagination. Declan is set to be the final witness for the prosecution, and everything hinges on whether he'll recant his statement about seeing a hoodied figure on the beach the night of Tyler's murder. While still unsuccessfully following a cold Amily trail, Jack finds out this is what's going on back home, and decides to return to Montauk to advise his brother to come clean so he'll avoid throwing away his future for perjury. You know... basic brotherly advice.
Jack returning home poses a few problems for Emanda. One, she has to make sure Victoria doesn't try to pin the murder on him. And two, Daniel begins to suspect she's cheating with Jack while she tries diverting him. Daniel is driven mad by being close enough to see suspicious meetings with Jack at Casa Emily, but being unable to get closer because of his house arrest monitor. He goes into a drunken, jealous rage and confronts Emanda at Casa Emily, breaking his house arrest. As he comes to the realization he's made a mistake, he's arrested and sent back to Rikers Island. It's just been that kind of year for, Dan.
Declan's big court date finally comes. He chooses to stick with his lie to protect Jack and testifies he saw no one on the beach. Daniel seems doomed, but Emanda finds out Jack has the bloody hoodie still, so she breaks into his place and snatches it. She plants it on Victoria's goon who has been trying to intimidate a juror on Victoria's behalf to acquit Daniel. Goon is arrested on suspicion of Tyler's murder and vows to expose the Graysons, so Conrad steps in and has him murdered in jail with a fake suicide note pinned to him, confessing to Tyler's murder. But, hey, it's not all evildoing from Conrad as far as we're concerned. Conrad also banished the awkward painter affair storyline for us by threatening Dominick. So... there's that.
Emanda had been closely monitoring the Graysons during all of this with audio bugs, and comes to realize that Conrad murdering Goon is history repeating itself. Her father wasn't arbitrarily killed in prison. Conrad had him killed. Oh, it's on now.
-- Pablo G. is some guy who lives in Austin, Texas. He co-hosts TWoP's original "Trailers Without Pity" with his brother Omar G. Check him out at The YES and NO and Pablog and follow him @PendejoJoe on Twitter.
Want more? The full recap starts right below!It's a grey day at City Hall. A subtitle reads "Trial of Daniel Grayson: Day 15," then, "December 16" as the Grayson clan climbs the stairs outside the front of the building. Emanda voice-over: "Clarence Darrow one of history's greatest lawyers once noted, 'There's no such thing as justice in or out of court.'" In the courtroom, we pan over evidence exhibits of blood splatters and 3D renderings of the crime scene as the prosecutor presents her case in barely audible, muted tones. A painfully deliberate slo-mo actor reenactment of the murder, complete with white tuxedo coats goes down in front of the jury box. VO: "Perhaps because justice is a flawed concept that ultimately comes down to the decision of 12 people..." Daniel looks on as the reenactment reaches its conclusion. VO continued: "...People with their own experience, prejudices, feelings about what defines right and wrong." Brooks takes notice of a particular female juror who looks over at Daniel with judgment in her eyes and makes a note. VO: "Which is why when the system fails us. We must go out and seek our own justice." Dan looks back at Ems nervously like he wants to say, "This is all happening so fast... but in slow-motion. I'm so confused. Can we still go to Paris?"
Cut to Ash being interviewed by press at the head of the main City Hall steps. If you can believe it, she's actually improved her public speaking, artfully sidestepping entrapping questions and cheerfully declaring the Graysons can't wait for their defense's side of the story. She's asked about the prosecution's decision to slate Declan as their last witness. Ash deftly calls Dec an unreliable witness without saying it outright. Brooks takes notice of this as he walks out of the courtroom and gives her a subtle, approving nod. She returns the favor and ends her press conference.
Jack's in Boston at a motel he thinks Amanda stayed at. The receptionist he's talking with about Amily is preoccupied with her computer. That's because Brenda -- as we learn what her name is from her instant messenger window -- is chatting with Nolan, informing him that Jack is there looking for Amily. She asks what she should tell him. Nolan advises she should tell Jack that Amily went upstate. She masterfully lies about partying with Amily and barely being able to keep up with her drinking. Brenda tells Jack she vaguely remembers hearing something about Amily heading to Buffalo or some other animal-named town. Jack's defeated. He turns to leave and takes notice of the lobby TV where Ashley's press conference is being aired. She's talking about Dec taking the stand, which shocks Jack. He pulls out his phone and places an angry call to Nolan. He demands to know why Nolan didn't tell him Declan had been subpoenaed. Jack declares he's coming home despite his search for Amily being incomplete because he has to take care of his brother. Strange how potentially homicidal former strippers can come between brothers.