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The kingdom (and especially Queen Rose) prepares for the opening night of the Royal Ballet, and tickets are hard to find. David, for example, finds out that his ticket has been revoked for political reasons (although he's told his seat had to be given to a major donor), and is disappointed since he wanted to see Michelle. Reverend Samuels has been busy leading protests against the King's plan to give Port of Prosperity to Gath, since people will presumably be displaced, and the Reverend expresses his belief that Silas has lost favor with God due to his actions.
During the performance, King Silas is informed that his illegitimate son has been hospitalized. The queen forbids Silas to leave the event (although she doesn't know why he wants to leave), so he sneaks out with Thomasina's help. He makes it to the hospital to visit his son and orders a risky treatment which requires him to reveal to at least one doctor that he's a blood relative of the boy. When the boy takes a turn for the worse, Silas has a secret meeting with the Reverend where he asks why God is punishing him and how he can save his son. The Reverend says that God demands a sacrifice, but Silas refuses to comply, because he can't believe God would be that cruel. While driving away from the meeting, Silas hits a deer and rolls his car. He's fine, but he ends up snapping the deer's neck to complete his sacrifice. When his son starts to get better, Silas breaks ties with his mistress for good, to avoid any further sacrifices.
David ends up going out with Jack and finding out that membership in the monarchy has its privileges. Jack breaks up with his lover, thought it's clear he doesn't want to. David gets hot and heavy with one of Michelle's friends, with Jack's approval, but he ditches her before things get sexual. But he doesn't ditch her before one of Jack's buddies gets photos of David kissing her, which end up in Michelle's inbox. Jack gets in a fight at the club and practically kills a dude with suppressed gay rage, and then lashes out at his overnight lady friends as well.
Michelle hits on a childhood friend/financial manager in order to get funding for her healthcare proposal, which has been shot down by the King again. He agrees to help, but Michelle gets pissed when she founds out that her mother planned the whole thing. Michelle confronts her mother about her plotting, and the queen reveals that, in her view, the people of the country need a monarchy to look up to and admire.
Discuss this episode in our forums, then see what vlogger Sean Crespo thinks of Manhattan--er, Gilboa in No Prior Knowledge!
Want more? The full recap starts right below!Queen Rose is delighted. Delighted! Why, you ask? Has she arranged for her son to have a sex tape (with a lady) released? Has she successfully blackmailed her brother into continuing to fund the kingdom? Possibly, but right now she's delighted that the ballet will be reopening tonight, and she's getting good PR because she arranged for the first few rows of seats to go to the commoners. And people are lining up around the block!
Meanwhile, David is still operating as the press secretary for the kingdom, and we learn via a reporter's question that Reverend Samuels isn't too happy about the King's announced plan to hand Port Prosperity back over to Gath as part of the peace treaty. David brushes the question off like a pro and brings the subject back to the ballet, and how he's looking forward to taking his seat tonight.
King Silas is holding an advisory panel meeting. His advisors tells him that protesters are blocking drilling on a reservoir designed to replace what they will lose when they give over Port Prosperity, and the Reverend is behind it. Silas says curtly that he's not interested in hearing anything from Samuels, and gets the scribe to delete the mention from the record. I think that will go well. In a show about God and divine rulers, it's always a good idea to ban the man of God from the premises. Moving on, Michelle is back to pitch her father again on the health care issue. Silas is condescending as usual, but this time Michelle has fancy graphs and charts to demonstrate that ignoring the health care issue is causing the kingdom money, not to mention popular support. Silas is still condescending, although slightly impressed. I don't know why Michelle sets herself up for failure like this.
Rose waits outside the meeting room with Jack and Thomasina. She makes Jack promise that he won't deliver any surprises tonight, and looks meaningfully into his eyes. Thomasina reports calmly that there's a seating change; one donor has given a hundred grand to be allowed to sit to David at the ballet. The Queen can't believe it, since they only got $10,000 for a seat to the King, and Jack smirks. Rose comments, "I see Silas commands his thousands while David brings his hundred thousands." Clever Biblical allusion there. Jack makes some smart comment, and Rose tells him (in so many words) that instead of expressing jealousy, he should be doing something noble with his own life so that he might get David's good press. Rose swans into the meeting room and demands that it break up so that Silas can make the ballet. Everyone kind of looks pissed at her. I don't think Rose gives a crap.
David gets out of his press briefing, and Thomasina compliments his skills in there. David can't believe he's actually excited to go to the ballet, and Thomasina drops the bomb that David's seat has been given away to a major donor at the Queen's request. David totally knows the score and asks if it's something he did, but Thomasina just smoothly says that they'll be other invitations in the future. I kind of love Thomasina and her rocking false eyelashes. I would love some back story on her, starting with why in the hell her name is Thomasina.
David runs into Jack in the hallway, and Jack makes a reference to them both being at the ballet tonight. Okay, did Jack not know that David got uninvited, or is he running a con of some sort? Intrigue! Anyway, David explains what happened and Jack reveals that his mother clearly saw some advantage to having David stay away, but he doesn't know what that may be. David wasn't that interested in the fancy dancing, but he was hoping to see Michelle. Jack points out that if Michelle had wanted David at the ballet, it would be happening. In other words, she's not that into you. Jack says that Michelle is moody, and decides to take David out on the town and show him a good time. If you know what I mean. Also, for a prince, Jack has one jacked-up grill. To impress his new buddy, Jack flies David's friends in from the front to join them in their debauchery. Friends for life!
Hey! The doormen! They're in the lobby of the ballet. And that's the only time we see them for the entire episode. Inside, backstage, Thomasina helps Rose fasten her bracelet. She's getting dressed at the theater? Doesn't she have a dressing room specifically for that purpose? Anyway, Thomasina reports that Jack won't be at the ballet, because he's taking his mother's advice about grabbing on to some of that good press.
Silas and Michelle sit out in the audience, in kind of crappy seats, if you ask me. I get that the queen is trying to be all egalitarian about the seating, but you'd think the royal family would still get box seats or something. They rise with the rest of the audience as Rose takes the stage. She gives a speech about her first ballet experience, and how magical it was, and how her dream has been to give that experience to the people of Gilboa. She gives thanks to Silas for making it all possible. The lights go down, and Silas is already restless, checking his watch.
In a bar somewhere, David, Jack and buddies are doing shots. Jack runs down the rules. They must always stay within earshot of the bodyguards, so as to avoid lawsuits from fights. They must use condoms (Magnums! That's thinking positive!) to avoid paternity suits. And they have drugs available, which seems to set David aback a little bit. Guess they don't have the white powder down on the farm. And also, what happened to David's army buddies? Were they flown in from the front and then put back on the chopper and flown back? Because I don't see them hanging out anywhere; the guys they're doing shots with now are clearly Jack's friends, what with the drugs and the condoms and all. Oh, I guess the friends are still there. Forget I said anything. Anyway, Drug Provider tells everyone that they're in for a treat, partying with royalty, because everything will be free and the ladies will be plentiful. Jack "jokingly" flicks a condom at David, and I really hope they go there with Jack having a crush on him.
Silas and Rose sit in the ballet audience, holding hands and rudely bantering about his past as a soldier. Just because they're royalty doesn't meant they get to ruin everyone else's enjoyment of the show! Well, actually I guess it does. Thomasina appears magically and tells Silas that he has an urgent call "from the countryside." Silas tells her to dispatch the usual team and give them anything they need.
Jack and the boys head into the first of many clubs, hopping to the front of the line and getting their photos taken by paparazzi. Inside the most well-lit club of all time (seriously, is this club called "Surgery"? Or "Noon in the Desert"?), Jack introduces one of David's friends to a willing lady friend. Jack supposes that David wouldn't be interested in female companionship, and David says he's not a saint. Jack muses on the public's fascination with the monarchy, and how people want to be close to him and his family, like their fame and allure will rub off somehow. Jack adds that his mother set it up that way on purpose (ooh, Rose back story), because she thought that the common folk needed something to which they could aspire. As Jack pretends to check out some ladies sitting nearby, he promises David that he can have anything he wants, and he does mean anything, and Michelle will become a distant memory. Jack seems pretty set on selling out his own sister, doesn't he? Also, some chick comes up and starts biting Jack's lips while he's talking, which is just distracting.
Thomasina walks up to Silas, who's still watching the ballet, and Silas gets up out of his seat like a shot. You don't have to ask him twice. Out in the lobby, Silas takes a call from his mistress, who says that their son is struggling and in pain. Apparently, the kid has some sort of ongoing illness, as there are references to this happening before. Mistress says that the son is asking for his father. Silas tries to throw money at the problem, but Mistress says she's never asked for anything before, and now she's asking for him to show up at the hospital. Silas promises he'll be there just as the Queen bursts out of the performance hall and tells Silas, "That's enough of that. Come." She didn't hear the phone conversation, so it's not clear if she knew to whom Silas was speaking, or if she's just annoyed that he can't set aside a few hours for her pet project.
At the post-ballet reception, Michelle asks her mother what happened to David. Rose acts like she doesn't want to say, but she heard David went off with Jack to "some twitty girls' party." Okay. I get that they're trying to do a sort of Biblicial/Shakespearean/royal thing with the language on this show, but the word "twitty" totally took me out of the scene for like five minutes as I pondered how that got through rewrites. It doesn't seem like a word that Rose would say, for one thing. Silly, maybe. And it also made me think of Twitter, and that really took me out of the scene. Anyway, Rose suggests that Michelle go talk to some family friend, Paul, who manages a fund now, so he's suitable dating material. Michelle laughs it off and Rose accuses her of pouting because Silas didn't grant her petition today and expecting Silas to give her everything. Michelle agrees and takes off, clearly having just had an idea.
Reverend Samuels is a busy dude. He spent the day encouraging protests all over the country, and now he's at the ballet reception. Silas asks if Samuels would really rather have war than peace. Samuels retorts that he wants a united nation and sort of accuses Silas of breaking his promises to his people and probably to God as well. Silas gets all pissed off at Samuels for coming into his house and insulting him, which is pretty rude. Samuels gets the message and thanks Rose for having "raised the level" before leaving. On his way out, he passes a giant oil painting of Silas in the hallway. He walks back and tilts the painting so it's off-kilter, then leaves for good. This is seriously the least secure palace of all time.
After Samuels is gone, Rose asks Silas why he couldn't leave the politics alone for one night. Silas starts to make excuses why he needs to leave the party anyway, and Rose hisses at him that she's only asking for one night and he will stay by her side. She even makes references to those broken promises Samuels was talking about.
Jack watches as David and company drink and dance with the ladies. Another dude approaches and makes small talk, and then adds, "See you after." Jack says it's not a good idea. The other guy says, "I know the drill. I'll meet you later. I miss you." Jack doesn't respond, so the guy asks if it's about David. Jack spits for the guy to note that Jack hasn't called and take the hint. Jack's gay lover is cuuuuute! Jack stomps on out of there, pausing only to round up his man-troops. David isn't ready to leave, but Jack drags him out.
Michelle walks up to Paul the Nerd and asks him to get her a drink. Paul is stunned that she's talking to him, since he hits on her all the time and she always turns him down. He wonders what she really wants, since he read about her healthcare proposal in the newspaper. Michelle asks if he's willing to listen. Paul is willing to bargain, since he controls funding that could help fund her proposal. He wants to see something that no one else gets to see. Her boobs? I'm just spitballing here.
Perry the Scribe distracts Rose while Thomasina rushes Silas out of the party behind her back. When Rose turns around, she realizes that Silas is gone. We also learn that Rose's Secret Service nickname is Wedgewood. Just a note for setting up that Kings version of Trivial Pursuit. Anyway, Rose walks out into the hallway, and when she turns around to straighten the painting that Samuels messed up, Silas quickly sneaks out behind her back. By the time Rose turns back around, an aide is briefing her on the time of the king's return. Rose is like, "Wait, what? I didn't even know he left?" The aide claims that there was an accident and emergency protocol has been initiated. Rose doesn't care and is still pissed.
Jack and David and entourage have arrived at another club. This one is lit all in red, so at least we're headed in the right direction. Jack spots a groupie-type lady named Claudia hanging out nearby, and he asks her to set up David with one of her skanks. Jack intimates that if Claudia can get David laid, he will resume hooking up with her on a weekly basis. Claudia takes this as a personal challenge, and decides to hook up with David herself to ensure the deed gets done.
Silas moves through the basement of the hospital, and then Thomasina helps him enter the children's ward or ICU or whatever through a back stairwell. He comes upon his mistress, who starts sobbing at the sight of him. Immediately, Silas is taken into his bastard son's hospital room, where he tenderly kisses the boy's forehead. So I guess this is why Silas hasn't just given Jack up to the gays and claimed this kid as his rightful heir; his prognosis is not looking good.
So then the doctor walks up, and he's all suspicious because they've cleared the hospital floor and there's security all over the place. Thomasina just ignores his questions and asks for an update on the boy's health. Silas is hiding nearby, listening in. The doctor basically says that the boy has a massive infection, and it's not responding to antibiotics. They hope he'll make it through the night and will try something else in the morning. Silas chooses this moment to reveal himself and demand that they try another course. The doctor manages to hide his shock, barely, and says that there is a risky treatment, but it should be a last resort. Silas wants to know if they're at the point where a last resort is necessary. The doctor asks if Silas knows the family, and Silas ignores him and says he'll donate blood for a transfusion. The doctor wonders how Silas knows he's a match (dumbest doctor ever, by the way), and Silas demands that the doctor take the blood himself to avoid involving anyone else. Thomasina and Mistress walk out into the hallway. Mistress thanks Thomasina for bringing Silas to her, both now and in the past. Thomasina is characteristically silent on the matter.
David is partying with Claudia, and committing the rookie mistake of bitching about the girl he's really in love with (Michelle) instead of paying attention to the girl in front of him. Luckily, Claudia has known Michelle forever and can claim with certainty that Michelle's ice-cold and doesn't think anyone is good enough for her. David is sort of flattered by this, and doesn't resist when Claudia pulls him onto the dance floor and starts grinding against him. In fact, he seems to rather enjoy it.
Michelle and Paul sneak into the King and Queen's bedroom, and she shows him the King's sock drawer. That's her ace in the hole? Boring. Paul is charmed, though, and he agrees to take a look at Michelle's proposal and could get his fund to match any governmental funding. Michelle can't believe it was that easy, but Paul adds that they'll have to work closely on this, which he's happy about. But then Paul makes the mistake of revealing that Rose called him this afternoon to tell him that Michelle wouldn't have a date at the ballet and he should be there.
Rose poses for photos with patrons. Michelle walks up and confronts her about her plotting, right out in the open. Perhaps they should go somewhere more private for the family squabble? Michelle argues that David is a good person, but Rose thinks that David is only human, and that Michelle would have lost interest in him eventually. Michelle accuses her mother of being jealous of the attention that David's getting in the press, and points out that her family can spare some attention once in a while. Rose lays out her view of the monarchy: that the country only works if the people look up to them, and she works hard to make sure that continues. She continues, "This country was nothing before it had a king, stone-age clans at war. It's why I designed every inch of this monarchy as I did, the color of the flag, down to, yes, the china. So they could have something to be inspired by." Rose works up a head of steam now, and says that she doesn't give a fig about ballet, and she set this whole thing up so that the people could see her family perform. Michelle stutters, "I thought... you loved ballet." Rose looks disappointed that her daughter could be so dumb, and walks away.
Silas and Mistress cuddle by their son's bedside and discuss his prognosis. Silas is sad that he hasn't been able to be there for his second family, but Mistress is glad he's there now. A monitor starts beeping and the doctor runs in and says the kid is crashing and they need to bring in a team. Thomasina hustles Silas out of there. As Silas waits to find out his son's fate, he demands Thomasina's car keys. She tries to put him off by offering to take him wherever he wants to go, but Silas ain't having it.
Reverend Samuels is picked up by some cops and taken to a desolate stretch of road, where he's dropped off and left alone. Within a few moments, headlights appear and a car pulls off the road and parks. Silas is alone behind the wheel. He gets out and Samuels asked why he was arrested for treason. Silas lets him know that it was all a ruse, and he needs counsel. Silas gives a big speech about how his life has usually been pretty sweet, but now God seems to be punishing him, and if this is about Port Prosperity, he'll rescind the offer. Reverend Samuels says that God doesn't tell him everything, and hasn't said anything about Silas in a while. Silas protests that he has made the country safe, and he thinks God and Reverend Samuels would be pleased. Samuels says there needs to be a sacrifice equal to the sin, and only Silas knows how to make the punishment fit the crime. So this is some Old Testament God shit going on here. Not the lovey-dovey Jesus stuff in the New Testament. Silas thinks he's already given up too much, and he won't give up his son. He doesn't mention his son, but it's obvious that's what he's talking about. Samuels suggests that Silas "find another lamb," but Silas retorts, "Not even God is that cruel." Old Testament God is, for sure.
Silas hops in his SUV and drives off. Something darts in front of his vehicle, and he skids off the road and rolls the SUV. Shortly, he gets out, looking only a little worse for the wear. I think the effects and stunt guys went a little nuts with that crash, because Silas should have been way more injured. Anyway, Silas walks up to a still-breathing deer lying in the road and asks, "Is this what you need? Something beautiful has to die to make you happy?" Then he takes the deer's head in his hands and breaks the deer's neck. Damn!
David is still dancing with Claudia at the club while Jack watches (jealously?) from the balcony. Suddenly, Jack's gay friend Joseph shows up and wants to talk. Jack says it can't be like it was, and Joseph needs to stay away. Joseph confesses, "I love you!" So Jack has him tossed from the club and looks at him angrily. We know Jack is angry because he breathes real hard through his nostrils, which are flared. That's calling indicating.
Moments later, one of Jack's friends gets in a shoving match with some dude at the bar. Jack inserts himself into the middle of the disagreement. The dude taunts Jack for never fighting his own fights, and Jack bum-rushes the guy. David tries to intervene but Jack is in a suppressed homosexual rage and starts beating the crap out of the guy. His bodyguards stand by and do a whole lot of nothing. Jack just starts punching the guy over and over until he's got to be mostly dead or at least have a broken face. Claudia has clearly seen this all before, so she drags David out of there and they start making out in the street outside the club. David's so into it, he doesn't notice someone down the street taking pictures.
Silas returns to the hospital and finds out that there's been no change in his son's condition. So his sacrifice wasn't pleasing to God, then? He asks Thomasina what the code is for when he visits his other family, and Thomasina reluctantly admits that they say Silas is "in Serenity." Silas tells her, "Then Serenity ends." Thomasina looks kind of sad, because she clearly likes Mistress and knows how much she means to Silas.
Jack and David and party hang out in some fancy apartment. Jack asks if David is having a good time. David doesn't know why Jack is being so nice to him, and Jack says they're in the same boat. Jack grabs a random skank and heads to the upstairs bedroom, but before they can go, the bodyguards make the skank do a video statement saying that she's there freely and of her own volition. David watches with interest. Claudia returns, clearly looking to get laid, and David tries to beg off. Claudia thinks David is worried about her getting clingy, and promises that won't happen.
Very early the morning (or later that night), Claudia is in bed with Jack. She tells him that David turned her down and left because he seems to still be in love with Michelle. Claudia thinks this is a prime opportunity for her to get it on with Jack, but Jack tosses her and another skank out of his room. Jack's creepy friend pops into the room (or was there the whole time?) and says that he got the photos of David and Claudia, and asks if Jack still wants to leak them.
Over in the palace, Michelle is using her laptop when someone sends her photos of David and Claudia making out. Rose sees them over her shoulder and points out that she was right about David's lack of virtue. Michelle is upset. So did Jack leak them to protect his sister, help his mother, or because he wants David all to himself?
In the hospital, Silas's son wakes up and asks for Daddy. Mistress kisses her boy and says that daddy is there. Silas looks heavenward, heaves a big sigh, and then kneels down and kisses his son. When Mistress goes to smooth his hair, Silas says no and walks away. Mistress asks, "What is it?" Silas replies, "The cost." He walks out of the room and leaves the hospital, fighting back tears the whole way. And you know what he didn't do? Flare his nostrils. Because he's a way better actor than the kid playing Jack.
Discuss this episode in our forums, then see what vlogger Sean Crespo thinks of Manhattan--er, Gilboa in No Prior Knowledge!