Hill tells us, in way too upbeat a manner, that God created man, and He's been sucking the life out of us ever since. Let me grab my dancing shoes -- I can just tell this episode's going to be a party!
Mukada recites a prayer at a service for the most recently departed Oz inmate as Courtney Love croons, "Found pieces of Johnny Post's baaahhhhdy." Well, it would have been appropriate. We close in on a picture of the Late Demented sitting on the hood of a Jeep and holding a gun. Just like the one his mom has on her mantel. A trio of inmates sings a gospel hymn as several others pay their respects to the photo. The hymn continues as we cut to Glynn's office. The warden is telling his staff that they've had "three murders in two weeks." Er, what? If I were watching this for the first time, I'd conclude that Keane Light had swished on to The Great Big Bathhouse In The Sky, but since I know that's not the case, what am I missing here? Glynn says he's got the press shoved up his ass, which might be even more uncomfortable than a spoon. He goes on, "The Governor's threatening to send in the Feds. And my daughter wants to move into an apartment with her boyfriend. Can somebody help me out here?" Dude, I don't even know where to start. Cut back to the prisoners filing past Post's picture. We get a long look at Markstram. McManus says that the move is Keane's, since Post was one of his men, but opines that he's noticed a change in Keane, and maybe he won't seek revenge. "Maybe it's 'cause he got married. Or maybe he's just tired of the gangsta way of life." Cut to Keane, standing for a good long time in front of Post's picture.
Keane sits on the floor as a transvestite braids his hair. Hee. Pajama party in Keane's pod! Although who is this person? A friend of his brother's? Anyway, Adebisi and Markstram are present, and Adebisi thinks they should kill the "Wops" before Oz is locked down. Keane says to chill. Adebisi and Markstram wonder what's been up with him the past few days, and Adebisi points out that they also need to know who ratted Post out to the Italians. Keane tells them he knows who squealed, but he's not saying, as he's going to kill him himself. Stretch out those legs, O Lord Of The Dance. Adebisi leaves, and Markstram tells Keane to watch his back in case the Wise Guys find out he ordered the hit on Ortolani. Dude, I think they've got a damn fine idea now. Has everyone forgotten about Keane Light already?
Hill tells us being in a gang is like belonging to a religion. Well, death certainly permeates both. Keane calls Mavis for a round of hand-down-the-pants phone sex. Said walks in and manages to dampen Keane's enthusiasm with the power of his stare. Said's glower: The anti-Viagra. Carry a Polaroid of it around for those embarrassing situations.
In the main area, Ryan tells Schillinger and Beecher that Burruano wants to talk to him again; then the camera moves to show Rebadow telling Groves that God told him Post's dick was cut off and stuck in his mouth. Well, that sounds like the sort of thing He'd like to sit down and dish about, all right.
Weight room. D'Angelo enters, and Adebisi regales Markstram and Keane with a story of how the term "doo-wop" came into being. Not shockingly, it has to do with blacks killing Italians. A fight immediately breaks out. D'Angelo clocks Adebisi but good with a dumbbell, and gets the better of Markstram as well before Keane gets him to the floor and starts choking him with a barbell. The hacks rush in and pull Keane off. Groves, in the basketball area, watches the whole thing with interest, then dribbles a basketball fairly proficiently. I just love how no one fucks with him.
In his office, Glynn says into the phone that he wants a SORT team put on alert. I think it's fair to say that no one wants it to come to that. McManus paces nervously; then there's a knock on the door, and Keane, Said, and Schibetta enter. McManus is all, "Gentlemen, we have a problem," but Glynn cuts him off. Leo, how do you feel about moonlit walks on the beach? Oh good, I hate them too. Glynn speechifies that they need to contain the violence before the Feds come in and there's a riot. "Nobody wants a riot, right?" Glynn, you forgot to call Fontana to this meeting. The three prisoners agree that they don't want a riot, and Glynn charges them with getting the word out, because if there's one more instance of violence, Oz will be shut down faster than a game of three-card monte in front of a New York City police station.
In the main area, various people gossip about the news that they're not being locked down yet. Groves, with the aid of a pen and a lighter, is burning the word "MOM" on his left hand below the knuckles. Oh, no. He's not going to eat his hand, is he? Hill VOs that to belong, you have to share power and pain. Keane and Markstram are inspecting a small box in Keane's pod. Markstram wonders what it is, and Keane suggests it might be cannoli. It's more likely to be salami, I think. Yup -- Keane opens it and freaks, saying it's Post's dick. Markstram leaves, ostensibly to vomit. I'm just in shock that Fontana passed both on showing a dismembered dick and on showing projectile puking. Glad he didn't stay soft.
Hill blathers that some pain is yours alone. Yeah, like the pain of recapping these monologues.
After lights out, Keane lights a matchbook and tosses it onto his bed, starting a fire. His podmate starts screaming like a little girl, and the hacks come in, extinguish the fire, and pull Keane out. Maybe Keane's planning to come back from the grave as BOB. "Do you want to play with fire, Adebisi?" I think we all know the answer to that one.
McManus chews Keane out for the fire. I think he was just afraid Madonna would show up and start singing "Like A Prayer." He asks why Keane is so anxious to get sent to the hole, and Keane says he wants to spend some time alone. McManus tells Keane that his brother is coming back from the hospital, which Keane already knows, but informs him that he's won't be in Em City -- he's sending him to Cell Block Three, which Keane terms the "fucking fag unit." Well, you can just braid your own hair, mister! But now McManus is using Keane's brother to get back at him? The gall of this execrable, abhorrent bucket of rat semen. Yecch. And he tops it off by calling after Keane, "I wish you'd learn to trust me." To turn every person's life you touch into the foulest-smelling sludge? He does, Timbo. He does.
Keane gets tossed in a cell, where the first thing he sees is Healy's club connecting with his face. He asks what that's all about, and Healy says it's a warning that nothing better happen to Ryan. Healy clubs him again for good measure. Upstairs, the Lord Of The Dance turns a pirouette for no reason apparent to anyone else, I'm guessing. And it's time to learn how Mickey O'Velli (y'all liked this nickname too much for me to one-off it, people) ended up in Oz. This is actually a good old-fashioned inner-city car chase. Ryan seems to be enjoying himself at first, but after he barrels through some construction and knocks over a worker, he plows into a parked car, seemingly killing his companion in the front seat. He tries to escape, but the cops surround him, and he falls to his knees. Ryan in a black leather jacket and black pants, on his knees. Sorry, but I'm going to have to take a break -- the creative part of my brain is busy at the moment.
Okay, I'm back. We get a fantasy overhead shot of Ryan in a glass cage, smoking a cigar and chugging from a flask, as a number of members of the press watch him from below. Even Hill knows how much more fun Ryan makes things, as he laughingly tells us, "Prisoner Number 97P904. Ryan O'Reily." Vehicular manslaughter, reckless endangerment, weapon and controlled substance possession, and parole violation. Life, parole in twelve.
Ryan is in confession with Mukada. Ryan tells him a story about a prisoner pathetically begging him for a cigarette, and him turning the guy down. Mukada asks why, and Ryan tells him he did it to help the guy kick the habit. Mukada's confused as to why Ryan came to confession, as that isn't a sin. Ryan half-turns to look at Mukada: "The truth? I figured when I was done I could sneak a smoke." Mukada thinks, "I really, really shouldn't find that sexy, should I?"
Hill, continuing this week's series of Harlequin Crackhead Monologues, blathers about confessionals. I'll confess something for free: Hill really needs to shut up this week. ["'This week.' Interesting." -- Sars]
Library. Beecher is reading when Ryan enters and feys over to join him. Ryan does his patented little chat-up-some-patsy-who-can-do-him-a-favor routine, and asks if Beecher's a lawyer. Beecher says he was disbarred right after he was convicted, and I'll spare you the obligatory lawyers/criminals joke. Ryan asks why he didn't appeal, and Beecher says he did, but they chose to make an example of him. I daresay they're doing a fine job of it, too. Ryan says his attorney totally rolled over in court, and asks Beecher to review his case and see if there's any possibility for appeal. After a little hesitation, Beecher agrees. The two men introduce themselves, and one of the friendships that I really like is born. There's no sex, no gangs, and no master/prag dynamic. Sure, there's a little heroin, but you can't keep it completely clean. This is HBO, after all.
Religious service. We focus in on Beecher praying as Hill, finally having put down the crack pipe, talks about salvation. Beecher returns to his pod to find a towel-clad Schillinger. Schillinger asks "sweet pea" how church was, and tells him to get dressed, as they're taking a shower. Beecher says he already had one. Schillinger smiles: "Oh, that's okay. When I'm done with you, you'll need another one." He winks, and Beecher sighs and takes off his shirt. Geez, Beecher -- you may not have any choice about getting fucked in the ass, but you don't have to willingly set Schillinger up for these bon mots! Of course, they're hilarious, so if you want to throw your conceptual dignity to the same fate as your corporeal one, I'll laugh along with everyone else.
In the kitchen, Sister Pete complains to Beecher that her assistant got paroled. Beecher thanks her for thinking of him. Pete: "When I heard you knew Word and Lotus, I knelt down and praised Jesus." Hey, I know Word and Lotus! I'm not really interested in Sister Pete kneeling down, though. Do you think Ryan would be as impressed? Beecher says he's glad the Lord heard her, as He hasn't been listening to him lately. Pete assures him that God is listening, but His answers might not come in the form he expects. I find it hard to believe that any reasonable interpretation of Beecher's prayers could result in his ass cheeks being spread to different sides of the equator, but I am just a lowly recapper. They've reached Pete's office, and she shows him where he'll be sitting. Beecher gives a speech about how he was a lot of good things on the outside, but as a result of one, albeit huge, mistake, God took everything from him. I see his argument and arguments against him here, but both sides are pretty obvious. Pete suggests that God took away superficial things so he could find his true self through Him. Beecher says that God isn't in Oz, and that Genevieve is divorcing him, the straw that broke the camel's back being the swastika on his ass. In this case, the straw weighed about a ton. "If God is in me, He's a tumor." Pete looks sad. While not religious myself, I respect people who are as long as they're sane, and I always feel bad for Pete and Mukada, because maintaining faith must be hard enough in a place like Oz, but dispensing it to people who have reason to believe that their lives are hopeless has the potential to be beyond bleak.
Groves and Rebadow play cards. Rebadow regards Groves's new tattoo and asks, "'Wow'?" Groves corrects him that it's "Mom." I find Rebadow himself boring, but he's a pretty good straight man to Groves's quiet insanity.
In the main area, Schillinger is telling the Aryans that one of the Muslims told him that Jesus was a "nigger." Beecher pipes up that Jesus was from Judea and thus probably had olive skin, and I'm thinking God isn't in Beecher at the moment, because if He were he might, I don't know, SHUT HIM THE FUCK UP BEFORE HE GETS IN ANY MORE TROUBLE. Schillinger shows him a picture of Jesus from the Bible, like that's a historically accurate text, and opines, "You're getting awful mouthy, aren't you, prag?" That's what I'm saying. He tells Beecher to polish his boots, and Beecher, thinking he's getting off easy, takes out a cloth or a tissue or something, but Schillinger finishes, "With your tongue." Ew. Needless to say, Beecher complies. Wow. A literal boot-licker and, in all probability, ass-kisser. Can rock bottom be far away?
In his pod, Beecher is spitting out shoe polish when Ryan enters. He asks how his appeal's going, but notices that Beecher's been crying. Ryan generously offers that he cries sometimes too -- although I doubt that will actually be true until Cyril shows up -- and says he has a cure. Looking into those eyes and that smile is tonic aplenty, I'd say. Cut to the two of them heading to Ryan's pod. Ryan's got his arm around Beecher, and they just look so cute that I want to play the shot again and again. And thanks to the miracles of modern technology, I can. Inside, Ryan tells him to hug the wall. I'm surprised Beecher didn't give a Pavlovian flinch there, but Ryan merely draws a funny cigarette. "Let's get high." Can I play?
Mineo calls count. Ryan escorts Beecher out of his pod. He's got his arm around Beecher again. I am so jealous. Upstairs, Beecher, high as a kite, greets a disgusted Schillinger, who tells him not to take drugs, and especially not to share needles. Wouldn't want that equipment to fall off, Vern -- being a member of the Aryan Sisterhood just isn't as intimidating. It's not like I don't hate Dr. Laura and all, but you know what I mean. Beecher says that Schillinger can do what he wants to him, and he doesn't care, because "God is everywhere, and God is holding me in the hollow of His hand!" Ah, drugs, the mother of sarcasm. Don't take any inferences about a stash at TWoP Towers. Schillinger looks after Beecher all, "I wonder how many more blowjobs I can get before he ends up in the psych ward?"
Groves goes to confession. Mukada quickly realizes he's not Catholic, and asks what he's doing there. Groves says he got caught sneaking into the morgue again. "You ever seen a guy with his prick cut off?" I need to bring this guy to the party I attend where I don't know anybody. He goes on that they let him out of the hole to go to confessional. Mukada says he has to go back, but Groves says he's thinking of converting, as he's been reading up on transubstantiation, which is a word which undoubtedly brings a rose, a catwalk, and a foot to mind if you've read More Tales Of The City. Mukada inexplicably doesn't see the punchline coming as he blathers about the Eucharist becoming the body of Christ, finally prompting Groves to ask, "Now how could I not get behind a religion like that?" Mukada smiles uncomfortably. Hee.
New inmate: Wangler. Adebisi seems to be his sponsor. Adebisi brings him to Keane, who's apparently his new roommate. We flash back to Wangler getting in an argument with a boy in front of what I assume is their high school. Wangler shoots the kid dead, and once he realizes what he's done, runs off. "Prisoner Number 97W566. Kenneth Wangler. Sixteen years old, tried as an adult." Murder one, twenty years, parole in six. Wangler tells Keane he wants in with his crew, and Keane says he'll think about it. Adebisi gets ruffled, asking what there is to think about, but Keane yells at him. Adebisi sends Wangler out and tells Keane they'll need everyone they can get against the Wise Guys. He leaves. Keane's wound tighter than the Seinfeld cast in the "contest" episode. There's an idea for you, Keane. Just make sure Said isn't in visual range.
Hill.
The Muslims have just finished prayer. Wangler introduces himself to Said, saying he's been wanting to shake his hand. Keane observes this. Said smiles and welcomes Wangler. He sits him down and tells him he's been robbed of his youth. Tell that to the sixteen-year-old lying in the cold ground because of him, Said. Sheesh. Said lectures Wangler about his relationship with God as Keane listens from a short distance away. Said tells Wangler he wants him to be in his "gang." No you don't, Said. ["Seriously. Wangler isn't my Most Annoying Inmate, but he's definitely in the top five." -- Sars] Later, the Muslims, along with Wangler, do sit-ups and chant in the basketball area. Keane again watches from the weight room. More in the same vein in the cafeteria. Wangler looks like this is getting old for him fast. In the main area, the Muslims kneel as, to them, two Aryans mock doing it doggy-style. Perhaps that's the last straw for Wangler, as he hightails it out of there. Keane, however, keeps watching. Later, Keane calls his wife, but gets her father. He quickly gets the idea that Mavis isn't exactly honoring her wedding vows. And he didn't even get a honeymoon, unless there was a scene with Adebisi that ended up on the cutting room floor.
Wangler snorts some powder and commiserates with Keane with Markstram present. Said busts in all aglower and berates Keane for allowing Wangler to use drugs. Keane tells Wangler to go, and he and Markstram leave. Said tells Keane he's done with him, but Keane calls him back. He flashes through all the horrors he's seen, including a full-frontal shot of Mavis that I don't believe was included in the episode, and says he does fear hell, and begs for Said to save him. Said embraces him, and Keane breaks down in tears, which is a nice touch given Ryan's earlier speech. Said looks like he's going to cry himself as he places his Muslim cap on Keane's head.
Keane Light finds Keane in the kitchen. Keane only reluctantly gives him a hug, and Keane Light asks what's wrong. Keane tells him that he's changed, and that if Keane Light won't "stop being a fag," he can't be his brother anymore. Keane Light leaves in tears. Aw. Said appears and chides Keane. They take a walk, and Said explains that while Islam rejects homosexuality, he can only change Keane Light through love. I don't think Keane Light's orientation would change if the world got together and bought him a Coke, but have at it, Said. Keane says it's hard, as he's been using his fists to settle things all his life, but Said exhorts him to find strength through Allah. Keane says he feels remorse for all the bad he's done in his life, and that he's experiencing the need to apologize to everyone he's wronged. I'd like to see that conversation with the couple he killed. "Uh, I'm really sorry I ruined your nice clothes. I'm totally good for the dry cleaning bill, and these headstones as well!" Said goes on that he should make his enemies his friends, but Keane astutely asks what he should do about his friends. Said concedes that Keane's newfound faith will be a threat to them, and he's "gonna have to love them all the more." I hate to keep making Adebisi jokes, but...
Wangler snorts something that looks suspiciously like poppers. So that's how it is. Keane enters, and announces that his name is now "Tizi Ouzou." Is this some sort of hazing thing? Because if I got stuck with Tizi Ouzou while my leader had a cool name like Kareem Said, I might be a little pissed off, I have to admit. Keane tries to sell his new message of love, which goes over about as well as Drew Carey trying to break the world record for pole-vaulting. Adebisi asks if he's still a brother. Keane, gesturing around him: "Like this? Doin' this? No." Adebisi kicks him out, and looks wicked pissed.
Ryan's mopping the entrance hallway when a Koran-reading Keane comes to see him. Keane says they have to repent for their crimes, but that he's not going to rat Ryan out for his involvement in the conspiracy to murder Ortolani. Ryan asks why he's being so munificent, and Keane tells him he'd rather see him alive so he can repent for his crimes. He leaves, and Mickey contemplates his diabolical move.
That move would be going to see Schibetta and telling him that Keane ordered the hit on Ortolani. He offers to arrange Keane's death as a sign of good faith. Schibetta thinks a moment before assenting, and Ryan leaves. D'Angelo asks why he's leaving it to Ryan, but Schibetta says that it saves them trouble and will lead to Ryan's own demise. Wise guy, that Schibetta. Not as wise as Mickey, though.
Ryan goes to see Healy, and whispers in his ear. Now I'm jealous of Healy.
Healy and a couple hacks pull Keane away from the Muslims' table. Keane and Said ask what's going on, but they won't tell him. They toss him into the basketball area, where two Latin toughs are waiting for him. He tries to tell them he doesn't want any sort of fight, but they advance on him as Healy and the Richard Gere look-alike hack videotape the confrontation. Keane has no problem kicking both their asses, but eventually gets into a position where he's forced to break one of their necks. Looking up at the hacks, he screams in agony and frustration. This plotline is really tough to watch from here on in.
Tensions are high in the main area. Glynn calls a lockdown, and lets the SORT team in. The Pernicious Peewee arrives, and he and Glynn are all nicey-nicey in front of the press before heading into Glynn's office, where the staff is waiting. PP: "What the fuck are you people doing? Do any of you have a fucking clue as to how to run this prison?" The tiny, tiny leopard shows his spots. I just realized that until now, the "fuck" count has been a small fraction of what it was in the two episodes, though, so at least Devlin might do something positive here. Glynn tries to explain about the brewing race war, but Devlin isn't very interested, and lights a cigarette. He's not just a dick! He banned smoking, too! He's a hypocrite! He probably even has sex with his wife! Although I hope not, for her sake. McManus tells him that he's created a lot of the tensions with the bans to which I just alluded. A predictable ideological argument ensues. Devlin asks, "McManus, when you look at me, what do you see?" McManus: "A man." Okay, Timbo, you had your one chance to win me over, and that's the best you could come up with? God, how I hate you. Devlin speechifies about the hierarchy on Mount Olympus, and the look on Glynn's face is one I want to photograph for the times I'm having trouble coming up with something sardonic to say. Leo Glynn -- his face inspires snark. So does McManus's, but in a completely different way. Anyway, Devlin's glaringly predictable conclusion is that he's Zeus. I find it hard to believe that the king of the gods could have been effectively neutralized by an average-sized man sitting on him, but people were a lot smaller back then, I guess. Anyway, Glynn dismisses McManus. Leo, I was saving this bottle of Cristal for my birthday, but I'd rather you have it. He asks PP what he wants, and PP lays it out: The murders have to stop, Keane is to go to trial and die under the reinstated death penalty, and the lockdown is to end. Glynn takes exception to the last demand, but PP says that the public gets nervous when they hear the prison's in lockdown, like, that sounds like a great reason. Glynn asks what a riot would do to his political career, but PP tells him not to worry. "I'm the one with the thunderbolts, remember?" Yeah, but if they don't have any lightning, they're just a lot of hot air. How fitting.
Glynn busts into McManus's office and berates him for calling a senator to complain about Devlin's interference in Oz, saying that now they're getting the FBI in to investigate the murders. McManus tries to defend himself, but Glynn basically rips him a new one, although in the process he mispluralizes "memorandum," and stomps out.
Glynn meets some FBI agents at the gate, and welcomes them in. We get a montage of an agent asking various inmates questions, along with Glynn showing other investigators the cell in which Ortolani was murdered, the spot where Post was executed, and the basketball area where Keane had his arranged showdown. McManus comes to see Goldstein, who I assume is the lead investigator. Goldstein immediately tells him he's Jewish. "You don't have a problem with me being Jewish, do you? I mean, you don't think of me as a Christ-killer or anything like that." It really pains me to say it, but I like McManus's response: "Well, I'm not even really sure that Christ died." Understated. Witty. Fitting with the episode's overall theme. Meet Tim McManus, pod person. Get it? "Pod" person? Sorry! Don't shank me! Anyway, McManus divulges that he thinks Keane ordered Post to kill Ortolani, but he doesn't know what happened in the gym, since Keane isn't talking. The guy notes the oddity of Keane and Martinez (the guy who, thanks to Keane, can now see his own neck) being alone in the gym, and McManus agrees that the hacks have probably been involved in two of the murders as well. The guy point-blank asks McManus if he is involved. Timbo's shocked -- SHOCKED! -- that anyone could suspect the bloodiest of bleeding hearts of conspiracy to commit murder, but Pontius Pilate (kidding! He brought it up!) says that he's FBI, and everybody's a suspect. Like Clue, right? Fun! Me in the library with the candlestick, killing McManus! Me in the study with the revolver, killing McManus! I could do this all night!
In a fantasy shot, Hill sits back to back with Alvarez. The seat they're on spins, and there are mirrors all around, leading to infinity-deep reflections. Alvarez isn't wearing a shirt. This is like a fantasy of mine, except for the Hill part. And the part about Miguel wearing pants. Still, I'll take it. Alvarez plays with his hair and mugs for the camera. There's a monologue in there too, but I couldn't tell you for the life of me what it is, nor do I care. What I do care about, however, is that we've reached Alvarez's "What Are You In For?" flashback. My Latin lover gets out of his car and greets some friends in front of a bodega. A car comes in to parallel park behind Alvarez's, and sideswipes it. Alvarez's friends point that out, and he pulls the driver out of the car and starts beating him up. His girlfriend joins in, and he takes a bat and starts whaling on the old dude's car. He pulls a switchblade, and slices the man's face. Oh, so he's always had those pesky anger-management issues. "Prisoner Number 97A413. Miguel Alvarez." Assault with a deadly weapon, fifteen years, parole in two.
We flash back to Mukada telling Alvarez he's about to be a dad, and then we're in the showers, where a shirtless and lovin' it Alvarez is checking his look in the mirror. Don't change your clothes, hair, or face, Miguel. I know that last part is in vain, but I thought I'd try. Two Hispanic guys walk up, and after a bit of joshing about Maritza, he tells them they have to kill Keane to avenge Martinez. Ryan enters, and to have him so near Alvarez is really cruel. To me, anyway. The random guy, "Carlos," says he wants to do business, and that he wants to access to the Hole to get to Keane. Ryan says he's not in with the hacks, but even if he were, things are too crazy right now to even think about it. "Nobody's gonna help nobody do nothing." Good news for Beecher, then. Ryan leaves, but Mukada immediately enters and tells Alvarez that his girlfriend just went into labor. Alvarez rushes out. Church music plays as Alvarez, in handcuffs, is led in to the hospital. We see Maritza in labor while Alvarez, a plastic gown over his orange prison uniform, holds her hand. Then the baby's there, and Maritza holds him and laughs as Miguel looks on in wonder. Aw. Knowing how this is going to end is already making tears well up in my eyes.
Alvarez shows a picture of his son to a hack and McManus. Alvarez says he'd die for his little boy. McManus says he has a message, and he has to call Maritza right away. My throat's tightening. Cut to Alvarez in confessional with Mukada. Alvarez tells him that he's been bragging to people about how beautiful his baby is, and having gotten a look at the comely Maritza, I have reason to think he's not exaggerating. Mukada smiles, but Alvarez goes on that he thinks he went a little overboard, because Maritza called and told him the baby has a bad liver, and they think he's going to die. Remember what I said before about the difficulty of Mukada's job? Well, this is Exhibit Suck, right here. Alvarez finishes that maybe God is punishing him for his bragging. Mukada tries to demur, but Alvarez says he's always been a braggart: he was the best looking in his 'hood, the best athlete, even had the best car. I didn't get that last bit from the flashback, but as usual, I wasn't noticing much else with El Scorcho in the frame. Alvarez asks Mukada to talk to God on his behalf, saying that if He saves Alvarez's baby, he'll stop being such a big-mouth. Mukada says he will, but that Alvarez should pray himself as well. Alvarez tells him that the doctor told Maritza that the baby's condition is a result of the drugs they did before she was pregnant, and the implication is that after they found out she was, he convinced Maritza to keep using even though she didn't want to, and could this scene be any more depressing? Mukada starts to recite some penance for Alvarez to repeat, but Alvarez says that's not enough. "God wants a piece of my fuckin' ass!" I absolutely, positively cannot make a joke here. Mukada looks desolate. I'm sure I do too.
Hill tells us that we try to figure out God's plan, but it's hard. He says we have to give up what matters most. "Anything less, he's not interested." Alvarez smokes a cigarette in his boxers. If you're gonna wear that, can you pass me one of those, Migs? He goes to the mirror and regards his reflection. Cut to Mukada performing the Eucharist. Alvarez holds out his left hand, and, without flinching, stabs himself to produce a stigma. He looks skyward. Mukada continues the service. Alvarez takes the bloody knife and slides the blade down his right cheek. Mukada gives out wafers, intoning, "The body of Christ." When it's his turn, Groves says, "Amen," but opens his mouth instead of taking it in his hand. After a pause, Mukada gives it to him, and Groves winks at him. Hee.
In the glass cage, Hill tells us that God is the ultimate gangsta. Below him, we can see several prisoners dressed as altar boys, including Groves and Ryan. "He's got the whole world by the balls."
McManus looks in on Keane, who's praying. He stomps off impotently. At least I can take some solace there -- that's food for my soul.