Ozark Recap Season 2 Episode 2 – Precious Blood of Jesus

There’s a lot going on in the Netflix original series Ozark. Make sure you haven’t missed a beat with our Ozark recap of season 2, episode 2.

This podcast was originally published on September 1, 2018. We’re bringing you all of our Ozark Season 2 coverage again to get you ready for season 3, coming March 27, 2020!

***SPOILERS AHEAD***

Episode 2, entitled “The Precious Blood of Jesus,” made us feel… uncomfortable.

Marty and Wendy

Marty is going to purchase a paddle boat called the Missouri Belle and he intends to run the casino on it. So the pressure is on Wendy to get the bill passed to allow the casino boat to operate. She’s visibly nervous when Marty’s talking about how he’s on his way to buy it. He’s got the cash and she’s saying, well, let’s wait… And Marty’s like, no – this is happening and you need to make happen.

Next we find Wendy at a political breakfast and she discovers that most politicians can be bought. Surprise! One of the State Senators keeps saying “no” to her plea for his vote on the casino boat. Finally, Wendy offers him $25,000 untraceable to his campaign account, and he goes, “Okay.” So that kinda opened Wendy’s eyes.

Wendy has a plan. She hires a stripper from Lickety-Splitz to get one of the politicians in a compromising situation. Then she gets video and and blackmails him. I think he was the husband of a politician and Wendy needed that one more vote.

But Wendy still has to work on Charles Wilkes. She’s getting flirty with him, but when he suggests that she sleep with him, she leaves. She tells Marty what happened when she gets home and he’s just very nonchalant about it. He asks her, so did you do it? And when she said no, he almost seemed disappointed in her. We talk more about that at the end of this episode in our “Dirty Dilemma.”

When it comes time for the vote, the bill passes. Wendy finds out that Charles did pull some strings to get it passed. So we were first thinking maybe does just like her and wasn’t asking her to sleep with him as a bribe. Then he says, “I support things I believe in.” Wendy says – you don’t believe in a casino, and he says, no I believe in you. So it seems he has political ambitions for her. Maybe he was testing her, and he wants to groom her and take her under his wing.

As the episode goes on, we get introduced to the Kansas City Mob and a man named Frank Cosgrove. The mob basically controls most of the gambling business and they don’t want any more competition. So they’re trying to get “no” votes on the bill. But Buddy knows Frank. Marty asks Buddy for his help to get a meeting with Frank.

Ruth and Cade

We find Ruth and Cade at home at the trailer. A parole officer comes to collect a urine sample from Cade and he just whips it out and does his business right there in front of Ruth. The officer tells Cade he needs to get a job and Ruth mentions that her boss at the Blue Cat Lodge might be hiring. Cade doesn’t seem to take that too well and we get the feeling Cade doesn’t really want to work for anyone.

Marty sends Ruth to pick up the paddle boat, but it has no engine. Ruth is pissed and the guy she’s getting the boat from tries to take advantage of her. But Ruth is a MASTER negotiator and she gets the job done! She gets $50K knocked off the price of the boat. But she has to ask Cade to come help her tow it.

While they are towing the boat, Ruth starts talking about how she saw a house. And she gets this glazed look in her eyes. She’s telling Cade about the house with the pretty yard that she wants to buy and how she’s got big plans and how she’s gonna make a lot of money when the casino gets up and running. Maybe Marty would even get her a mortgage. Cade says, “so you’re in good with him?” And Ruth just kinda smiles and the nods. You really feel bad for Ruth at this point because she wants so much to have this legitimate life and we know Daddy is just going to pull that away from her.

Later, Ruth and Cade stop to get a soda at a diner and Cade pulls a gun and robs the place. POOR RUTH! She is shocked and terrified and furious. Shout out to Julia Garner’s acting skills – just amazing the look on her face and her reaction.

Ruth starts yelling at him and he slams her head against the dashboard of the car. He basically tells her “This is who you are,” and that she is going to find a way to get all that money from Marty somehow. We think we’re definitely going to see a show-down between these two before the season plays out. But hopefully not too soon because the dynamic and tension between the two of them is awesome!

Jacob and Darlene

Then we have the Snells who are apparently making it difficult for the heroine to be moved. Helen calls Marty and tells him they’re causing trouble. She wants him to “get the hillbillies under control.”

Marty goes to the Snells where he finds a sort of stand-off. There are two guys who are with the Cartel sitting in the back of a truck, and then Darlene and Jacob and a couple of guys just sitting there too. Nobody’s talking or doing anything and Marty is like what the hell’s going on?

Turns out the Cartel guys want to check the purity of the heroin and the Snells are super offended by this. Marty does his thing and talks them all down and they let the Cartel test the heroin. But Darlene is still super pissed.

We get some big news in the next scene where we see Darlene in a waiting room. She’s making funny faces with this little boy, and it’s pretty much the first time we’ve seen her act like a human being! We thought she was at a doctor’s office at first, but it turns out to be a social services office. Sweet Darlene is looking to adopt a child. Oh hell no! The social worker basically tells Darlene she’s too old. And she’s not happy about that.

Rachel and Agent Petty

We also see Rachel again! She’s partying like crazy and completely out of her mind on drugs. A bit later in the episode we see her driving and she slams into a pole.

She ends up in jail and somehow Agent Petty is there to see her! He manipulates and scares her, but Rachel kinda saw through what he was doing. Petty threatens her and basically tells her, “If you don’t get me the details on Marty’s money laundering you WILL go to prison for a long time.” So we will see what Rachel is made of! We think she’ll put on a good act but ultimately she won’t hurt Marty.

37:05 The Dirty Dilemma: Wendy Byrd

In this segment, we’ll be discussing one character’s moral dilemma and thinking about the “what would you do?” Should Wendy have slept with Charlie Wilkes to get the bill passed?

Join the discussion in our Ozark’s Dirty Laundry Facebook group!

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