TV REVIEW: Graceland’s “The Ends” Is All Over the Place

Last week showcased one of this season’s best Graceland episodes.

Unfortunately “The Ends” is a bit of a mess with the storyline all over the place and characters stretching our ability to suspend disbelief. They do the incredible, but much of it is also incredibly illegal. Charlie goes through with the robbing the bank plan, and ends up robbing a tavern; Briggs forms a bond with a bad cop; Johnny sells his soul and his body (sort of); and Mike wants his bust no matter the cost.

Who Exactly Is the Bad Guy?

Our Graceland cops are up to no good in this one; they not only bend the lines of right and wrong, they also break the law (again).

Briggs is bonding with crooked cop Sid Markham this week even telling Charlie, “He is doing good work.” We’re going with the whole the ends justify the means. Actually, that could be the theme of every episode of Graceland.

Paul is in with the Gang Unit but jeopardizes his newfound trust when he gets a 911 from Juan Badillo’s widow, Kelly. She says she can’t live without Juan, so Briggs springs into action to “save” her. He finds her drugged out on pills, depressed, and crying. She’s in bad shape. He spends most of the episode nursing her through it. Markham shows up asking what’s going on? Briggs goes with the ex girlfriend story and Sid believes it. He even shares a story about his wife going through something similar. He says Paul can have his “one” mess up, but don’t let it happen again.

At episode’s end, Charlie is in the dark with all the Kelly stuff. Paul’s keeping it a secret. They have sex with Briggs seeing Kelly in place of Charlie. You are one mixed up puppy, Paul.

Charlie breaks a few laws in this one, starting with the bank robbery scheme she came up with last week. She meets up with old “friend” Billy who has a “logistics guy” to help pull it off. The guy is Amber who’s a genius at pneumatics, explosives, and all things thievery. Charlie decides to cut Billy out, going exclusive with Amber.

Charlie offers Amber the job and she says she’ll decide later that night, adding, “I’ve got skills, I want to use them.” The heavy flirting that goes on is pretty hot; we know Amber will be taking the offer and get to show off those skills. In a trek to the ridiculous, Amber wants Charlie to rob a bar and get her a cheeseburger to prove she’s who she says she is. Incredibly, Charlie does it, screaming for a “goddamned cheeseburger.”

Pictured: Jamie Gray Hyder as Lucia — (Photo by: Jeff Daly/USA Network)

Planes, Tunnels, and a Mexican Vacation

Johnny is using all his assets to get in good with Solano sister, Lucia. He’s having sexy shower time, and looking like this isn’t just for the case. Wait, he’s still at mom’s house? Ew. Johnny has to use everything he’s got to convince Lucia to go to Mexico to meet up with her father. Johnny’s going with her to pitch Papa Solano a new way to transport drugs. Mike decides tunnels are the way to go. Paige comes up with planes because sex trafficker Sulla would have another avenue with the tunnels. Jakes is on a mission to find a plane that will actually fly.

Lucia is less than thrilled with the Mexican getaway; she’s no Daddy’s little girl, saying that her father is “always death and blood.” She tries to get Johnny to run away with her. They both fantasize about finding an island that doesn’t extradite. JT says, “We can’t.”

The Ends Justify the Means

Mike is living by this new mantra refusing Paige’s repeated requests to end the sex trafficking and rescue the Tinker Bells NOW. Finally, he decides to offer Sulla a $250,000 down payment for all the girls. He calls it a “layaway” plan. He also says he’ll stay on site until Solano agrees to the terms. Sulla’s not having it, but at the end of the episode, it looks like he’s going to agree.

Tonight was more of a set up for things to come. Many plot points were set in motion, making us wait for next week to see if they are successful. Charlie put all the pieces together to pull off her bank robbery, Johnny got Lucia to agree to go to Mexico so he can pitch Daddy Solano his shiny new ideas, and Mike made Sulla an offer he hopes is too good to turn down.

My head was spinning with all the different stories and characters that didn’t seem to weave together tonight like they normally do.  What did you think of “The Ends?” Are you still rooting for our heroes or have the crime fighters left Graceland for good?

Graceland airs Wednesdays on USA Network at 10 pm