TV REVIEW: Graceland’s “Home” Is Definitely Not Where the Heart Is

Graceland’s latest is full of double talk, backstabbing, and a jaw dropping reveal that shows there is no turning back.

The fractured relationships in the house are broken into a million little pieces, now seemingly impossible to put back together.

In “Home” the long put off bank robbery actually goes down with all our Gracelanders working some angle for their own benefit. The undercurrent of a Battle Royale rages on as the backdrop to the heist. It’s Paige versus Mike, Briggs versus Mike, and eventually Charlie versus Briggs in this episode that doesn’t leave us feeling the comforts of home. Let’s take a look at our sort of heroes continuing to break the law as they break each other’s hearts.

Briggs’ Quest for the Tape Holder

The episode opens right where we left off last week. Briggs is hanging up from the call of the recording of Juan Badillo’s death. He’s obviously shaken up and even the promise of Charlie’s sauce night can’t cheer him up. He summons Jakes as soon as D.J. returns home. Paul admits that he thinks Sid Markham has the tape.

Briggs goes to Markham’s house, gun in the waistband of his jeans, ready to do whatever it takes to stop him. About one minute in, he realizes Sid’s innocent. Well, at least innocent of having the tape. Paul then heads back to Jakes and tells him he now thinks it’s Mike Warren who has the incriminating evidence.

Double Talk Continues

Mike talks to Paige trying to make it seem like all things are sunny in Graceland. Fake smiles abound as she says it’s hard to count the sex trafficking bust and release of the girls as a win with Lena still missing. “I was thinking of writing her parents a letter. Want to help me with that?” I think Mike may pass on that one. “Um, sorry, but I put your daughter’s body in an incinerator,” is not a good lead to that letter. The tension between these two is so thick, a breaking point is coming … soon.

It is sauce night and the “family” is gathered around. This usually does the trick to reunite our merry band of agents, but tonight is no usual night. Mike turns to work talk, still sporting that fake smile and questioning Johnny about the Carlos tip off by Markham. They all end up screaming at each other. “What wouldn’t I do to catch you?” Mike yells at Briggs. Paul counters with, “Come get it young man.”

Johnny ends the commotion with, “I’m in love with Lucia.” All jaws (except Jakes’) drop with that one. JT is forever the peace keeper.

Pictured: (l-r) Carmine Giovinazzo as Sid, Daniel Sunjata as Paul Briggs — (Photo by: Jeff Daly/USA Network)

Bank Robbery Blues

Charlie’s bank robbery still hasn’t gone down. Now, Amber, the explosives expert, says the heist is off. Mike is furious; he needs this thing to go down so he can bust Markham and finally get Solano. Briggs suggests they do the heist during the day with our team of agents playing robbers. Charlie brings up that they may be getting into illegal territory. Really? She brings this up now? After heroin use, killing an FBI agent, and disposing of Lena’s body, they’re worried about crossing a line now?

Paige also has a good point. “You want us to play team bank robbers? We can’t even get through a dinner.”

Charlie’s got to get Amber behind the new plan, so she shows up, sauce in hand and smile on face. Explosives girl can’t resist. The robbery is a go.

Amber dolls out animal masks for them to wear during the operation, and they even argue over what masks they get. This should go well.

Briggs tries to get a little shut eye but hears the tape playing… in Graceland! He breaks into Mike’s room, who is listening to it on his laptop, demanding “Do you want something or are you just having fun?”

Mike admits he wants Sid dead. They fight it out viciously. The scene is so choppy it’s hard to see what’s going on. Briggs ends up holding Mike underwater in their fountain until he’s dead? This is the point where you start to think this can’t be happening; it’s got to be a dream, right? Paul starts chipping away at the concrete floor (yes, a dream) and dumps Mike’s body in it. Charlie shows up holding a baby and says “You can’t do this to us.” Briggs wakes up and Charlie is there (sans baby) asking if he’s okay.

Briggs shows up at Amber’s early to warn her about Mike, that he can’t be trusted and he’s got sticky fingers. The heist goes down with our Gracelanders holding guns on all the innocent inside and blowing the safe deposit boxes. Briggs gets Mike to grab a bag of money, wanting to make it look like Warren was skimming it for himself. Amber takes the bait and locks Charlie in the safe, saying she’s putting a bullet in Mike for stealing from her.

Charlie frantically tries to call someone. Amber raises her gun to shoot Mike and at the exact moment Briggs gets a phone call with the tape playing. He realizes it can’t be Mike, so he shoots Amber before she can kill Mike. Wait, Charlie just made a call to someone? Oh, Graceland, please tell me it isn’t Chuck who has the tape, but I think I already know the answer to that one.

This is the best and most unexpected plot point of season two. It’s got all the drama of the Briggs reveal as Odin in season one, but it also has the emotional component of having Charlie pregnant with Paul’s baby.

Mike gets chewed out for robbing a bank but keeps his job. Sid shows up with Warren talking smack about having all his money. Markham has one good point – no cuffs on his wrists.

Pictured: (l-r) Brandon Jay McLaren as DJ Jakes, Daniel Sunjata as Paul Briggs — (Photo by: Jeff Daly/USA Network)

Be Careful What You Wish For

Later that night, Briggs takes Charlie on a drive, telling her “We’re going to the desert. There’s something I want to show you.” They hit a deer head on, cracking the windshield and leaving a splatter of blood. It lays in the road dying as Briggs yells for Charlie to call for help. She shoots it instead.

“How long?” he asks knowing that she knows.

She admits she’s got the tape and has had it for a couple of weeks. “Why didn’t you just tell me? I gave you every chance. You were going to kill Mike. Is that who you are?” she asks.

She says it’s too late for apologies, for anything.

Paul looks devastated, even using the baby as leverage. “When our kid grows up what are you gonna tell him?”

“That you’re a coward.” Charlie drives off leaving Briggs in the middle of the night with the dead deer.

Graceland has been slow to build up steam and a sense of drama this season, but ever since it switched from a bus sting to a sex trafficking sting, it’s been all cylinders ahead. Tonight’s episode was a true turning point in the season. We saw all of our favorite agents at each other’s throats and what about the reveal at the end. Charlie has been teasing Briggs with that tape, that darn tape that just won’t die. This show knows how to end a season. These last few episodes are must see as we watch … what? The whole house implode?

What did you think of “Home?” Will our team of agents ever kiss and make up? Will Charlie eventually forgive Briggs? How will they ever have a resolution that doesn’t include our heroes doing some hard time?

Graceland airs Wednesdays on USA Network at 10 pm.