Ah, romance was certainly in the air for many folks this week.
And leave it to Tommy to murder someone in cold blood while on a date with his dream girl during Power Book IV: Force Season 2 Episode 4
As we approach midseason, Force isn’t slowing down one bit. This season is firing on all cylinders and only getting better.
Power episodes can feel long sometimes, with so much crammed into the run time. But this was an hour that felt long and short simultaneously. It was utterly entertaining from start to finish and felt like an excellent setup for the rest of the season.
The evolution of Tommy and Diamond’s partnership has been a huge focal point all season, and while things have been flowing well business-wise, you could tell there was something a little off about them.
They are fundamentally very different people, and while they work well together, it’s easy to forget they don’t know one another all that well. They trust each other, but only to a degree. They don’t have that history with one another that forges any blind loyalty and trust.
When Tommy found himself cornered in that bathroom, his instincts took over, and he went for the kill because what else was he supposed to do? Rojas’ soldier was trying to make a statement, but the poor kid never stood a chance.
We’ve seen Tommy’s paranoia in the past get the best of him, and he was feeling it hard after that killing. And I could understand why when he saw Seamus sniffing around and Diamond being noticeably cagey.
Add in the fact that cops were literally all over the city, and yeah, it made sense for him to be weary.
But Diamond isn’t a snitch, and deep down, Tommy knew that, but he also knew what his eyes were telling him.
I’m not totally sure why Diamond lied to Tommy in the first place. Seamus was blackmailing him. It wasn’t like he was doing anything for Seamus that would hurt Tommy or the business.
Maybe it was pride, or maybe Diamond didn’t want Tommy in his business, but the lie seemed unnecessary in the grand scheme of things.
One thing I love about Tommy during Power Book IV: Force Season 2 is his willingness to set a meeting and set things straight. Tommy is being super proactive, and he isn’t willing to let things pass him by. He’s ensuring he has a hand in everything and a handle on his operation.
With the task force forming and increased scrutiny around every corner, trying to bring law enforcement into their circle was the right call, but Seamus was the wrong one.
First of all, Tommy ambushing him and coming out from a dark corner was not the right start to that conversation, and secondly, did they both forget his deep-seated hatred for Diamond? He hated that man BADLY, and I don’t think any amount of money would have been enough for him to help Diamond willingly.
None of it matters now, of course, since he’s dead.
D-Mac was shooting first and asking questions later, which isn’t unlike his Uncle Tommy when you think about it. He saw his Uncle in trouble, and his instinct was to kill, so he did that.
The way he immediately defended his actions sounded like Tommy. He was unwilling to admit he made any kind of mistake and chalked it up to the need to protect his family. But you could see him slowly crumble when the reality of what he did set in.
This kind of scenario was exactly what Tommy didn’t want for D-Mac. He didn’t want him out on the streets where he could get himself hurt again or hurt someone else and get himself into trouble.
D-Mac is an intelligent young man, and he’s shown that repeatedly, but what Tommy and JP need to understand is that he had a whole life and upbringing without them. He knows what he knows, and them suddenly entering his life doesn’t mean that he’s ready for everything to change.
His near-death experience didn’t scare him away; it made him more aware of what he needed to do to protect himself so it wouldn’t happen again.
D-Mac is a kid, and Tommy and JP did what was right by pushing him away from the business, but the bullying approach wasn’t going to work.
Now, D-Mac has a body on his hands, and the body is a cop.
This is a giant mess for Tommy and Diamond, and they will have to get rather creative with finding a way to protect themselves. A dead cop, hell, just a missing cop, will be big news, especially with the task force just forming.
I’ll be very interested to see how Tommy and Diamond try to clean the mess up, figuratively and literally. And then there’s the whole what to do with D-Mac thing.
Tommy still won’t want him in on the business, and if D-Mac refuses to listen, what do you do? Tommy threatened him, but in reality, he would never hurt him. So, what can you do with D-Mac now?
Tommy can’t trust him, and honestly, he should probably get out of town for a bit. But knowing D-Mac, he will NOT be up for that, so that could leave him and Tommy in a very precarious place.
While he wasn’t out killing people and conveniently seeing Diamond and Seamus colluding, Tommy and Mireya were getting closer and closer. It was only a matter of time before Mireya fell for that Tommy Egan charm and the two of them had quite a nice little day date and a nightcap.
Diamond may have lied to Tommy about the whole Seamus thing, but Tommy hasn’t exactly been a beacon of honesty regarding Mireya. Diamond hasn’t outwardly asked him, so Tommy hasn’t lied per se, but he knows what he’s doing would piss Diamond and many other people off.
Mireya is off limits, and Tommy knew that ten seconds after he met her. And to know Tommy is to know that he’s a closet romantic, and he’s always longed for romance and to be in love. But his tragic past with love closed him off for a while.
Mireya brought out the fun, flirty side of Tommy on their two little dates. And while it’s cute to see them fall for each other, it also feels like there’s a ticking time bomb attached to their relationship.
Mireya and Jenard making eye contact while Jenard was shaken up, WILL come back to bite Tommy in the behind. Mark my words.
Speaking of Jenard, Treason imploded on him, and I am struggling to see a path forward for him right now that doesn’t include running back to Diamond with his tail between his legs. He won’t do that, though; it’s Jenard we’re talking about.
Jenard Sampson admit defeat and ask for help? That’ll be the same day Walter Flynn becomes a good father.
The best thing Jenard did this hour was admit that he killed Lil K instead of running from it. He wasn’t a convincing liar, and he was trying to get his soldiers to fall in line behind him one last time. He barely had a hold of Treason anyway, so why not try one final hail mary to assert yourself as the leader they all should fear and follow?
The decision crashed and burned, but I applaud the effort.
He still has a few men behind him, but even when Greyskull and Paco were with him, they needed more people to move product. And once word travels about Lil K, he should expect more to leave the ranks.
Jenard’s just in a horrible, rotten, no-good place right now, and with Miguel and the Serbs breathing down his neck, he better think of something QUICK. He needs men and money, and again, I do not see how it will happen right now.
And what will these disgruntled Treason guys do next? It’s easy to assume they’ll hop over to CBI, but they don’t mess with Tommy like that. Everything goes back to Chewy, and they may even be looking to get the revenge Lil K failed to achieve.
Elsewhere, revenge was on Vic and Claudia’s minds as they reluctantly teamed up again. Well, there was reluctance on Vic’s part because he’s made it abundantly clear he wants nothing to do with Walter Jr., and he obviously wouldn’t want to work with the Serbs.
But Claudia had a good plan with the Serbs, whom she desperately needed even though she acted like she didn’t. The most efficient way to get the pills out there would be with help from someone with the manpower.
The Flynns are on their way out. Everybody knows it except you. Walter’s in deep with Ireland, and no one boards a sinking ship.
Mirković [to Claudia]
But the idea that Walter wouldn’t discover what was happening was ludicrous. Chicago isn’t that big, and even when he’s potentially at his weakest, I would never underestimate Walter’s ability to get information and make connections.
Everything happening to Walter is his fault; no one should feel bad for him. He treats people like crap while preaching about loyalty and family. And he cares more about his reputation with strangers than those who’ve helped him build the empire he’s so desperate to protect.
Walter’s the kind of person who will end up all alone in a big, decrepit mansion, and he’ll have no one to blame but himself.
I wouldn’t count Walter out just yet, but when your own children are plotting your death, I surely wouldn’t put my chips in your basket.
Everything Else You Need To Know
- Collin’s death is coming back to haunt Vic! There’s always some past witness that emerges to potentially screw someone over. When the cops bring in Vic, what do you think he does? Could this be a chance to get at Walter? Will he give up Tommy? Or will he most likely keep his mouth shut?
- Force was really in the romance era with this one! Tommy and Mireya at the zoo! D-Mac and Genesis flirting on the sidewalk! Jenard and Shanti were doing something! And Diamond was definitely into Leon’s mom!
- Give my man JP more to do! Can we see how the club is doing? Can we see him have to help Tommy somehow? Let’s find a way to get him into the action more.
- Hardick and Vargas were the least conspicuous people I’ve ever seen watching Tommy and Mireya, and I’m shocked Tommy didn’t clock them. But then again, he’s a man in love.
- What Walter did to Gloria’s bar is criminal! I’m not in the business of feeling super bad for Vic, but damn, you could see the confusion, hurt, and pain in his eyes when he looked around the place Gloria was so proud of. And that poor guy in there had to endure that pain.
- Walter did not have to do Paulie like that. The man’s whole damn like is Walter, and he had to eviscerate him in the middle of the night with his wife looking on? That’s nasty business.
- My money is on Jenard eventually using the Tommy/Mireya relationship to his benefit somehow. Still, the task force knowing about them, too, adds a fascinating little twist to things.
This hour was absolutely captivating, and the series continues to roll on beautifully.
There’s much to discuss after this one, so do me a favor and jump in the comments with all your thoughts and predictions for the next phase of the story! And make sure you watch Power Book IV: Force online so you don’t miss a second of the action!
Whitney Evans is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.