American Crime Episode 4 recap

Gwen started awakening from her coma, and other main characters faced awakenings of their own, in American Crime Episode 4.

The hour started with us watching Aliyah (Regina King) in her temple, listening to the preacher talk about inequality, and charging his congregation to go out in the world and achieve greatness. Aliyah follows through on this, and on her promise to Carter (Elvis Nolasco) last week that she would help him by getting him a lawyer who works for a cause.

This lawyer is Brother Timothy (Cedric Duplechain), who meets with Carter and Aliyah. Timothy explains to Carter how the case against him has gotten weaker; the prosecution has been keeping certain evidence quiet, including the facts that the bullet recovered from Matt’s body doesn’t match the ballistics done on the gun found in Carter’s possession. There was also no DNA from Carter found on Gwen’s body, which we could surmise from last week’s episode, when we learned that evidence found samples from two other men in what appeared to be consensual sex.

regina-king-aliyah-american-crime

When Carter asks what this all means, Timothy and Aliyah explain they will try to get him a bail hearing (Carter was initially denied bail since the evidence against him appeared overwhelming; with these questions, there would be a chance he could get bail).

One of the first things Carter wants to know is if Aubry (Caitlin Gerard) could attend his bail hearing. Aliyah looks dismayed when he brings up Aubry again. Carter keeps pressing, and Timothy tells him that since it would be open court, anyone from the public could attend. But Aliyah warns him that this means the families of the victims will be there, too, trying their best to look innocent and try to make Carter out to be the monster some think he is.

Later, in speaking with the deputy D.A., Aliyah is really talked down to by the man as she brings up a bail hearing for Carter. Offended and determined, she informs him that she will take the request to a judge.

Speaking of Aubry, we first see her in this episode attending the narcotics support group her stepdad (Bob Hess) insisted she attend before he helped her. She clearly doesn’t want to be there, droning out as another attendee recounts her past. Aubry eventually storms out, exasperated. She meets her stepdad outside, and he tells her that her stepmother and brother are coming to town. Aubry’s main concern is wanting to see Carter. Her stepfather has gotten her a lawyer, and wants to get her new clothes and fix her hair.

Also getting her hair fixed is Barb (Felicity Huffman). She’s in a different hair salon than the one she went to last week, where she berated a stylist for not being able to fix her hair the way they do back home in Simi Valley. Barb recounts this to the current stylist, and she tells Barb she can fix it, but first wants to give her a head massage. The stylist is probably picking up on what all of us as viewers, and the other characters she comes into contact with, can tell — Barb is highly tensed. Partly from the situation with Matt, but also probably part of her natural personality. Barb is baffled by the stylist’s suggestion, but agrees, and once the stylist starts rubbing her head, it’s clear Barb needed something like this. She removes her glasses, closes her eyes, and seems to be in the beginnings of whatever sort of relaxation she is capable of at this point, however temporary.

Following this, Barb picks up her other son, Mark (David Hoflin), at the airport. As they drive away and Barb fills him in on how Russ (Timothy Hutton) has petitioned for Matt’s body, Mark tells her he’ll talk to Russ. Mark compliments his mother on her new hairstyle, and it’s clear from this scene that Mark knows, to some extent, about his mother’s hangups, and how to talk with her. How much more he knows about her is revealed later in the episode.

Mark visits Gwen (Kira Pozehl) in the hospital, about to touch her, but unsure if he should, when Eve (Penelope Ann Miller) comes in and tells him it’s all right.

american-crime-episode-4-4

At Alonzo’s (Benito Martinez) garage, vandals have painted the words “sell out” on the outside wall of the business, in the wake of Alonzo’s interview with a news crew where he berated “illegals” who “make the rest of us look bad.” Alonzo’s brother-in-law warned him about bringing trouble on himself with those comments, and now it looks like some trouble has come. Alonzo won’t wait for a painter to come and cover up the graffiti; he decides to do it himself, his expression a combination of anger, bewilderment, sadness and perhaps a touch of guilt.

Alonzo’s son Tony (Johnny Ortiz) is still in juvie, as per the arrangement made in last week’s episode. When he isn’t working, he is with the other boys learning and trying to stay awake as counselors sing songs. Tony is still hanging out with Edgar (Julian Works), the boy who helped him with his  bully last week. Tony clearly looks up to Edgar as perhaps someone more worldly than he is, especially since, as we learned last week, Alonzo has tended to treat Tony like a baby. Tony listens, rapt, along with the other boys, as Edgar regales them with tales of his sexual exploits with girls; likely just typical exaggerated locker room-type talk, but still enthralling to Tony nonetheless.

Edgar tells Tony that, when meeting with his probation officer, to treat him with respect, and smile, and that he should be out in no time. He explains to Tony that it’s good to have “ins,” like himself, and at this point it’s not clear what he means by that. I hope Tony hasn’t found a way to get himself into more trouble, and that Edgar is someone, like the people Hector has met, who want to manipulate him. Given his naivete and desire to grow up quickly, Tony would be a prime candidate for such manipulation.

Tony meets with his officer and follows Edgar’s instructions, and finds that Edgar was right. The officer is pleased with Tony’s progress, especially in working through some of the issues he had at home. Tony is to be released, to see how things go, but he has to go to family counseling with his father.

As Tony leaves, Edgar gives him a bro-hug, hands him a slip of paper, and whispers something in his ear that we are unable to pick up. Tony is then released to his waiting father, who gives him a full-on hug. Tony does not respond as enthusiastically has his father does. Did Tony just tell the officer what he wanted to hear, as Edgar sort of suggested? Again, I hope Tony doesn’t find himself in more trouble, but in any case, he clearly doesn’t seem to have made full amends with his dad.

Definitely finding himself in trouble this episode is Hector (Richard Cabral), who is still rehabbing in prison from his gunshot wound to the leg. He is working hard, but finds himself again confronted by the gang member from last week’s episode who told him to start swiping drugs from the medical area. Hector demands to talk to this guy’s boss, and when he meets the man, tells him that given his wound, and the fact that he is being extradited to Mexico for a murder charge, he wants to avoid any more trouble. Hector wants out of the gang. “I’m done,” he says. “Yeah, you done bitch,” replies the man, menacingly. “You’re one stupid ass loser.” Definitely doesn’t look good for Hector.

Mark meets Russ at his new job at the garden store, where he tries to get Russ to come around to Barb’s side on the subject of where Matt’s body is to be buried. “I’m not afraid of your mother anymore,” Russ tells him. “She knows it.”  The stronger Russ we saw at the end of last week’s episode is still there. Mark tells Russ he doesn’t like to still see his parents go at it like this in the midst of everything else that his happening, and Russ apologizes.

Aubry goes to a restaurant with her stepdad, stepmom and stepbrother after the latter two arrive in town. Her mom brings up the notion of Aubry going to rehab. Aubry had mistakenly thought that if she just attended the support groups her parents would help her, but they feel she needs something strong. Her mom suggests Aubry come back home once this is all done, and brings up a job that Aubry could have if she comes home (we find out home is Milwaukee). Aubry refuses, and her stepmom says that if Aubry wants to stay in Modesto she can, but she will stay with her.

Soon, Aubry is on the phone, talking to Carter in prison. Carter tells her that he will be having a bail hearing, and that he would like her there. She, of course, agrees, and Carter dreamily says her name over and over across the phone line, a brief escape from his current reality.

Tom (W. Earl Brown), still obsessed with his daughter’s secret life in the wake of learning about her various extramarital lovers, talks to the police about the two men she had sex with. He is informed that the men have accounted for their whereabouts on the night of Gwen’s attack, and that their stories check out. Tom insists on reading the men’s statements, and the police reluctantly let him do so. Tom regrets this; flashes of the report that we as viewers see include phrases such as “liked it to hurt” and “porn movies.” Shocking stuff, especially for a religious man like Tom. Strangely, as he reads these reports, we see Tom having flashes of his daughter in various states of seduction and undress; once he’s seen his daughter in this new light, not necessarily the angel he had thought she was, he can’t seem to forget it.

Later, Mark joins the Carlins and the Skokies with the deputy D.A., who informs them that Carter will be getting a bail hearing before the judge. They are stunned, especially Barb. Tom, with his new information about his daughter fresh in his mind, is cynical that a rape charge would stick. He reveals to everyone about Gwen’s infidelity, and Barb, on her high horse again, pointedly repeats that. Eve stands up for her daughter, retorting that it was Barb’s son who actually broke his vows. Matt’s “lifestyle” is brought up by the lawyer, but Barb quickly shuts him down, not wanting to hear any negative word about her son, the hero who enlisted right after 9/11.

The parents argue about each other’s child’s lifestyles. At one point, Tom bluntly states, “My daughter was a slut. At least I can admit it.” He wants Barb to admit that her son was an addict, which of course Barb won’t do.

Eve jumps in. “If we really want to talk about truth and lies, Barb, you need to go first.”

“I know my child was a good child,” is all Barb will say.

Getting ready for Carter’s bail hearing, Barb meets with Nancy (Lili Taylor), who advises Barb on how the Skokies must show the court that they are together on this as a family, and that Barb is there as a mother. She counsels Barb to not wear a suit, as it looks to severe. Nancy reveals how her choice in attire seemed to work against her during the trial of her daughter’s killer; she wore blue, and was painted by the defense and the press as a cold woman. Meanwhile, the killer wore glasses, though he was unread, and seemed to be viewed more sympathetically. “Was he black?” Barb immediately asked when the subject of the killer of Nancy’s daughter is brought up. Nancy, with a hint of frustration crossing her face, knowing it doesn’t matter, replies that no, he was white, perhaps shaking Barb’s apparent belief that criminals must be black.

Also gearing up for the bail hearing is Aliyah, is his now addressing her congregation herself, giving them (and us) a bit more knowledge about her past through her powerful speech. She reveals how she felt empty, wanting things, before learning to starting doing for others and finding her freedom through this. And in helping Carter, she may be finding his freedom, as well.

At the bail hearing, Timothy brings up the holes that have become apparent in the case against Carter. As this is going on, Carter looks back in the courtroom to see Aubry sitting right behind Aliyah. They smile at each other, and when Aliyah realizes what is going on, she looks disappointed in Carter.

american-crime-episode-4-2

Timothy brings up the lifestyles of Matt and Gwen that have come to light, saying that they brought a criminal element into their home because of these. In light of this, he asks that all charges against Carter be dropped. The judge doesn’t drop the charges, but admits that the evidence against Carter is not as evident as it first seemed. Bail is granted.

The Skokies are floored by this. As Timothy, Aliyah and the rest of the congregation come out of the courtroom, excitedly talking about their victory, a despondent Barb overhears them and thinks they are gloating. “Look at them” she sneers, “with their head scarves, celebrating.” She can no longer hold it in, and walks over to confront the group.

“You people have no right talking about my son like that!” Barb shouts to the stunned group. “He was a good man, and you can all just go to hell.”

Later, Barb realizes she may have hurt her case with her actions, trying to tell Nancy and Mark that “That isn’t me. I can control myself.” While it’s clear that Barb does like control, she may, in fact, be losing control of herself after all.

In the hospital with Gwen, Eve and Tom begin to have it out. Tom bemoans that their daughter didn’t love them, and in fact just humored them.

“Stop feeling sorry for yourself,” Eve tells him, again wondering what has happened to her husband.

Tom tells her he read the police file, and Eve is shocked by his invasion into Gwen’s private life. Eve admits that her daughter was troubled, but that she will always be their child, whether Tom wants to stand by her or not.

As their argument gets more heated, a nurse comes in to check on Gwen, whose heartbeat as started to race.

“If she wasn’t responding to physical stimuli,” the woman tells them, “she responded to something you were saying. She’s waking up.”

american-crime-episode-4-3

Meanwhile, in the prison hospital, the trouble Hector was hoping to avoid does, in fact, find him. The two gang members who he wanted no part of anymore attack him and slash his face badly. Screaming and bleeding in a hallway, Hector calls out for a guard, but he is alone.

Aliyah talks to Carter following his hearing, and tells him that she will pay for his bond. Carter is shocked, since the bond is $100,000, and he asks where she got the money. She tells him from savings, and from a loan, but the rest was made up by  members of her temple.

Given this news, Aliyah tells Carter that his freedom comes with a responsibility. She wants Carter to be a voice for other wrongfully accused black men who have no voice. And, she wants him to stay away from “that girl,” Aubry.

Carter wants none of that. “I love her,” he tells Aliyah. “You can hate whitey all you want, but I love her.”

“This is not a negotiation,” Aliyah counters. “It’s a condition.”

We see Carter quietly pondering this, almost ready to be resigned to the condition.

As the episode ends, Mark and Tom are talking in the hospital cafeteria. Tom wonders if things got bad for Gwen when she was with Matt, or when she was with her parents.

Mark tries to allay some of Tom’s guilt, and in the process drops some bombshells. He admits that the story Barb has been telling of Matt being a military hero who enlisted right after 9/11 is not true. Mark says that Matt had been taking and selling drugs early on, and Barb, not knowing what to do, forced him to enlist.

Tom asks Mark why he is telling him all this. “These lies, it’s all my mom has,” Mark responds. “All she has left is a fantasy. I want you to look at my family and see us for the freak show we are. And I want you to do better than us.”

This helps explain some of Barb’s personality, and her obsession with having to keep up a perfect front. Or has she told this lie to others and herself for so long that she believes it herself at this point?

It also makes you wonder what else Mark may know. Is he aware of Gwen’s other life with other men? Was he even a part of that other life?

As the conversation between Mark and Tom goes on, it is interspersed with scenes inside Gwen’s room, where Eve and Tom watch, hopefully and tearfully, as Gwen’s breathing tube is removed. In the last scene, Gwen opens her eyes and appears to be awake. Whether she will be able to fill in the blanks of the case in future episodes will certainly be something to see.

_____________________

Van Redin/ABC