This episode picks up where we left off: with Lucca learning that Maia’s fake intel about bribery at Reddick, Boseman and Kolstad has reached the ears of Mike Kristeva.
I had assumed this would prove beyond reasonable doubt that Maia’s dad was a wrong ‘un, but somehow he manages to convince her he isn’t try to drop her in it, but rather her firm.
She’s implicated in the ponzi scheme because of some forged signatures but, so his story goes, if Kristeva can take down the lawyers who are giving him a headache over police brutality, he’ll – what? – overlook Maia’s role in a some completely unrelated wrondgdoing? I’m not sure I entirely follow.
Anyway, the problem now for Adrian, Barbara and co is that they must face a grand jury. Kristeva doesn’t have anything that’ll stick, but the reputational damage of an indictment would be disastrous. We’ve learn by now that when Kristeva goes low, the answer is usually to climb down into the gutter with him. But Elsbeth has an inspired idea – the persecution of the firm is about race, so it’s perfectly legitimate to let the grand jury know it. Repeatedly Suing Kristeva in parallel civil court proceedings not only allows the chance for some fishing about the grand jury, it also creates an nice conflict of interest for the viewers when Lucca’s squeeze Colin Morello (a prosecutor) is assigned to defend him. “Objection! Lamely argumentative,” she fires across at him as he squirms.
Oh shit. Just when things are looking up for Diane, she’s suddenly facing disbarment for betraying clients in order to get in with Adrian and bag herself a new job. I’d never heard of “mere puffery” before but I’m looking forward to using it in a sentence soon. Adrian’s loyalty is admirable – if I wasn’t still rooting for Diane and Kurt to kiss and make up, I’d be hopeful of some romance there.
“I wanna chance to see you have kids – I wanna hold my grandkids.” I HATE HENRY. Hooray for Maia throwing that bullshit right back in his craggy face, then throwing him to the wolves. Kristeva’s toast, but his parting shot to Elsbeth suggests this won’t be the last we see of him.
Fashion-wise, 10/10 for Barbara’s jacket and brooch combo and Lucca’s peter pan collar minidress. Maiai’s clothes are mostly ugly as usual, but for the showdown with dad she sporty a suitably spiky neckline.
Shona Craven 