“There’s a name for guys like you too, but I promised Father Michael I wouldn’t use that word.” – Hank
Now might be the time to start making arrangements. Terriers time is probably short as anemic ratings will likely mean that its spectacular first season will also be its last. “Asunder” looks to be the first act in the show’s final arc, and while it’s a great episode, it’s also maybe that first nail being hammered into its coffin. And I’m just not ready to let go. And I think I’m going through the five stages of grief…
DENIAL
Maybe FX will realize they have something special on their hands. Maybe they’ll put money aside and renew Terriers for the sake of art. Maybe they’ll see that Donal Logue is turning into one of the best actors on television. His scenes early in the episode, which takes place on Gretchen’s wedding day, are almost unbearable. Hank’s been on the wagon for 543 days and Gretchen’s wedding day is undoubtedly the hardest one to get through.
His only real chance to get through it dry is to keep his mind occupied. Unfortunately, the one “mission” that comes across his plate is to deliver Britt a clean shirt… to Gretchen’s wedding. Hank claims that he’ll just drop it off and leave, but instead he sticks around to watch the proceedings.
ANGER
Of course greed will prevail and FX won’t renew this outstanding series. Of course. Terriers might be the only show on television that can live up to Breaking Bad’s greatness and instead it’s going to get canned by a network that thought the best way to market it would be to show footage of an actual terrier. Jesus. Don’t you think it might have been a better idea, FX, if you, I don’t know, showcased how deftly Terriers handles scenes of extreme tension.
Take for instance in tonight’s episode: Hank goes to the hotel bar to order a drink, but rushes to the bathroom to cool off before it arrives. And guess who shows up? Ben Zeitlin (Michael Gaston), the big-time lawyer who is heavily involved with the Montague conspiracy, and his “associate,” Mr. Burke. Hank hides before they seem him and listens in as they discuss a threat to their operation: a female reporter who is showing up to a meeting in their hotel room for what she thinks will be an interview.
Hank books the room above it and brings in the trio of hackers (whose names I don’t remember and likely will never learn) to plant a bug to surveillance Zeitlin’s meeting. The reporter, one Laura Ross, arrives and quickly realizes that Zeitlin isn’t there to provide information, but instead to threaten her into putting an end to her investigation. All the while, Hank and the boys send her text messages (after one of the nerds hacked into her phone or something), explaining how dangerous Zeitlin really is. When Burke describes just how easily he can have Ross’ mother killed, Hank sends the hacker boys to move the mother to a safe place and then calls hotel security to make sure Ross is escorted off the premises safely.
Hank realizes that Zeitlin would simply go after Ross at the very next opportunity so he confronts Zeitlin to show off the disc that holds the surveillance footage of Zeitlin’s room. If he goes after Ross, the tape goes public. Zeitlin smirks in an ever-so-evil way and Hank gets socked in the face by Burke, payback for their elevator trip back in “Manifest Destiny.”
BARGAINING
Wait, FX, wait. Let’s talk about this a second. What do I have to do to get you to keep Terriers on the air? I’ll do anything. I’ll tweet like crazy to get people to watch. Please. Just keep it on one more season. Just one. You can’t give up on the show just when Michael Raymond-James gets his first really stunning dramatic moment and completely knocks it out of the park.
Because, as we learned above, Britt and Katie still go to Gretchen’s wedding, though now as an engaged couple. Britt’s suspicions that Katie is pregnant are heightened when she refuses to drink and begins to feel sick to her stomach. He confronts her. She says she’s not pregnant. He confronts her again. She finally admits that she is and that Britt might not be the father.
Britt storms out of the reception and is chased down by Katie to the ceremony area of all places and the normally witty and fun Britt is broken down to nothing more than a man with a crushed heart. He asks why. She says because deep down she doesn’t think Britt wants to marry her and will regret it. Maybe tellingly, Britt doesn’t respond to these accusations and simply tells Katie that he never wants to see her again.
This confrontation has been built up for quite some time and the payoff is extremely satisfying. I praised Raymond-James above, but Laura Allen is spectacular too. There’s a lot of heartbreak in that scene but it feels real. Too real.
DEPRESSION
Sigh.
ACCEPTANCE
Oh well. I guess I need to realize that as good as Terriers is, it just wasn’t meant to last. At the very least I can look back on and smile at one of the best seasons of a show I’ve ever seen. These were great times. And I’m glad I got to enjoy them with all of you.
And the one other great thing is that there’s still two episodes left. We’ll get to spend two more Wednesdays with Hank and Britt and we’ll get to see if they are able to take down Zeitlin. I for one will cherish those Wednesdays with the boys and hope I won’t be alone.
And I hope when Terriers finally does come to its end, Hank and Britt continue on their adventures…in TV heaven.
With Urkel or something.
Lingering Thoughts about “Asunder”
- If by the grace of God Terriers is renewed, I’d like to see Laura Ross show up as a recurring character. She’d be quite the asset.
- Hank abuses his bottomless coffee cup privileges.
- So seriously, what is Zeitlin and Co up to on that not-really-toxic land?
- “I would never eat here.” – Britt
- “This is nicer than the other thing and the other thing was really nice.” – Britt
- “Maybe she ate something? Not here.” – Britt
- “I hit you harder.” – Hank
Some stats and info about Terriers, “Asunder”
TV SHOW – Terriers
SEASON/EPISODE – Season 1, Episode 10
AIRED ON – November 10th, 2010
NETWORK/STREAMING SERVICE – FX
GENRE – Drama, Comedy, Crime Dramas
CREATED BY – Ted Griffin
CAST – Donal Logue, Michael Raymond-James, Laura Allen, Kimberly Quinn, Jamie Denbo, Rockmond Dunbar
This review originally appeared on TV Geek Army.