With all the --stuff-- he's pulling behind Jimmy and Ronnie's backs I wouldn't be surprised if Ronnie doesn't do it once he gets past Mikey flattening the gunman last Tuesday.
Ronnie doesn't strike me as the type to let gratitude stand in the way of business.
Me, neither. But I do think he's very wary of crossing Jimmy, especially involving family.
Besides, Ronnie would have to get in line at this point if he wanted to whack Michael.
http://www.geocities.com/rpcv.geo/intelligence.html
Well, he did make the threat. I guess we'll see how much of Michael's crap he'll be willing to put up with, regardless of his friendship with Jimmy.
shareI think the gunman's gonna delay any probs with Mikey for a while. It ups his cred, he knows it, and he's going to use it for as long as he can. "I saved your lives!" I'll bet that when push comes to shove, it ain't Ronnie who will do it, it'll be Jimmy.
shareI gotta say that if I were Jimmy, I'd already be considering it. He must have been fuming when he had to go pay off Raoul and Rosie. Can we say, "Now risking a conspiracy after the fact charge"?
I do agree, though, that Michael has topped up his karma card for a little while. How long that lasts remains to be seen.
And when I said that Ronnie was "wary" of Jimmy's reaction, I didn't just mean because they were friends. They're obviously good friends, but Jimmy's the alpha in that relationship and when he was "informing" Ronnie of Bill's demise, Ronnie actually looked worried while he was rushing to cover himself. I think he's a little afraid of Jimmy, all of his talk about Jimmy being "too soft" aside.
http://www.geocities.com/rpcv.geo/intelligence.html
Ok, maybe I need to see the mini/pilot to have a better grasp of it. Hmph.
shareI do get the impression that as frustrated as Jimmy is with his brother, loyalty -- especially the family kind -- is something he honors above all else. He's not Michael Corleone, who, when push came to shove, put his crime family above everything else, including his biological family. I think Jimmy has those same conflicts, but I don't think he'll be as quick to off his brother as Michael was to kill Fredo. Still may happen, though. I'm not a violent person, but Michael pushes all my buttons. Frustrates me just watching him. His luck was uncanny, happening to catch the shooter in the act. He's stupid, yet has just enough street smarts to get him through to another day. (Hope this isn't another Brian in the making!)
Thought this week's episode was really firing on all cylinders. Loved the music and the complexities. My favorite scene was between Jimmy and that fellow, not sure of the character's name, who was arguing with him about the bank machines. How much of that was improvised, do you think? It had a spontaneity that flowed perfectly. Took me right back to the strengths that made up the best "Da Vinci" episodes.
uh, apparently mike isn't just looking anymore.
sharelol
No, but I wasn't expecting this attempt. :D
Ha. We should be so lucky. That boy has nine lives.
http://www.geocities.com/rpcv.geo/intelligence.html
Whoah, wasn't expecting that! I pretty much expected that Lee wouldn't last long, but I didn't see the attempt on Mike coming. Not like that, anyway. And then when the surveillance team decided to "follow the money" and drive on by without lifting a finger to help him (or at least calling 911), I thought that was an especially cynical, but probably realistic, touch.
The other thing that stayed with me was the look on Francine's face as she walked away, after supposedly "baring her soul" to Jimmy. OK, I never really believed her sob stories before, but I was fooled by this one. Thought that for once, she was being honest. Jimmy did, too. I just hope he isn't as taken in as I was.
Another great episode. I still keep expecting Nicholas Campbell to show up, though. :-)
yeah, francine surprised me too. that actress totally nailed that moment. it wasn't over done but holy was that a nice little smirk. jimmy may not be fooled though. he seems to have a good bs detector.
shareI kept thinking through the entire scene that she was very convincing but also that abusive people don't change their stripes. Their behavior has worked short-term for them so long and they have so little insight into themselves and their actions that they have no motivation to change. If their partners leave, they blame their partners. If their kids leave, they blame their kids. They never blame themselves and any moments of introspection are brief, manipulative and just for show. They're locked into the role of the bully and it's doubtful that they will ever break out of it. Vancouver is more likely to see another tsunami in time for the Olympics than Francine is to change in any fundamental way.
So, I wasn't entirely surprised to see her smirking as she left and I did wonder if that was hammering the point home a little too much. But from both of your reactions, I'd say it was just right. Kudos on Camille Sullivan's acting there. She really deserves an award for her role this year.
Sadly, I think that Jimmy was fooled because Francine played right into his desperate desire for her to "just calm down". He is doing exactly what drives the friends and relatives of abused partners crazy--he keeps hoping she'll just go away and not force him to make the break himself. He's left her, but he hasn't quite left her, if you know what I mean. And the fact that they share a child complicates the situation. But even that is fraying as Francine becomes an increasing danger to Stella. He is going to have to make a clean break, no matter how hard that is.
Equally sadly, I don't think it matters to Francine's goals whether or not Jimmy was fooled. Jimmy's goals and Francine's are completely the opposite. He wants a clean break; she wants to get back together with him. And never the twain shall meet. What is worrisome is how Francine will react once she finally gets a clue that he is gone for good. That's when abusive partners are at their most dangerous. I really do think, for example, that she would burn the club to the ground, as she threatened last week.
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