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***Spoiler Alert***

Episode 5: “Lies”

“For a moment the lie becomes the truth.” Dostoevsky

Also known as the episode in which Tommy steals a casserole and Kevin has to eat bread for dinner.

Wooo boy, Samson is not a dude you want to reject after sleeping with him. His face when Jenny says there is someone else is not good. And Jenny’s talk with the priest? Hilarious, yet you know “Teach” is a scumbag husband (and dead, but Jenny doesn’t know) when your priest suggests an annulment.

Jenny’s apology later that night in the bar to Tommy is too little, too late. Especially since Samson publicly claimed his territory over Tommy earlier in the day. You can feel the pain as Tommy turns away from Jenny, just one example of how skilled Jonathan Tucker is in expressing emotion through physical acting. Heartbreaking.

Jimmy and Joey waking up in the bar after the wake is so funny, and I wish Keith Nobbs was on TV every night of the week. Jimmy’s plan to collect on Louie’s bets is dumb enough it may work for awhile, but it can’t last forever.

Poor Tommy just can’t catch a break with Nicky or Dokey, both of whom are working against him to get rid of his problem of owing Louie’s take. Man, Dokey is so low getting Tommy to go to Huey’s house to steal a box, and Tommy takes the pain of talking about Huey and sorting through his clothes with Kate like a stone wall. He’s almost in the clear until little Matty Farrell reveals that he saw what Tommy did (riffling in Huey’s desk or putting the box out on the steps?) and boom Tommy is shattered again with what he’s having to do in an impossible situation.

And let’s not forget Kevin on “watch Ma because Nicky’s stalking the apartment” duty. His retort to Tommy about his cereal getting soggy kills me every time. And Helen making him eat bread for dinner because Tommy stole the casserole. Poor Kevin.

Favorite Scene: Jimmy calling out Jenny for coming to look for Tommy the morning after messing around with Samson. Except, is he mad for Tommy or mad for himself?

Jimmy: “Good times last night, huh?”

Jenny:  “Sure Jimmy, if that’s what you call a good time.”

Jimmy: “Nah, I don’t mean the part about Dokey holding us hostage in the basement, almost chopping off our toes.  That sucked.  I mean the last time I saw you. You know, it’s funny, I never would’ve known you’re married.  Does Samson know?”

Jenny: “Just tell Tommy I was here, ok?”

Jimmy: “I’ll be sure to tell Tommy, I mean Samson, I mean Tommy.  I’m sorry, I made a mistake.  Anyone can make a mistake, right?”

Joey: “Did I miss something?”

Jimmy: “Yea, how a guy can waste 15 years of his life on some back stabbing, open her legs for any dumb ass bread man whore?”

Joey: “You’re talking about Tommy, right?”

Jimmy: “Shut up.”

Seems both Jimmy and I despise the bread man.

Continuity Issues: Changes in times of day between the Farrell house and Jimmy doing the pickups, the back and forth with daylight in the background during Jimmy’s first pickup is confusing.

“The Black Donnellys” is available for purchase on iTunes, Amazon, and DVD.  Also available to stream, with extremely annoying and poorly placed commercial breaks, on the NBC app or NBC.com

At the time of posting, the episodes are still out of order on the NBC app and website, so Episode 4 = Episode 2, Episode 2 = Episode 3, Episode 3 = Episode 4. The title of each episode should reference the quote slide within the first 5 minutes of the episode.

Episode Notes: “The Black Donnellys” Episode 6

Episode Notes: “The Black Donnellys” Episode 4

Sleepers: “The Black Donnellys”