Mr Mercedes – Season 3 Episode 1 Recap & Review

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSTNCfBC__I

The Case of The Missing Money

After the dramatic first season, the divisive second season of Mr Mercedes saw fans of the franchise split into two groups; those who loved the new supernatural slant and those who didn’t. With the Brady case seemingly finished and put to bed, Mr Mercedes sets up a new case for Bill to tackle whilst echoes of the past continue to haunt him.

As rain lashes down in the middle of the night, we begin with two men readying masks and guns in preparation for breaking into a famous author’s house and stealing his lucrative stash. When they arrive, an apathetic reaction from Rothstein (the author) leads the robbers to second guess what they’re doing. It’s enough of a distraction for him to pull a gun out of his drawer, while one of the men breaks into the safe. Two gunshots break the tense silence; one through Rothstein’s skull and the other through one of the robber’s neck. Left all alone, the lone crook, Morris, panics and begins stuffing notes into a suitcase. As he charges off down the road in his car, he loses control and rolls it into a ditch.

It’s here we return to Bill heading in to see Lou whose brought before the Judge for a preliminary hearing following her murdering Brady in the courtroom. Unhappy with the charges, the Judge pulls both the Defendant and Prosecution aside and questions their lack of conviction with the case. Not satisfied, the Judge deliberates before offering to take things to a trial infront of a jury. Lou’s lawyer argues against insanity while Bill shakes his head, unhappy with what he’s hearing during a later conversation where this information is relayed on to Lou.

Deciding to get a second opinion, Bill takes the details of the case to Antonio, who informs Bill that Rothstein, the writer from the episode’s prologue, has been killed.

Having survived the car crash, Morris crawls free of the wreckage and stumbles back onto the road, blood-stained and battered. Collapsing on the ground, a repair truck arrives and takes him to hospital. As he’s taken away, a teen out walking his dog stumbles upon the wreckage and finds the case, bringing it back home with him. Unfortunately when Morris returns to the scene after being patched up, he finds the case missing but for a scattered few notes on the ground.

Finding it hard to get over his death, Bill shares his grief with Ida, where he reveals the history he has with Rothstein before deciding to pursue his case, much to the incredulous despair of his friend. As he heads over to see Holly, he tells her the same news and gets to work investigating Rothstein’s murder.

As Bill heads back to see Lou, her lawyer gives her news that the Judge has offered 15 years jail time for her, which she’s reluctant to take. The alternative, of course, is pleading insanity which is a slippery slope to which there’s no return from. Confidently telling her he thinks he can win, Lou agrees to go to trial, much to the dismay of Bill.

Heading back to the repair yard, Morris meets the man who saved him, Stan. Believing he’s the one whose stolen the case, he asks probing questions before demanding to see the money. Realizing that Morris may have been involved in the Rothstein murder, Stan demands he leave, receiving a gunshot to the face for his troubles.

Much like the previous season, Mr Mercedes begins with a rather slow episode, with its glacial pacing saved by an interesting opening and final act, but weighed down by a distinct lack of plot progression. With no Brady in sight, the show lacks that same cutting edge it held so dearly in the first and scrambled to hold onto last year.

It’s still early days of course and this could all change but Mr Mercedes looks set to follow the same model it stuck so rigidly to last year, beginning slowly and building up to a dramatic finale. Whether it’s enough to keep you coming back every week rather than binging the entire season when it ends remains to be seen but right now, it’s still far too early to tell what direction this one’s going to go. As the foundations are laid ready for the season ahead, let’s hope we get some plot progression soon to prevent this one stagnating into mediocrity.

Season three of Mr. Mercedes airs Tuesdays at 10pm ET/PT on AT&T AUDIENCE Network. AT&T AUDIENCE Network is available on all AT&T video platforms including DIRECTV Ch. 239, AT&T TV NOW, and U-verse.