Rain Dogs – Season 1 Episode 3 “The Small World of Florian Selby” Recap & Review

The Small World of Florian Selby

Jennifer Perrott directs ‘The Small World of Florian Selby,’ in which Selby (Jack Farthing) reunites with his former cellmate, Mason, who has just been released from prison. Mason reminds Selby of his debt, which is somewhere close to 20k, and when Selby is unable to pay,Mason explains that he needs the money for a pressing business opportunity.

Selby learns of his seriousness when Mason implies a threat to Iris’ (Fleur Tashjian) life if Selby does not return the money promptly.

Selby pleads for more time but realizes Mason won’t be empathetic. He tries a dog race bet, but old Sammy “loses the track” (pun intended) midway. Selby is forced to ask his mother, Allegra, for money. Their relationship is strained and she refuses, calling out his entitlement. Allegra lectures him for being a failure and suggests he get a job, but Selby doesn’t want a conventional life and that answer keeps him from her help. Even though he has ironically not messed up as much as his father, Selby is on “the right track,” according to Allegra.

Gloria and Costello discuss the latter’s upcoming date. She has had no physical contact for almost a decade, funnily enough, and Gloria encourages her to get off the “virginity wagon” with Richard, the photographer who asked Costello on a date in the last episode. Gloria will be watching Iris for the night. On their date, Richard surprisingly takes Costello to a Sanievac food bin where people throw stuff they do not need for the needy. It would deter any woman but not Costello, who wants to have sex any which way that night.

Selby has put a tracker on her phone and reaches the location. He makes fun of Richard and takes the two on a proper dinner. Richard seems intimidated by Selby and Costello’s chemistry, which is both sublime and toxic. Iris is confused by the word “whore” that Ava used after her mother told Ava about the interview in the paper. Paul, the man with whom Gloria had sex near the open casket in the previous episode, comes to meet Gloria at the game zone where Iris is busy.

Gloria’s mother left them when she was eight and her father views her as a disappointment. Paul is somewhat in the same boat and the two connect over that mutuality. Paul also bonds with Iris, showing he too can be a child. Selby warns Costello to look “for a better man” but Costello says she will settle with Richard for the night. At first, their make-out session goes well and Richard does not want Costello to “rush” into things.

Then ironically, just as they are about to have sex, he “rushes” into things himself and Costello sleeps with her back to him. She finds him pleasuring himself in the morning while she is sleeping and that is that for Richard in the series.

Among her mail, she discovers a letter from her mother, making her paranoid and insecure. It looks like they do not share the best of relationships and Costello had been hiding from her until now. Selby is caught by Mason at his usual spot in the public restroom and demands the money.

Costello asks Gloria to pick up Iris from school as she has to work. Allegra reluctantly pays the money to Mason. But it comes at a cost for Selby, who is ordered to vacate the house and move to the vacant house in Bruton, Somerset. Lenny paints Costello as she tells him about Richard. Iris has locked herself in as Gloria called Ava’s mother “a silly boring bitch”, which ensures that Iris cannot go to that school anymore.

Gloria leaves and Iris finally comes out. Selby announces his new destination to Costello and an idea is suggested that Costello move with Selby to Bruton. It will be the perfect solution for all of them. Costello will be able to shrug off her mother, Iris will find a new school where no one knows her, and Selby will still be close to Iris, whom he dearly loves. Iris agrees with the idea and the bags are packed: Bruton is the destination!

The Episode Review

In the latest episode of “Rain Dogs” by Cash Carraway, the focus shifts from Costello Jones’ character arc to delve deeper into Selby’s emotional struggles with his mother. Meanwhile, Costello is shown indulging in some sexual pleasure and Gloria becomes a reliable friend to her during this time. Prior to this episode, Selby and Gloria were introduced mainly as Costello’s mysterious friends.

The attention was divided quite generously among the three main characters and it seems this is the right approach. Just focusing on Costello would make the other sidekicks and given how interesting characters they are, it will be criminal for them to remain on the sidelines.

The slice-of-life format really works for Rain Dogs; The show manages to give us warm, misunderstood characters each with their own set of problems that they deal with together. Just what you expect from the Brits!