The Consultant – Season 1 Episode 5 “Sick” Recap & Review

Sick

Craig phones Regus and makes an excuse to not come to work as episode 5 of The Consultant begins. He says he has come down with a bug but Regus seems unimpressed with his lackadaisical lie. He announces to the entire office that Craig no longer works with the company, shocking Elaine, who knows it is not true. Regus makes it sound like Craig has died and the employees bow their heads in respect. It is all a bit surreal for Elaine and for us. After another employee relocates, her office lies vacant. Regus offers it up to them but asks them to decide who’ll take it.

They scramble to take it, pushing and hurling each other to the sides. Craig calls Elaine and says he is in Pomona. But the meeting with Florez turns dark when Craig mentions Patoff. Florez calls it the “Registered office of the US Patent Office” and says Patoff doesn’t exist. He asks if Craig has seen him in flesh and Craig responds positively. Florez invites Craig to the back of the store. He shows him the picture of a tie pin he made for Regus. That is when he heard of him first. Since then, Florez made 205 more items for Regus.

Patti shows up at work and Elaine spots her. She tries to cover for Craig but Regus catches up and spins his manipulative web on her. Patti’s car won’t start and she is left to wait inside at Patoff’s behest. Florez continues his story. At one point, the demand got so overwhelming that Florez had to buy gold from everywhere possible – including his wife Betty’s ring. The money was great so he couldn’t complain. But Florez wasn’t able to keep up with the demand. The most intriguing thing about the items was that they collectively comprised a solid gold skeleton.

Patti has sushi with Patoff and he comes off as a charming person. Patoff replaces Patti’s car’s battery for free and she offers to help him get back up the stairs. After he made the skull, Florez didn’t leave his house for a year. He saw Regus everywhere. Post that, everything in Florez’s life started to disappear, including Betty. Frank asks an interesting question about Patoff’s weight. Wait, is he the solid gold skeleton? What?! Patti helps him up the stairs and he gives her a small peck on the lips, which surprises her. Frank Florez and Craig not to lose Patti to Patoff.

As he is exiting the store, he is attacked by three masked men. They come into the shop and break all the glass casings. Frank grabs his gun and shoots them. Craig escapes. Elaine notices the employees forcibly dragging Trisha out of the vacant office and installing Eric into it. But she is stopped by Janelle from helping. Elaine meets with Iain who is scared to death about the mob coming for him next. She promises to help him out.

Patti comes back to find a sick Craig in bed. She believes his lie but Craig still cannot get over the attack. Regus sends Patti a screenshot of Craig’s ride to Pomona. Elaine takes Iain’s office to make sure he isn’t targeted. Patoff gives her a wry smile as she “took the office” with brevity and not merit. Regus texts Patti late at night. She replies to him and has a weird smile on her face.

The Episode Review

Now, this was the kind of boost the story needed to get back on track! There was a hint in episode 1 where Iain was asked to bathe with specific soaps that “Registered office of the US Patent Office” was Regus Patoff’s full form. What does it even mean? Is his character only representational without delineating any significant contour for the background? As interesting a path the episode takes The Consultant on, we still demand answers.

In every episode, we just keep on going farther away from learning the truth. Our imagination can only make up stuff so much. Frank Florez felt like a red herring from minute one. Does Regus really have a golden skeleton? How would that even work? Is he a robot/humanoid, like the Terminator? My mind is spinning and it will be better if the makers streamline the story and ground it somewhat in the remaining episodes.