"Vegas" recap/review!

Sorry for the delay but here it is!

Paiutes  episode 11

The show opens with Ralph driving his pick up and listening to Hank Williams singing “We’ll Go Honky-Tonking” and we get to drink at the top of show because Quaid smiles!  He pulls into the parking lot of the Las Vegas Bank and Trust (on my tv it only said Vegas Bank and Trust but that can’t be right because an institution like a bank would be called Las Vegas, not the slangy Vegas), walks a few feet, knocks on the door and gets smacked big time upside the head (as my mother would say).

Title card:  58 hours earlier (that’s two days and change for those of you like me who are time impaired).

58 hours earlier we’re at the Sheriff’s Office where Dixon is trying to put the moves on Miss Sanchez by bringing her a cup of coffee. She reminds him the last time he did something similar he wanted “petty cash to paint racing stripes on his squad car” (that groan you heard was fans who keep hoping this show will get better just take one for the team). A guy with a loaded rifle comes in, threatening to shoot Dixon (can you guess why? I thought you could. DRINK!). Seems Dixon and Mrs. LaForge are “bridge partners” or maybe something more. Her husband certainly seems to think so. Ralph walks between his son  and the loaded rifle and asks Mr. LaForge to put the weapon down.  Dixon copes to his father that he and Mrs. LaForge are more than bridge partners.  (Duh!).  It certainly isn’t going to impress Miss Sanchez. Quaid smiles (DRINK!) as he talks Mr. LaForge into not killing Dixon. He tells Dixon to drive them home “before I shoot  ya myself”and Quaid smiles again (DRINK!- If this keeps up, we’ll be in our cups before the first commercial which considering the writing of the opening scene may not be such a bad idea.)

Over at the Savoy, half naked Jack is lying in Mia Rizzo’s bed talking to her though she is getting ready for work. Jack doesn’t like her working Sundays it seems, “there are no days of rest in the holy book of Ralph Lamb, he thinks it’s just a typo”. He tells Mia she is pretty and she is trying to figure out his angle. Did Jack get a new haircut? A knock at the door and Mia tells him to stay put and shut up. The high rollers have arrived and she is needed. She squeezes out the door make sure  no one sees Jack.

Downstairs, Vince is approached by the not Parry Thomas banker . Not Parry Thomas informs Vince all his accounts have been cleaned out, including the loan the bank made to Vince so he could buy the Tumbleweed.  This is news to Vince.  Not Parry Thomas is not happy and doesn’t want “to look like a fool”.  (If that’s the case he should have talked his agent out of getting him this gig.)

In the high rollers room, we get the info dump on the players. The young man at the table is “Hal, something or other. He’s been losing here all week and wanted to have a private game up here”. Seems Hal is in insurance but he doesn’t know the couple that Mia mentions. Red Flag, anyone?

After the commercial, whoever grabbed Ralph is driving him somewhere.

Title card, 56 hours earlier (yes, time is dragging by) and we are back in the Sheriff’s Office. Jack shows up to work and Ralph ribs him about. Jack blames traffic, no one believes him. (Are you surprised?)

Vince confronts Daddy Rizzo about the missing money, especially the money from the loan that has to be paid back to the bank. Seems Daddy sent half the money to Chi-town and invested the other half on the street for shylocking. Daddy says they’ll get more money by going to another bank. Daddy says he’ll handle it. Vince is not happy. (Are you surprised?- maybe this is the new drinking game?)

Katherine and Missus Savino meet in an alley. Seems they are working together to bring down Daddy Rizzo. Katherine asks Missus Savino about the dead singer and tells Missus Savino that Diane was an informant for the Feds. Katherine tells the Missus that if the Feds start investigating they won’t stop and will dig into Vince as well. The Missus doesn’t like that idea. The only way to stop that, Katherine tells her, is to prove that Rizzo killed Diane Desmond that way the DA’s office brings the charges “and the Feds stay home and I can make sure your husband stays a free man”.

At an empty casino, Ralph and Jack walk into a hostage situation, one of the hostages being one of his deputies.  The hostage takers isWalter, Jr from Breaking Bad (who really must be realizing at this point that not all tv shows are as well written or bolted together as Breaking Bad. This is the second actor from that great series to guest star but I wouldn’t get my hopes up that Bryan Cranston, Anna Gunn, Dean Norris or Bob Oderkirk will be showing up any time soon in guest roles). The other hostage taker is pouring alcohol and lighter fluid all over one of the hostages and looking for matches. He lights the guy on fire. We all  know that this is not going to sit well with Ralph and Jack. The two criminals run away. Ralph tries to save the burning man and Jack gives chase.

Back from commercial and we are back in real time with the driver of the car carrying Ralph coming to a stop. He puts a big wad of gauze and chloroform over Ralph’s face.

36 hours earlier (okay, time is finally moving faster). Back at the Sheriff’s Office, they identify the criminals. Jack has a visitor, Mia. Ralph smiles (DRINK!) and tells him, “don’t keep the lady waiting”. Seems Mia is there officially. Ralph joins the conversation and smiles (DRINK!) while Jack tries to act like there is nothing going on between him and Mia. He does it badly. Mia tells them about the young gambler, Hal. She wants the Lamb boys to look into it. Quaid smiles broadly (BIG DRINK!!!) and asks, “don’t you have your own people for that?” She thinks it might be an inside job, that’s why she wants the Lambs’ help.

Ralph and Dixon talk to the mother of the really bad, fire-starting criminal, Nathan. Seems he has talked his younger brother, Russ (we know him as Walt, Jr) into a life of crime as well.

Over at the Savoy, Vince and Daddy Rizzo are finishing up business when Missus Savino comes in. Daddy Rizzo leaves. Missus Savino starts asking questions about Diane. She point blank asks Vince if he killed the songbird. Vince says he is trying to protect the Missus. “By lying to me.” She retorts. Vince realizes he has to come clean. He tells his wife that it is possible some shot her up with a “hot dose, two parts heroin, one part strychnine. Readily available on Carson Street.” Vince also tells her that it may have been Daddy or it “could just be bad luck”.

Jack tells Mia there’s no dirt on young Hal. Mia’s not convinced nothing is going on. Jack tells her he can spot “a liar a mile away” and tells her to put him in the card game. (Like the regular card sharks in the game won’t recognize him as Ralph’s brother and deputy). Mia’s not buying it. (She is a smart girl, after all).

Ralph and Dixon find another casino owner who got ripped off by Nathan and Russ.

Oops, I was wrong. Seems Mia did buy Jack’s line about being a good card player. He’s playing cards with young Hal and the regular Vegas card sharks while Mia watches. Jack goes all in and wins. Mia still doesn’t look convinced.

So the criminal brothers are hitting places that their late alcoholic father used to haunt.  Pay day at the cement factory where the old man used to work is coming up and the brothers are there to take it from the guards. But Ralph and Jack are there. A stand off commences.  Nathan starts shooting and Ralph drops him while Russ gets away. Nathan tries to draw on Ralph and Ralph kills him.

Not Parry Thomas and his family are out for a drive. They get a flat tire and Daddy Rizzo and a friend come up behind them.  He waves to the wife and son. Daddy Rizzo intimidates not Parry Thomas and tells him from now on, any accounting problems, don’t go to Vince. Not Parry Thomas gets the message. Nice guy that he is, Daddy Rizzo leaves behind a new radial for not Parry Thomas to change out.

Coming back from commercial, Ralph is in not great shape but he realizes he has been thrown down an empty well or a badly shaped hole.

10 hours earlier. (The light, I can see the light!). Ralph and Jack are talking. Katherine shows up to tell them that Russ’ car was spotted outside of Phoenix.  Jack leaves and Katherine tells Ralph that the Feds think Rizzo killed Diane Desmond. Katherine says she can probably get wire taps for Rizzo, Savino and the Savoy. If she is successful, she’ll be celebrating at the Gemini with a cocktail and she hopes Ralph will join her

Over at the Savoy, Mia and Jack are arguing whether Jack won or young Hal lost on purpose. She says he knew they were on to him. Mia had a spotter to see what young Hal is up to.  Seems young Hal was wired and had his own spotter. Busted!!!!

Young Hal will only get hit with a misdemeanor but he can’t keep the $130k he won. That money will be held at the Vegas Bank and Trust.

Over at the Savoy, not Parry Thomas calls to tell Vince and Daddy  Rizzo that the money is flowing again and arranges a meeting for that evening.

Katherine lays out her evidence to the dirty DA but he wants to know her CI before he’ll sign off. Katherine convinces him otherwise.

As Ralph is on his way to meet Katherine for that drink, Jack tells him that young Hal is leaving town and the bank is holding the money. A phone call comes in for Ralph. It’s Walt, Jr (er, Russ). He’s not happy that Ralph killed his brother. “I’m coming for you!” he tells Ralph. “I’ll be waiting.”

As Ralph drives to drop the money at the bank, we are back to where we were at the top of the show.

But before we can go there, we have to go with Daddy Rizzo and Vince to meet with the board of directors at the bank. Seems not Parry Thomas called in some hitters.

It also seems that Walt, Jr (er, Russ) never left town. Ralph’s truck was found with blood all over the sidewalk. Jack realizes that it’s about the money. “Get every deputy, here , NOW!”

After the commercial break, Ralph is trying to escape. But not having much luck. Someone is throwing dirt on him, burying him alive.

Seems young Hal has killed a private investigator from the Golden Nugget in Reno. He pulled a similar scam there and they tried to catch him. The investigator has been missing ever since.  Jack remembers that young Hal’s family had a ranch in Paradise Valley (YAY! Historic accuracy!!!).

Over at not Parry Thomas’ meeting, the hitters have the upper hand. The ring leader has the upper hand. After telling Vince and Daddy Rizzo a story about the Paiutes. Just before they pull the trigger, Vince reminds them that the hoods from Chicago can be of help. There’s some sort of analogy to the Paiutes, the land being all dried up, gambling being the “wave of the future” but it’s convoluted at best. Long story short, they don’t kill the hoods. Vince gives them the Tumbleweed in exchange for their freedom. Money always wins! Vince offers to run the Tumbleweed for them. Daddy Rizzo seems to understand he got out played.

Over in Paradise Valley, Ralph is being buried alive and somehow manages to get young Hal by the collar and drag him into the well. Just before young Hal raises the shovel to bash Ralph’s head in a shot rings out and young Hal drops like a sack of potatoes. Brother Jack to the rescue. Nice back lit shot of Jack, though.

Over at the Savoy, Daddy Rizzo is mad that Vince gave up the Tumbleweed and compares him to the French during WWII. Daddy Rizzo reminds Vince that not only was the Tumbleweed never his, but “none of this is”. As Vince tries to comprehend, Daddy Rizzo hits with his best shot, “you’re quarter Irish, you’re never going to be a made man. You’re expendable.”

Vince reminds Daddy Rizzo that the town is a goldmine and Daddy is screwing it up. Makes no difference to Daddy, he’s a made man and “the only way I’m leaving this town is in a body bag” (foreshadowing much?). Vince is not happy. His dreams for the Tumbleweed and for rising in the organization have just been blasted all to hell.

Over at the hospital, Jack, Dixon and Katherine visit Ralph.  Katherine and Ralph agree to a rain check. Quaid smiles (DRINK!!!).

Mia meets Jack at the hospital. She wanted to make sure that Ralph and Jack were okay. They kiss, a peck. Mia reminds Jack that her family does fight.

There was too much going on in this episode. Some pipe got laid for upcoming episodes. Vince now has a reason to turn on Daddy Rizzo and possibly Chicago. He may partner with the new owners of the Tumbleweed, he may work with the Missus to gather evidence implicating Daddy in the death of the songbird.

A new episode next week so maybe we'll start to find out!

Review of Christmas Episode of Vegas

 

 

 

Estinto                  Season 1, episode 10

Where Christmas comes to Vegas and everyone gets what they wished for. Well, sorta.

Welcome to our weekly recap/review of this week’s episode of Vegas. Did you bring the eggnog (hope its lots of eggnog)

Elvis is singing Blue Christmas on the soundtrack and Ralph is giving Jack a hard time about cleaning up his car.

The Savino family is going shopping. Daddy Rizzo shows up with Miss Desmond and she is sporting a big rock. She and Daddy are getting married. Daddy is hot to hit the sheets which means no Christmas dinner with Mia (who looks a bit blue). But Jack is there to take her blues away. Drink because you saw that coming!

Out in the oil field (yeah, the oil rich fields of Las Vegas, you’ve heard of them, right?) The imagery seems more to invoke the landscape of LA Confidential than 1960 Las Vegas. Anyways, the hoods are not happy with a contractor. Mickey the hood is getting in the contractor’s  (Merrick’s) face until Vince steps in to calm things down. Vince doesn’t mind the contractor padding his wallet but, horrors, in a story straight out of the Benny Siegel play book, the contractor is charging twice for the same building material. Drink if you know this connects to Del Webb in real life or if you know who is Del Webb is. Vince wants the nonsense to end. The contractor says he didn’t know that his crew was doing that!

Over at a honky tonk bar, Jack and Mia are drinking and dancing. They do make a handsome couple.

The net day on the job site, the cement mixer is jammed and in the best CSI fashion, a body falls out covered in wet cement. Drink if you knew it was the contractor before the day player said, “It’s Mr. Merrick”.

Back from commercial, we’re at the crime scene with Ralph, Jack, Dixon and Katherine and Del Merrick’s widow (nice shout out calling him Del). She’s upset, he was supposed to be honored by the Rotary Club later that afternoon. Katherine calls it a mob hit.  One of Del’s men tells Ralph about the hoods, including Vince, who showed up to talk to Merrick.

Over at the Savoy, Miss Desmond wants to talk to Vince. She’s down to her lingerie and making moves on Vince. He tells her to seek employment else where. They get a little physical and he tells her to take her problems to Daddy Rizzo.

Dixon is upset there is no Christmas Eve party because it is against the regulations. Vince shows up and is not happy about his construction permit being pulled. Holy crap, Dennis Quaid smiles again!!! DRINK!!! He smiles again!! Drink! Vince is also complaining about stealing merchandise from his hotel. Ralph sends Dixon to check the thefts out. Dixon is not happy which is weird because he loves being around show girls.

At the corner’s office, seems Merrick was beat and then chocked and ultimately knived with a serrated blade. Doesn’t sound like a mob hit. The widow Merrick shows up and says the big scar was from a crane! The Lamb brothers don’t buy it. Seems someone tried to kill Merrick before.

At the Savoy, Dixon offers to go undercover as a waiter. We learn that Dixon is chafing under Ralph’s way of sheriffing. Are you surprised.

At the Sheriff’s Office, Miss Desmond’s work card application was denied because of narco charges by the feds. No work card for her. Miss Sanchez gets to call the Savoy and tell them Miss Desmond won’t be singing.

The Lamb brothers go to question a suspect and he attacks them. Seems Merrick killed the man’s daughter.

After the commercial, we learn that Merrick had done the construction on the Internment camp that the suspect had been moved to during the war. His daughter died in the camp. When the chance to get revenge surfaced years later, he attacked Merrick and then drove him to the hospital. Seems Merrick had two wives, one a blonde and one a redhead.

Over at the Savoy, Daddy Rizzo is very unhappy that Miss Desmond isn’t allowed to sing in the hotel. Vince tries to reason with him. Miss Desmond tries to explain that she’s been set up. A package arrives for Mia along with a note from Jack. He wants to go dancing with her. The package was a honky tonk album that Daddy throws in the trash.

We learn from Dixon that Ralph’s wife died at Christmas. (Can this show layer the pathos on any stronger and still not be engaging? Yep.) Jack is trying to set up a date and Ralph over hears the conversation. He is not happy about Jack dating a mobster’s daughter.

Miss Sanchez tells them to follow the jewelry. It takes them to a feisty redhead who puts up a fight and tries to shoot them. Seems the redhead is a mobster’s wife and she’s been playing Del on the side.

The problems with Miss Desmond have been worked out. Meanwhile, Dixon is investigating in his waiter outfit. He finds a guy trying to rip off alcohol. A chase ensues. The bad guy gets away but leaves the key behind.

Ralph is interrogating the mobster and he claims he is innocent. Jack is talking to the redhead and we discover she isn’t the redhead that Del left the hospital with.  They go to an old fashioned revivial church to find her.

Vince and the DA meet out in the sticks. Miss Desmond is working with the feds. “She’s dirty, Vince”. Vince is not happy to hear that. “She’s here to get info, to take you down, to take you all down”.  Drink if you know where this storyline is going.

After the break, Ralph and Jack are still at the church. Seems the other woman is quite religious and has become a preacher. She used to be junkie but she’s reformed. Seems Del came to the desert to save his life. He was going to build a church and save the desert. I guess that was to happen after he stole from the mob. This also makes the real wife and the business partner suspects.

Dixon found out who the thief was and made Vince’s day by arresting the guy. He gives Dixon a nice suite for a night in return. Dixon, surprisingly, sees a conflict of interest and turns the suite down! Drink if you didn’t see that one coming!

He thanks Vince. Vince thanks him. Really, this passes as dialog. Vince suggest that Dixon stay in the room and enjoy the view for awhile. Drink because all know what’s going to happen,don’t we.

Ralph is questioning the widow Merrick. The widow knew about the preacher woman. Seems the widow thought all she had to do was bide her time and Del would come home sooner or later. The business partner didn’t have a high opinion of the preacher woman. Jack sympathizes with the partner. Seems Del was going to give the partner 20% of the business.

Back at the Sheriff’s Office, Ralph is not happy to hear that Mia Rizzo called Jack. They have a stand-off. Jack ain’t backing down. He brings Ralph up to date on the partner. Ralph thinks the wife did it. Jack thinks the partner did. They argue.

When does Jack have time to run Ralph’s ranch?  Words are exchanged. While Ralph was overseas in the war, Jack was home raising Dixon and burying Ralph’s wife. “I guess you’re right, I missed it all”, Ralph tells him and walks away.

Yeah, this is an upbeat Christmas episode, ain’t it?

Miss Desmond is preparing to go on. Vince comes in to talk to her. He turns on the radio. They dance. Vince gets handsy. They kiss.  Vince tells her “I want you to get the hell out of here.” He cops to knowing about the Feds. He gives her till morning to get out of town. Yes, it’s that kind of dialog.

Back at the Sheriff’s Office, Jack and Miss Sanchez are going over the evidence. Ralph scoffs at them.  Jack mentions that the partner had a hand injury. The scales fall off and they realize that the partner and the widow are in it together.  One thing we learn, the actress that plays Miss Sanchez is very tiny.

The widow and partner are brought in and the Lamb brothers close the case. The two killers go to a holding cell. Ralph tells Jack to go on his date leaving Ralph to do the paperwork. Jack says “Merry Christmas” Quaid smiles again!! Drink!

Over at the Savoy in the suite that Dixon wasn’t going to accept, a full blown Christmas Eve party is in full gear. Miss Sanchez is there and with a little mistletoe, he tries to kiss her and she smacks him. “Why are you so bossy?” he asks. “Because you love it” she retorts. Drink if this relationship just seems dysfunctional to you.

On his way to get more ice, Dixon runs into Jack. They question each other why the other is upstairs at the Savoy and then go one their way. Jack and Mia are in her room. She breaks it off. She says “It’s too dangerous”. Jack doesn’t want to give up so easily. “It was working for me”. She shows him the door. “You sure this is what you want”. “It doesn’t matter what I want”. She sorrowfully tells him. “It matters to me” he says just before he kisses her. She responds kissing him back. These two star crossed lovers just might make it yet.

Over at the Sheriff’s Office, Katherine arrives bringing home baked Christmas cookies for Ralph. “Home Ec was never my strongest class”. Ralph has a gift for her, horse shampoo. She invites him to join her for a drink. He declines. They hug and almost kiss but Ralph is still broken so that ain’t going to happen any time soon.

Back at the Savoy, Daddy Rizzo has summoned Vince. Miss Desmond is lying dead on the divan. Vince is surprised. A needle is in Miss Desmond’s arm. “Once a junkie, always a junkie, right?” says Daddy Rizzo.

Vince is visibly shaken even as he joins the family for unwrapping Christmas gifts.

That’s how the story ends. No real Christmas good feelings (unless you are a big Jack and Mia fan), no fa-la-la. Just the not so surprising demise of Miss Desmond.

Me? I don’t know. I was hoping perhaps for a Christmas miracle- an episode of Vegas that would make me go, yes, this is what I was hoping the show would be. After the hints at storytelling we got last week, I was hopeful. But it was not to be. We got coal in our stockings instead.

Oh well, we had plenty of egg nog. And we did get to see Dennis Quaid smile.

And there’s always next year. New episodes should return in a few weeks and so will we!

In the meantime, keep those decorated neighborhood info coming in. We'll be posting updates for the Neighborhood Lights later in the week!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Review of "Masquerade" episode of "Vegas"

Masquerade episode 1.9

Where Ralph and Katherine share a moment, Dixon has a fear of spiders and Benny Binion gets a shout-out!

Got your drinks? Let's review!

It was a typical episode of Vegas with the crime of the week centered on the murder of a showgirl. We see the showgirls on stage at the Stargazer (it’s a lame name). Almost as lame as the drummer who accompanies the music. But, fakeout! It’s just a rehearsal and the director, Max, begins berating the lead dancer. He tells her to  basically get her act together or he’ll have to drop her "cute little bottom" from the show. Ah, the 1960s.

Meanwhile we get a look at the exterior set of Downtown/TheStrip with Vegas Vic, the neon cowboy, makes a cameo appearance as well as a long, vintage caddy. In a walk and talk, we learn from Vince that the Missus and the kids are on holiday and from Mia we learn that Daddy Rizzo is in Los Angeles on business. Seems Daddy Rizzo’s union friends have arranged a screen test or two for Diane (the singer from the last episode two weeks ago).

Much more interesting than the walk and talk is the set design of the interior of the Savoy and vintage slot machines. While the count is down 12%, Vince isn’t worried because he has stolen a whale away “the Dunes and into our house”.

Out on Fremont Street/The Strip, the new Mayor Grady is getting his picture taken ala Oscar Goodman with some comely showgirls. Ralph watches, amused. Seems Grady wants to start a tourism campaign and needs a slogan. “Did you really ask me out here about tourism?” Ralph asks. Seems the mayor won’t be inaugurated until next week. In the meantime, though, he has “a vision that I want every Las Vegan to share.” Drink if you know what that means.

As the new mayor is trying to sell his spiel to Ralph, Dennis Quaid does us a solid by smiling, widely. Drink! Ralph’s suggestion for a slogan, “Welcome to Las Vegas” (Shades of Betty Willis, though I think we will all be up in arms if the show makes it look like Ralph’s slogan inspired Betty’s sign). The new mayor is less than thrilled with the slogan but damn if we don’t hit the jackpot because Quaid doesn’t care and he smiles again!  Drink!

Vince approaches them, “Sheriff, did you come to kiss the ring?” he asks, to which Ralph replies, “No, what did you come to kiss?” and smiles again!  Drink! Quaid is much more relaxed and charming in the first five minutes of this opening than he has been all season long. Hopefully, this portends a trend.

Back at the Stargazer the lead showgirl is dancing alone and the music abruptly stops. To her credit, she grabs her things and tries to make good her escape. Drink if you knew her death was inevitable

When we return from commercial, we’re at the Sheriff’s Office where Jack is busting Dixon’s chops. Meanwhile, Miss Sanchez is searching for something, seems she’s misplaced “a personal item”.

The call about the dead showgirl comes in and they go to the scene. They meet Katherine there. Plus the dead showgirl has been re-dressed in her costume. Katherine notices that and Ralph comments that she “is a trophy”. Katherine believes the young girl has been raped.

The questioning of the usual suspects begins. The director is a jerk and continues to be a jerk. But he did give the young girl a $300 advance for reasons unknown.

Back at the Savoy, they are waiting for waiting for the whale, Clay Stinson, who is arriving by rail in his own private car (as if he is foretelling the arrival of Howard Hughes six years later). Vince ‘s crew is not impressed by Stinson and they haven’t even met him yet. First thing Clay (a big, tall Texan) eyes is Mia. Drink if you know what one of his first requests will be. That is one giant piece of turquoise on the bolo tie that Stinson is wearing. Making up for other shortcomings perhaps?

Has the show gotten a new hair stylist? Both Ralph and Dixon seem to be sporting better ‘dos.

Vince is trying to keep Clay happy and in his cups. But we are about to get the highlight of the season, the mention of Benny Binion! For a show set in Las Vegas in 1960 and whose action is supposed to take place mainly downtown, there has been no mention of any of the colorful characters that ran downtown, especially the larger than life Texan who ran the Horseshoe and would take anyone’s bet. Clay reminds Vince of this and Vince’s reply, “Well, Benny can be a little crazy”. I guess we can only hope that the writers of this show will continue to populate their scripts with some of the historic larger than life characters that are part of the tapestry of Las Vegas history. It’s probably a long shot, but I guess we can always hope.

In the meantime, Vince lowers the limit that Clay can bet on a hand. Clay then surprises Vince and Mia by betting a cool half mil. He’s doing it to impress Mia. Drink if you saw that one coming even during the second swoon of mentioning Benny’s name. Vince covers the bet and Clay wins. Vince almost plotzes when Clay splits and the ante goes up to million. Clay wins and Vince looks short of breath.

Ralph and Katherine check out the dead showgirl’s apartment. There’s a Bob Fosse poster from Broadway on the wall (Hopefully for Redhead and not Sweet Charity). It’s the most Katherine has had to do in a few weeks. She reminds Ralph that “bad things happened in this town before the casinos”. And someone wrote in lipstick on the dead girl’s make-up mirror, You Shall Be Forgiven.

Back from commercial, Vince is paying Clay his cool million. And in addition to his winnings, Clay wants Mia, “a night with Miss Rizzo”. Vince refuses. “Everyone has their price.” Clay tells him.

Red isn’t happy because Clay’s entourage will drink free booze and trash their hotel rooms. But Vince says Clay will gamble again and big as long as they can keep him in the hotel. That’s Red’s job. Drink if know how easy that will be.

The Lamb brothers discuss the case and Quaid smiles again! Drink! Katherine joins the conversation and tells Ralph that the killer has done this before, especially in Kingman. We get a shout-out to Boulder Highway! Drink! Ralph won’t let Katherine go along but asks her to follow up on the Kingman lead by making phone calls. She’s not happy.

Clay is trying to leave the hotel and go to a well-known French restaurant on First Street. Vince convinces them to go to Savoy restaurant and he’ll have a private meal made special for Clay and his entourage.

Ralph and Jack check out a lead in an oil field. Yeah, oil and Las Vegas. You’ve heard of the rich oil fields of Southern Nevada, right? They break up a shoot with a couple of young chippies and a leering film director. The young chippies look like they were acting out a roman scene, girl on girl. But nothing that hot because it’s CBS.

Ralph threatens the leering director and shoots between his legs, telling him to get out town.

Over at the Savoy, Clay liked his dinner but he plans on leaving because “You gotta go before the thrill wears off”. Vince isn’t happy.

Katherine meets with the dead showgirl’s father who drove in from Cedar City (another shout out that is correct). Katherine tells him that his daughter was murdered. The father is upset. Drink if you figured that would happen. The father blames his daughter and tells Katherine not to contact him again. Katherine is upset.

Miss Sanchez is still trying to find whatever it is that she lost. Dixon offers to help until he discovers it’s a spider. Seems Dixon has a fear of spiders.

Katherine talks to Ralph. Seems Ralph doesn’t want to have to worry about Katherine putting herself in dangerous situations. Ah, he cares about her! She tells him “I refuse to stand over the body of another young girl”.

After the commercial, Clay is leaving and Mia becomes aware of what Clay wanted. Mia’s a big girl. In a strange cut, it begins to rain, the caddy and Clay come back. Vince made it impossible for his private train car to leave.

The Lambs are hot on the trail of another clue. Drink if you realize that there is another 15 minutes left and this clue won’t pay off. Besides, Chris Stengel is a young woman not a young man. And Chris and the dead showgirl were girlfriends (in the 21st century diverse America meaning).

Seems she was working on her own act with someone from the Stargazer show. Ralph returns to his office to find the new mayor there.  The new mayor is feeling a lack of respect. He tries to convince Ralph that he’s not Savino’s dog. Ralph pulls out three cases, all dead, that were friends of Vince. “I’d hate for you to become one of those friends.” He tells the new mayor.

Grady leaves and Katherine comes in. They have a heart to heart. Katherine tells Ralph the story of her cousin Joan who visited when she was 15. Her cousin was raped by a ranch hand. “That’s the shame of it” she says. Seems the ranch hand quit and then “a year later I saw in the papers he raped a girl in Henderson. I should have done something when I had the chance.” Ralph assures her they’ll get that chance for the dead showgirl. Quaid is not only quite good in the scene, he smiles!  Drink!

Over at the Savoy, Mia reports that Daddy Rizzo is returning from Los Angeles because Diane’s screen test didn’t go well. They have two hours to win back all the money from Clay.

Katherine gets a lead on the jerk director, Max. Katherine offers to go to the showroom and talk to the showgirls. Ralph and Jack discover the director didn’t do the crime. Oh no, the killer is still out there!  Drink if you knew that.

Katherine talks to the piano player/drummer.  Da, Da, Dum!!!! While the piano man is talking, Katherine realizes he is the killer. She starts to leave and piano man grabs her by the throat. Throttling her, she stabs in the leg with a letter opener.

She tries to make good an escape. But piano man grabs a knife and talking to Katherine he confesses the crime. Katherine throws a cut glass bowl to distract him and Ralph shows up and drops the guy with a well placed bullet that doesn’t kill the piano man. He embraces Katherine.

Over at the Savoy on Fremont St/the Strip, Clay is packing up and leaving but not before playing a hand of poker with Mia. Each put up a cool mill. She didn’t tell Vince she was drawing the money from the cage. Mia has a pair of eights and Clay only has a busted straight. Mia wins. Before he and his entourage leave he promises Mia he’ll be back. Seems the chips were show, the real bet was for something else. Either way, Clay lost a mill and still didn’t get Mia.

Over at the Sheriff’s Office, the spider is walking across the floor. Quaid smiles again!!!! Drink! Miss Sanchez rescues the spider, Dixon gets busted for being afraid of spiders and the episode ends.

While it was a typical episode, some good things happened. Especially the character development between Ralph and Katherine.  This show isn’t anywhere close to Justified or Mad Men territory in terms of story telling and acting but Dennis Quaid is either getting comfortable with the character or the director has realized that Quaid is more than a one note actor.

And the historical shout-outs are much appreciated and we hope they continue!

There will be a holiday episode next week that looks like it includes some steamy moments or at least a few romantic ones.

So, we’ll be back to bring you the recap/review!

In the meantime, hit the comments and let us know what you think!