Pilot 2006 – The show begins with Detective Sunday (Rose O’Donnel) asking Julian Kaye (Jon Bernthal) asking if Janet Holmes (Chelsea Edmundson) was his long-time client. He says, “No.” She suggests he knew her better than he’s willing to admit. He denies the allegations. She asks if he can remember all the details except the cutting of Janet’s throat. Distraught, he still denies any memory of it. She asks if he’s going to give the same answer when asked how the victim’s blood got on his clothes. He admits to being afraid. She tells him that he can confess and get no more than 25 years or continue to deny it and get life. He screams, “I don’t remember.”

15 Years Later – While taking a break from basketball in the prison yard, an inmate, Drew (Rocky Marquette) approaches Julian for help. Drew tells him that he can’t take being used every night. Julian asks if he has cash or is willing to fight his cellmate. Drew promises to do anything if he’s moved. Julian asks what he did. He says stole a vehicle but Julian doesn’t believe him. Julian suggests he be submissive to keep his cellmate from having to take it. Drew meets his cellmate a short distance away.

In a flashback, Julian is leaning over Janet’s battered, lifeless body. Police officers subdue him on the bed beside Janet. Back to the present, he meets Detective Sunday. She asks if he would’ve confessed if she hadn’t prompted it. He says that’s no longer significant. She asks if he knows a killer for hire named Kevin Finnegan (Jay Alan Christianson). He denies knowing him. She tells him that Finnegan confessed on his deathbed to killing several people, including Janet. She says when he arrived at her place, a man was passed out on the bed but he cut her throat anyway. She informs him that he’s a free man, thanks to a conclusive DNA test.

When Julian arrives at a trailer park, he has a flashback of Mrs. Davis on the porch saying her sink is clogged. Maryanne Henderson (Melora Walters) suggests Mr. Breen fix it since it’s his responsibility. Mrs. Davis tells her that Johnny (Jack V. Heath) is better at it. Maryanne asks him to please take care of it. He complies. Back to the present, Julian passes Mrs. Davis on her porch heading to Maryanne’s trailer. When he knocks on the door, she asks him to identify himself. He tells her that he’s Johnny. She says her Johnny’s in prison. He sings a song until she unlocks the door. She informs him of there not being any food for him. He assures her it’s okay because he’s not hungry.

While taking out the trash, Julian has a series of flashbacks. Teen Johnny (Gabriel Labelle) meets Olga (Sandrine Holt). After a brief assessment of him, she gives Maryanne an envelope. Maryanne tells him that he will be a Hollywood star before ordering him to get out. Olga takes him to meet Lorenzo (Wayne Brady). After giving him a book, Lorenzo assures him it’s better than doing tricks on Santa Monica Boulevard. Young Isabelle (Harlow Happy Hexum) tells him that one day he’ll belong to her because.  As he puts on a new suit, Olga names him Johnny.

Gail St. John (Leigh Taylor-Young) tells him that she understands now. He suggests she take the TV and children’s photos out of her bedroom. A short distance away, Michelle Stratton (Gretchen Mol) watches him. Gail describes Michelle as “beautiful.” He tells her that he’s sorry. She says don’t be. He asks who’s the man with Michelle. She tells him it’s her husband, Richard Stratton (Leland Orser). When he leaves to check on check on Gail’s sidecar, Michelle makes an excuse to leave as well.

Michelle enters a club looking around when Julian greets her. After chatting for a bit, he asks if she’s happy with Richard. She says, “Sometimes” before asking if he’s happy. He tells her they should get back. She asks what’s his name. He identifies himself as Johnny.

Back to the present, Julian approaches Michelle’s house when a car pulls into the driveway. Michelle reminds Colin that she’s his teacher. He assures her it doesn’t matter because he’ll kill him if she’s harmed. Michelle sees a man interrogating the teacher. She tells them that it’s her first time falling in love with one of her students. He orders her to relocate to another state.

Lorenzo surprises Julian with his freshly washed and waxed sports car. He tells him that he always knew he’d come back for it. Julian thanks him for remembering him while he was locked away. Lorenzo calls him “brother.”

Lorenzo and Julian visit a local bar. He asks what’s his plan. Julian tells him that it doesn’t involve working for him. Lorenzo offers him to stay with him until he gets on his feet. Julian has a flashback of being with Michelle. She admits to taking her mind somewhere else when Richard touches her. He says when he was a boy, he’d pretend to be someone invincible and brave. She suggests they do only things they would like to remember.

Back to the present, Julian admits to believing he harmed Janet. Lorenzo asks what gave him that idea. After saying kids teased him for what he did to pay the rent, he confesses to hitting a boy named Derek with a rock. Lorenzo assures him that he didn’t kill Jane.

 

Sunday visits Finnegan on his deathbed to ask who hired him to murder Janet. He asks her to kill him. She promises to do it if he gives her a name. He forces out “Keen.” She tells him that she hopes he has a long and painful death before leaving.

Michelle wakes up to Richard ordering a man to locate Colin and the teacher. She demands that McGregor (Mark Mahoney) not be sent to look for them. He assures her that he’s discrete. She suggests contacting the police, but he refuses.

Michelle puts her bag in the car when she spots Julian. He tells her that he didn’t kill Janet. After informing him that her son, Colin’s in trouble, she warns he’ll only make it worse. As he prepares to walk away, she runs into his arms. Abruptly pulling away, she warns him that “he’ll do it again.” Julian looks puzzled as the security gate closes.

Sunday tells Julian that Finnegan gave her a partial name, “Keen.” Julian asks if he was referring to the “Queen” before leaving.

While driving, Julian has a flashback of Isabelle calling Olga the Queen.

He visits Lorenzo in a bar to request a visit with the Queen. Lorenzo asks what his request is about. He tells him that he’s ready to go back to work. A happy Lorenzo agrees to take him.

Upon entering the home, Julian approaches Olga sitting in a wheelchair. She warns him that they’ll kill him if he doesn’t go. Isabelle (Lizzie Brochere) escorts him upstairs where she orders him to remove his pants. When he refuses, she slaps him before asking if all that anal sex in prison caused him to forget how to please a woman. She continues to slap him until he agrees to have sex with her when the episode comes to an end.

 

American Gigolo Review

There’s something about the show that doesn’t flow. The flashbacks are meshed together, starting and abruptly ending before you can process anything. It doesn’t help that the timeline is off. The audience needs to know Julian’s past to understand why he is where he’s at today. Otherwise, everything becomes a Mumbo Jumbo mess, which is true so far.

The editing and cinematography are hit-and-miss. There are issues with the focus and exposure. The camera is virtually aimless. It doesn’t stay on target long enough to see the details. It moves from one target to the next, to the next, to the next.

Julian finds himself in a fix when police find him with a dead Janet. 15 years in prison and he continues to deny remembering what happened. After Finnegan confesses, Summer fights to get him released. Julian returns home to the trailer park where his mother still lives. Before long, he ends up back at Lorenzo’s. After a visit with Summer, he believes Olga the “Queen” set him up. When he arrives at her home, he finds her in a wheelchair and Isabelle running the show.

I may be wrong, but Julian is probably Colin’s father. His mannerisms are similar to Julian’s.

While in no way flawless, the episode was decent. Looking for to seeing what happens next. The episode deserves a 6.5. Get more Gigolo recaps here. Support Reel Mockery by clicking here.