Chapter One – The episode opens with the cleaning lady (Jalbelly Guzman) arriving at Judge Oliver Garland’s (Forest Whitaker) house to find him unconscious on the floor. Startled, she drops her caddy on the floor.

2007 – Ending a call with Mallory “Uncle Mal” Corcoran (Keith Kupferer), Oliver warns Claire Garland (Ora Jones) and his children of the courthouse entrance being blocked by rioters. Talcott Garland (Grantham Coleman) suggests delaying their arrival until the riot is cleared out. Oliver insists they continue as scheduled and hold their heads high. Claire urges him to reconsider but he refuses. Upon arrival at their destination, Oliver escorts his family toward the entrance when a man tries to attack them. Talcott intervenes only to have his suit splattered with what appears to be red paint. As the protestor is apprehended by two guards, he repeatedly calls them “fascist.”

 Present Day – Talcott finds a bouquet of roses and a note that reads, “I hope we always remember the many good times we shared” in Kimmer Madison-Garland’s (Paulina Lule) office. Elsewhere, an irate Mariah Garland (Tiffany Mack) barges into a school meeting and demands to know why her son was removed to another lunch table when it was Aiden Corbat who called him “Jim Crow.” He suggests it was a misunderstanding related to a civil rights lesson and promises to punish Corbat. She insists the “junior Klansman” be removed from “her” school or her story will be seen in The Times. She receives a call from Uncle Mal.

Talcott cannot reach Kimmer on her phone. Dana Worth (Kelli Simpkins) asks if he is okay. He tells her about the roses in Kimmer’s office. She says it is proof of what he already expected that Kimmer was having an affair. He receives an urgent call from Mariah.

2007 – Addison teases Talcott who is wearing a borrowed bow tie. Mariah says he resembles Malcolm X. Addison disagrees and says he looks like Tucker Carlson. Mariah admits to liking Tucker. Addison calls Tucker a “white, neo-con frat boy.” After a bit of back-and-forth, Claire gives him a stern look when Uncle Mal enters the room. Senator Wilson (Gail Rastorfer) tells Oliver that he has half of the Democrat vote. Uncle Mal assures Oliver that he will win the Supreme Court Justice race. Seconds later, Oliver is holding a Newsweek magazine with his face on the cover. Wilson asks him to sign it for Senator Edelman (Tim Hopper). The room lights up with cheers and applause.

Present Day – Talcott and Dana watch a news report about Oliver’s death. She urges him to talk to someone. Elsewhere, Mariah shows Howard Denton (Bryan Greenberg) Oliver’s medical records which reveal nothing out of the ordinary. She questions if it was a heart attack or a murder staged to look like a heart attack. He urges her to accept it when an incoming call from Jack Ziegler (Torrey Hanson) pops up on her phone. A short time later, Talcott is leaving when Mark Hadley (Gregory Linington) approaches and asks how Kimmer is holding up to the federal appeals court nomination rumors. Talcott says his father died recently. Mark suggests they keep it civil.

Bentley Garland (Dyllan Yelverton) asks Tacott if Oliver was a good father. Talcott ignores his question and announces their arrival. Addison introduces Talcott to Bebe (Jacki Hydock). A short time later, Uncle Mal tells Mariah that Oliver named her the heir of his property on Shepard Street. Talcott will inherit his summer home at Martha’s Vineyard and Addison gets season tickets for the Chicago Bears. Talcott questions Oliver’s conflict with Addison. Mariah asks if there will be an autopsy. Uncle Mal says autopsies are only for suspicious deaths. Oliver requested Addison to write his eulogy. Mariah complains about her cold beverage and refuses to tip the waitress. When Talcott speaks up, she explains in-depth the purpose of a tip. Addison and Talcott badger her but she doesn’t budge.

2007 – Oliver speaks to Congress. Edelman recalls how Oliver voted against a worker who left his post due to a CO2 leak in the Alonso vs. Secure-Tech case. Oliver says the case is being appealed to the Supreme Court and refuses to speak further. After Edelman’s time expires, he asks when Oliver last saw Jack Ziegler. Oliver keeps his head lowered. Later, Talcott researches former CIA agent, Jack Ziegler to learn about his illegal arms sales, contract killing, and money laundering schemes. Addison refuses to believe Oliver was involved with Ziegler.

Present day – Father Brown (James Vincent Meredith) and Talcott discuss Oliver’s funeral requests. Brown says Oliver never included an inscription for his tombstone. Later, Talcott informs Addison of the missing epitaph. Addison suggests a Republican phrase before claiming to be too busy with the eulogy to help Bebe with the air mattresses. Talcott finds an album filled with newspaper clippings about various fatal hit-and-run cases, including 17-year-old Abigail Garland. Later, Talcott confronts Kimmer about the flowers in her office. She claims a client sent them and assures him that it is nothing. Unable to make love to Kimmer, he goes to the kitchen where he encounters Mariah. She insists Jack killed Oliver but he refutes the idea. She claims to have recently received a call from Jack who believes Oliver confided in Talbot about the “other arrangements.”

Sally Garland (Deanna Reed-Foster) pries into Addison and Bebe’s relationship. Alma (Renee Lockett) tells Talcott that Jack was terrified of Oliver. A short time later, Addison gives the eulogy at Oliver’s funeral. Judge Wainright (Kevin Gudahl) takes a seat in the back to avoid attention. Later, the funeral procession arrives at the cemetery. Addison and Mariah are none too happy with Talcott’s epitaph – a verse from a rap song – for their father. The three of them embrace at Claire and Oliver’s gravesites.

2007 – Mariah overhears Talcott profess to love Tonya in a voicemail. She says whatever he had with Tonya is over. She complains about Claire pressuring her to get married. He asks if she believes the rumors about Jack. She says half of it.

Present Day – Talcott is at Oliver’s gravesite when Henderson (Mike Geraghty) and Jack approach. Jack tells him that he has been following the federal appeals court nomination. Talcott says it is up to the president. Jack urges him to be cautious when people ask about Oliver’s arrangements in the event of his untimely death. Talcott denies any knowledge of what he is talking about. Grabbing Talcott’s arm, Jack demands to know about the arrangements. When Addison asks if everything is okay, Jack releases his arm. Jack warns him against discussing it with anyone other than himself. The episode ends.

 

Emperor Of Ocean Park Review

Since I haven’t read the book, my review focuses solely on the TV series. It makes no qualms about its political standpoint. Extreme political views weaken the premise to the point of it being off-putting.

The story isn’t very forthcoming about Judge Oliver Garland’s connection to CIA agent, Jack Zeigler. The qualities of a good mystery are lacking. On a good note, there is still plenty of time for improvement.

Poor editing alters the flow of the story. The dialogue is at times cringeworthy.  The cinematography is good. The acting is not always believable. The episode deserves a 5.5 out of 10.

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