Chapter Two – The episode opens in 2007 with Mariah Garland (Tiffany Mack) criticizing the Senate for investigating Judge Oliver Garland (Forest Whitaker). During the Confirmation Hearing, Senator Edelman (Tim Hopper) asks Garland’s clerk, Greg Haramoto (Kroydell Galima) about Garland’s connection to Jack Ziegler (Torrey Hanson). Haramoto expresses his respect for Garland before claiming to have seen Garland with Ziegler at the courthouse where Garland works. Edelman asks him to clarify if the “war criminal,” Ziegler visited the Judge at the courthouse. Haramoto reluctantly says, “Yes.”

Present Day – In Garland’s study, Talcott Garland (Grantham Coleman) is searching for missing chess pieces when Kimmer Madison-Garland (Paulina Lule) approaches. He compliments her appearance. She says District Judge Kyle Tillman is scheduled to attend the Black Lawyers of Chicago conference. She believes Tillman can help her get nominated for a federal judge. Talcott informs Sally Garland (Deanna Reed-Foster) of Garland’s missing pawns and a scrapbook. She denies seeing them. Addison Garland (Henry Simmons) returned to LaGuardia for business. Mariah teases Talcott when he expresses his desire to have a few keepsakes of Garland’s. She reminds him that Garland left her the property and refuses to share it with him. He calls her a dirty name when they receive visitors, FBI Agent McDermott (Dan Waller) and FBI Agent Foreman (Terry Bell).

2007 – Senator Claybourn (Gail Rastorfer) shows her support for Garland. Edelman asks Garland if he met Ziegler at the federal courthouse where he works. Garland admits to meeting his long-time friend, Ziegler. Edelman says Ziegler visited Garland 13 times over a two-year span. He suggests Garland and Ziegler were conducting business after hours. Ziegler has connections to crime syndicates all over the country.

Present Day – McDermott drills Talcott with questions about Ziegler’s associate, Lisa. Talcott denies any knowledge of her. McDermott accuses him of lying. Talcott claims Ziegler wanted to know about “the arrangements” which he knows nothing about.

2007 – Garland announces his decision to withdraw his Supreme Court nomination and resign as a judge. A short time later, he finds Talcott waiting for him. Addison and Mariah took Claire Garland (Ora Jones) home. Garland urges Talcott to invite Tonya to dinner. Talcott says they broke up.

Present Day – Talcott tells Mariah that McDermott and Foreman questioned him about Ziegler and his associate, Lisa. She questions if the FBI believes Ziegler killed Garland. He says Garland wasn’t murdered. She suggests he talk to Mallory “Uncle Mal” Corcoran (Keith Kupferer) about it. He has his eye on Maxine (Jasmine Batchelor) when Bentley Garland (Dyllan Yelverton) falls on the skating rink. He races out to check on him. A short time later, Maxine compliments Talcott for being a good father. She backs off when she learns he is married.

2009 – Talcott attends a faculty party. Dana Worth (Kelli Simpkins) and Theo (David Darlow) greet him. Lynda (Elizabeth Ledo) believes the school should deal with the protests but Dana disagrees. Mark Hadley (Gregory Linington) supports the idea of all speakers being permitted to visit campus. A short time later, Talcott makes an advance to Kimmer and they end up in the bathroom making out.

Present Day – Talcott tells Kimmer about the FBI visit. She insists he not tell Uncle Mal about it because it could be harmful to her federal judiciary nomination. He agrees to not say anything. Later, Talcott tells Uncle Mal about the FBI visit. Uncle Mal promises to look into it. When Kimmer joins them, Uncle Mal says Talcott told him about the FBI visit. Later, Kimmer scolds Talcott for telling Uncle Mal. He admits to being wrong and apologizes. Accepting his apology, she urges him to come home with her and Bentley but he refuses.

2009 – Father Freeman Brown (James Vincent Meredith) asks Garland why he doesn’t share his story with the world. Garland has received several invites from conservative media outlets. He suggests they want him to bash the Democrats. Brown voices concern about him because it has been two years since his last church visit. Garland considers a confession but settles for a prayer.

Present Day – Mariah and Talcott find the church doors locked. Chantal Reid (Marsha Estell) informs them of Father Brown’s murder. Szuza (Raluca Lazarut) takes the children back to the car. Mariah suggests Garland and Father Brown’s murders are related. Talcott argues that Garland died of old age. She remains behind to speak with the detective. Later, Talcott searches for Garland’s missing chess pieces. Martin (Crew Kingston Miskel) claims Martina (Novalie Ruth) burnt her toys inside the microwave. Talcott asks if everything is all right now. Martin says yes. Talcott sends him off to play and calls Addison. In a voicemail, he says Father Brown was murdered and asks about the missing chess pieces and scrapbook. At the church, Mariah tells Detective Portillo (Juan Ramirez) that she believes a very ill Ziegler killed Father Brown. She pretends to cry. Portillo suggests there were at least two killers because Father Brown’s fingernails were removed.

2009 – Fed up with Garland’s self-isolation, Claire insists Talcott talk to him. Talcott urges Garland to play chess with real people. Garland asks if he has been talking to Claire. Talcott tells him about his decision to apply for a tenure-track position. Kimmer can be seen getting dressed behind him. Garland offers to put a word in for him. Talcott tells him that he wants to avoid the “disgraced public figure thing” and it is something he wants to do on his own.

Present Day – Mariah tells Talcott that Father Brown had a drug addiction and the killer(s) tortured him. He senses a happiness about her which she denies. She explains her theory that a former CIA agent tortured Father Brown to extract intel from him. Refusing to believe her theory, he tells her that he is going home.

2009 – Garland speaks to the Fox News producer (Joe Zarrow).

Present Day – Talcott returns home to find Kimmer and Bentley painting dinosaurs. Talcott later wakes up to find Kimmer’s side of the bed empty. He finds her having a friendly phone conversation.

2009 – During a live Fox News broadcast, Garland expresses his anger toward the Democrats, including Sonia Sotomayor, Harry Reid, and Barack Obama. He agrees to come back on to bash Nancy Pelosi. At a local coffee shop, Talcott tells Kimmer that he is expecting an offer for the tenure track position. She congratulates him when her husband, Andre (K.C. McNeill) enters.

Present Day – Uncle Mal tells Talcott that McDermott and Foreman are not FBI agents. He claims the FBI has no interest in questioning him. When the call ends, Lionel “Nasty Nel” Eldridge (Keith Powers) gives Talcott player exclusive sneakers like the ones he wore in the 2018 All-Star Game. Talcott thanks him. Talcott discovers Garland’s chess piece in a bag on his podium. Pulling back the cover, he sees 103 on the bottom. The episode ends.

 

Emperor Of Ocean Park Review

Addison returns to LaGuardia while Talcott and Mariah are left to deal with Garland’s assets.  Mariah’s belief that Ziegler murdered Garland only deepens when Father Brown is killed. After finagling information from Detective Portillo, she thinks Father Brown was tortured for information linked to his connection to Garland. It turns out that Father Brown had a drug addiction.

Talcott refuses to believe Mariah’s theory. After returning to work, he discovers Garland’s missing chess piece on the podium in his classroom. He continues to question Kimmer’s faithfulness. McDermott and Foreman question Talcott about his meeting with Ziegler at the cemetery. Uncle Mal speaks to someone in the FBI to learn Foreman and McDermott are imposters.

The episode deserves a 5 out of 10. Get more Emperor of Ocean Park recaps here. Find out how to support our independent site at this link. Learn more about advertising with us here. See what others are saying here.