The Burden –The episode begins with Rusty (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Barbara Sabich (Ruth Negga) questioning Kyle Sabich (Kingston Rumi-Southwick) about being at Carolyn Polhemus (Renate Reinsve) on the night of May 18th. Rusty immediately loses his cool when Kyle denies being there. After learning of the evidence, he admits to being there but blames it on his curiosity. When Barbara asks Rusty to leave, he reluctantly agrees and chooses a walk around the neighborhood. His walk not only brings up old memories of his and Carolyn’s time on the Bunny Davis case, but it causes him to realize the front porch light has burned out. Barbara later approaches Rusty as he searches for a replacement bulb. When Kyle and the prospect of therapy come up, it only leads to an argument.
Tommy Molto (Peter Sarsgaard) arranges a mock Q&A session with ME, Herbert Kumagai (James Hiroyuki Liao) that does not go well and ends with Tommy storming off. According to Tommy, everything from Herbert’s posture to his incorrect wording makes him a bad witness. Things aren’t any better for Rusty as he discusses the evidence of Kyle with Raymond Horgan (Bill Camp). This leads to an argument where Raymond tells Rusty he betrayed his kids, Barbara, and doesn’t even feel shame about it.
Before Tommy deposes Michael Caldwell (Tate Birchmore), he is besieged by Eugenia (Virginia Kull) with questions about why she’s been named as a witness. When he says that it’s because of her knowledge of Rusty and Carolyn’s affair, she appears to take it offensively. Dalton Caldwell (Matthew Alan) wastes little time making it known that he is uncomfortable with Michael being questioned. It certainly doesn’t help matters when the focus of the deposition segues into Michael’s meeting with Rusty. This shift plays in Tommy’s favor when he learns that Carolyn told Michael she was afraid of Rusty.
Barbara is clearly disappointed and about to leave the bar when she discovers Jeanine (MARS) at the register. This all changes the instant Clifton (Sarunas J. Jackson) shows up. After formally introducing himself, she asks about his tattoos.
When Detective Alana ‘Rigo’ Rodriguez (Nan Mensah) gets a hit on the second sperm sample from the Bunny Davis case, she and Rusty visit Brian Ratzer (Marco Rodriguez) the following day. Before they are greeted at the front door by Laura Ratzer (Eileen Alvarez), Rusty thanks Rigo for including him. She wastes little time letting him know she is doing it for Carolyn and tells him not to say anything. Even after a subversive threat to get Laura involved, their questioning yield little results other than Brain works night and isn’t the most patient man.
Rusty has a very brief nightmare later that night that alludes to Carolyn being afraid of something or someone. After realizing that he is alone, he tracks Barbara to the garage where she is frantically scrubbing Kyle’s bike with soapy water. Although Rusty tells her that he doesn’t view Kyle, she appears doubtful. Matters aren’t improved when Barbara learns later that Doctor Liz Rush (Lily Rabe) doesn’t want to treat Kyle. According to Rush, she doesn’t feel that she can get through to Kyle, and treating both her and Rusty only complicates the situation. She says it should really only be one doctor per patient and she feels her time would be most effectively spent helping Barbara.
After a heated visit with Eugenia about being named as a witness, Nico meets with Tommy to voice his concerns about the case. Tommy is unperturbed and smug as ever as he claims that Eugenia being upset will only play in their favor due to her being in love with Rusty. Nico disagrees but what concerns him most is Raymond’s request for a sit-down. This appears to concern Tommy as well.
Rusty is ecstatic with the Ratzer lead and on the phone with Rogi discussing ways to further benefit when he’s approached by Mya Winslow (Gabby Beans) to go over the night Carolyn was killed. Rusty’s story is reenacted as he speaks. From what the footage shows, it appears that he is being honest about everything from drinking too much to arguing with Carolyn that night. Mya appears confident when she later discusses her findings with Raymond. It appears the only thing she is hung up on is the 51 minutes that Rusty spent ‘arguing’ at Carolyn’s house. They both agree that Rusty needs to be kept off the stand.
As Mya discusses her findings with Raymond, Rusty works himself into a frenzy trying to turn the Ratzer lead into something more. At one point he stops by Kyle’s room and considers speaking with him but instead chooses to phone Barbara, who is at the bar. Despite lying to him about being at the market, she does tell him that she loves him. At nearly the same time, Tommy personally receives a ME report, delivered personally by Herbert. Sometime in between all this, Barbara returns home for a passionate encounter with Rusty.
Before Raymond sits down with Tommy and Nico, he pays a quick visit to Eugenia. This is where he learns she has been named as a witness and why. She also assures him that Rusty has nothing to worry about from her. This only fuels his confidence and it shows when he confronts Nico and Tommy with the little forensic evidence they have. Despite this, Nico is just as smug and even treats Raymond as if his presence is a nuisance. After several minutes of verbal jousting, everything changes with the delivery of the ME report.
Rusty and Barbara are out back by the pool, basking in the aftermath of their earlier passionate encounter by the pool when he receives a call from Raymond. After taking the call in private, Rusty learns that they have discovered skin under Carolyn’s fingernails. Rusty becomes unbelieving and even goes as far as to suggest the evidence was planted. The moment becomes more hysterical when Jaden Sabich (Chase Infiniti) bursts into the kitchen, in her own panicked state about someone banging at the door.
The episode ends with Rusty breaking down and assaulting Ratzer in front of his family.
Presumed Innocent Review
As I’ve said, I enjoyed how the episode ends on a mini cliffhanger and this one couldn’t have been better. I’d give the episode a 5.6 out of 10, although I had several dislikes. The first would have been Michael’s deposition. I don’t know if it was Michael himself or the whole atmosphere or things. It all just didn’t work for me. Nico only getting 3 or 4 minutes of screen time was a huge asset.
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