NUTHOUZ – Episode 7 starts on the live set of a popular 1989 sitcom titled 2 Scoops. The topic of discussion around the set, however, is the fact that the name has just recently been changed to Billy and 2 Scoops. The leading child actor, Marcus Kane (Beau Hart) isn’t at all happy about this as he discusses the ramification with his onscreen parents. Billy’s fan club is already twice the size of Urkels and Marcus fears he’s being pushed out. Onscreen father, Wesley (Garrett Hines) is just as quick to remind the boy that Billy is also twice as funny. Amy (Wanetah Walmsley), Marcus’s real and onscreen mother can’t help but find this funny, quipping that Marcus’s father is so bad. Marcus responds harshly by reminding his pretend maternal figure that Wesley isn’t his real dad. Wesley berates the ungrateful young boy by declaring his not being his father a good thing. If it was left up to Marcus’s real unhinged father, the family would still be living in the back of a taxi cab.

As the show starts in front of a live audience, Marcus digs into a colossal bowl of Skittles on the living room table while Meemaw (Julie Oliver-Touchstone) knits away and chides the boy to slow down. She tells him he’s headed for a tummy ache, and Marcus stands to deliver his punch line, “Tell that to my sweet tooth.” The line doesn’t get the reaction the boy is used to and Meemaw finds herself pushing the scene along. Billy’s absence is delaying their opening of the ice cream shop. This is when the toilet flushes and Billy comes out of the bathroom with a piece of toilet paper stuck to his paw. As the crowd erupts in laughter, Billy is revealed to be a Golden Retriever. Forgetting his line, Marcus flies into a fit of rage, steals Meemaw’s knitting needles, and mutilates Billy right there in front of the live studio audience.

Outside Chicago – Although John Doe (Anthony Mackie) and Quiet (Stephanie Beatriz) have found themselves outside the walls of Chicago’s immense skyline, it appears they still have several hurdles to leap before John can claim his package. As John’s hails continue to go unrequited, he debates with himself how odd the whole scene seems. His suggestion for Quiet to cross the toilet water moat spurs an argument that ends with the nearby shed being revealed as a hidden elevator shaft. As they descend the shaft and arrive at the bottom, they are directed by a creepy voice. John’s demands for the voice to reveal its identity are met with claims that power comes from anonymity. Seeing the name splayed everywhere on this ride up, John figure the voice to belong to that of the famed Calypso.

The voice only responds with more creepy laughter but reveals a secret wall compartment containing a backpack and metal box. Putting the box in the backpack, it is revealed to be the package that John was supposedly sent to collect. Once safely stowed, John is quick to remind the voice that most of his deliveries come with a supply bump; he’s in dire need of gas. The creepy voice only offers the package, no more, or no less. Not even a look inside or a deep dish for the road.

On The Road To New San Francisco – Package in hand and back on the road, Quiet studies it from the passenger seat while still marveling at Calypso’s setup. As she debates mostly to herself whether the smoke was from a machine or dry ice, John studies his map and focuses on making it back to New San Fran in one piece. Unfortunately, the two can’t take the most logical route because of what transpired in Topeka. As John plans the detour, he also notes that the longer route comes with the added perk of a possible stop at the pits. The pits are virtually a hub for milkmen where they can share intel, gas up, get some grub, and a shower if they are lucky. When Quiet wonders why they haven’t stopped before, John points out that there are only two left. Plus, they have extremely strict rules. Some of which are not talking about your deliveries and no weapons.

Quiet find that one funny, as anything from hands to feet or nails could be used as a weapon. When she claims that she could thumb someone’s eyes out, John goads her by doubting the strength of her hands. She proves otherwise when she grabs his inner thigh and mounts him.

A Random Road Location – The formidable Agent Stone (Thomas Haden Church) might be worse for wear but is revealed to be alive as he makes his own pit stop to refuel. While refueling from a portable gas container, he receives a call over the radio from Carl (Michael Carollo) and Jamie Robert (Chelle Ramos). Hopes of news about the mute and the milkman are dashed when Carl reveals that Sweet Tooth (Joe Seanoa aka Samoa Joe) has hit their Colorado outpost. Killing everyone and taking the prisoners with him just as he did in Utah and at the Hoover Dam outposts. The quick Stone is fast to point out to his cohorts that Sweet Tooth’s route from Nevada to Utah and Colorado isn’t merely random. It’s obvious to him that the smiley-faced psychopath has a destination in mind.

Blackfield Asylum East Wing – That destination is revealed when Sweet Tooth, Stu (Mike Mitchell), and his new band of followers breach the gates at the Blackfield Asylum. Stu hands out PB&J sandwiches and CapriSuns, while Sweet Tooth offers everyone to refuel, but reminds them to not complain about their drink selection. You get what you get. Unfortunately for Stu, his snack time will have to come later, as Sweet Tooth leads him to the side for a serious discussion. Admiring his growing following, Sweet Tooth reveals to Stu that they didn’t just come to the Asylum for poops and hoops. They are here for closure.

Nut House – Arriving at what appears to be a desolate pit stop called the Nut House, Quiet mopes about the damage the steering wheel did to her back. John reminds her that Evelyn can sometimes play rough and likes to leave love marks. Quiet goads him for continuing to treat the inanimate object as a breathing person. The duo settle on the divide-and-conquer method to help save time. John is in charge of the inside shopping and Quiet is left to the gas pumps. With her sunny disposition, it doesn’t take her long to get into an argument at the pumps when she is skipped in line by a man referred to as Grady (Kevin Wayne). His response to her complaint is to spit a wad of chewing tobacco juice at her feet. Slamming her can down and getting ready to react with rage, the charismatically elegant Mary (Chloe Fineman) intervenes on Quiet’s behalf.

Pulling a switchblade and disabling his plastic canister with several puncture wounds, she tells Grady that he should at least get a girl off before he starts treating her like crap. She then tells him goodbye and puts up a false bravado. Quiet enjoys every second of it. Quiet’s first response to Mary is that she thought weapons weren’t allowed. Mary responds with a girly innocent, oops, and stashes the blade in her bra. Fully gassed and ready to hit the road, the two girls walk inside. Once inside, it becomes clear that Mary and John are not only acquainted but intimately so. She squeals and jumps in the man’s arms before laying a sloppy kiss on him. When he sits her back down, she hits him with a hard hook and blames him for leaving her for dead. His defense is that he honestly thought she was dead. As Quiet steps in, Mary puts two and two together and finds it extremely coincidental that the two are here together. Several shots later at a nearby table, Mary reveals her story of the scar over John’s right eye, a drunkenly unsuccessful attempt at surfing Evelyn. Quiet can’t help but point out that John told her he got the scar from a 7-on-1 vulture attack.

He’s just as quick to remind her that’s where the scar above his left eye came from. Mary also reveals that it was through her mother that the two met. Johnny would often stop by the pit that her late mother ran in sunny San Juan Capistrano. Although Mary would take over the place with her mother’s passing, it wasn’t long after that a gang of burnouts torched the place. Mary saw it as a blessing and took refuge in the bird tower. Both remember the bird tower fondly but for many different reasons. John remembers the oodles of bird crap while Mary remembers it as a place they made love. That’s enough personal sharing for Mary and she wants to know more about Quiet. A bit more personable, Quiet only reveals that she is from the OC, where body parts are worn like commonplace jewelry. Mary decides that’s enough of sad nostalgia and orders shots all around, on Johnny, of course. As John and Quiet retire to the bar to retrieve the shots, he attempts to explain his relationship with Mary to Quiet.

She pretends to not be perturbed by it but goads him for wasting time here when they have a tight schedule to keep. In his defense, he reveals that this stop unveiled a vulture’s nest just miles from here that they would have run into. With a few more shots, who knows what other intel John could uncover. Leaving her at the bar, Quiet has a conversation with Mr. Slam (Creek Wilson), where she learns more about Bloody Mary. She might not be an official milkman, but she is just as formidable as anyone on the road today, oftentimes, willing and capable of taking out an entire nest of vultures. Mr. Slam then points out how incredibly important nicknames are around these parts. Looking over at John’s table, he introduces Quiet to Conner Nazang the Pizza Boy (Chris Silcox), Petunia (Alexa Milano), and Pit Viper. He also reveals himself to be Mr. Slam because of his unique ability to crush nearly anything with his massive penis.

Blackfield Asylum East Wing – Leading Stu through the Asylum’s holding section, Sweet Tooth shares a bit of his backstory. The murder of his co-star would land him in a kiddy ward. From there, it was a trip to the juvie wellness center. It would have been the murdering of his psychotic roommate in juvie that earned in a one-way ticket to Blackfield. Sweet Tooth shows him the cell that would shape his childhood. It wasn’t just the cell, it was also the company. The people he met here were amongst the best. Entering the cell, Sweet Tooth welcomes Stu to the cell that he called home for 10 years. Stu quickly learns through the multiple newspaper articles attached to the wall that Sweet Tooth’s co-star was Billy the Dog. At the mere mention of his name, Sweet Tooth can’t control his anger. After a string of profanities, he turns to an unseen figure that he refers to as Mommy and apologizes.

When the figure is revealed, it isn’t alone. It’s his mother and Wesley’s skeletal remains. Sweet Tooth goes on to explain how the cell one day randomly opened; he tracked down the couple and locked them in there to rot. Similar to the way they left him. As Stu points out that he has their attention now, Sweet launches into a tangent about he never wanted to be involved in a sitcom. They forced him into it and then didn’t even support him. That’s fine because now he’s got his gang of followers that appreciate him for who he is. No longer needing his parents, he literally crushes their skeletal corpses.

Nut House – Quiet is finishing up her refreshing shower when she notices Bloody Mary at one of the nearby picnic tables doing bumps of coke. Quiet turns down her offer to partake. Mary recognizes the law brand on Quiet’s arm and begins to reminisce about her own. Although he isn’t the proud owner of a badge brand, she has enough scars to atone. One on her right outer right thigh came from playing possum with a group of butchers. Done with the sharing, Quiet points out that Mary is sitting on her clothes. Mary scotches over without protesting and notices the imprint of Evelyn’s steering wheel on Quiet’s lower back. This leads Johnny’s former love interest to goad with the question of what it’s like to ride alongside the man. Mary grows perturbed when she learns that after just a few days, Johnny invited Quiet on the road. He always told her it was too dangerous. He might have invited her along, but she’s yet to get behind the wheel of Evelyn. If Quiet could choose one word to sum up her time with John, it would be irritating. Bloody Mary leaves Quiet with a lot of chew on when she tells the girl that Johnny will never choose her over Evelyn.

Blackfield Asylum East Wing – Despite the cathartic newfound closure, both Sweet Tooth and Stu are troubled at the bloodied heap of followers in the Asylum’s yard. Sweet immediately accuses Harold, who was left armed and in charge. Against the night sky, Stu notices one of the guard towers lit up and immediately puts two and two together just in time to save Sweet’s life by ordering him into cover. None other than Mike (Tahj Vaughans), Stone, Jamie, And Carl are revealed to be in the tower. Although Mike is the one partaking in target practice, his dismal expression says it all. Stone quickly doles out orders, and finishes by reminding his team that he wants the clown’s mask for his wall of memorabilia.

 

Nut House – Fueling Evelyn is the darkened parking, it shouldn’t be long before he and Quiet are back on the road. He’s soon surprised and shocked by the sudden appearance of Mary and her probing questions. She has a hard time believing that John’s job brought him out here. It’s his turn to shock her when he points out how Quiet has saved his life multiple times and this run is his last. Before she has a proper chance to respond, Quiet is coming out of the Nut House and tells John that Mr. Slam is about to perform. John certainly did come this far to miss this.

With Mr. Slam at the head of the class with a watermelon in place, he warns the front row that they might get wet. As chants and applause being to ring out, Quiet notices Mary’s suspicious behavior. She’s going around whispering to several of the milkmen. John, rapt in chanting doesn’t notice until Quiet beckons his attention.

Unfortunately, it’s too late and the duo finds themselves encircled. It turns out Johnny isn’t the only one trying to get inside New San Francisco. Despite the betrayal, John is more upset with the fact that Mary’s scheme has prevented him from seeing Mr. Slam’s act. Acting quickly on his feet, John switches to the tactic of using his betrayer’s greed against them. Sure, he’ll give up the package but who’s he going to give it to? Only one person can claim it. That and Mr. Slam’s desire to still perform provide him and Quiet with the distraction they need to at least attempt an escape. A huge barroom struggle soon erupts and the two leading ladies vying for John’s affection finally get to face off while John beats the Pizza Boy to get with a cinder block.

Gaining the upper hand, Quiet learns that Mary is more upset with John not choosing her as a running mate than anything. Recognizing this, Quiet dismounts Mary with the declaration that one should never let revenge ruin a second chance. Unfortunately for Mary, she lets her envy get the best of her. Lucky for Quiet, John warns her just in time and sidesteps Mary’s attack, and plants her hatchet in the girl’s chest.

Blackfield Asylum East Wing – The scene at the Asylum doesn’t look much better with bodies of Sweet’s followers splayed everywhere. Finding Stu bloodied and on the ground, Mike has an emotional breakdown. Seconds later, Stu is revealed to be alive but badly shocked and shaken that Mike tried to kill him. This distraction, however, has provided Sweet just enough time to get the advantage on the other guard. Hoisting him in the air with a single hand, Sweet Tooth snaps the guy’s neck. It takes both Mike and Stu to convince Sweet Tooth to not kill Mike. Sweet Tooth tells Stu that he can have a pet if he wants, but he’ll be responsible for him, and they both know what Sweet Tooth does to disobedient dogs.

Nut House – Finally ready to get back on the road, Quiet is shocked when John offers her the opportunity to get behind the wheel of Evelyn. The intrepid duo, however, miss the even more shocking Pit Viper. Stepping from the shadows of the pit, she sends Agent Stone a communication informing him about everything that just happened. Stone in his cruiser with Carl and Jamie can’t help but relish in the trap he’s set up. Shooting trout in a barrel might be enjoyable, but it’s the trapping part that he likes the best.

 

Twisted Metal Review

 

Fantastic! Such a great episode with a lot of incredible reveals. The Sweet Tooth reveal was genius and the meaning unveiling behind Mr. Slam’s nickname was awesome. Watching the act was nearly as intriguing. The thing that I enjoy most about the show is the remarkable connections between the characters. Even though John and Mary were only together in this episode, I could feel their past knowledge of each other. Quiet and John’s connection is outstanding. I was even pleasantly surprised and have high hopes for Stu and Mike’s relationship, despite Mike’s betrayals around every corner. Sweet Tooth and Stu’s connection is undeniable as well. For some strange reason, it just feels like everything comes together extremely well in the series.

 

Pit Viper was always an interesting character with a questionable backstory. Being the only character that wished to murder Calypso and take his money creates an entirely new dynamic. I’d easily give the episode a 6.3 out of 10.

 

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