THE KEEP UP: FROM DUSK TILL DAWN: S01-E05
Episode 5 – SELF CONTAINED
Most of this episode was the same as the movie, but for once, the additional scenes made things a little better. Rodriguez somehow made it possible to turn what was already an intense situation, into something more hectic. Self Contained may also have been the funniest episode of the season to date, as I laughed pretty good at a couple of scenes. This episode was all over the place in terms of the time line, as some scenes were repeated twice but from two separate viewpoints. I’ll try my best to keep things linear, but probably not.
The trip from the motel to the border is where Seth and Jacob get to know each other a little better and to ease some of the tension between the brothers and the Fullers. Here is no different, Seth finds out about Jacob being a pastor, and also about his wife passing recently. They also come to a similar agreement to what we saw in the movie. I was wrong last episode when I assumed Jacob killed his wife and was on the run to Mexico, what actually happened was an accident, but I have a feeling we aren’t shown everything about their relationship prior to that.
Ranger Freddie is still on the Gecko’s tail, although being given a direct order to stop his pursuit; Freddie has no part of it and beats up a fellow Ranger, steals his truck and makes his way for the border. Things get interesting/weird/awesome when he arrives at the border patrol station and notices the Rambler. When Freddie approaches the Rambler, he is intercepted by a couple of border patrol agents and is taken inside where he is questioned about his actions. I’ll come back to this as we’re thrown back into the Rambler.
Back inside with everyone, Seth and Carlos are discussing the events at the motel and how Seth needs him to cross the border. We remember in the movie that they were able to cross due to blind luck; there was no assistance from anyone. I’m still not sure why Rodriguez is making Carlos such a big character in the series; he literally had just a handful of lines in the movie and seemed like just a random drug dealer. I don’t have a problem with Fez playing a hard hitting cartel leader/demon, it’s the character itself which I find stupid.
Things start to jump around at this point, so it might seem a little confusing. Richie is having more visions, but this time sees Santanico Pandemonium again, and is given yet another vague warning, he is also convinced that Jacob is a demon and that Scott has a tail. When Richie pulls Seth aside and describes these visions, it’s pretty hilarious since Richie has such a dead pan delivery. When everything calms down, Kate and Scott are devising a plan to overthrow Richie, turns out Scott has a revolver for some reason and ends up pulling it on the unsuspecting Richie. At this point, I feel D.J. Cotrona is at his best while portraying Seth. The speech that he delivers to Scott is both well said and terrifying at the same time. Safe to say that the tensions are high at this point, but nothing else happens.
One of the biggest changes from the series to movie happens here, Jacob accidentally lets his foot off the gas and rear ends the guy in front of him. Jacob wants no unnecessary attention from the agents so decides to try and brush the guy off since there is no damage. But with the guy pushing, Jacob punches him and he drags him on board. So, when the agent gets to the Rambler (I’m pissed Cheech didn’t have a cameo) we have the Geckos, Kate and a stranger passed out inside. Jacob came up with a plan to have Scott go into the guy’s car and do what he can to get it across the border, but unfortunately Scott is too panicked and is taken inside for questioning. Jacob uses a similar excuse to the movie when asked about who he’s with and his intentions in Mexico and things go over well until Seth knocks Richie out in the bathroom, so she comes aboard and starts looking around. Difference here is that they have an unconscious person on the couch, which Jacob covered up completely and passes off as his napping daughter.
This is the second of the biggest changes this episode; remember how Freddie was taken into the border patrol station for questioning? Well it turns out that Carlos was posing as I assume someone crossing the border, and was sitting in the office of the agent who stopped Freddie in the first place. With the agent distracted, Carlos gets up and gets all serpent like on the poor guy, I thought of Terminator 2 at this point because now Carlos is able to mimic the person, right down to the clothes he was wearing. So when the agent goes outside to stop Freddie, we’re shown the scene again but Carlos is now the agent (Carlos looks into a mirror and he sees the reflection of the agent, as we the audience sees Carlos). He was also aware that another agent pulled Scott out of a vehicle and is holding him, so Carlos lets him go back to the Rambler. In doing so, he makes the agent already on board leave. He and Seth have a quick moment but all Seth can see is a uniformed border patrol agent, but it’s obvious to us what’s really going on.
Finally, they’re next to pass through the gates into Mexico, but not before Freddie finds the real agent’s dead body inside, breaks out of the office he was locked in, and starts running to the Rambler with his gun drawn. We learn Carlos’ plan to help the guys get across also included some armed cartel members ready to fire at any agent on the US side of the border, which they do. Everyone crosses and they couldn’t be happier, along Freddie, but he uses the Rio Grande to cross illegally. Interestingly enough he decides to ditch his Ranger’s badge, obviously things have become even more personal to him now.
First order of business after crossing was to ditch the guy who they held captive onboard, they give him a handful of cash and leave him on the side of the road, pretty nice considering what the Gecko’s did to other witnesses. Then finally, we see the Titty Twister in all of its seedy glory, I really can’t wait until next week and see if Danny Trejo or Cheech have a cameo, I’m not giving up on Cheech being in this!
Self Contained was probably the best episode of the season so far, I hope this trend continues since I said that about last week. There are only 5 episodes left and I hope we spend all of that time inside the Titty Twister. I wonder if Tito & The Tarantulas will be the house band?
EPISODE RATING – A+