Pearson Season 1 Episode 4 Review: The Deputy Mayor
Jasmine Blu
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Everyone is going to need divine absolution before the season concludes.
With every installment, Pearson cements itself as an irresistible political suspense thriller that hooks you and leaves you craving more.
With Bobby away, Jessica could harness her energy and direct it toward investigating the Carl Jefferies case on Pearson Season 1 Episode 4, but Jefferies is the tip of the iceberg.
Bobby took his wife to the Mayor Clinic, and it meant Keri was acting mayor in his absence.
While it was understandable why they wanted an easy day, it goes without saying how most of the controversy tends to involve Bobby and his connection to McGann.
Related: Pearson Season 1 Episode 3 Review: The Union Leader
The biggest issue Keri had to deal with was giving poor Lloyd the runaround on naming a street after his friend. Derrick and Yoli played supporting characters back at the office, and Jessica was the one who got the most action.
Again, the relationship that has developed between Jessica and Nick is by far one of the most intriguing, and unusual, dynamics the series has to offer.
Can you blame Jeff for not understanding it or her desire to have a presumed killer chauffeuring her around?
It's hard to make sense of it. Nick is involved with McGann, and he did play a role in Carl's death by paying him off. He also ended the hour tearfully and vaguely confessing his sins to a priest.
Despite all of that, there is something intrinsically trustworthy about Nick. He comes across like a decent guy who has the misfortune of doing bad things he would prefer not to do.
Related: Pearson Season 1 Episode 2 Review: The Superintendent
The Catholic guilt from this mysterious Tommy's death is eating him up alive. I know he's not a perfect man, but in this morally gray world, he still doesn't feel like the worst of them.
Nick: A man died. It was my fault.
Priest: You said a man died. How? Did you intend to take his life?
Nick: Does it matter?
Priest: Absolution requires an acceptance of responsibility, and if his family wants justice.
Nick: I don't think I can do that.
Priest: Imagine I'm this man's father or son -- someone who loved him. What would you say to me?
Nick: I'd say I'm sorry. I know what I did. I took him from you, and you didn't even get to put him in the ground to say goodbye. I'd say, Tommy Deal didn't deserve to die.
It's complicated -- so is he, and maybe that's why Jessica trusts him to some degree while remaining wary of him in others. I don't believe she thought Nick killed Jefferies, but she knew he had something to do with it.
It was suspicious that he died soon after being paid off. Jessica was right to assume there was a connection there, but understanding Jefferies' death required understanding the man.
It was disgusting how he was written off as this unsavory person who got into too much trouble and brought death upon himself, especially during the clips of the interrogation. However, he was a man who owed a lot of people money.
If you really think I'm capable of murder, find another driver!
Nick
Jefferies was suing the city for the right reasons, but he was also a desperate man with many debts. McGann could exploit him for the right price.
Carl took a payout in exchange for dropping his lawsuit. Instead of leaving town as Nick suggested, he made an unfortunate, but sadly realistic, decision to blow his money on a fancy car.
If you go from no money or means to being a showboat in the projects, you're damn near asking for people to come to collect.
Related: Pearson Season 1 Episode 1 Revew: The Alderman
Jessica learned Carl hung around with a sordid lot, based on Keri, Nick, the pastor, and Lillian's descriptions. Thanks to her and Angela's excursion to speak to the leader of the Four Corner Royals, Carl's death at the hands of dealers came to light.
The timing was sketchy, but I can buy it.
I liked Jessica and Angela's team-up. It's much better having the two women on each other's side than against each other. We don't always need the reminder of how different they and their worlds are, but it beats the alternative.
It was a great way of using Angela as an asset by having her the go-between as someone who knows the neighborhood and community better.
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Jessica always seemed like she had more scrap and fight in her. She always seemed like someone who could weave between two different worlds -- like she was was an expert at being a chameleon to benefit herself.
I was pretty surprised when she came across visibly out of her element and afraid when speaking to the head of the gang. Bless her heart, her backup plan involved pepper spray.
It's taking some time to adjust to Jessica's role as the bougie, out of touch family member who is a fish out of water in all aspects of her life.
Typically, her gestures to get closer to her family are reasonable and well-intended. However, offering to buy them a house in a better neighborhood did cross a line.
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Angela is a prideful woman, and her pride is what gets in her way most of the time, but she was well within reason to be annoyed by the offer. Of all the things Jessica has done, that time, it did seem as though Jessica's solution to anything as to write a check.
Jeff: These are dangerous people, Jessica. This is not your world.
Jessica: I know what I'm doing, Jeff.
They could have made a better compromise where Jessica maybe helped them pay the first, last, and deposit on another apartment in a better area.
It would benefit Angela, Lillian, and the kids who are under a time crunch to find a new place, but it also wouldn't leave Angela feeling indebted. Buying a house is what Angela is working toward -- it's her goal, and it's what made all those long hours worth it, so she doesn't want Jessica taking that from her.
Something tells me after Pat's meeting with the Chinese businessman that he's going to find another way around waiting 90 days to evict the tenants.
You think this is a joke? Wake up! You're not keeping an eye on her. She's keeping an eye on you!
Pat
Pat is such a freaking slimeball. He's a greedy, opportunistic man who has no interest or regard for the people of the city and their needs.
I'm finding it hard to believe Bobby is passionate about the people and doing well either. Bobby's connection to Pat takes him further away from grace. I wish we knew why he wanted to be mayor and what he hopes to change.
We have Pat who is a stain on the city, but he's running it, and while he's not hailed a hero, he's a boogeyman with power.
It's a saddening contrast to Fred Hampton who was trying to make the city a better person and was killed by the government for it. Pat McGann can have his hands in destroying neighborhoods and gentrifying them by having his name connected to grand projects.
Frank Hampton can't even get a street named after him.
Derrick: Fred Hampton was a Black Panther. When white people here Black Panther they think killer anarchist.
Yoli: Marvel movie.
Derrick: I'm being serious. It sucks.
I loved Lloyd. He's a living, breathing, walking history of the city working at the mayor's office, and he's not appreciated for it.
All the man wanted was a street named after his best friend -- a hero who was assassinated by the FBI. Unfortunately, politics, image, and the country's refusal to acknowledge it's ugly past contributed to Lloyd getting cast aside.
Lloyd recounting his past growing up with Fred and what happened to him both warmed my heart and broke it. They were a white kid and a black kid growing up in a rough neighborhood during the Civil Rights era. It's a hell of a story.
Chicago born and bred Derrick who went to college in the Windy City not knowing anything about this figure -- someone who fought on behalf of people like him -- proved why it mattered.
But while the cops didn't kill the Black Panther (the FBI) did. Bobby and Keri's need to kiss the CPD's ass and not step on their toes meant they turned down Lloyd's earnest request every year.
History is won and told by the victors.
It's best to pay families of wrongfully slain activist handsomely and sweep the "terrible mistakes" under the rug rather than face the ugliness or acknowledge that even those sworn to protect have been on the wrong side of history.
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Although, it has always been fascinating how history heralded certain groups as heroes and inspirational renegades and others even with knowledge and hindsight are still regarded as terrorists, traitors, or controversial, polarizing figures.
Lloyd: You want some advice from an old hippie?
Keri: Sure.
Lloyd: Don't let your loyalty to the mayor turn you into something you hate.
Keri: Sounds a little more like a warning than advice.
Lloyd: Let me put it this way. Fred Hampton wanted to lift people out of poverty. Pat McGann wants to push the poor people out of the city. Whose side are you on?
Nothing is polarizing about the Boston Tea Party, and you learn about it from infancy.
Everything is polarizing about the Black Panther party, and you have to learn about food banks and services they provided in urban neighborhoods when government-funded social services didn't feed them in a special-elective college course or from an elder.
It was sad that Lloyd didn't get what he wanted, but it was also a realistic ending in that there was no end. Keri gave him her explanation, and Lloyd saw through the bullshit and took it as it was.
I did like his advice to her. He's aware of everything at the office, and he probably knows about her affair.
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Keri is a smart one, and we're led to believe she has convictions of her own. She shouldn't lose herself or sacrifice them for Bobby.
It was upon him saying that it reminded me how little we know about Keri. For some reason, compared to the others, she hasn't popped yet.
Keri: Who gave him the money?
Pat: It's none of your fucking business.
Keri: If it's Bobby's brother, it's my business, since that tracks back to the mayor, and it's my job to protect him.
Pat: As city attorney or his girlfriend?
I'm still dying to see her in action; I want to know in what ways she kicks ass. I don't believe her badassery yet.
I do like that she and Jessica have found common ground and they have figured out how to work together. Perhaps if she had more of those scenes with Jessica, I could feel something stronger for her.
She had a standoff with Pat, and there was nothing about her supposed fearlessness that was convincing.
I need Keri to kick some ass.
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Additional Notes:
- I do wonder if we'll learn more about Bobby and Nick's background and family. It feels like an unspoken thing that comes between them, but they haven't built on it much since the pilot.
- Yoli and her lack of boundaries are hilarious. Also, am I alone in seeing the sparks between her and Derrick?
- I'm so happy Jeff is integrated into the series even though he's in Miami, and I love that he and Jessica are on the best of terms and missing each other like crazy.
- It's not reconnecting with family until they guilt, manipulate, and drag you to church. Angela has some serious pipes on her!
- Who the heck is Tommy, and how did Nick end up killing him?! We need to know!
- How long will it be before Jessica finds out the FBI is investigating everyone?!
Over to you, Pearson Fanatics!
I would love to hear from you in the comments below!
If you missed anything, you can watch Pearson online here via TV Fanatic!
Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is an insomniac who spends late nights and early mornings binge-watching way too many shows and binge-drinking way too much tea. Her eclectic taste makes her an unpredictable viewer with an appreciation for complex characters, diverse representation, dynamic duos, compelling stories, and guilty pleasures. You'll definitely find her obsessively live-tweeting, waxing poetic, and chatting up fellow Fanatics and readers. Follow her on X.
