Power season 4 episode 5 review: Ghost’s fate and Angela’s sacrifice
There are also so many events that transpired that it is difficult to know where to even start in this review. Let’s begin with this: Ghost is a free man. James St. Patrick’s case was dismissed without prejudice due to blatant misconduct throughout the prosecution. Angela Valdez got the ball rolling courtesy of her testimony against John Mok and Mike Sandoval, using their attempts to suppress her against them. She had evidence that Jamie didn’t hide the gun, and as it turned out, her throwing herself on her sword was enough to alter the entire course of the trial.
Unfortunately for her, this sacrifice had repercussions, though she likely knew they were coming. The moment that she showcased Mok and Sandoval’s misdeeds, they fired back at her with a deluge of their own citing some of her own past actions. They’re all suspended now, and we’re left with a very different legal landscape than the one that was on the show previously.
What Angela did in giving herself up was shocking in the sense that she still doesn’t want anything to do with Jamie — he’s guilty, but not guilty of this. She did the right thing for the sake of justice more so than for the sake of his soul. She may not have wanted him to die, but the impression we get from her is that she still wants for him to pay. Having her career in tatters to her is better than having her conscience in disarray. Everything is now in the open.
Alas, Ghost being freed is far from the end of his trouble: With the nature of the dismissal, he could still be tried later. He also still has to find a way to get the money together for Terry Silver and his legal team, which is not too easy given the number the prosecution did on Truth and the assets that were already bleeding out in the first place. Tasha made the decision to take some help from Simon Stern — it’s excellent to have him back given that it means more Victor Garber; the downside is that Simon’s a shark, and not the sort of shark Ghost wants biting at his ankles. Sooner or later, he’ll come for a knee if he doesn’t pay back. His arrival is not good news for Ghost.
Backtracking, we haven’t even mentioned yet the harrowing scene with Ghost killing Marshal Williams after his testimony at the discovery hearing went south — we’ve written a full article saying goodbye to Charlie Murphy (check the series archive for more), but we also still do need to comment on the brutality and the pain of that. It upped the emotional ante in an episode that did that many times over. After all, it also just so turns out that the man who helped clean up Ghost’s mess in this instance may be Tommy’s father. Tommy may be hard to contact courtesy of his departure at the end of the episode, but Ghost may still make an effort to try. He needs to given what will happen to him otherwise with Williams’ death.
A tale of performances
There was brilliant stuff throughout this hour, from Lela Loren giving out Angela’s admissions to Omari Hardwick’s Emmy-winning emotional and physical turn.
Also, we can’t give enough praise for Joseph Sikora in the scene in which he’s confessing to Tasha the truth about Holly’s death (something he ignored with LaKeisha earlier), explaining why he did it and the pain that he still suffers. At the time in season 3 we were critical that the aftermath wasn’t addressed further, but to have it be bubbling underneath the surface for so long over to come out here is the stuff of brilliance.
We still haven’t even addressed the cliffhanger
The first half of the season is done, and moving into the second half it looks as though Kanan’s rivalry with Ghost is about to finally accelerate. Jamie is now free, and with that, he and Jukebox can use Tariq as a means to completely devastate Ghost further. Guy can’t even catch a breather.
The one question we have is whether or not all of his time with Tariq has changed Kanan at all — is the plan still good in his head?
Overall Verdict
One of the best episodes of 2017 so far, and a tour de force for Power. Rather than try to scatter out their reveals and revelations, Courtney A. Kemp and the writers chose to blow off the doors in this episode — but not for the sake of just having some “shocking” moments. Every single element to this hour was earned, and the actors lived up to every word of the material. Grade: A+.
Interested in further Power season 4 news?
There will be a preview for the next new episode of the Starz series online over at this link later. Stay tuned for that and much more. (Photo: Starz.)