Sneaky Pete season 3 episode 4 review: Julia embraces the con game
The painting hustle
Maruis and Julia meet up with Kilbane (the man that was hustled over the painting years back) and he explains how Sy got one over on him. Sy offered up the painting, Kilbane bit but wanted the painting authenticated so Sy got his hands on the original and had that authenticated for him but then sold him the forgery. Kilbane doesn’t just want Sy to go down, he wants his life destroyed. Is this really about the money? Seems like this is more about his ego and that’s confirmed after we hear Marius’ plan. Kilbane is going to get in contact with Sy again for another painting and when Sy meets up to have the real one authenticated they nab Sy, he goes to jail and Kilbane returns the original and is a hero. Easy peasy.
Sy seems to take the first bit of bait, but he wants Marius to get Hickey to be the forger since they are the best and only one he trusts. Problem is after Hickey went to prison last time she’s been out of the game and has zero interest in getting back into it. Marius and Julia come up with a story that they are dating and on vacation in Vermont to try to get to Hickey. This is always a fun TV trope – getting two people to pretend they are dating when they aren’t, but have amazing chemistry. It’s a good way to test those waters and open that door a tiny bit.
They meet up with Hickey saying that it’s not business just stopping by on their way on a romantic vacation and it works to at least get them in the door, but Hickey knows Marius and knows his game well. When Hickey has some time alone with Julia that’s when the connection is made between the two women, something that feels honest on both sides. When Hickey reveals that her past cost her two years of her life as well as her relationship with her daughter (they don’t speak) it seems like something further that Julia could tap into. She tries and it works a little, but the thing that Julia really taps into is the idea that Hickey is an incredible artist (and she is!) and that while she can’t seem to get her original art out there for people to appreciate, people have more then appreciated her forgeries. They love them, they desire them and they will pay for them. Julia convinces her to do the forgery and they are onto the next step.
Carly in California
When Carly last spoke to Audrey she told her that she was in California and was with Audrey’s dad! Audrey has flown out there herself and shows up at his car sales lot to deal with this (anyone else see those blow up wind sock people and think of Santa Clarita Diet now? “There was a tall man wearing a red shirt waving at me”). So has her father (Tex) really seen Lila or is it a big scam? Things are leaning towards him telling the truth as he shows her a bill of sale on a car Lila bought 8 years back. Audrey is skeptical and tries to say it could be forged and wants Carly to come home, but she refuses.
Eventually Audrey explains to Carly the problem with Tex – when her mother died she tried to get a hold of her father and instead learned that he had a whole other life (woman and another child) elsewhere and that was the last time she spoke to him. She lost her mother and father in a very short span of time. Carly tries to tap into that saying that Audrey should understand then losing her mother and that if she had any sort of chance to see her again wouldn’t she try to no matter what? Audrey agrees to stay in California with Carly and see this through.
Taylor gives up the badge
After everything that happened with him getting caught at the drug den off duty with no warrant, losing his badge and getting dragged by a car he’s given the choice to give up the badge or it’ll be taken, so he hands it in and is taking some time off. As he’s walking out Lorraine is there to talk with him and he seems like he’s fine with her – really the person he’s pissed off with is Otto and not really because he had an affair years ago, but more so that doing this favor for Lorraine now would likely hurt Audrey and now Taylor is involved when he probably would’ve said no had he known the entire situation.
What’s getting kind of strange with this whole situation is that when Natalie starts to go down the drug hole again Lorraine calls Taylor to come help (she’s desperate and doesn’t know where to turn), and we hope that this is not going where we think it’s going with Lorraine and Taylor hooking up. Taylor is someone that gets himself into messy romantic relationships like he did with Shannon, but sleeping with his grandfather’s mistress might be a bridge too far for us.
Related – Check out our Sneaky Pete episode 5 review!
CarterMatt Verdict
We have never made it a secret how much we love the Julia character and the actress behind her, but this episode gave us such a gorgeous Marin Ireland performance with her moments struggling with how easily she is able to slip into this con world and not feel even a little guilty juxtaposed with how genuine her connections are with her mark. There’s something Julia brings to this game that neither Marius, nor Lizzie ever could and that is genuine, emotional connections without guilt. We just love her and can’t wait to see how the rest of this con plays out.
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This article was written by Jessica Carter and you can follow her on Twitter here.