7/2/2018 Power Season 5 Premiere Recap: Someone Please Shoot Tariq, Is New Dre Better Than Old Ghost? Angela is Still a Horrible PersonRead NowThe premiere episode of season 5 begins in the immediate aftermath of the death of crooked NYPD officer Raymond Jones (Ray Ray) at the hands of Tariq. Police are on the scene and it appears there is more here than a simple murder. Ray Ray’s flophouse is full of stolen goods, and Internal Affairs (IA) is on the case when they notice the head of the Eastern District criminal division, Angela, is already on the scene. Yeah, because that doesn’t suggest to anyone with a halfway functioning brain that something is not quite right. Welcome back Power fans!
This was an excellent way to open the premiere episode titled Everyone Is Implicated. The St. Patrick family and their criminal deeds have not only come home to roost with the death of their eldest daughter Raina, at the end of last season. But these people are radioactive. Anyone that comes into their orbit gets their hands dirty either out of obligation, loyalty, love, or just plain happenstance. For Angela, this is nothing new. Her hands have been dirty since the first season when she and Ghost started their affair. Now it’s even more complicated because of her high profile position. Forgetting for a moment all of her past misdeeds, and there have been plenty. At the end of last season, she helps Tasha locate Tariq in Washington Heights who was on his way to handle Ray Ray. She confronts Tasha early in the episode about what she believes went down, thinking she gave Tasha, means, motive and opportunity to kill Ray Ray. Like the lawyer she is, Angela believes she is an accessory to murder. Tasha drops a bomb on her that changes things ever so slightly. When Angela learns that it was, in fact, Tariq who killed Ray Ray, with Tasha’s gun, a whole new problem emerges. The ballistics report from Tasha’s gun is in the federal system when they match the bullet from the crime scene, that will be all the evidence needed. This leads to a Tasha and Angela scene later in the episode, which has quickly become some of my favorite scenes. Tasha asks Angela if she’s deleted the ballistics record from the database when Angela says not yet, but if she does it she’ll be doing it for Tariq and Raina. Tasha quips right back, “you’ll be doing it for yourself.” These two women have been through “it” together and for better or worse they are tethered. Both were/are in love with the same man. Angela broke up Tasha’s family and there is a level of guilt she will always carry around with her because of it. In some ways, she feels responsible for Raina’s death and Tariq’s breaking bad. As always, good acting from Naturi Naughton and Lela Loren here. Meanwhile, Ghost, Tommy, and Kanan are on their vengeance tour looking to eliminate Dre. A task that will not be easy. Of course, the problem here is how long these three men remain a solid team that trusts each other? My bet is, not long. Dre has fully made the transition to Ghost 2.0. He’s certainly had his hiccups and missteps but has, so far, avoided death and is seemingly set up for success, with the backing of the Jimenez Cartel. But for how long? He lures Ghost, Tommy & Kanan into a trap and Ghost winds up getting shot. Kanan comes in guns blazing and prevents things from getting worse for Tommy and Ghost. The “three musketeers” try again to get Dre, again to no avail. They send some of Kanan’s crew in the front door and Tommy’s new Italian brothers in the back door but Dre deftly escapes death. The fellas need to rethink their strategy for coming after Dre. Showrunner and EP Courtney Kemp could’ve killed Dre in this episode, but kept him alive. I’m sure that was quite a decision, there will be a payoff later on this season. Now whether that means Dre or Ghost dying, time will tell. That’s what we’ve come to expect from Power. The episode ends with Raiana’s funeral at the charlatan Reverend Macedon’s church. Councilman Tate has Ghost over the barrel and has turned what should be a time of mourning and grief into a media circus and performance for his benefit. Tasha’s mother and LaKeisha express their concern but nothing can be done at the moment. This is one of the minor plots, but it’s another issue that Ghost has to deal with that will likely create more problems down the road. The pivotal moment during the service comes when Tommy lets Ghost know that Kanan’s men are in place and ready to take out Dre. Tariq overhears and during his eulogy, he breaks down, heads to the bathroom and sends a text to Dre letting him know trouble is coming. What a punk move by Tariq. He still thinks Dre is his friend and has no idea, he’s being played. How many of you think that Tommy and Ghost “whispered” that loud enough for Tariq to hear? Maybe…Also, he can take those crocodile tears somewhere else. Your sister is dead because of you. This was a good way to start the season, as usual trouble is brewing on all fronts but this time it’s not just Ghost who’s in danger. Everyone is actually implicated in something and the consequences for all involved range from jail to death. Buckle up, it’s going to get crazier and more intense. A few extra thoughts:
What do ya’ll think? Get at me on twitter and Instagram @jshector Please share with your friends and people you think would enjoy the show. As always thanks for reading and visiting BSO. See you next week!
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