The Son Episode 3
“Second Empire,” shows that, while Texas oilmen don’t always get what they want, they can get what they need. The first son of Texas is building his second empire out of the blood of old dinosaurs the way he built his first out of the blood of his old enemies. Most of his old enemies, the ones who survived, now number among his oldest friends. They know his history and, while they may not have forgiven it, it’s taught them not to repeat mistakes. Eli is a true business maverick and, as the show’s two arcs reveal, a well-heeled renegade. I knew the opening scalping was going to turn out to be a revenge fantasia, but still was very disappointed. That would have been the perfect way to close a deal before the opening credits. Charles is the indulgent son, giving his father room to vent about wannabe braves, but not enough room to grow. The southern part of Texas hasn’t been proved to be a consistent source of oil, but that doesn’t mean south Texans have to be crude. There is enough space for everyone on the plains, if only the first son of Texas might free up some real estate for more entrenched interests. Some of the locals were born Mexican and became Americans without having to move. Some of them want to assimilate into the life, others don’t recognize the United States as a anything but a robber nation. They also don’t agree on whether hurting the main thief is worth what invariably turns out to be self-inflicted pain. You ever put a man down who wasn’t hurting you? Cos if not then you have it pretty easy, an old Texas frontiersman tells Pete McCullough (Henry Garrett) during over some good breakfast whiskey. Pete is riddled with guilt. He doesn’t show it. He might not even know it. The good son of the first son of Texas puts up a brave front, if not as nativist as his father’s, and does what he’s told. He may bury his feelings, but he’s got two bodies buried on the property that are screaming to be unearthed. While he may want to do what he sees as the right thing, his father’s enablers are much stronger at keeping those things out of sight. Jeannie McCullough (Sydney Lucas) watches over everything. Seen but not heard, she is in every window learning how to be a good McCullough and still be the kind of good person who doesn’t go to hell when they die. She knows something is going on, and she knows no one is going to tell her what it is, but even that is an education. You get the feeling that when she finally steps up to the family plate she will not need a learning curve. “The Plum Tree” was written by Kevin Murphy and Cami Delavigne, and directed by Kevin Dowling.
