As for Madani, she is struggling with the idea of allowing Frank to kill Russo because it still goes against her code of ethics but she herself wants to see it done, enough so that she goes to the home of the man who abused Russo on a tip and finds the body first. She hears movement and shoots when she sees someone, belatedly finding out it is Officer Mahoney behind her, arriving unannounced but luckily wearing a bullet-proof vest which saved him from Madani’s gunfire. They argue, with Mahoney pointing out that Russo is NYPD’s jurisdiction, not hers, and Madani storms off.
She later argues with Frank back at the house when she learns he is investigating the Russians and the people going after Amy, furious that he is bringing another war to New York (and thus, another murderous rampage), and demands that he leave New York within 24 hours or she will arrest him. Unbeknownst to her, Amy steals her credit card and goes on a shopping/eating binge in those final hours which Frank frowns upon until he sees pizza he likes.
Afterward, Amy and Frank start tracking down the people who hired her crew, their time together strengthening their bond, with Frank teaching her how to disarm a man and Amy helping Frank with some of his grief over his dead daughter. They eventually learn, through the help of Marvel/Netflix recurring criminal Turk, that the Russian crew operates out of gym that Frank attacks, sans gun, leading to an epic and very bloody/violent gym equipment action sequence.
After developing Amy’s pictures and seeing they are of two men kissing at a funeral, they are led to a man named Poloznev, who actually hired Amy’s gang. Through a clever trick with Amy distracting the man’s henchmen and then slipping into a crowd of schoolgirls and Frank taking out and then impersonating the man’s limo-driver, Frank abducts the man for a one-on-one conversation. Poloznev reveals that the pictures are of the son of a powerful family, the Schultz family, that the Russians believed are going to run the country one day and they had the pictures taken so they could blackmail the family who do not want that information about their son to get out. Frank almost kills Poloznev but stops himself when the man reveals he has a daughter.
As for Curtis, he learns that Russo is making a veteran gang to do “jobs” and he realizes Russo will be very dangerous with that gang at his back. He calls a meeting with Frank and Madani, neither informed the other will be present, and they all talk, eventually agreeing that Russo must be dealt with as soon as possible, before Frank even deals with the religious nut-job who is trying to kill Amy, and Madani agrees Frank must do what he does best, though she is not particularly happy about it.
Again, a lot of building in these episodes, but at least there was still some action, and the things that were being built up are sure to pay off later, the show is too smart just to have filler episodes. I am happy that they brought back Curtis and are making him a major part of the season. Same with the idea of the vets, who were a major component of Season 1 and a big part of what gave the character and the series depth. My only real issue is with the Russo/ Dumont relationship, but hopefully, that will pay off later. Right now it just seems very convenient, and I do not really like or understand her character.
Here’s hoping for some interesting developments in the next three episodes!
