American Crime - S2E3

Previously on American Crime, ‘Episode 2’

Though Eric is the captain who literally took one for the team, Kevin finds himself in the hot seat after Anne takes the story of Taylor’s attack to the press. Perhaps swayed by Leslie, the reporter writes a piece that is too favorable towards Leyland for Anne’s liking. The article says the police are investigating a sexual assault involving the school and the basketball team, but since Kevin is the only one on the team who is 18, his name is mentioned.

This allows us a deeper look into the LaCroixs. Terri goes into immediate damage control first calling their attorney, then her husband Michael to instruct him to retrieve Kevin from school. Leslie goes further into crisis mode, and Dan and Eric are each on edge since Kevin isn’t returning their calls.

The scandal reaches Evy’s school as she’s pulled out of class to answer questions about the night of the party.

Questions and Observations: 

• It’s bizarre seeing Regina King play such an unlikable character so soon after she flawlessly portrayed the highly likable Erica Murphy on The Leftovers. At first I thought Terri’s issues were solely based in racial bias against her own, but now it seems as though her abrasive attitude is also triggered by matters of class. She turned up her nose at Val and was particularly harsh in firing a black employee to prove a point. The episode came full circle in a satisfying moment when Terri appeals to a detective’s blackness to get special treatment in the investigation. It’s exactly what the fired employee had done and it greatly offended Terri.
• Still not sure I’m interested in what’s going on at Chris Dixon’s (Elvis Nolasco) school, but I enjoy watching Nolasco in action. Also, he’s the first black character I’ve seen offer someone tofu.
• Steph Sullivan (Hope Davis) just wants to get high and laid. I like her.

• How did Terri LaCroix get so far in life with such bullshit beliefs? “Boys don’t get raped,” and “Boys fight back.”