‘Ray Donovan’ Breakdown: “Yo Soy Capitan”

No lie lives forever…but SPOILERS do…

Season Two, Episode One: “Yo Soy Capitan”

Written by Ann Biderman; Directed by Tucker Gates

The title, which roughly translates to read “I am the captain” — a creed Mickey quickly adopts — sets the overall tone for the season two kick-off. It becomes something both Mickey and Ray wrestle with, each in his own way. As we all know, there can only be one captain, and it’s his job to go down with the ship.

Quick Breakdown

We are reunited with Ray in the same manner as when we left him at the end of season one: bloodstained and somewhat vindicated, as he quietly sleeps laid back in a cushioned chair along a Los Angeles beach. Of course — keeping with typical Ray Donovan fashion — everything isn’t necessarily as perceived, quickly changing tone to depict Ray inside a grave being buried alive.

Relax; it’s only a dream. He awakens in his own bed next to his wife, Abby, whom he proceeds to ceremoniously take advantage of in way that holds a metaphorical mirror to the episode’s opening scene.

Keep in mind that we all — viewers and supporting characters alike — learned toward the end of last season that Bunchy wasn’t the only one molested as a child by that Catholic priest back in Boston. Both Ray and Terry were victims, too. And Ray is trying like hell to bury that demon.

Cut to a little seaside shack where we find Mickey with a woman in his bed and a bottle in his hand, puffing on a joint and donning a beard. His lady friend wants him to come back to bed, but he decides to go for a swim instead. Bad choice. Once in the water, Mickey’s soon joined by a dolphin. A talking dolphin. A talking dolphin that sounds eerily like a character we saw Sully shoot in the head last season. (Remember Linda? Yeah, it’s her.)

She wants Mickey to follow her out into the ocean. After a couple of strokes, he says he’s too tired, setting himself up for the sentence that will reverberate in his mind the rest of the episode: “You’re not a sailor; you’re a captain.”

The dolphin submerges and returns to the surface as Linda. She tells Mickey that she’s in a dark place and that he’s the one who put her there. Naturally, he passes the blame off on Sully.

This interaction is really important as a viewer; it shows a possible perspective change on the part of Mickey, or at least a sign of some sort of remorse. He’s spent much of his life thinking of his own desires without regard repercussions or anyone else’s feelings. If this is, in fact, meant to act as some sort of epiphany for Mickey; then it’s one that’s grossly short-lived (more on that later).

Roy Donovan 2

“Yo Soy Capitan” does a very good job of depicting the differing images of Ray and Mickey as fathers. We all know Mickey was and is, for the most part, a shitty parent. There’s no sugar-coating that. And while Ray has had his moments where he blindly rules his children (and wife) with an iron fist, this episode shows his openness to change. He wants to be a better father; he allows Bridget to drive on the way to school. He wants to be a better husband; he agrees to go to marriage counseling with Abby.

Speaking of marriage counseling, the therapist is able to persuade Ray into entering a verbal “contract” to no longer expose his children to violence and blood. This is a pretty reasonable request (Ray even says so himself). If he’s ever going to be the father he needed as a child then it’s obvious he has to be more understanding.

After Ray is pulled away by the ever-beckoning call of his phone, the therapist switches gears with Abby, focusing on Ray’s hyper-sexuality. He believes Ray’s sexual habits are a result of the abuse he experienced with that priest when he was young. Now, this is basically a foregone conclusion. We all know Ray has done a hell of a job to repress that part of his life, but, as the opening scene showed us, he’s still trying to conceal those wounds. Abby is in denial, too. She’s clearly aware his behavior is unhealthy, but doesn’t want to confront the subject either.

The real plot of this episode is revealed when Ray returns his missed call to Frank, the FBI agent, who informs him the director of the L.A. branch of the FBI, James Cochran, is back and doesn’t buy their story about Sully. A ballistics report matched the bullet in Avi’s chest with Sully’s gun, making it apparent that Avi was at the dock the same time as Sully. It doesn’t help much that the Cochran knows Avi works for Ray.

Cochran doesn’t know exactly what happened, but he knows Ray and Mickey are somehow involved and wants to hear Mickey’s side of the story. The problem, however, is finding him. Terry later tells Ray that Mickey’s in Mexico, but that’s as specific as he’ll be.

Let’s veer off-course for a moment and wrap up the rest of this episode’s action really quick:

– Bunchy seems to be doing well since Mickey took off. He’s clean, sober and even has a job interview. He also has a weird interaction with a new guy at his molestation support group. If one were to make assumptions, it seems Bunchy might have an admirer.

– Terry is having a hard time handling his break-up with Frances. Heartbreak definitely doesn’t look good on him. Neither does stalking, which is a habit he’s apparently picked up.

– Deonte Brown still can’t keep it in his pants. This time he’s messing around with an American Idol-esque top-three competitor. Brown’s wife catches the two and shoots her, leaving Ray and Lena to pick up the pieces.

– Conor likes to brag about all the famous people he knows. This time it’s Marvin Gaye Washington. (Yeah, he’s apparently become a big deal since last season.) Some kid sitting nearby calls him out and throws Conor’s phone on the ground, leading to the kid flying face first down a flight of stairs after Conor pushes him.

Back in Mexico, Mickey’s flash of self-realization fizzles out, setting Daryll up for a fight he has no chance of winning just to make some quick cash. The scene of Daryll getting absolutely dominated in the boxing ring gives thought to what it must have been like when Mickey set Terry up the same way. He’s used all of his sons in a way that benefit him. They are just outlets that help him get what he wants instead of human beings.

Cochran gives Ray 24 hours to find Mickey and reinforces his authority by having police officers plant marijuana on Bridget and let her go with a warning. Cochran’s message is a big eye-opener for Ray; this isn’t something he can just fix or easily control. He has to find Mickey, there’s no way around it.

Terry finally gives in, telling Ray that Mickey is in Rosarito. Later, a battered, bruised and pissed off Daryll gives him the precise location. Mickey doesn’t want to leave with Ray. And hell, why would he? He’s not a sailor; he’s a captain. He has everything he could ever want in Rosarito. He’s swimming in booze and women. He’s living out his dream. Plus, it seems he’s built good rapport with his “amigos,” which are there for him in his time of need. Such as now, when Ray is trying to force him to leave and he doesn’t want to go.

Finding resolutions to potentially violent situations is one of Ray’s best talents. And seeing how his children are nowhere around, he’s free to play the game however he chooses: shirtless with a baseball bat.

Rating

A

This episode saw many characters beginning to evolve, many of them for the better. It will be interesting to see if those arcs continue to arch or if they will fall flat as the season wears on. For now, Ray has asserted his place as “captain,” but we’ll just have to wait patiently to see if he can keep this whole thing afloat.

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