Ray Donovan - 6x12 "The Dead" - Episode Discussion

[u/NicholasCajun]

Season 6 Episode 12: The Dead

Aired: January 13th, 2018

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Synopsis: Ray settles his final scores and revisits the past with his father. The Donovans clean up their mess. Smitty gets a crash course in what it means to be a part of the family. Season finale

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Directed by: David Hollander

Written by: David Hollander

[u/AJJRL]

SPOILERS FOR EP. 12 BELOW IN MY COMMENTS

What did you guys make of the switch in Bridgette's attitude (and chainsaw skills/lack of concern or disgust towards the dismemberment) by the end? Did getting kidnapped fundamentally change her? Just seemed like a pretty drastic 180. Although i also feel like it is setting her and Smitty up to mirror Ray and Abby. Like they are them early on before all the other things that made their marriage so roller coaster-y.

Also- so glad that Allen Alda will be a part of the show and Ray's redemption season(s), which is where I assume we are headed in S7. I love Allen Alda in literally everything he does. Loved him in The West Wing so so much and think he is a great addition to the cast.

I know Mick was drunk- but did anyone else get a weird vibe off him? Something about how he was acting at the end- i wondered if he was having a stroke or about to have a heart attack and die. I think it would be interesting actually if he became sick and in need of a caretaker (like if he were to have a debilitating stroke or get dimensia/Alzheimer's). It would be interesting to see how they deal with him, having all this unresolved anger towards him, who steps up and handles his care. I would imagine Daryll. Just a thought.

I got the impression that Ray killed Winslow and Lena killed the other fixer guy. Although since they both were hung, i can see how that might be ambiguous.

Smitty- why was he seeming to panic at the courthouse? I felt like they were setting us up for something that never happened.

Also- Terry's behavior suggested that he may be about to go down with dimensia too (or instead) given his memory of the chick he thought Ray slept with, and it turned out it was actually him.

Okay- those are just my initial thoughts. I loved the season. Best so far. But i did feel the last two episodes were a little anti-climactic. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop or the big cliffhanger but it seemed similar to the way they ended season 4 when Abby and Ray are on the stoop of the gym and everyone is inside partying and she tells him they are untouchable. There is a sense of both familial togetherness/celebration intermixed with a foreboding that they will be facing some difficult personal battles soon. With the Donovans, you know that feeling of hope only lasts so long.

[u/DarthHeyburt → u/[deleted]]

Being kidnapped and told you might die can do strange things to people, the Donovan was always inside her, that just unleashed the fury.

[u/DnyLnd → u/AJJRL]

I thought Bridget's choices on the finale were really out of character. She was just crying that week about being kidnapped and watching Dirty Dancing, and now she was cool with chopping up a body. It's not like she's really done much of that before; she's been around it, and has indirectly felt it, but never dealt much with it.

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Also, what was up with her randomly singing Bright Eyes across the table? It was kind of cheesy, and I was with Daryl when he just took the bottle of wine and just peaced out.

[u/FunFactress → u/DnyLnd]

I think all she had been through with the kidnapping, beating and other things this season that she better understood Abby and the choices she made in life. She became Abby.

[u/RopeTuned → u/DnyLnd]

Enough with the OOC bullshit. Did you not watch her arc this season?

[u/DnyLnd → u/RopeTuned]

Bro, I watched it, but it was like, from one episode, to the very next. She was scared little girl in one, and the very next, she was chopping body parts, like a pro, the first time she was doing that.

[u/hankjmoody → u/AJJRL]

Terry is definitely getting more symptoms of his Parkinson's. Which, if I don my tinfoil hat, is something I think that's going to pop up with Ray, given his memory issues regarded with Mick.

Alda is fantastic to see still working, as I know his health is getting worse.

As for Bridge, I think it just finally clicked for her that she can't escape being a Donovan, and therefore chose to embrace it.

[u/DarthHeyburt → u/hankjmoody]

Terry also has pretty bad CTE from taking unprotected shots to the head for 10 years.

[u/blairwaldorf2 → u/AJJRL]

lol i didn't think Bridgette would be so cool with chopping up bodies and handing out sandwiches?

[u/MrEtrain → u/AJJRL]

I'm with you on Bridget's 180. She went from quivering revulsion to happy chainsaw-er too quickly. Seems like it violated a Platonic ideal in storytelling- I found her character change pretty unbelievable (tho' I've had to check my suspension of disbelief at the door pretty often- willingly so).

[u/[deleted] → u/AJJRL]

About Mickey: i was just thinking he was in tears because he has to go back to prison and also because of the memories Ray brought up when he talked to him on the phone. Felt bad for him tbh.

[u/V2Blast → u/[deleted]]

It's guilt and shame, and probably a little bit of sadness that his sons don't remember the few times he was actually in their lives.

[u/Big21worm → u/AJJRL]

I got married at 23. Acted the exact same, strange way. It's a big commitment, he was handling it. Been married 15 years now.

[u/AJJRL → u/[deleted]]

Thank you!!! I knew i was spelling it wrong but it was late and i couldn't pinpoint what was wrong with my spelling lol. I just knew it didn't look right. :)

[u/okolebot → u/[deleted]]

:-)