Written by Michael J. Cinquemani
Directed by Christopher Misiano
Emily (to Aiden, re David): “He got his wish. I’m a Grayson now.”
Emily might be a Grayson but in this episode alone, she didn’t interact with any of them in the present day but even in flashback form, she knew that Victoria wasn’t to be trusted. The best thing about this episode was resolving the blackout plotline because let’s be honest, I don’t think it could’ve been sustained for any longer.
I kind of liked Aiden using similar tactics to Takeda in order to break Emily out of her blackout funk and the fact that it resulted in some actual flashbacks to David Clarke and her dealing with some her anger towards her father getting involved with Victoria was much needed.
However, the end bit with the connection between Stevie Grayson and David Clarke seemed a little trite-ish though and that’s taking into account that she’s Jack bio mother and Conrad might be unaware of that fact too. However I suppose it does raise the question as to whether or not Stevie really is friend or foe.
She admitted to Jack that she did want to make up for some lost time and that she had been an alcoholic but Emily had already deduced that her motives were entirely about reconnecting with the son she gave up. Personally I kind of hope that Stevie turns out to be a friend here or at least is willing to help Emily out her incompetent behaviour with David and her distaste for both Victoria and Conrad. Either way, in spite of some rather predictable plotting, Stevie has turned out to be a likeable character so far.
I especially enjoy the way that she managed to get Victoria’s back up a few times in this episode as well and while Victoria did later use her resentment towards Stevie in order to make Patrick make a decision about his own future, I wouldn’t put anything past Victoria trying to gain the upper hand with Stevie.
Speaking of Patrick – is this it for the character now? In some ways, it probably should be because both Nolan and Victoria used their cunning to actually help the guy out and maybe away from the Hamptons and working for Leone will do Patrick the world of good as well. I know he’s been hit and miss as a character but I guess I will miss him a little and his penchant for random (but always welcomed) shirtless scenes as well. It was also nice to see him part on good terms with Nolan and Victoria as well though, which is another in the plus column.
As for Aiden, last week he seemed to be packing off for good and this week it seemed like the same thing, so I guess the question remains – is he really off then? I guess that probably depends on whether or not Barry Sloane’s other show for ABC gets picked up for a series but either way, it looks like another sparring contest between Aiden and Daniel will be on the cards now that the latter knows Aiden is involved with Emily again.
As for everyone else – this episode didn’t need scenes at Voulez with Charlotte and Conrad, even if it was to tell us that Margaux’s father will be entering the fray pretty soon and similar Daniel hiring some goon to spy on Emily was a little bit boring as well, even if it did result in him being made aware of Aiden and Emily being in cahoots though.
Also in “Struggle”
I liked that we got to see the origin of the double infinity sign on the porch in the same episode where Emily destroyed it during one of her blackouts.
Victoria: “Oh, Stevie, you and I both know the only thing guaranteed to crumble is you.”
Nolan gave Emily a whole new Infinity Box that only opens to her touch. Like I need any more reasons to love the guy.
Nolan: “What are you gonna do?”
Emily: “What I should’ve done in the first place. I’m gonna kill them all.”
Emily: “You’re gonna try and snap me out of this?”
Aiden: “I’m gonna make you deal with it.”
While it was actually frustrating that Emily didn’t actually kill a Grayson, she did attempt to take out Conrad before Aiden stepped in.
Stevie: “I’m not doing this out of guilt.”
Jack: “Come on, how could you not be? Unless you’re really a Grayson and I know they never feel it.”
Stevie: “I am nothing like them.”
Standout music: Sanders Bohlke’s “The Weight Of Us”.
Nolan: “To Patrick.”
Victoria: “To my son.”
Chronology: At least three days since the last scene of “Payback”.
Okay, the episode wasn’t a “Struggle” to watch, which of course was a great thing and there was a tiny bit of progress made as well but enough speeches with Emily refocusing her agenda and more of her actually doing it, show. Other than that, better than last week.
Rating: 7 out of 10
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