Whether Daniel Holden is innocent or guilty is a question that’s been lingering at the backs of our minds, and while it’s a question that we don’t necessarily want the answer to or haven’t had a reason to figure out, it’s clear that the pressure is mounting on all sides for the truth to show itself. The show’s always been about the deeply personal relationships within the town of Paulie and with regards to Daniel, but now, some of those relationships are splintering as the past continues to haunt them, demanding an answer.

What’s interesting about this situation is that the answers many people seek are already locked up in their own minds: you’re either with him or against him, and being steadfast in your opinion has become a pastime for these townspeople. It’s the man himself, in fact–Daniel Holden–whose notions about his own past have got him swaying back and forth between powerful forces. On one side, you have his own recollections, or lack thereof, and on the other side, you have the collective might of the town in the form of a plea deal. No matter what happens, it seems like Daniel’s never going to have a peaceful life if he remains in Paulie, and with each passing week, the knife in his heart is driven deeper and deeper. Last week, the knife was in the form of Trey’s words and Daniel’s subsequent explosion, and this week, it’s in the form of a taped confession. He listens to himself confessing to the murder of Hanna Dean, and it’s truly gut-wrenching to him; the questions about himself swirl around in his head with ever-increasing frequency.

Daniel on this emotional precipice, in addition, is affecting those closest to him. There’s a tension bubbling on the surface between him and Amantha and Janet, the disapproval evident on his face when he’s faced with the plea deal and realizes that his family’s been discussing him for quite some time now. In addition, Ted Sr. now knows, courtesy of the oh-so-kind Senator Foulkes, about the attack on his son, and he’s now faced with a decision much like the one Ted Jr. faced earlier: do you go after Daniel, or do you take a step back and realize just how irrevocable the damage would be for your family should he go back to jail? In “The Great Destroyer”, his wife bares her soul to him, apologizing for not fighting and loving as much as she should’ve, and this leaves him in a very difficult situation in which he tries to find a balance, but may not be able to.

Time and time again, we’ve seen these characters attempt to remain tethered to both Daniel and their own future, and time and time again, we’ve seen them become consumed by whatever complicated feelings they may have had toward Daniel. Tawney’s walking a tightrope here, recognizing the fact that she finds a deeper connection with him than with her own husband, but also recognizing the fact that getting Daniel is the most impulsive thing she’s done. He presents as an intellectual and emotional stimulant for Tawney, something she hasn’t has much of throughout the years, but he also may present a danger to her family and her way of life. That danger, of course, is a byproduct of the environment, and she’s also afraid of what it means for her own morality to move forward with her feelings for Daniel when she’s committed to another man.

In the end, people will make their decisions and the pieces will fall into place. The question is: at what cost? The Hanna Dean murder ripped the fabric of the town apart, and now, the Send Daniel Holden to Jail process is beginning anew. Will that heal the town, or will it in fact send our characters hurtling down paths with no guarantee of a safe return? It’s rocky ground we’re standing on, and it can crumble at any time.

After all, as Wendell says, love doesn’t exist without hate, light doesn’t exist without dark, and heaven doesn’t exist without hell.

GRADE: A-

OTHER THOUGHTS:

– “Will you accept the charges?” Ouch, phone. Not something you’d want to hear in Daniel’s situation.

-Once again, when you put Adelaide Clemens and Aden Young together, all you have to do is watch the magic happen. Whenever they interact, you’re bound to get a beautiful scene.

-Yay, Jared does something! There’s a potentially fascinating character somewhere in there, but it seems like he’s gotten the short end of the stick thus far in the series; there’s a curiosity that springs forth from his actions, a desire to connect with or glean knowledge about Daniel, and it’s intriguing. Next season–and there will be a next season, damn it!–let’s see more of this.

-Daniel’s fingerprints are now all over the cell phone and the wallet, and all I have to say is: Grrr, Trey.

-Two more left this season. I’m not ready for it to be over.

Photo credit: Sundance TV, Rectify