Spoiler warning: We’re getting into the arrests, Roy’s decision, Horace and Kimmie, Rain’s new club, and that ending.
Baby, Beauty in Black came back for Season 3 and wasted absolutely NO time putting the Bellarie family through it.
Episode 1 is called “King in Play,” and after that FBI raid, most of this family is finally sitting somewhere money can’t immediately fix everything.
Well…
Maybe.
Because these are the Bellaries.
They probably have judges stored in their contacts under “Emergency.”
The FBI Finally Came Collecting
Norman, Jules, Olivia and Roy are all taken into custody after the mess from last season.
And watching them sitting together in that interrogation room is almost worth the wait.
Nobody trusts anybody.
Everybody is angry.
Norman is confident he’ll be out quickly because he knows powerful people.
Olivia is irritated.
Jules is watching everybody.
And Roy is already looking like the weak link.
Then the FBI offers them the deal that turns this dysfunctional family into a game show:
One person can cooperate and possibly save themselves.
Just one.
Now why would you tell THIS family that?
These people would sell each other for a decent parking space.
Roy immediately starts considering the offer while everybody else calls him stupid for even thinking about it.
But Roy basically says he’s not going down for everybody else’s crimes.
For once?
I understand Roy.
Loyalty sounds wonderful until somebody starts talking about decades in federal prison.
Horace and Kimmie Think They Won
Meanwhile, Kimmie and Horace are enjoying the fact that the people who have been causing them problems are finally locked up.
Kimmie helped make a major power move, and Horace recognizes that she thinks more like him than anybody expected.
And that’s exactly what makes Kimmie dangerous now.
This is not Season 1 Kimmie trying to survive one shift at the club.
She has money.
Access.
A powerful husband.
And she’s learning how the Bellarie game works.
But even Kimmie isn’t completely relaxed.
She knows Norman is resourceful, and she doesn’t trust that jail is automatically going to hold everybody.
Smart woman.
Because when a villain starts saying, “I know judges,” I don’t start celebrating yet.
Horace Finds Out About Charles and Varney
Then Roy’s loose mouth creates another family problem.
Horace discovers that Charles and Varney have been involved with each other.
And Horace is MAD.
Not slightly uncomfortable.
Mad.
He starts questioning whether he can trust Varney as the family’s attorney if Varney has been secretly sleeping with his son.
Kimmie notices Horace is taking this very personally and finally says what has clearly been sitting in her head:
Maybe Horace’s issue isn’t really Charles.
Maybe Horace has spent his own life denying parts of himself and resents that Charles has had more freedom to live openly.
Whew.
Kimmie walked straight into that conversation and turned every light on.
Horace does not appreciate the analysis.
But the fact that it hits such a nerve tells me this conversation is nowhere near finished.
Charles Needs Money and Daddy Says No
Charles has another problem.
Olivia is threatening him over something terrible he did, and she wants him to come up with money before she turns over evidence that could get him into serious trouble.
So Charles goes to Horace.
Bad timing.
Charles admits he needs help and eventually confirms that he and Varney have been together.
Horace tells him to get the money from Varney.
Charles explains that Varney doesn’t have that kind of cash.
Horace basically responds:
Sounds like a personal problem.
Father of the Year nominations are officially closed.
Charles is desperate, Olivia is behind bars still pulling strings, and Horace has absolutely no intention of rescuing him.
That family could turn a Christmas dinner into a hostage negotiation.
Mallory Has Her Own House Drama
Mallory finally gets back home after everything that happened, only to find a contractor refusing to leave because Roy promised him cash for completing the repairs.
And since Roy is currently unavailable due to his new federal accommodations, the man wants somebody else to pay him.
Mallory’s sympathy level?
Zero.
She tells him to leave.
He refuses.
And naturally the conversation turns nasty because nobody on this show knows how to have a normal disagreement.
Whitman eventually gets pulled into the situation, but the whole scene is another reminder that Roy’s mess keeps landing in everybody else’s lap.
Even from jail, that man is creating invoices.
Rain Is Ready to Run Things Her Way
Rain has much better news.
She officially bought the club.
And she isn’t just planning to change the name.
She’s changing the whole system.
Rain gathers the workers together and announces that Jules has been arrested and that the ridiculous debts many of them were forced to pay are OVER.
They’ll be able to make their money without the same trafficking and control hanging over them.
She also has a new name for the club:
Make It Rain.
Okay Rain.
I see you.
For the first time, she actually has something that belongs to her.
Kimmie is running things on one side of the Bellarie empire, and Rain is trying to build something of her own.
Everything feels almost hopeful.
And you already know this show doesn’t allow hope to sit around too long.
The Episode Ends With Trouble Walking In
Right when Rain is announcing that things are going to be different, a mysterious woman interrupts the celebration.
She makes it very clear that Rain may not have as much control over that club as she thinks she does.
And there goes the peace.
Rain hasn’t even had time to change the sign yet and somebody is already showing up with conditions.
Girl.
Welcome to ownership.
My Take
“King in Play” was a strong premiere because it immediately changed the power structure.
Kimmie and Horace are sitting pretty for the moment while Norman, Jules, Olivia and Roy are locked up.
But nobody should get comfortable.
Roy is already ready to talk.
Norman believes he can get out.
Olivia is still blackmailing her own child from jail.
And Rain’s big moment lasts approximately five minutes before another problem walks through the door.
The Horace and Kimmie conversation was one of my favorite parts because Kimmie is becoming bold enough to say things to this man that everybody else is afraid to even think out loud.
And Roy potentially flipping?
That could destroy EVERYTHING.
SoulNeekTV Rating: 4 out of 5 Tea Cups ☕☕☕☕
A good start to Season 3 with arrests, betrayal, family secrets and Rain finally getting her chance to run the club.
But if four Bellaries are sitting in jail and somebody offers immunity to ONE of them?
Please.
Somebody is about to sing like they just got a record deal.