The Crocks come under suspicion after a serious revelation, prompting Sylvester to once again seriously overstep some boundaries. Cindy’s motivations continue to be murky. Paula does her best to fit in.

So what exactly is it that the Crocks were sure was going to be found out eventually? Turns out it’s something fairly damning, which would appear to give the pair of them every reason in the world to have killed the Gambler. Only thing is, Courtney really doesn’t believe it, and nor for that matter does anyone else really, with the exception of Sylvester.

Going off half-cocked really is this guy’s only speed, and you start to wonder exactly how the old JSA ever functioned properly with him as its leader. A very public confrontation with the pair leads to things getting out of hand in every sense of the phrase. The ensuing fight causes an awful lot of collateral damage, and not just in terms of the mess that he makes with his staff. How much longer can Pat tolerate the behaviour of his old friend and his insistence on trying to maintain boundaries between them which no longer exist in any meaningful sense?

Cindy meanwhile continues to be an enigma to the audience. Her wilful decision to ignore what Courtney said and do the exact opposite seems motivated only by bad things on the surface, yet her subsequent explanation when confronted is reasonable. But then again, we know that she has the Gambler’s laptop, and how exactly did that happen?

On the lighter side of things, Paula joins the Rotary Club and worries about how to deliver her first speech there, asking Barbara for her help. It’s genuinely fun watching this relationship develop. On the one hand, Paula could easily break Barbara in two and on the other she is massively intimidated by what others might consider everyday human interactions. Despite how very different they are, and their shared history, it’s clear that Paula values Barbara’s judgement, and I can see the two becoming genuinely close as time goes on.

On the more sinister side, Cam and Rick have a confrontation which prompts Cam to lash out in an unusual way. It’s clear that he’s growing into the powers he inherited from his father, and that his grandparents have big plans for him, but it’s also clear there’s a conflict there. Half the time he’s cold and distant to Courtney, the other half he seems to be genuinely wanting to be close to her again. It’s certainly interesting to note the particular nature of the Gambler’s death though, given what we know Cam is capable of.

Verdict: Tonally this season feels even darker than the last in many ways, but it’s using that darkness well. 8/10

Greg D. Smith