Guess who’s back? Our favorite conflicted drug kingpin James “Ghost” St. Patrick found his challenges mounting in episode two with the surprise jail release of old comrade Kanan (50 Cent), a failure to find buyers for his prodigious supply of kilos,and a humbling demotion in his club business.
With the failed hit and disappearance of his hired shooter, Kanan quickly realizes the best solution to eliminating Ghost returning to his inner circle. His surprise return to Ghost’s home has several verbal ques that hint to an uneasiness between them. To this point, all we know is Kanan took the fall years back, letting Ghost and Tommy step up to become the top dealers in the city. Kanan alludes to the treachery of that takeover by mentioning how Ghost killed his predecessor. In a sense, Kanan is trying to return the favor.
The most telling thing about this scene is the concerned glances exchanged between Ghost and Tasha. If Kanan was truly an old friend, why weren’t they completely ecstatic to see him? There are several theories you can run with. One, Ghost had something to do with Kanan getting locked up (think Tony Soprano/Feech La Manna or Stringer/Avon) to preserve his business. Two, the timing of Kanan’s release after an attempt on Ghost’s life has raised the latter’s suspicion. Third, they may just simply realize that Kanan is a sociopath from their street days and doesn’t fit into the complex, insulated system Ghost has created. We’ll know soon enough.
On the drug side, Ghost and Tommy have tons of product and still no buyers. The Serbians and RSKs turn them down. The Haitians are non-committal. On the legit side, Ghost finds himself demoted to a subordinate of his former assistant Kantos. We can credit the ruthless Simon Stern for this move in his plan to wrestle Truth away from Ghost’s empire. Unbeknowst to Stern, Kantos isn’t built to lead. For now, Ghost will hold a tenuous grip on how the club is run.
Love-wise, we began the episode with Ghost tailing Angela’s morning jog to find out more intel. He figures out her close FBI connections, but a quick read of hidden case files in her home brings relief — her case is weak… on him. She does figure out that Tommy may be behind Nomar’s murder. Next episode, we’ll find out how good Ghost’s poker face is when Angela starts her own fishing into his relationship with Tommy.
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
1. The Tainos faction is on the come up. Their new leader Cristobal has all the guile and focus that his dearly departed brother lacked. He’ll be a strong ally (or dangerous adversary) for Ghost.
2. Kanan is in the running for the worst father of the year. You make your son get a blowjob on a skank right after you finish putting a deposit in her mouth? And you just got out of jail? Shawn, run to the clinic.
3. It’s too bad Pink Sneakers’ errant bullet for Ghost didn’t hit Holly square in the head. She’s becoming way too bold and nosy in a world she’s not ready for. You’d think a bullet would scare her straight. In this case, it has made her more reckless.
4. Ghost and Stern’s gentleman’s agreement on Truth increasing revenue by 20% is something I hope Ghost isn’t banking on. Stern is a snake and won’t honor anything not in writing.
5. Can Ghost kill Pink Sneakers, the guy trailing her and still keep Angela in the dark?
6. Who is the new connect the RSKs have found for their dope?
Beats, Boxing and Mayhem 