CBS’s Tell Me a Story
Chapter 3: “Greed”
Directed by Mark Tonderai
Written by Hollie Overton

* For a recap & review of Chapter 2, “Loss” – click here
* For a recap & review of Chapter 4, “Rage” – click here
A funeral’s held for Beth. Family and friends gather to say goodbye. Although Jordan (James Wolk) is filled with grief, he’s just as gripped by an obsession with revenge. He sees the pig masks everywhere, incapable of forgetting what they took from him. Elsewhere in the city, Hannah (Dania Ramirez) stresses about money, while silently she worries about Gabe (Davi Santos) and his recent troubles. When cops turn up at the gym where Hannah works her paranoia runs wild, but they aren’t there to see her at all.
At home, Kayla (Danielle Campbell) isn’t getting her phone back after Colleen (Kim Cattrall) decides to keep it as an “insurance policy.” Grandma’s going to get free work out of her granddaughter. Quite the antagonistic relationship as compared to the traditional “Little Red Riding Hood.” At school, Kayla laments not having her “breathing apparatus” a.k.a smartphone while Ethan (Ramrmian Newton) and Laney (Paulina Singer). And speaking of rough families, Eddie (Paul Wesley) turns up at his brother Mitch’s (Michael Raymond-James) job desperately needing cash and paranoid as hell.
Jordan cannot stop thinking about “one of the pigs” from the robbery. He mentions following Eddie to Tim (Sam Jaeger), too. He’s tired of people placating him with food and fake smiles. All the optimism he once felt was quickly erased with that gunshot.
Hannah’s trying to get proactive about things, so she calls one of the numbers on Dan’s phone. Who answers? None other than Sam (Dorian Missick), one of this show’s version of the “Three Little Pigs.” He’s also angry because he’s owed money, and that’s going to have nastier repercussions. Hannah found the keycard to a storage place on Dan, which she hopes to use as leverage.
On the street, Kayla chats Nick (Billy Magnussen) up. He’s nervous, of course. But she wants to talk, particularly after opening up so deeply to him about her mother. He doesn’t want to linger too long and tries keeping things appropriate. Afterwards, Kayla goes down to grandma’s costume shop, where she and Colleen bond. When she’s left alone to work the store she’s given a fright by Ethan using a wolf mask— perfect! He gets all pushy, and then reveals he knows about what happened between her and the substitute teacher. He makes veiled threats. Will he blackmail a relationship out of her? Yuck. Dudes, especially young ones, are gross.
Sam – a seemingly regular family man outside pulling violent jewellery heists – meets with the other Little Pigs. Eddie says the cops are pressing him, and he gets a bit too pushy, pressing Sam into beating the shit out of the brothers, pulling a gun, and making clear if they return: “I will kill you.”
Home alone and drunk, Jordan calls the police over and over, hoping for some kind of new information on his wife’s murder. It’s driving him over the edge, and the drink doesn’t help, either. Who wouldn’t be angry? Such senseless violence that takes a life is maddening. Plus, Jordan’s gone from optimism to pessimism in such a short distance it’s like pulling an emotional, psychological muscle.

“Fair? When was the last time that word meant anything?”

On her own, Hannah goes to the storage facility with the keycard. She finds the unit it opens, inside of which is a bag filled with cash. Sure, that’s great, but it’s probably the cash belonging to Sam, no? Wouldn’t be a smart idea to try making off with the bag at this point. Her younger brother’s thinking right, attempting to talk her out of it. Doesn’t look like she’s ready to give up a couple million.
When Laney gets wind from Kayla what Ethan’s said/done, she gets wild on the dude. Ethan smacks her in the face in front of everybody, including Nick, who tries breaking it up. The young guy gets flippant about the substitute, treading very close to dangerous territory. Things are getting sketchier. That night, Kayla goes to see Nick, who doesn’t want her showing up at his place. He says he only wants “to teach,” yet he let her inside the apartment. The further Kayla goes, she isn’t stopped, and soon they’re getting naked together again. She’s underage, yeah? Father Gore’s feeling icky.
In other sketchy business, Jordan sneaks his way into Eddie’s trailer, looking for any kind of possible evidence to use. That’s right when Eddie gets home for the evening. While Jordan hides he finds the pig mask. If he can only get out unnoticed. He goes to leave, noticing a gun on the table. Jordan picks it up and stands over a now passed out Eddie, though he decides not to pull the trigger.
At his apartment, Gabe finds his roommate tortured, bloody, and dead in the tub. He calls his sister immediately, warning her of the brutal horror likely headed for her/them, too. Hannah refuses to stay put, preparing to run of with her brother and the money. But already there’s a knock at the door. In fact, somebody’s (Tom Lipinski) inside the apartment with a hammer, asking for the money, and Hannah’s got no choice but to give it over. Things get tense before long and their going toe to toe. She gets the last laugh, bashing his head open on the floor. Probably going to be more than one guy coming after them, so she and Gabe better get moving.
This was probably the best episode of Tell Me a Story so far. Great stuff! Exciting, some brutal bits, and the characters are getting more interesting. Chapter 4 comes next.