Sky Atlantic’s Tin Star
Season 2, Episode 3: “Resist Not Evil”
Directed by Jim Loach
Written by Rowan Joffe

* For a recap & review of the previous episode, “Something Wicked This Way Comes” – click here
* For a recap & review of the next episode, “Jack and Coke” – click here
A week after the crash at the church, Anna (Abigail Lawrie) worries about going inside, yet Pastor Johan (John Lynch) convinces her. They’re having services across the way from the church— doesn’t give Chief Jim Worth (Tim Roth) as easy access to drive right through the building. “True Christians know not vengeance,” the pastor tells his congregation. He then calls Anna to the front. They’re interrupted by paint balls being shot at the windows, only to find some Ammonite girls outside causing trouble.
Elizabeth (Christina Hendricks) and Angela (Genevieve O’Reilly) are getting back to a semblance of normality. They toast over cheap booze, stocking the place with groceries, and play ping pong like they’re back at college. A knock at the door comes. Elizabeth’s greeted by Jaclyn Letendre (Michelle Thrush). Remember, she knows all about what happened with Gagnon, and Angela’s just hearing about their secret deal. Jaclyn wants “what‘s owed” to her community, or else things could get pretty shitty. She knows the “system‘s rigged” against Natives, and worse against Native women. She’s willing to do whatever it takes to get her money. For Angela’s part she’s disgusted by what’s happened and it puts a wedge between her and Ms. Bradshaw.
Johan gets a call on his phone and he’s caught by a fellow community member. They’re not allowed to have mobiles, it’s one a Prairie Field rule. The pastor refuses to give it up, unwilling to let any of his criminal business be found out. Just another hurdle for him to deal with, and more secrets to tear him apart from within.
In town, Elizabeth goes to see Jaclyn. She wants the woman to help her move the drugs they found. Except Jaclyn wants to make a new life for herself, she doesn’t want to fall into that criminal lifestyle. No telling what the former North Stream Oil lady’s going to do next, which is why it’s surprising to see her go to Jim. She says his wife’s in trouble. She doesn’t know much about Angela, though, and Jim does. Elizabeth’s only trying to con someone into doing her dirty work. Next? She meets Frank Keane (Ian Puleston-Davies), pretending she’s looking to offload a shipment. Out of her league, man.
Worse: what happens when Johan discovers his stash gone?
Sensitive issues come up between Constables Denise Minahik (Sarah Podemski) and Nick McGillen (Ryan Kennedy) while he’s putting up posters for Jacyln, who’s presumed missing. Denise wants to find her because “nobody else will.” Nick says her people see themselves “only as a victims” (while he’s playing victim over his knee). What a nob. It gets him kicked out of the house, too. White people don’t get to assume they know how Indigenous people feel, we don’t know what they’ve gone through/what they go through on a daily basis. More power to Cst. Minahik!
At a horse show, Rosa’s competing when her father gets a call. Johan’s asked about the package. He has until midnight, and if there’s any trouble his family will be murdered. All the while his daughter’s tossed from her horse during the show, sustaining an injury. His two lives are beginning to crumble.
Elizabeth goes to the well and can’t find the drug stash. She assumes Angela’s taken it. When she gets a suitcase packed at the house, she’s confronted by Jaclyn with a gun in her face asking for her money. The two women wind up in a brutal fight, ending with Elizabeth cracking Jaclyn’s skull open. When she goes to put the corpse in a septic tank she comes upon the drugs, where Angela and Jim obviously hid the bag now that they’re a team once again. After she goes inside, she gets whacked over the head by someone waiting for her.
Later that night, Johan goes to the well to find his drugs gone. He’s left in a panic, not knowing what to do other than pray. At home, he cries in the truck, and Anna finds him there. He tells her he’s ruined everything.
Another great episode!
Lots of emotions, as usual, and the plots have gotten intense real fast.
“Jack and Coke” is next time.