Recap of Ray Donovan episode 5: That naughty little Paige

Ray Donovan Season 3, Episode 5 “Handshake Deal” (original air date Aug. 9, 2015): Oh good gawd, Ray and Mickey in matching Hawaiian shirts?! That is precious. Here’s the recap of Ray Donovan episode 5. As enjoyable as it was to see the Donovan clan enjoying a poolside party at Mickey’s North Hollywood apartment complex — with Abby sunbathing, Terry, Bunchy and Daryll playing catch in the pool with Conor, and Mick and Ray smiling and enjoying a beer together (in their matching shirts) — we figured it was some effed-up drug trip Mick was on. Instead, Daryll woke Mick from his fleeting daydream to discuss the coke-and-hooker party they were planning for some Silicon Valley start up. For 15k they’ll bring the girls and the drugs, and their client will bring the cash. You know it’s never that easy with this two dimwits.

Ray (Liev Schreiber) is getting domestic, picking up kid duties now that Abby’s out in Boston trying to figure things out. While making sammies, Ray reminds Conor he’s grounded and informs Bridget he’ll be attending her college guidance meeting. It’s a good side of Ray to see.

At Fite Club Bunch is being an awkward creeper on Theresa (Alyssa Diaz) –  the Luchadora vixen. When she busts in his office calling him out for spying, he gets quite the surprise when she reveals her bare breasts and starts rubbing them then inviting him to masturbate while watching her. Bunch is in on that idea, but Terry’s got to walk in and spoil the moment for poor ol’ Bunch. Later Theresa overhears Bunchy talking about a church settlement with Father Romero (Leland Orser), who is new to the club and befriending Bunchy (remember he’s the priest who killed Ezra). Theresa wants to know what it was all about. Bunch likes Theresa and tells her so, as well as how he was molested by a priest when he was a child. “No wonder you’re so fucked up,” she sympathizes. “I ain’t got no problem with it.”

Ray meets up with Finney at one of his business properties that has excess vacant land. Paige wants to tear down the factory and use the space for a new football field for Los Angeles. Environmentalists won’t have it so Finney’s got Governor Verona working on that, he needs Ray to take care of the governor. The governor has a situation with one of his former aide’s who possesses some unflattering details on the governor (she stole his cell phone and the messages on it will damage his bid for reelection.

Sporting a cute Southie cap, Abby (Paula Malcomson) visits her dad who tells her she looks like her mother. “Hard in the eyes.”  Gee, her family’s real welcoming bunch. Abby tells her pop she wants to buy the bar, as she thinks it might make it easier for everyone.

“The bar’s called Kelly’s Place, you’re a fucking Donovan,” her pop says. He clearly didn’t like that idea, that man really hates Rate. Later, Abby suggests to Margret that she buy the bar and put it in Margaret and Dave’s name instead. Margret loved the idea.

Mickey (Jon Voight) and Daryll (Pooch Hall) are striking out with their party for the Silicon start up Kwip. The execs are at one end of the room at a conference table and the girls are at the other ready, willing and able to please. Daryll said it’s worse than a middle school dance, so Mickey helps get the party started in true Mickey fashion. “You like pussy,” he asks them all. Got to appreciate his candor. Voight’s so delightfully amusing. These nerds need a little hand-holding to get acquainted but once they start snorting the party kicks into gear. Daryll calls for more coke. Mickey goes to meet Conor (Devon Bagby) at his place, where Conor spills the details on what’s going on at home including Abby busting him for jerking off. The grandfatherly wisdom Mickey spouts off is priceless. “If God didn’t want us to jerk off he would have given us shorter arms,” he tells Conor. “It’s natural. For Christ sake, lock the fucking door.” Message appreciated.

Ginger alerts Mickey that the party is getting  out of hand, so Mickey returns with Conor. coked-up PJ (the guy who hired them for the party) praises Mickey and Daryll as rock stars, he just loves them, including Mickey with his snowy white hair and Daryll’s little mustache. “You’re like a charming lesbian couple,” he tells them. Meanwhile, Conor’s found his own girl and his finally getting some relief. Mickey’s not happy with Daryll for ordering 10k more in cocaine.

Ray tracks down Vernona’s aide, Brianna, who claims she already gave the governor’s phone to her hotshot legal professor Sheldon Blackwood (Nestor Carbonell, pictured left) whose not scared when Ray later calls on him. Good news. Lena’s back. She meets up with Ray at the campus and tells him “this meet-me-now shit, ain’t going to fly.” Ray gives her a job to track Blackwood, she agrees but wants twice the rate. Ray says he’ll pay her triple. He’s got to run, as he’s got a meeting with Bridget’s counselor.

Ray’s out of his comfort zone meeting with Bridget’s prestigious school and is also out of touch on college admittance requirements. He’s also surprised to learn that Bridget’s grades aren’t all that stellar. The counselor tells them her essay on her singing talents didn’t quite cut it and suggested she write an essay prompt that focuses on a story of hardship that could contextualize her fluctuating grades. Bridget calls Abbey pressing her for when she’s coming home. “I’m just taking time for myself,” Abby tells her. Bridget breaks down.

“Mom I don’t have a single friend at this school, and I’m NOT Conor’s mother,” she cries. “I can barely handle my own shit” These kids need parents for goodness sake. Abby promises to be on the next flight home. Later, Bridget’s math teacher stops her to tell her she got an A on her last exam. Bridget pries a little bit into his personal hardship, asking if he blamed himself over his wife’s death. Turns out she died of an amorism. Oops, now she feels even worse about school life. But he brushes it off, looks like Bridget has finally found an unlikely friend.

When Abby tells the cantankerous sister Margaret (Karina Logue) she’s got to head home her sis unleashes some serious baggage accusing her of getting them all excited about the opportunity of her buying the bar and then having to go home and ask Ray for permission.

“They don’t give out prizes for putting up with bullshit,” Margaret tells Abby when Abby tries to one-up her on staying in her marriage longer than she did. “At least I didn’t hang in there with a guy who fucks everything with a pulse, and then shuts me up with money.” Those are some ugly words, and they hurt. Abby leaves.

Lena (Katherine Moennig) alerts Ray that professor Blackwood made a deal with Governor Verona’s rival and they were planning on having a press conference with Brianna (using the phone messages) to expose the governor for his transgressions. So Ray heads back to talk to Brianna. We learn Brianna spent two years campaigning for him and believing he loved her, but she wasn’t the only woman. Turns out she walked in on him while he was with another woman and that’s when she took the phone. Despite that, she told Blackwood to call it off but it appears he has his own agenda. Ray suggests he help her get the phone back so they jump Blackwood on the way to the press conference. Lena gets the assist for tripping him. Ray realizes he needs Lena and asks her to come back and work for him. She admits she hates sitting around a desk and hates how he’s punishing Avi and that he needs to “light the fuck up.” Like that’s ever going to happen. “I’ll do my best,” Ray tells her. She laughs, and agrees to come back. We just need Avi back now. Later Ray listens to Verona’s phone. Turns out that other woman the Governor was sleeping with is none other than Paige Finney (Katie Holmes). He calls Paige and tells her they need to meet now.

Paige is horrified at the prospect of the phone message getting leaked. Ray knows she didn’t have any interest in “that fat fuck” Tom Verona, but more so someone who could ultimately get her what she wanted. Paige thinks her dad will leverage her out of the business if he gets knowledge of this. Ray asks what she’s done to her father. “The better question is what’s he done to me?” she says. Paige tells him to name his price, she wants him on her payroll. “I work for your father,” Ray finalizes the conversation.

Terry gets into Bunchy’s business again. This time he screws up Bunch’s business relationship with the Luchadora shows. Bunchy paid Theresa’s brother Pablo (Martin Garcia) who manages the show and Terry thinks Pable’s taking advantage of him so beats the guy up. The altercation forces the group to leave the gym and Bunch is crushed. “We don’t all have to spend our lives fucking miserable,” Bunch tells Terry, when Terry tries to console him by telling him they were going to rip him off.

Mickey and Daryll go back for another visit to Mrs. Minassian (Grace Zabriskie), this time she wants a 50/50 partnership in the business. When Mickey takes a pass, she tries to get Mick to think the terms were good for them both and that they could settle their debts with the Mexicans and they could take advantage of her organization. Mickey’s not buying it. As they get up to walk out, she asks how old is your grandson (referring to Conor). “A beautiful boy, such pink cheeks,” she warns.

Mickey flips out. “Shut your fucking mouth,” he tells her. Daryll suggests he stay on her good side. He goes back to the bargaining table. She’s still at 50/50.

Finney wants the phone from Ray but Ray tells him he got rid of it. Finney knows Paige was on it. “As a father I would have assumed you would want to bury that thing,” Ray tells him.  Finney presses him on if he gave it to Paige, but Ray didn’t. Finney tells him that the governor is having a party and he needs to bring Mrs. Donovan (that’ll be interesting). As soon as he leaves Varick comes in wondering if he got the phone, looks like they both knew. Ewww. What’s up with that?

Ray meets up with Paige later. She’s surprised and relieved he didn’t give him the phone.  She kisses him. Ray needs to push her away, she’s trouble. Why her relationship with her father is so fractured she won’t share. She claims she tried too hard to get his attention and then “he preferred feeling needed versus feeling proud.” Ray gives her the phone for 3% of her football team.

Father Romero is preying on a confused and upset Bunchy. He convinces him to find solace in prayer. Where’s Terry now???

Ray goes home and finds Mickey and Conor sharing some eats. Not happy, he tells Conor to go to bed. Mick asks for three minutes of Ray’s time, where he shares a drink and how Conor is lonesome and needs someone around. Yeah, hard to believe Mick’s handing out parenting advice. At least Ray appreciates the humor of it. After Mick leaves, Ray chills with the dog (oh yes, the Dogo Argentino-Mastiff is still around). Dog’s ears perk up at the sound of the front door, Abby’s home. Ray and Abby look pleased to see one another.

 

Photos Credit: Michael Desmond/SHOWTIME