‘Criminal Record’ Season 2’s Penultimate Episode “Goes Down”
June chooses down in 'Criminal Record's "Goes Down."
Like many thriller series, Criminal Record Season 2 is predicated on a specific trope in its penultimate episode. Unfortunately, it’s one that I don’t like very much, which made this week difficult to watch and harder to write about.
Hegarty has been (technically) removed from the case, but we, the viewers, all know that’s only on the surface. Even if Kim weren’t still on the team, someone would be leaking every last detail to the man they call “Boss,” because these people are all his loyalists. June can have him removed for illegal corner cutting, but he’s still the one they’re following, not her. Even worse, we’re supposed to cheer on this complete disrespect of her authority, because we, the audience, know she’s made the wrong decision and will need to be saved from herself.
I’m sure there’s a real name for this particular plot device, were I to dig through TV tropes. However, I have privately always called it “She Chose Down,” in honor of the Helping Hands scene in the David Bowie-Sarah Connelly film, Labyrinth. Since June’s pointed that way, she’ll commit to going down. Was that wrong?
Too late now.
