Summary
A sudden change of scenery is on the cards for Costello, Iris, and Selby after the events of the first two episodes catch up with all of them.
This recap of Rain Dogs Season 1 Episode 3, “The Small World of Florian Selby”, contains spoilers.
Things aren’t going well for Costello. In Episode 2, she had an article published in the London Informer that was framed as her defending and taking pride in her sex work – even though she had just lost her job in the sex industry and said nothing of the sort. In “The Small World of Florian Selby”, this article has reached the parents of Iris’s schoolmates, meaning she’s being nastily bullied by her peers, and what looked like a small glimmer of light in the form of Richard, the photographer who asked Costello out, turns out to be disastrous.
Rain Dogs Season 1 Episode 3 Recap
How does Selby clear his debt?
But this episode is named after Selby, so let’s start with him. You’ll recall that when we met him in the premiere, he was leaving prison with a substantial debt to his cellmate, Mason. Unfortunately, Mason has already been released, needs twenty grand for a business venture, and is only willing to allow Selby 48 hours to get it.
Selby tries the usual methods of drumming up quick cash. He gambles. He goes to ask his obviously rich mother, Allegra. Neither works, though. Later, Mason catches up with him again and visits Allegra with Selby in order to basically extort her. She pays up, but she’s adamant that Selby moves to their house in Bruton, where he will be allowed his allowance and not a penny more. Oh, and the thirty grand – Mason upped the total for the inconvenience – is coming out of his inheritance.
How does Costello’s date go?
Costello is only really looking for one thing from her date with Richard, but he doesn’t even manage to provide that. His idea of romance involves rooting around in bins for leftover food, and he’s oddly and immediately fascinated with Costello in a way she finds a bit off-putting and that Selby, who predictably interrupts, identifies as a kind of poverty-porn voyeurism.
That isn’t enough to put Costello off completely, but when Richard… let’s just say leaves her desires unfulfilled, she goes to sleep rather disappointed. She wakes up, conversely, horrified, since he’s in the midst of pleasuring himself inches from her sleeping face.
“I’m better than you,” he mutters as Costello throws him out. If you say so!
Why do Costello and Iris leave with Selby?
Towards the end of the episode Selby tells Costello that he’s leaving for Bruton, and in an impulsive moment, he suggests she and Iris join him. Thanks to a perfect storm of circumstances, they both end up agreeing.
Obviously, Costello is still stinging from her date with Richard. She has lost her job and her reputation has been badly damaged. Iris is, as mentioned earlier, being bullied by her classmates, and Gloria’s attempts to intervene on her behalf have caused even more embarrassment and a rift between her and Costello. Both Costello and Iris decide they’d rather be anywhere else and decide to leave with Selby.
Costello is also inspired to leave after receiving a letter from her mother. This relationship is still very vague, so we’ll have to see how it’s explored down the line, but for now, Costello, Iris, and Selby are all leaving for pastures new.
You can stream Rain Dogs Season 1 Episode 3, “The Small World of Florian Selby” exclusively on HBO and HBO Max.
