Summary
Loot Season 3 hasn’t been totally off to the races, but “Joyride” is one of the finest individual outings the show has ever produced.
It has been difficult to keep track of Loot in Season 3. It definitely dropped the ball in a lazy England-set third episode, but it managed to course correct a little with a half-hour reintroducing John Novak for a ridiculous guest appearance. Still, the sudden uptick in quality displayed in Episode 5, “Joyride”, is a major surprise, since this isn’t just the best episode of the season thus far but one of the very best episodes that the show has ever produced.
The key isn’t just a focus on Nicholas, although that’s always appreciated, but in seeking — and finding — legitimate emotional sincerity. I have no idea if this is Joel Kim Booster’s final appearance on the show, although I haven’t heard anything to suggest it is, but it certainly feels like it is, which is entirely the point. That creates real gravity in the drama, and it’s the most compelling Molly and Nicholas have ever been.
They’re also the only two characters in it, for the most part, so it has a much more intimate feeling than usual. Nicholas is still smarting from the news he received earlier in the season that the dumb Korean-American role he turned down has become a major sensation, and he’s stewing over an offer to star in a spin-off that would mean moving to Korea. The idea of leaving Molly, who is entirely dependent on him, doesn’t seem feasible, and she seems to prove this by assuming that he’s down in the dumps because she has been spending more time with Arthur than with him recently.
To remedy the situation, Molly plans a full “Nicholas Day” that seems to consist entirely of throwing money at him and showering him with gifts. But that’s the trick, you see. Each step of the itinerary has an increasingly personal contour that calls back to how she and Nicholas met. Each prompts flashbacks of their initial encounters, which is obviously a hackneyed storytelling device, but really works a treat here because the scenes set in the past, which find Molly still married to John and totally new to money, are significantly dialled down compared to Loot‘s usual fare.
Molly and Nicholas met when he was working in a clothing store and she was looking for a dress to wear to the party celebrating John’s company going public, but what they bonded over was understanding and compassion, not money. Nicholas selected the dress that most suited Molly, not just the most expensive one, even though he could have used the commission to pay rent arrears at the retirement village where he was living at the time. He got Molly’s hair styled at an exclusive salon through sheer force of will, and when John eventually told her it wasn’t a good idea for her to attend the party after all, Nicholas took her out dancing. The next morning, they sat eating cereal, and Molly offered him a job as her assistant.
This allows for a lovely full circle moment where Molly sits Nicholas down with cereal in the present day, recalling the promise they made to one another and encouraging him to go to Korea and take that part. It’s a huge step for Molly, who does genuinely rely on Nicholas, but also a major step for the show in potentially writing out one of its best and most important characters. Whether they commit to that or not, though, “Joyride” is a stellar example of dramedy writing and probably the finest half-hour in the show’s history.
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