3 acts of deception in Tell Me a Story Season 1, Episode 9
By Mads Lennon
In the penultimate episode of Tell Me a Story’s debut season, the stakes are higher than ever and no one is who they seem.
Next week is the season one finale of Tell Me a Story on CBS, and therefore, the latest episode, titled “Deception,” sets up several major confrontations that we’ll see play out on January 3. Among those final battles are Kayla & Nick, Hannah & Katrina, and Jordan & Sam. Nick isn’t planning to go quietly into the night. He’ll do anything to get Kayla back, for better or for worse.
With Gabe still in captivity, Hannah is forced to get creative in her mission to save his life. Jordan is doing his best to stop obsessing over his revenge mission but after the choices he makes concerning Sam’s son, he may have pushed the third “little pig” too far to turn back now.
Nick’s Deception: Sideburns maketh the man.
I’m aware his real name is Josh, but I’m just going to keep calling him Nick for the duration of my recaps since it simplifies things.
Nick is not backing down from his mission to sway Kayla back into his corner. He’s acting on impulse and obsession. He doesn’t love Kayla; not really, he just wants to declare ownership of her.
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Poor Laney winds up in Nick’s crosshairs and goes the same way as Ethan (I’ve lost track now of how many women have died and served no purpose on this show, something I really hope is rectified next season). Laney is forced to lure Kayla into a trap once she wanders into the lion’s den in search of her ex-beau.
When Kayla arrives, she winds up in a dangerous game of cat and mouse with her teacher and is only saved by a group of surprisingly caring New Yorkers. But Nick isn’t going down without a fight and if you know the story of Little Red Riding Hood then you probably guessed the direction his story was headed. He pays Kayla’s grandmother a visit at her costume shop and by episode’s end. A (poorly) disguised Nick is spotted in Tim’s restaurant where he runs into another one of the show’s villains…
Hannah’s Deception: There is no greater danger than underestimating your opponent.
After the shocking reveal last week that Katrina is actually Esther’s daughter and the brains behind the criminal organization whose been hunting the Perez siblings all season long, it’s not surprising that Katrina is ready to go in guns blazing after Hannah for her money. Hannah has somehow managed to evade her, beat her thugs into bloody pulp, and escape with her money time and time again. Katrina is out of patience and if Hannah isn’t cautious, her brother will be out of time.
The witch of our Hansel and Gretel tale is all set to launch yet another attack on Hannah but things don’t pan out the way she anticipates. Turns out, Hannah has help and they’re able to take out every henchman Katrina sends at them. The finale is likely going to bring these two women head-to-head to duke it out for the bag of bills and Gabe’s life.
I’m not so sure both Perez’s are going to make it out of this alive, but I’m hoping they do. Poor Gabe truly had no idea how far in over his head he had gotten when this show began. Let’s just hope the two of them can make it out unscathed.
Jordan’s Deception: A stranger is just a friend you haven’t met yet.
I kind of stopped feeling sorry for Jordan a while ago. Out of all three storylines this season of Tell Me a Story, this is the one that has worn on me the most. I mean at one point does Jordan acknowledge this is barely about Beth anymore? This isn’t what she would want for him.
He finally comes to his senses this week when he comes within a hair of kidnapping a child. Feigning friendly familiarity with his father, Jordan swoops in on Sam’s kid while his unsuspecting mother stops at a food truck. He gets him almost into his car when he goes lucid and understands to involve an innocent child makes him the lowest of the low.
Look, Sam is no peach either. Both men are going to wind up dead by the other’s hand at the rate things are going, but I lost sympathy for Jordan a while ago. Maybe that makes me heartless, but I think the bulk of it is because this storyline has just been dragged out far too long.
Regardless, everything is shaping up to a showdown between Jordan and Sam next week. Lucky for Jordan, now he has Detective Garcia on his side. Will the little pig triumph over the big bad wolf? And in this story… it’s not entirely clear who is who.
Odds & Ends
- I’m a broken record, but come on, you can’t tell me that’s the extent of Kim Cattrall’s role!? Hopefully something exciting (that’s not death even though it probably will be) happens with her in the finale.
- In the same vein of thought, as I point out above in regards to the three little pigs story being dragged out too long, I do think this show may only need 6-8 episodes instead of 10 next season. That is, unless they’re able to pace the storytelling better. Perhaps they could introduce another story or two also, maybe wrap up one of the originals by midseason and get another rolling. I still really enjoyed the debut season but I felt a little exhausted by the amount of time it took to get to certain plot points at times.
The season one finale of Tell Me a Story will be available to stream Jan. 3 on the CBS All Access app.
What did you think of the penultimate episode? Who will survive the finale? How will each story wrap up next week? Let me know in the comments!