Fathers and Sons

"Fathers and Sons"
Season 1, Episode 12

Air date	June 1, 2010
Written by	Dave Andron
Directed by	Michael Katleman
U.S. Viewers	2.13 million
Episode Guide
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"Fathers and Sons" is the 12th and penultimate episode of the first season, and the 12th episode in the series overall. It was written by supervising producer Dave Andron and directed by Michael Katleman. It first aired on June 1, 2010.

Plot[]

Synopsis[]

The marshals are forced to turn to Arlo for help in making a case against Bo Crowder, but will he go along? Meanwhile, Bo is having problems of his own with Boyd, who continues to wage a religious war against his drug business.

Recap[]

Arlo confesses the details of his collection duties for Bo to Raylan and Art. He admits to skimming just a little bit off the top. Raylan then acknowledges that the marshals aren't so much interested in the past. In other words, they'd like Arlo to get back in Bo's "good graces" in order to provide information on Boyd.

"You want me to be a snitch?" Arlo asks. Exactly. Cut to Florida, where Bo meets his supplier on a golf course. The smooth-talking criminal warns Bo of the potential "consequences" of their partnership — a warning Bo finds insulting as it implies he is little more than a rube. The kingpin's main concern, however, is Raylan (of course) and the killing of his captain, Tommy Bucks, in Miami.

Back in Kentucky, the marshals try to convince Arlo to wear a wire. He refuses, which makes Raylan's blood boil. "Everything that led to this moment was your choice!" the son yells. Seethes Arlo: "You are a miserable son of a bitch, Raylan... I'm glad your momma didn't live to see how turned out!" Arlo charges out of the office.

Later, Art admonishes the younger Raylan for losing his cool (again) — and orders him to convince dear ol' dad to return and be a mole — wire or not.

The next morning, Ava walks up to discover she is at Winona's house. The two women share an awkward cup of coffee before Raylan calls. Ava explains to the marshal that he was "right" — and that she'll be heading out of town until everything blows over. Cut to an empty warehouse where Bo and the gang are getting a tour from a realtor. They claim to be in the furniture-making business (rather than drugs). When the realtor leaves, Bo takes charge. "I don't want to be here more than week," he says. "Is that enough for you to cook the entire shipment?" Nods all around.

Later, Ava returns home to find Bo's thugs drinking beer and watching TV. They claim that the house is Crowder property since it has always been in the name of Ava's ex, the now-deceased Bowman Crowder.

Meanwhile, Winona pays a late-night visit to Raylan at his hotel room. With few words, she takes off her wedding ring and leans in to kiss her ex-husband. Soon, they're in full-fledged foreplay mode and clothes become optional. Afterward, Winona gets dressed, puts on her ring and walks out as Raylan watches silently from the bed. No words because none are needed. Unfortunately, Ava is parked outside — and watches the former Mrs. Givens leave.

The next day, Ava goes to see Helen. "I need a gun," the former tells Raylan's stepmother. "You always struck me as a woman who takes things into your own hands." Helen warns that Bo won't take kindly to Ava clearing Crowder thugs out of her house with a shotgun. "I just have to show him I'm not scared," Ava says.

Cut to the inside of a church, where Boyd volunteers to preach to the crowd, including his father. "Like Jesus, we must never be afraid to strike out against those who practice evil!" Boyd tells. "We must take the high road of righteousness ... even if it means leaving our own flesh and blood behind." Outside, the father and son exchange barely concealed threats about meeting their makers.

Later, Raylan arrives outside the VFW to find it swarming with cops. Turns out a young Iraq vet nicknamed "Lucky" is inside with a grenade. The soldier's unit is about to be redeployed to Afghanistan and "Lucky" is overcome with guilt due to a lung condition that prevents him from joining them in Afghanistan. Inside, Arlo talks gently to the boy. "I'm telling you old timer, you really don't want to be here," Lucky says. "What you think you going to say to me?" Arlo insists he only wants to finish his drink. They swap horrible war stories in which they lived while others died. (Arlo's narrative of his time in Vietnam being convincingly fabricated on the fly.) "I think Lucky was the name given to you because it's a blessing, not a curse," Arlo says. "Why not you?" The boy begins to cry. Moments later, he gives himself up with no further violence. Raylan enters and joins his dad at the bar. "I'll wear the wire," Arlo says. "I just spent an hour next to a nut job with a live grenade. Turns out I'm not as afraid of dying as I used to be."

Ava, in the meantime, enters Johnny's bar armed with a shotgun. She confronts Bo in the back room. "It's not my fault your son was a wife-beating piece of shit," she says. "You harassing me like this? It ain't right." Bo states he doesn't want to kill Ava, but he wants her to leave Kentucky and never return. She refuses — and warns the old man that she has already shot one Crowder and isn't afraid to plug another.

Later, a wired Arlo visits Bo while Raylan, Art, and Tim listen in from a nearby van. Arlo talks a good enough game but holds up a notepad to Bo that reads "play along... I'll feed feds garbage. You pay me." Bo responds with his own note reading, "Kiss my ass." Bo, who now knows that Raylan is listening, says that Arlo should ask his son to make sure Ava gets out of town. "She stood right where you're standing and pointed a shotgun at me," Bo says. Arlo smiles. "If I see him, I'll tell him," the elder Givens says. Silently, Arlo gives Bo an envelope stuffed with newspaper cut in the shape of currency, while the listening surveillance team hears the sounds of paper and believes that Arlo is paying Bo the $20,000 they'd given him to make their set-up convincing.

Afterward, Raylan runs straight to Ava's house, who is sitting in the dark with a shotgun at the ready. "What the hell are you thinking?" Raylan demands. Ava then reveals that she knows that Raylan rekindled his romance with Winona. "I can be myself here," a weary Ava says. "Whether I die tomorrow or 10 years from now, it's going to be here. This is home."

Later that night, the truck transporting Bo's $2 million dollar ephedrine shipment on consignment from Gio is stopped by a pickup truck parked in the road. Ernesto and Pilar exit the truck with guns drawn — and then drop to the ground when a masked Boyd appears holding a rocket launcher. Instead of killing Ernesto and Pilar, Boyd takes their phones, wallets and firearms and sends them back to Miami with the gift of their spared lives.

The young Crowder, with his trademark "Fire in the hole!" yell, proceeds to blow up his father's drug shipment.

Now who is justified?

Appearances[]

First Appearances[]

Gio Reyes - Business associate of Bo Crowder and the head of the Miami drug cartel who looks to sell meth to Bo, but also wants Raylan Givens dead
Pilar - Niece of Gio who is ordered to drive the meth down to Harlan
Ernesto - Nephew of Gio who is ordered to drive the meth down to Harlan
Lucky - A sad, young war veteran drinking at the VFW who is uplifted by a completely fabricated war story by Arlo Givens
The Reverend - The reverend at a local church that Bo and Boyd are attending
Kelly Davis - The new Harlan sheriff who is bitter towards Raylan for the incarceration of Hunter Mosley

Production[]

Cast[]

Starring Cast

Timothy Olyphant as Raylan Givens
Nick Searcy as Art Mullen
Joelle Carter as Ava Crowder
Jacob Pitts as Tim Gutterson
Erica Tazel as Rachel Brooks (credit only)
Natalie Zea as Winona Hawkins

Guest stars

Co-stars

Lizabeth Allen as Martha Simms
John Lee Ames as Boyd's Man 1
Chris Gorbos as Davis's Deputy
Tommy Savas as Ronson
Ronnie Steadman as Hestler's Friend

Fathers and Sons

Contents