REVIEW: ‘Full Circle’ Episodes 3-4

Full Circle Episodes Three and Four bring us back into director Steven Soderbergh‘s noir drama. Following the events of the last two episodes, the mystery of the kidnapping of a wrongful child unloads a slew of interconnected events. Slow-burning but thoughtfully written by Ed Solomon, these two episodes offer unmatched tension and excellent performances from the cast.

While the last two episodes acted as a foundation for all of our characters, Full Circle Episodes Three and Four are a vehicle for secrets. Derek, played by Timothy Olyphant, had a secret child 16 years ago. Much like the other ones people are keeping, this secret acts like a poison. The dynamics between Derek and his wife Sam, Claire Danes, are shifting as her suspicion rises as to why her husband cared so much about a child that wasn’t their own. Clearly a commentary on wealth and power, her motivations are shrouded in the selfishness of a mother who only cares for their own family.

However, Full Circle does a great job of using this to explore the depths of these characters’ flaws. Derek may have tried his best to help a child who ironically ends up being his own, but Sam has ties that suggest her family was involved in a high-profiting real-estate investigation in Guyana. This information is delivered by an unwavering camera keen on capturing every shift in each actor’s performance. It’s gripping and, at times, feels invasive enough that it brings in both the tension and anxiety these characters are experiencing in Full Circle Episodes Three and Four. 

Sam and Derek are not the only ones with secrets, though. Nicolas, the secret child of Derek, is making his kidnappers believe he is Jared (the actual son of Derek). As audience members know, it’s painful to see how this child is bringing further chaos to the victims of Mrs. Mahabir’s manipulation. Played with utter realism, Gerald Jones as Louis and Adia as Natalia deliver harrowing performances as they navigate trying to do the right thing even as their lives and citizenship depend on it. Thinking that Nicolas is actually Jared, they ruined Mrs. Mahabir’s circle in order not to kill anyone. Natalia and Xavier go on the run with Nicolas and attempt to figure out how they leave Mrs. Mahabir’s gang.

Holed up in a motel room, they attempt to get ‘Jared’ to contact their parents. The writing in this conflict is very easy to follow and also devastating. Also, they both cannot understand why ‘Jared’ is a privileged son of a wealthy couple. They would love to be wealthy enough not to worry about committing crimes to uplift themselves from poverty. As they connect the dots, it’s in a dark room, shadowed by yellow lamp light, and the weight of their lives is displayed over their faces. In just four episodes, both Solomon and Soderbergh are able to get audience members to not only care about their characters but tie multiple storylines together in an easily understandable way.

While those aspects were standouts in Full Circle Episodes Three and Four, there was a distinct shift in storytelling that abandoned the foundation the previous episodes explored. Mrs. Mahabir (CCH Pounder) was initially a huge focus as her string-pulling is what is driving many characters’ motivations. However, she is pushed to the background as the narrative explores other characters. However, the supernatural aspect of the kidnapping gets abandoned. There is some mention in episode 4 about how the ritual was not complete, but there is no other mention. It feels like a massive oversight that is hopefully explored more in the next two episodes. For now, the purpose of these crimes is rendered unimportant. Mrs. Mahabir is already such a fascinating character that the loss of her presence is felt throughout Full Circle Episodes Three and Four.

Another weak point of this series is detectives Melody Harmony and Manny Broward, portrayed by Zazie Beetz and Jim Gaffigan. Melody’s charm during the first two episodes has eroded as she comes off as an audience stand-in to connect the dots. As she bulldozed over other characters to explain the plot, it severely diminishes the thought and care Solomon put into other aspects of the narrative. Noirs as a genre work the best as information is slowly uncovered, and the audience can revel in these shocks together. Detective Melody does a huge disservice as a conduit because it renders her character one-dimensional. It’s a shame because Beetz is putting a lot of effort into portraying this rough-around-the-edges detective. This type of character is a main staple of the genre, but unfortunately, the narrative would feel much stronger if she was allowed to sleuth and discover without explaining, in detail, the entire story so far.

With that being said, Detective Broward is a character who feels as if he only exists to cause tension between him and Detective Melody. This is not entirely the case, as he is connected to Sam Browne’s potential crimes in Guyana, but it still feels muddled. This is due to his narrative connective to Melody but also Gaffigan’s performance. His portrayal feels unnatural and stiff. Awkwardly delivered lines diminish the believability of his character. Each piece of his dialogue in Full Circle Episodes Three and Four feels forced and takes me out of the show entirely when placed next to great actors such as Danes and Beetz.

This show is beginning to lose its footing in its second act. While mood and atmosphere are still captured, the story is starting to buckle under the weight of its size. By the time Full Circle Episodes Three and Four finish, I’m left with more questions than seem possible to answer in just two more episodes. With great performances from Danes, Olyphant, Adia, and Jones, Full Circle continues to be an enjoyable piece of noir fiction despite its weaker aspects.

Full Circle is now streaming on Max on Thursdays.