The season finale of Big Sky was both what I expected and not at all what I expected – and doesn’t that just sum up the show perfectly? Season 3 was the season that Sheriff Beau Arlen came to town, which is why I started doing these recap/reviews after watching the show sporadically during its first two seasons.
Will he be back in Season 4? Will the show be back in Season 4? We don’t know. And I guess that’s not a bad way to leave it! But after the tour de force that was Ackles’ portrayal of the Sheriff in the finale, many fans are sure hoping we get to see him again.
The episode picks up right where we left off, crazy Buck ditching the van he’s got Emily and Denise in. He stops at a bar to find another vehicle and some hapless guy hears the women screaming and assures them he’ll help them.
So of course Buck kills him and steals his truck, stopping to wave at Emily and Denise with a smile after he drops the poor guy to the ground by snapping his neck. SO creepy.
Carla shows up at the rendezvous site as they’re taking Avery’s body out, distraught and calling for Beau.
Also? Extreme bowlegs there.
He comforts her, and shows himself to be the better man by telling her that in the end, he needs her to know that Avery did everything he could trying to save Emily.
Unfortunately, he says, they think that Buck Barnes has her, which makes Carla even more distraught and who can blame her? Beau reassures her.
Beau: Listen to me, I’m gonna find her and bring her back. Okay?
God knows it’s clear he desperately wants to, more than he wants anything in the universe.
I know I’m in the minority, but I really liked the evolution of Beau and Carla’s relationship in this season. Ackles has said that he played Beau as still in love with Carla, and to me that came through – he’s gentle and protective with her, reassuring her with his touch and with the intense eye contact that shows her how much he cares. And I think she realized that as the season went on, turning to him more and more and forgiving him – or perhaps understanding just how much his partner’s death damaged him – so that they could respect each other again. As co-parents definitely, but maybe as human beings too.
They figure out that Denise and Emily are still alive at least, and call Cassie to help.
Meanwhile, Sunny packs a bag, including her gun, when there’s a noise in her house. It’s Walter, who’s snuck in without the cops seeing him because, as he tells his mother, you didn’t raise a fool. He’s changed his mind about not wanting to see her anymore because Buck is alive. Sunny says she has a plan to set everything right. Sunny and Walter team up? What could go wrong?
Poppernak tells Sunny to sit tight and not go anywhere, the Sheriff is on his way and she can’t leave. Then the smoke alarm goes off in Sunny’s house and when he comes in to see what’s happening, crafty Sunny drives away.
Oops.
Back at the office, Beau, Jenny and Cassie watch the surveillance footage of Buck and see that he drops something, so they investigate, Cassie suggesting that maybe Cormac will recognize it.
Cormac does – it’s a keychain made of bone and it opens a gate that he thinks he might recognize, so he and Cassie go off to investigate.
Before she leaves, Cassie too reassures Beau that they’re going to get Emily and Denise back. Beau looks increasingly distraught – I cannot imagine what it’s like to have to wait and try to stay calm when you know your child is in such danger.