Waco recap: ‘Of Milk and Men’

Michael Shannon is front and center in “Of Milk and Men,” after remaining mostly sidelined throughout the first half of Waco.

With the standoff between the Branch Davidians and the FBI continuing, Noesner is pressured by his organization to get faster results. The rising pressure from both sides makes the hour extremely tense, but Waco is at its best when it’s leaning into the trouble.

The stress of the standoff has led the nursing mothers to stop lactating, which gives Gary his first real way into the compound. He quickly recognizes that Steve is a vulnerable leader of the Branch Davidians, which immediately shows just how good he is at his job. While the audience is privy to the progress Gary made, Gary’s fellow FBI agents aren’t so sure.

“Of Milk and Men” displays the constant push-and-pull between the negotiators and the tactical team as everyone figures out the best way to get the group out of the compound. Thankfully, Noesner has the great idea to wiretap the milk they deliver, so that they have ears within the building and can get some of the kids to safety.

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While Gary holds up his end of the bargain, Steve is subject to getting the rest of the group on board. David steadfastly refuses to allow any of his kids or wives out, and the first big fight between the two best friends ensues. Ultimately, this is the hole that the negotiator needs to find a weakness in the leadership. During the kids/milk exchange, Gary manages to talk to Steve and encourage him to lead the rest of the members out. While he doesn’t agree during “Of Milk and Men,” it’s clear that his doubts are growing with every passing day.

Taylor Kitsch has been excellent throughout Waco, but it’s nice to see him take a backseat throughout “Of Milk and Men.” He gets one powerful scene alongside Melissa Benoist where the two record a thank-you video meant to humanize members of their family. However, the FBI immediately buried that video. Other than that, Steve maintains the bulk of the heavy lifting this episode, and Paul Sparks knocks it out of the park alongside Michael Shannon. It’s definitely in Waco’s best interest to let their impressive ensemble of actors showcase their abilities.

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Despite Gary’s success at getting the group to trust him, the FBI ends up wiping away all of that goodwill by the end of “Of Milk and Men.” Now impatient and angry over the cult’s refusal to come out, the FBI decides to cut the power. With only two episodes left in the mini-series, Waco is ramping up the dispute between the government and the religious group.