Trust season 1, episode 3 recap: La Dolce Vita

By Ariba Bhuvad | Apr 9, 2018

Trust fills in the gaps between Getty III’s kidnapping and John Paul Getty’s press conference

Trust is proving itself with each episode that passes and this week highlights Getty III’s disappearance in a stellar, captivating manner. Up until now, the events before and after have been illustrated in the series, but the actual kidnapping was yet to be seen. Throughout the episode, there are glimpses of Getty III from moments the audience has already seen intertwined with the moments unfolding in this episode.

The episode opens to the streets of Rome as the youth indulges in the 1970’s vibe of partying, drugs, sex and all things rebellious. There is a home invasion scene that sets the stage for the violence that lies ahead and introduces a villain that is about to become a part of the Gettys’ lives. Remember Berto from the cafe that displays Getty III’s art? He is seen once again, as he is brought Getty III who is then thrown into the trunk of a car.

This moment reveals that before Getty III went to visit his rich grandfather, he was extremely broke. In an attempt to make money, he sold his paintings to Berto–to whom he owed $6,000. Berto not only provided Getty III with money but also a constant supply of cocaine that he was promised the Gettys would eventually pay.

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The plot thickens when we learn that Berto himself owes people money which presents problems when Getty III is unable to deliver the money he promised. Getty III and his group of hippy friends promise Berto that if he comes to a club, he will get to meet Roman Polanski. However, not only is he unable to get in but steps in a pile of dog crap to top it off–pushing his limits to the nth degree.

When Berto shows up at Getty III’s apartment the next day asking for his money back, Getty III realizes that his friends have been building up debt under the Getty name. Much to their surprise, they thought he would be able to repay any debts with no issues. Now under the pressure and threats of Berto, Getty III must find a way to pay him back.

He goes to his mother who is only able to provide him with a little cash. This is when Getty III goes to ask his grandfather for help. The episode pieces together a lot of gaps at this point and brings the story together beautifully. In summary, Getty III’s friends racked up debt and that led him to scheme against his family for money.

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Getty III stages a kidnapping and then escapes it when the conditions become too rough. Then a frustrated Berto takes the fake kidnapping and sells it to Primo, an actual kidnapper who kills Berto and throws Getty III into the trunk. So a fake kidnapping turns into a real kidnapping just like that–leaving Getty III to suffer the consequences.

And with John Paul Getty “refusing to pay a solitary cent,” it seems Getty III’s future appears as grim as ever. Will he make it out alive? Will the ransom be paid? While we know how the real-life events transpired, it will be interesting to see where Trust takes this infamous story.

Trust airs Sundays at 10/9c on FX!