Perpetual Grace, LTD season 1 episode 9 recap: The Elements of an Epiphany

The whole first season of Perpetual Grace, LTD seems like “The Elements of an Epiphany.” Donny gets a gun. Wesley gives up. Glenn takes a walk. We’ve got the recap!

In “The Elements of an Epiphany,” a lot of characters seem to be coming to the same conclusion: they are garbage people. Except, that’s not true for any of these characters. The fact that they have the self-awareness to realize they screw things up, take advantage of people, and fail to succeed makes them loveable. It makes them like you and me: People just wandering through life. No one on Perpetual Grace, LTD may be achieving their wildest dreams, but they’re all still special.

Like I mentioned in my recap of “Fiveever,” Executive Producer, Creator, and Director Steve Conrad (Patriot) uses a lot of space in many scenes. It evokes the emotion in the scene and is just super pretty. You should check it out. Since this is the penultimate episode of the season and a whole lot happened, I’ll recap in terms of characters vs. pure scene description. It’s a trip.

Ma and Pa

Ma (Jackie Weaver) and Pa (Sir Ben Kingsley) are still being held by the Cartel in the mattress warehouse. We flashback to Pa’s orphanage days with a childhood Donny (Joshua Bobb). Donny is going over which boy they should kill and why they should kill him. If they pick the wrong one, they might lose out on concessions, like free pudding. There needs to be a rhyme and reason for the child they wish to kill. And in an instant, it becomes clear where the concept of Get the Rhythm comes from.

Perpetual Grace, LTD-Courtesy of Epix

James says it was all just a magic trick gone wrong. Walker, Texas Ranger is interrupted by the town sheriff. Walker, Texas Ranger tells James he wants to see a magic trick when he gets back. The town sheriff explains to Walker, Texas Ranger that he can’t keep conducting interviews in the barbershop. It’s a condemned building that could collapse at any moment. The sheriff gives Walker, Texas Ranger one more day to conduct his investigation. Then he has to go back to Texas.

Defeated, Walker, Texas Ranger walks back into the barbershop to see James floating in the air. He compliments him and tells him to get down so he can remove the ankle monitor. James is free to be stalked by the creepy undertaker dude. Meanwhile, Walker, Texas Ranger just sits in the barbershop until Donny (Tony Spall) of all people walks in. He’s been reading the town newspapers over all of the abandoned storefronts. Their conversation is brief, but Donny recognizes that Walker, Texas Ranger actually likes to be called a detective because he’s so precise. Walker, Texas Detective’s case might still be open, yet.

Donny and New Leaf/Space Junk

Donny needs a gun so he can kill Pa. He decides to track down New Leaf because he seems like the most trouble in town. Trouble always has a gun. Donny intends to just take it from New Leaf. He catches up with him in New Leaf’s abandoned Lens Crafters store. This may or may not be right after New Leaf legally files to change his name to Space Junk. That’s what he wants to be known as.

Perpetual Grace, LTD–Credit: Epix

When the two meet, Donny demands the gun. New Leaf says he doesn’t deal in that business, anymore. The two converse. Donny prods New Leaf for an in. He asks New Leaf about the sheep and wolves in prison. As it starts to get blustery and rain, Donny explains that he’s neither a sheep or a wolf. He’s the weather.

Donny asks why New Leaf was in jail the last time. When he explains it was for killing a man who called his dad a P, Donny tells New Leaf that a man who could be called a P is certainly most definitely a P. New Leaf immediately produces the gun to shoot Donny, but realizes how he was provoked, how easy it was, and how quickly Donny figured out how to do it. New Leaf leaves the gun on the counter for Donny. He walks to Perpetual Grace, LTD and gives James a hug. He windmill kicks in most of the windows in the abandoned storefronts on the way there. We know why they need to be newspapered, now. As a cathartic reward, James asks if New Leaf will allow is parents bodies to be disfigured for their caper again.

Glenn Rules the World

Glenn (Dash Williams) was absent from most of this episode, which sucked. Glenn rules. But there was a payoff. Glenn may not know what words mean or that they’re not spelled with numbers, but he’s a good, empathic friend. James is struggling. He needs help. When Glenn was struggling, James helped and then made sure he reunited with his father. So, Glenn returns the favor. He walks to Texas and tracks down James’ dad. He’s hard to miss since he walks around in a spacesuit.

On a park bench, Glenn explains the situation. James is in trouble. He knows that James tried to call his dad, but he won’t answer. Glenn tells him to stop being a P and be there for his son. And, just like that, Glenn gets up to go back to New Mexico. But, he’s followed by James’ dad. The two run and then walk back towards New Mexico. This is the most heartwarming and potentially most tragic moment of the season to date.

And next week is the season finale! Have you enjoyed the first season of Perpetual Grace, LTD? What do you think is going to happen in the finale? Let’s discuss in the comments!