DTF St. Louis episode 4 likely left viewers annoyed, heartbroken, happy, then heartbroken again. The one common denominator with all of this is Carol (Linda Cardellini). Sadly, if you’ve been keeping up with the show, this isn’t shocking.
The fourth episode (titled “A Love Triangle”) begins with Carol talking to Floyd (David Harbour) about their money issues, and as much as people may hate Carol, her current annoyance with him is justified. Floyd continues to forget to cancel things that are costing them more money than they have, and it doesn’t help that he’s so nonchalant about it. But just as you start to feel bad for her, she’s rude to a store clerk for something that isn’t their fault. And, don’t get me started on her tiresome phrase, “No way, Jose.”
Meanwhile, Clark (Jason Bateman) and Floyd go on a bike ride and a wine-drinking excursion. While there, Floyd is honest about his health and the money issues. Clark offers not only to pay for Richard to get into a better school, but he also offers to help him get life insurance. Floyd is hesitant, but Clark reminds him of Floyd’s phrase “B the B” (bring out the best). After that, the two share a series of moments that are heartwarming. Sadly, that ends quickly after Floyd goes to the hotel where Clark and Carol are having an affair and catches them in the act.
Floyd going to the hotel seems to have come out of nowhere, but DTF St. Louis has ended episodes like this before. It’s a way to get people hyped about what’s coming by making you ask questions about what just happened. So far, we don’t know what tipped off Floyd to what’s going on, but it’s clear he’s aware because he went into the closet and waited.
The look on Floyd’s face when he sees his best friend and his wife together is enough to break the coldest of hearts because Floyd seems to be the nicest person in the world. He’s such a kind person that he’s willing to be uncomfortable during a kiss because he doesn’t want to make the other person upset. That brings us to another important part of the final moments, Detective Plumb (Joy Sunday) and Homer (Richard Jenkins) going to meet Christopher Spurce (Peter Sarsgaard), aka Modern Love.
While Chris is talking, Detective Plumb quotes him, “No one’s normal. It just looks that way from across the street.”
This leads him to say, “That’s why God invented P.O. boxes.”
After that, Detectives Plumb and Donoghue Homer put it together that the mysterious key that Clark wouldn’t discuss goes to his secret P.O. box. When they open it, they see that Floyd’s life and health insurance went to Clark and that Carol is set to get over a million dollars if her husband dies.
It’s easy to guess that Detectives Plumb and Homer will have questions for Carol in episode 5, because she looks incredibly guilty. She’s already been caught in a couple of somewhat innocent lies, but this omission is a motive for murder.
Watch new episodes of DTF St. Louis on HBO on Sunday nights!