We all have layers. Often, we try to hide pieces of ourselves from the public. But what happens when that comes out? That’s the dilemma facing Dave (Taron Egerton) in this week’s seventh episode of Smoke. Our episode, “Whitewashed Tombs,” gives Dave some hero moments, but also begins revealing his darker side to the world. Let’s dive into this week’s episode.
Trigger warning: This recap references a suicide.
At the end of episode 6, Dave finally caught up with Freddy (Ntare Mwine), the milk jug arsonist. He slapped the cuffs on at the end of the episode, and this week he’s being celebrated. Well, at least celebrated by most of them. Our investigators, meanwhile, are deflated, having failed to find much evidence and seen Dave boost his profile in the meantime.
Dave, meanwhile, is doing morning show interviews and even has some interest in his book again. He hopes to parlay this into a reunion with Ashley (Hannah Emily Anderson). But she’s not interested. Her strong rebuff causes a flash of anger for Dave. He’s played the hero, but he still can’t get what he wants.
Meanwhile Freddy isn’t talking. He says he’ll only speak to Dave. Once Dave arrives, with Calderone (Jurnee Smollett) in tow to observe, he’s all swagger. But things don’t go as expected with Freddy. Turns out one broken monster can spot another. Freddy knows that, deep down, Dave is broken and harboring his own rage. He presses Dave to reveal his true self, but Dave manages to resist. Once he’s in the parking lot, it all proves too much. Dave throws up violently then excuses himself to head home, leaving Calderone to pursue her side investigation.
As for Freddy, his sad story comes to an end this week. He was on the cusp of ending his personal suffering when Dave intervened. After having said his peace to the man who caught him, Freddy is ready to go. In the quiet of night in his cell, he hangs himself. Bringing his sad story to an end.
Dave, meanwhile, heads off to meet with an agent, Erica Boswell (Nicole Olivera). But it turns out Steven (Rafe Spall) has gotten to her first. With agent Dawn Hudson (Anna Chlumsky) posing as her associate, they meet with Dave and hope to get him to incriminate himself. But Dawn pushes too hard and Dave holds back. It’s not the only misstep this week.
Calderone decides to get personal. She approaches Ashley and finds her willing to talk. But she doesn’t seem to know much about Dave’s secret life. Ezra (John Leguizamo) suggests Calderone try Dave’s ex-wife, Reba (Erin Karplunk). While Reba seems cooperative, when the subject turns to Dave’s dark side, she closes the door. While Calderone hasn’t given up, it’s a no for now.
Worse yet, she’s aroused Reba’s suspicions. It isn’t long before Reba calls Dave with a heads up. Soon, he puts the pieces together. By the end of the hour, he’s spotted Dawn working with Ezra, and knows that even his friend Harvey (Greg Kinnear) is in on the investigation. That leaves him angry and motivated, which doesn’t seem good for our investigative team.
Calderone’s mother
In the other storyline that’s been hovering in the background, Calderone’s mother is due to be paroled. This is a source of strain for her. In fact, in the previous episode after finding out, she has a near breakdown. With the pressure of the case and everything else, this news seems to be taking a toll and could possibly lead to something more.
This week, she tries to press her sister-in-law Rose (Nozipho Mclean) to say no. These two have a close relationship, but Rose doesn’t appreciate the push. Still, we see her questioning Benji (Mishka Thébaud) later in the hour. Will it be enough to convince them to turn their back on her after she’s released. And if that happens, what will it mean for Calderone? There’s a lot hanging out there with just two episodes left.
Thoughts on Episode 7
We’re getting some interesting movement. With Dave aware of the investigation and seemingly devoid of the ties that kept him in check, we could be pushing toward a full-blown breakdown. Egerton is bringing some great intensity to the role and I’m excited to see where this goes. On the flip side, Freddy’s story throughout has been a downer. This week was no exception. While the episode’s final sequence, and haunting musical choice, are powerful, it’s a sad end for his character.
Smoke streams Fridays on Apple TV+. We recap the action each week right here. Check back next week for the penultimate episode recap!
If you or someone you know are experiencing suicidal thoughts, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 988.