Handshake Deal Recap: Ray Donovan

“Handshake Deal” (Ray Donovan, S3, E5, 8-9-15) was all about people getting in over their heads. Ray got an assigfnment from Andrew Finney that landed him deeper in their dysfunctional family mess, as if his own isn’t enough. The episode began with Mickey Donovan having a “perfect family” daydream. He’s working the grill out by the pool, throwing steaks and whole lobsters on there while Bunchy, Terry and Darryl have fun in the pool with Bridget and Conor. Abby and Ginger happily look on. Ray comes up wearing the same shirt Mickey has on, says “great party” and hands Mickey a cold one. They toast.

Daryll snapped Mickey out of his reverie, complaining that they are in over their heads with this new party Mickey floated $15K for. Daryll looked up the Armenians in wikipedia and they are vicious. PJ, the developer of an app called Kwip, appears with half the money and that sets Daryll’s mind at ease.

Abby’s big dog hounded Ray for food while he tried to make the kids school lunches. Abby just gives them lunch money, Bridget informed him. Conor was grounded and told to come home right after school. As Bridget tweaked her personal story for her mandatory college advisor meeting, Andrew Finney called. Ray promised to meet Bridget at school before taking the call.

Andrew Finney need Ray to retrieve a cell phone stolen by Briana, a former aide of Governor Tom Verona. It has compromising messages on it that could derail Verona’s re-election bid. Varick Strauss tried to pay off Briana, but that was a fail. He didn’t want Ray to say anything about it to Paige. Ray went to Briana’s campus apartment and learned that her advisor, Sheldon Blackwood, had the phone. Blackwood got cute with Ray about keeping the phone and since Ray had to get over to Bridget’s meeting, he got Lena to help him out for triple her rate. Lena planted a bug in Blackwood’s office.

At the college advisor meeting, Ray learned about Bridget’s falling grades. The advisor wasn’t happy with her personal statement either. A hardship tale would work better. Bridget thanked her father for coming, even though he was out of his element. Ray was then summoned to the Finney mansion where Paige was about to be undercut on her NFL bid. She needs Ray to get rid of the hick bidder. Andrew wanted Ray to ignore the bidder and get the phone. Out in the hall, Paige tried to find out what her father said but Lena called with news that Blackwood was planning on giving the phone to Verona’s rival in the gubernatorial race.

Supporting Cast of “Handshake Deal”

Ray returned to Briana who believes Blackwood will destroy the phone. Ray told her that was a lie, he’s going public with it and her name will be dragged through the mud in the media. Briana helped Ray and Lena get the phone back. In his car, Ray listened to the three voice mails. One is from Paige Finney. He meets with Paige who claims to be sick at the thought of that phone message becoming public. She also offered to make Ray a better deal than he had with her father for the phone because her father will use the call to leverage her out of the business.

Ray claimed he got rid of the phone to Andrew Finney who was annoyed at this departure from his orders. Ray assured Finney that he did not give Paige the phone. Finney told Ray he was invited to an election party the Governor was having on Tuesday and to bring his wife. On his way out, Ray was asked about the phone again by a very worried looking Varick. Ray ignored him and went to meet Paige. He negotiated a deal for 3% of her NFL deal. When that’s in writing, she’ll get the phone. Paige kissed him and wondered if he is out of his depths. “I’ll manage,” Ray replied.

At KWIP, Mickey has to get the girls to be proactive since the employees are not schooled in “first moves.” Soon the party is in full swing. Conor forgot he’s not allowed to talk to Mickey anymore and about being grounded. He went over to see Mickey and called him when he wasn’t at the El Dorado. Mickey asked Daryll to continue to supervise the KWIP action and went to get Conor. Michelle told Daryll they should wind down since the guys snorted all the coke but he thinks the right move is to get $10K more.

Mickey reassured Conor that his mattress adventures did not cause his mother to leave. Ginger called Mickey with the party’s current status. Back at the party with Conor in tow, Mickey couldn’t believe Darryl’s idiocy. PJ refused to pay for the extra coke. It was their responsibility to end the party when the coke ran out. Meantime, Conor went upstairs and lost his virginity to a hooker.

Mickey and Daryll go to the Minassians for another $10K. Mrs. Minassian is most agreeable as long as they get 50% of the cash flow moving forward. Mickey does not want partners but the woman makes some remarks about what a beautiful boy Conor is. Sensing a serious threat, Mickey changes his mind about the partnership. You know, Mrs. Minassian has a point that Mickey and Darryl don’t have an organization. PJ would have paid the vicious Armenians tout de suite.

Bridget had to miss Mr. Donellen’s calculus class because of her meeting. He caught up with and told her she got an A on her test. She told him how she didn’t want to write a story about her murdered boyfriend just to get into some bullshit college. He is shocked to learn she knows about his wife’s death when she asks him if he felt guilty about it, as if there was something he could have done differently. No, he didn’t because apparently what Bridget heard about the car crash was not so. Mrs. Donellen was the victim of a blood clot, not her husband’s driving. Mr. Donellen told her to write about getting a D in math.

At the gym, Teresa took her little games with Bunchy a step further with a little boob show in his office. Terry interrupted their little rendezvous. Now Bunchy really had it bad for Teresa. Later Teresa overheard Father Romero talking about Bunchy’s settlement and how the lawyers wouldn’t let him sue. She questioned Bunchy about it and he told her about his childhood trauma. Bunchy was afraid that would be it but Teresa said she didn’t have a problem with it. Later, Terry watched Pablo get an envelope of cash from Bunchy. Pablo told Bunchy that he was Teresa’s brother and didn’t want him interfering with her training. Terry followed Pablo down the stairs and took the money off him. When Pablo tried to explain, he got headbutted.

So the Mexicans pull out. Bunchy begged Teresa to stay but it was her family, so she had to go. She touched his face tenderly and said she’ll miss f–king with him. When they all left, Terry told Bunchy they were going to rip him off. Bunchy didn’t believe it. It didn’t take long for Father Romero to zero in on Bunchy’s depression. Romero said prayer still works for him and sits there praying.

In Boston, Abby paid a visit to her father in the nursing home. She was right when she said in the last episode that it would be better if she didn’t visit him. He was rude and insulting. Abby told him she wants to buy the bar and that went over like a fart in church. Her sister, Margaret was not surprised but also not unwilling to let Abby buy it in her name and brother Dave’s. As the Kelly siblings toast to this new prospect, Bridget called and managed to convey to her mother that she was not capable of looking after herself or her errant brother. Abby promised to leave on the next flight. Then she got in a fight with Margaret who did not want her hopes raised for nothing. Margaret certainly takes after her father in the insult department, telling Abby that she lets Ray treat her like a dog and shut her up with money. Strange things to say when you need that money.

Ray and Dog were watching TV on the couch when Abby got home, but the dog deserted Ray to greet Abby.