From the title I assumed there was a Russian mafiya connection to this series. Sure enough one of the families involved is. That they're scared of Schiller...I don't understand yet.
Suburban housewife Marta never wanted to be in the family business so she ignores her father's activities yet gets her husband involved some time in the past. Her idiot brother Irwin works for her husband Evan. He decides that he wants to boost business by stealing drugs from Schiller to sell to a Japanese buyer. Irwin brings this idea to Evan and Mike and, instead of dumping it, hesitantly go along for the ride.
After their youngest (Boris) brings Evan's gun to school to ward off a bully and is subsequently expelled, Marta tells Evan she wants them out of the business at any cost. Evan tells her the only way for that to happen is for them to leave everything behind - friends, family, their whole lives. Marta agrees and he takes her literally. Evan had apparently been keeping a file on the family's activities. He was prepared to turn over this evidence to Agent Ramos on a USB stick in exchange for witness protection. Before he gets a chance Evan is gunned down in their driveway right next to Boris. So his murder has to be an inside job - someone figured out evan was going to rat them out - not because of the theft of Schiller's drugs like everyone seems to believe.
Despite seeing the evidence that Evan was to turn over Marta seems to believe his murder was at Schilling's instruction. Nobody knows where the drugs are stashed so she tries to pay him back and asks him to leave her family alone. Like a good crime boss Schilling doesn't want to go with her plan. He tells Marta that she has to move a consignment for him to make up for the missing drugs. She agrees thinking he's true to his word. Irwin gets beat up in jail. Boris gets a recommendation for a private school. Schilling just isn't leaving Marta's family alone.
While waiting for the call from Schilling about the consignment, Mike has to give Marta a crash course in the business. They try to hook up with the customs supervisor they had been using but he doubled his price because of Evan's murder. A fight ensued and Marta knocked him over the head with something. So she and Mike try to quickly woo another supervisor. At first it doesn't look like they're going to get him on their payroll. The guy threatens to say something to DHS. Marta tells her father who says the only way to convince this guy is to send his goons to threaten him into taking the bribe. Marta says she doesn't want to be that kind of person so she goes back to his house, telling him the truth. They end up laughing on his couch and he agrees to do what she wants.
The episode ends with Marta finally receiving Schiller's call with the instructions for the consignment.
Notable Cast
Goran Visnjic of ER fame stars as Schiller. I knew he looked familiar but didn't recognize him. He's still good looking!
Suleka Matthew has played several supporting characters over the years in shows such as The Crow: Stairway to Heaven, Da Vinci's Inquest, and Men in Trees. She's one of those exotic beauties whose characters are always covered up or frumpy. It was nice to see her not dressed like me! LOL
Luke Goss has been a minor character in several movies so I don't know why he stands out. Maybe it's just because he's easy on the eyes. ;)
Red Widow @ ABC.com
