Bass Reeves Faces an Unwelcome Blast From the Past — Read Episode 5 Recap

Someone Bass thought he’d never see again pushes his way back into the deputy U.S. marshal’s life at the end of this week’s Lawmen: Bass Reeves. And when Reeves comes face-to-face with a man who killed someone he cared about, is it any wonder that the former slave’s moral certitude seems like it’s about to take a beating?

Read on for the highlights of “Part V.”

A TANGLED WEBB WE WEAVE | Bass and Billy come across a man hanging from a tree with a message strapped to his torso: “Bass Reeves will swing here.” They’re following up on Jim Webb, the outlaw that Silas said he could point Bass towards in the previous episode. Webb has a bunch of men with him, and Billy doesn’t think his boss’ slick verbal skills will help them much in this case. “Maybe not,” Bass acknowledges. “Or maybe Webb got more sense than hate for me.”

That seems not to be the case, given how an unseen gunman starts shooting at Bass the minute he nears town. The marshal manages to get close without catching a bullet, then storms the general store where Webb and his guys are hiding. Billy pops in from the back and helps a lot — they manage to take down everyone but Webb himself — but winds up getting grazed in the neck. Bass advises his assistant to keep his hand on the wound, then slides outside to pursue the baddie. Webb’s bullet puts a hole in Bass’ coat, then Bass shoots him dead.

Inside, Billy is OK, but one of Webb’s gang is dying a slow and wheezing death. Billy wonders if he should fetch a doctor, but Bass points out that there’s not any nearby. “End the man’s pain. Take his boots,” Reeves says. Billy does.

HI! BYE! | Bass and Billy return home with their wagon full of accused criminals, and his payday is a big one: More than $700. But before he can leave the courthouse with his pocketful of cash, Sherill Lynn’s got another job for him: Transport Jackson “Jackrabbit” Cole, a prisoner who killed someone powerful and connected. Bass tries to turn down the job, citing that he’s been away from his family for 41 days. But Lynn says the order comes directly from Judge Parker. “You ride out tomorrow,” he says as Bass rides to the homestead.

Jennie is very happy to have her husband back, and they celebrate with some clothing-optional time together that evening. But her smile fades the next morning when Billy arrives at the house around breakfastime and Bass announces that he’ll be gone for the coming week. “What about the carnival?” asks Sally, who’d been looking forward to attending with her dad. He promises to take her twice the coming year, but she’s not mollified. Jennie sends the kids upstairs so Mom and Dad can Have Some Words.

He reasons that he took an oath to uphold the law. “Like the one you swore to me when we married?” she counters. She points out that the kids barely know him. And when he swears that he loves her and their offspring “like nothing else,” she’s not mollified. “Telling us ain’t the same as showing us,” she says. When he leaves, she’s still real mad. (Speaking of Jennie: Have you read our interview with the actress who plays her, Lauren E. Banks?)

‘WE AIN’T CLOSE TO THE SAME’ | Bass and Billy also Have Words while escorting Cole, mainly when Bass tells Billy he doesn’t have what it takes to become a deputy marshal. Billy is deeply hurt by this, but Bass softens it a little when he says he’s never giving up on Billy — or anyone/anything.

As their ride continues, Jackrabbit — who is a Black man — says he and Bass aren’t so different. “You take a life with no regret? We ain’t close to the same,” Reeves says.

The three men get caught in a thunderstorm and take shelter at the home of a Spanish-speaking couple. (Billy serves as translator.) Before they enter the house, Bass makes a point of removing the prisoner’s shackles.

While the men eat, the lady of the house tells Bass that death is following him. As she cleans Billy’s neck wound, she offers to cleanse Bass’ thoughts. Bass politely refuses. He steps outside, thinking he hears and sees someone in the woods, but it’s his mind playing tricks on him. Cole comes out after for a smoke and tells Bass about how, after the end of the war, his regiment was visiting Texas plantations when they found one where the owner was burning his slaves. Ten years later, that owner was running for state legislature, promising to reverse the laws to reestablish the way of life before the war. “I’d already seen what that evil man done to one plantation,” he says, near tears. “Not again.” That  plantation owner was the man Cole killed without regret.

THREATS ALL AROUND | Jennie knows Sal has been sneaking out to see Arthur. But when Bass can’t take his oldest child to the carnival, Jennie relents and says Sally can ask Arthur to escort her. While waiting in line, a younger white girl cuts ahead of them, angering Sal. Arthur tells her not to worry about it, but Sally tells the girl in no uncertain terms that she’s in the wrong.

That same evening, Esme pays Jennie a visit and reports that she saw Sally and Arthur together. “You think it’s OK to let them wander on they own?” Esme wonders. “You think it’s OK to ask me how I’m raising my daughter?” Jennie counters. Esme says she’s worried because Black people, including a friend of hers, have been going missing all over the territory. She hints that Mr. Sundown is behind the disappearances, but Jennie thinks it’s funny how seriously Esme is taking the supernatural story. “Wasn’t a campfire tale, Jennie,” Esme says, grave. She knows it wasn’t a ghost or demon that took him, “but it seems to me that Black folk are facing things scarier than that.”

On the way home from the carnival, the little girl’s brother and three of his friends ambush Arthur and Sally in the dark. She gets in a good punch, and Arthur is able to hold his own, but then the white boys run off. Both Arthur and Sallie are shaken by the encounter. But when they run into Jennie and Esme on the way, they say nothing about the attack.

AN UNWELCOME RETURN | The next morning, Bass leaves some coins for the homeowners then slowly, slightly regretfully, locks Cole’s hands together again.

When they arrive at the rendezvous point, where they’re supposed to hand Cole over to authorities, Bass is shaken to see Esau Pierce — aka the Confederate soldier who killed little Curtis at Turkey Creek Trading Post in the series’ premiere.

Now it’s your turn. What did you think of the episode? Sound off in the comments!