By WDEP Radio Television
Rating: 9/10
R.J. Decker continues its strong second season with “Manos: Hands of Fate,” an episode that perfectly understands what makes the series work: strange crimes, colorful characters, dark humor, and personal stakes that can suddenly transform a seemingly routine investigation into something much bigger.
The September 22 episode throws R.J. Decker into one of his strangest cases yet. A missing man, a mysterious item and a threatening stranger in a pickup truck send R.J. and Wish chasing answers, but the investigation ultimately becomes only half of the story. Meanwhile, Emi Ochoa finds herself at the center of a developing mystery that dramatically changes the direction of the season.
A Mystery That Gets Increasingly Bizarre
The episode wastes little time establishing its wonderfully strange central mystery.
Kayla and her brother Jake become involved after a cooler falls from a black pickup truck. Inside is a severed hand wearing a valuable championship ring. Things quickly escalate when the mysterious driver begins pursuing them, turning what initially looks like a bizarre discovery into a potentially deadly situation.
It is exactly the kind of case that fits R.J. Decker. The premise is ridiculous enough to be entertaining but dangerous enough to give R.J. a legitimate reason to investigate.
The writers also do a good job of continually changing the audience’s assumptions. Just when it seems as though R.J. and Wish have figured out what is happening, another piece of information forces them to reconsider.
That unpredictability keeps the investigation moving.
R.J. and Wish Remain One of the Show’s Best Partnerships
Scott Speedman continues to make R.J. an appealing protagonist, particularly because the character doesn’t behave like the stereotypical television private investigator.
R.J. relies on observation and persistence rather than simply intimidating everyone around him. His partnership with Wish also continues to provide some of the episode’s best moments.
Kevin Rankin brings a different energy to the investigation, and the contrast between Wish’s personality and R.J.’s approach gives the detective work a loose, unpredictable quality.
Their investigation into the hand eventually leads to a clever explanation involving a security scanner and the reason someone was willing to go to such extreme lengths to obtain it.
The solution is suitably strange without feeling completely disconnected from the clues planted throughout the episode.
Wish Gets a Chance to Show His Softer Side
One of the episode’s quieter strengths is the developing relationship between Wish and Kayla.
While the main investigation becomes increasingly chaotic, Wish’s concern for Kayla gives the episode an emotional center. His decision to help protect her demonstrates that there is considerably more to the character than his eccentric behavior and criminal past.
It also gives the series an opportunity to develop a relationship without allowing the romance to overwhelm the mystery.
That balance works particularly well here.
Emi’s Story Changes Everything
The biggest development comes from Emi.
While R.J. is busy trying to solve the bizarre hand mystery, Emi is dealing with the fallout surrounding her father’s death. The investigation into Victor Ochoa has not disappeared, and the episode reveals that authorities have been looking much more closely at Emi than she realizes.
The introduction of Trudy, played by Shantel VanSanten, becomes increasingly important as the episode progresses. What initially appears to be a potentially unrelated storyline eventually connects directly to the investigation surrounding Victor’s death.
Then comes the episode’s biggest shock:
Emi is arrested for Victor Ochoa’s murder.
The arrest doesn’t necessarily answer the question of whether Emi is actually guilty. Instead, it creates a much more interesting problem for R.J.: someone close to him is now the prime suspect in a murder that has been hanging over the series since the beginning of the season.
That cliffhanger gives Episode 2 considerably more weight than a typical standalone procedural.
The Episode’s Biggest Strength: Balance
“Manos: Hands of Fate” could easily have become overloaded.
There is a missing man, a severed hand, a championship ring, a threatening truck driver, a mysterious investigation, a developing romance, a new character and the continuing mystery surrounding Victor Ochoa’s death.
Yet the episode manages to keep most of these elements moving without completely losing sight of R.J.
That’s not an easy balancing act.
The hand mystery provides the episode’s entertainment, while Emi’s storyline provides the dramatic hook that makes the episode important to the larger season.
Scott Speedman Continues to Anchor the Series
Speedman’s performance remains one of the show’s strongest assets.
R.J. is flawed, occasionally reckless and still dealing with the consequences of his past, but Speedman gives him enough humor and vulnerability to keep the character from becoming another generic TV detective.
His reaction to Emi’s situation is especially important because it reinforces the emotional connection between the characters.
R.J. isn’t simply solving another case.
This time, someone he cares about may need his help.
Final Verdict
“Manos: Hands of Fate” is a strong second episode that successfully combines the weirdness of a standalone R.J. Decker investigation with the increasingly serious serialized story surrounding Victor Ochoa’s death.
The central mystery is entertaining, the R.J.-Wish partnership remains terrific, and Wish’s developing relationship with Kayla adds some welcome heart.
But the episode ultimately belongs to its final act.
Emi’s arrest completely changes the stakes and leaves R.J. facing a problem that cannot simply be solved by following clues and questioning suspects.
That is exactly where R.J. Decker becomes more than a quirky Florida crime procedural.
Rating: 9/10
What Works
- A wonderfully bizarre central mystery
- Strong chemistry between R.J. and Wish
- More emotional depth for Wish
- An effective introduction for Trudy
- Excellent connection to the season-long Victor Ochoa mystery
- A major cliffhanger involving Emi
What Could Be Better
The central investigation occasionally piles on so many suspects and twists that the mystery becomes slightly convoluted. Fortunately, the character work and final revelation keep the episode focused.
Bottom Line
R.J. Decker delivers another entertaining hour, but “Manos: Hands of Fate” proves the show is becoming increasingly comfortable mixing its offbeat crime stories with genuine serialized drama. The bizarre hand mystery may grab the attention, but Emi’s arrest is what viewers will be thinking about when the credits roll.
