"Well, but this is what we have" and "Down Below's love of Kanin can't be the thing we judge justice by." Which are both true but don't address the underlying issues.

To the extent that it works, it works because of the performances of Piper Laurie and Scott Jaeck.

Kudos to both of them, Piper particularly. Not to diss Jaeck but, if Piper hadn't walked that line so very perfectly, the episode would have fallen to bits completely.

It's real bad. Even ignoring the injustice of punitive incarceration, it's really not great. Even if it was operating exactly as its proponents intend it to, it's enacted in a way that is racist.

Punishment isn't restorative and it doesn't heal those who were harmed by the crime in the first place.

In that sense, I'm not fond of the episode. It poses the questions in a kind of shallow way and then doesn't answer them except by saying

This covers an interesting dilemma while ignoring the reality of the U.S. "criminal justice" system. It's possible that if Kanin had served his two years as he likely "should have" to begin with, he could have joined Down Below a year after he did and still ended up having the same relationships with the community.

Meanwhile, Davis's life wouldn't have been on hold for 16 years. That's not to say that the justice system is right or good.

Cathy says they both seemed finally freed and tells Vincent to keep reading. The camera pans up from the city to the stars as Vincent continues. And credits!

I’ll do thoughts starting in about five minutes.

Story is. Cathy explains about the wife and child. Kanin comes in and Davis sees him. For a long while, they say nothing.

Kanin says he’s sorry. Cathy watches Davis. Kanin says it again. Tears flow down Davis’s face. She says she is too.

She walks to Kanin and looks him in the eye for a moment. Her hand is gloved. It looks like she wants to touch him. She walks away.

Vincent recites a line in the park as Cathy rests her head on his shoulder.

“Don’t do this.”

Kanin: I’d walk into hell if it meant I didn’t have to face that woman.

Vincent tells him to face Davis. Kanin says she’ll never forgive him

Vincent: you’ve never given her that chance!

It seems Vincent got through to him. Olivia wants to go with him. He won’t let her.

Later, Cathy speaks to Davis at the DA’s office. Davis asks if she can talk to him. Cathy says yes. Davis doesn’t know what she’d say. She asks about what his

Piper is phenomenal. Davis struggles with the knowledge that her son’s killer walks free. Cathy promises Kanin Evan’s will be prosecuted.

Down Below, the community want an exception to the rule. Cathy comes in and advocates on the behalf of Davis. They say he has no friends topside. She says she is his friend. Mouse says “then let him go.”

Kanin listens to the music box alone. Vincent joins him. Kanin says he and Olivia are leaving.

Vincent says

Vincent agrees that Kanin has to go back above.

Kanin argues with Vincent and Father that it’s unjust to send him up when he can’t say what he’s been up to for 16 years. He lives with the guilt and he thinks that’s enough.

Until Davis saw him, the world above thought he was dead.

Above, Joe finds Cathy in the lobby. He wants girl help. Davis comes up on them and wants an update. Cathy takes her to coffee. Davis’s mood has changed.

Cathy is reluctant to talk to her. Ms. Davis is firm but reasonable. She wants to know how long it will take to find Kanin. Cathy says she doesn’t know. Davis wishes she hadn’t walked into the hardware store. She wants justice for Joey but she wants it to be over.

Later, Cathy looks at Joey’s photo. It’s a bad color print rather than a real photo. It’s kind of a weird gaffe.

Overlooking the city, Cathy walks through the issues with Vincent.