Season four episode seven, entitled “A Nice Meal,” is named after a suggestion given by one of Monroe’s (Stephen Root) men. In this episode, five characters will deal with their own dilemmas. John (Zachary Golinger) is still struggling with being left alone with his mom, Sally (Sarah Goldberg), and Sally is struggling with taking care of John by herself. Gene (Henry Winkler) has an internal struggle while deciding if he’s going to continue trying to stop the film about Barry (Bill Hader) from being made. Barry tries his best to escape after being captured by Jim (Robert Wisdom) in the previous episode. NoHo (Anthony Carrigan) and Monroe’s feud continues, which causes four men’s lives to end.
Jim has captured Barry and is keeping him in his garage with virtual reality goggles on. He’s hoping Barry will give him any helpful information that will help him build a case against Barry or Gene. Jim uses situations he thinks will make Barry remorseful or more willing to talk. Jim shows Barry his son John, and he shows him a fancy dinner with everyone they know. After Barry tells Jim what Jim thinks is a potential lead, Jim leaves Barry unattended in his garage. Barry is aware that he has virtual reality goggles on, so as soon as Jim leaves, he takes off the goggles and cuts himself out of the rope he is tied up with.
While Barry looks around the house, Gene plans a meeting with a man he thinks is Matt Iseron (Nate Corddy). Matt Iseron claims to be an agent at UTA. Matt says he is calling on behalf of Daniel Day-Lewis. Daniel supposedly wants to come out of retirement to play the role of Gene in the upcoming film about Barry. Gene is adamant about stopping the film until Daniel Day-Lewis is possibly involved. Immediately after Gene makes plans with Matt, he gets a call from Sally asking for help. Sally and John have flown to L.A. and are looking for Barry after losing contact with him for days. Gene tells Sally to wait for him at his house until he can get back from the meeting.
Sally and John reach Gene’s house, and Sally panics when Gene isn’t there yet. Sally starts yelling at John when he asks too many questions about where Barry is. When she lowers her voice, she starts explaining to John what will ideally happen next when Gene gets there. In a moment of trying to comfort John, it’s obvious she’s trying to convince herself everything is going to be okay. Caught up in the height of her emotions, Sally makes the rash decision to turn herself in and leave John on Gene’s lawn. As she walks away, leaving John on the lawn, tension builds the further she goes and the more often she looks back at him. This scene is heartbreaking to watch, considering how Sally’s decision will be hard on all parties involved. However, things do not go as she planned when the police officer is confused and leaves her on the street, down the road from Gene’s house. When Sally tried to turn herself in she saw blood pour out of the officer’s eyes as he was confused as to who she was. Sally tries to speak but the words won’t come out because she’s in shock. The officer drives away and when Sally turns around to look at John, three men are kidnapping him, they put him in a car and start walking towards her. Sally and John both get captured by Noho’s men.
Rating: 6.5/10