Spoiler alert: This recap is for people watching Spiral on the BBC. Do not read on unless you have watched season eight, episodes three and four.
The laundromat murder
We finally have a name for the tragic Shkun. Amin Allawi had just turned 12, and it looks like a decision to steal a kilo of coke sealed his fate. The squad is on fire at the moment, boosted by the return of Ali who is comfortably MVP of the week. It is he who figures out that targeting pharmacies selling unusual amounts of boric acid will lead them to the drug dealers, and sees they can work the stolen-phone middleman Bilal, once his alibi checks out.
There’s no police work so good it can’t be steamrollered by crass political grandstanding, though, and that’s exactly what happens when the Prefect plays to the gallery at a meeting of Barbès residents, promising to shut down the phone shops the next day. It puts CID on an accelerated schedule, leading them to the drug-trafficking, child abducting charmer going under the alias Kevin Rimane. The squad watch as he assigns handlers to drug mules at the airport as they arrive from French Guiana. While Kevin gives les flics the slip, they are able to detain the drug mule Maria. High-fives and back slaps are put on hold as she loses consciousness en route to hospital. There’s a kilo of pure cocaine in her digestive tract that’s coming out one way or the other. Laure badly needs her alive as she is the strongest lead she’s got.
Laure
Being a boss is all about good management – listening to and trusting your team. Perhaps mindful that she is terrible at this, Laure pulls out all the stops in dealing with Ali. Heeding Beckriche’s advice to “give him a freer rein” she gives Ali more responsibility, targeted praise and engages in active listening. Alas, her people skills seem in vain as Ali accepts Lenoir’s offer to lead his new drug team. He has a month to solve Amin’s murder before he moves on.
Maybe Gilou’s release could cheer her up? Fat chance. After he bails on their meeting without a word, he shows up at her apartment explaining he can no longer see her with an ambiguous “I don’t want this any more”.
“I don’t believe you, Gilou,” she says. Neither do we, but he said what he said.
Joséphine
Everyone wants a piece of Joséphine this week – and no one’s asking politely. Taking care of Souleymane when he ODs means letting down Lola. Then the judge drops her in it, telling Souleymane she knows about the cocaine, provoking his enraged exit. When strategically deployed smooches can’t stop Lola leaving, Joséphine makes a desperate attempt to enlist Edelman to represent her. He demurs for now, but it’s likely he’ll come round. Ms Karlsson has a habit of getting what she wants from him.
Psychotic drug traffickers are a tougher audience, however, and when Fake Kevin with the neck tattoo shows up at her apartment with the kidnapped Souleymane and the boss man whose coke was stolen, they bring menaces and an unexpected job offer: successfully get Maria off and she can see Souleymane. It’s not the first time she’s been threatened but now there’s the safety of a kid in play. There’s a world-class defence coming up for Maria, if she pulls through.
Gilou
Gilou exits prison on strict probation conditions – no passport, no guns and absolutely no consorting with CID (Laure in particular). Cisco seems to overcome his initial suspicion of his prison pal to set him up with a security gig. It never hurts to have an ex-cop on the payroll. Gilou, of course, is only getting close to Cisco to get his badge back and even that’s contingent on getting a sentence under six months for that extortion business.
Before you know it, it’s champagne and sex workers at Cisco’s Whisper club, though the prospect of joyless sex and overpriced bubbly appeals not at all to Gilou who is focused remorselessly on the mission. Liaising closely with Brémont, he discovers Whisper regulars the Jankovics are very cosy with Cisco. Intelligence suggests they carried out the hit on Cisco’s former friend who ratted him out. A rowdy crew certainly, but Gilou has committed more crimes than any of them. My money’s on him being the last one standing once this operation is concluded.
Notes and observations
Ali continues to take the case to heart, reflecting on how he might have been one of the desperate kids in Barbès if his grandfather hadn’t crossed the Mediterranean for a better life generations earlier. Being a new father only heightens the feeling.
“Titi’s not exactly a big shot.” Cisco lamenting his lackwit son made me think of Jackie Aprile Jr nearly drowning in three inches of water at the penguin exhibit. Pity the mob boss with the disappointing heir. There’s no way that kid doesn’t get someone killed before we’re done.
“No fights, no threats, no weapons, no Laure,” Brémont tells Gilou. I’m not sure how Gilou is supposed to survive without his four core needs, but OK.
Many commenters were surprised by the youth of Juge Bourdieu. Thanks are due once again to auroreborealis for giving us the inside track below the line.
Is it really fin for Laure and Gilou? Can Joséphine get Souleymane back? Will Beckriche and Lucie ever get a room? Have your say below.
