‘Hightown’ Recap: ‘Everybody’s Got a Cousin in Miami’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Over the course of the past week or so, we’ve celebrated the wonder of the STARZ series, Hightown, and dug deep into how this series has offered audiences, a powerfully dynamic examination on the power of addiction. Thanks to the fact that it has presented addiction in the raw, even going so far as to show us exactly what rock bottom looks like for addicts and how people come away from that moment with hope in their heart or sorrow from the spoils of what they deem to be outright failure. But while that has made for some compelling television for certain, eventually we all knew deep down that this saga was going to shift gears and focus heavily on the crime aspect of the plot, and well… it just so happens that the next episode in this storied saga is when that transition got underway.

For ‘Everybody’s Got a Cousin in Miami’ mostly put the show’s exploration of addiction on the back burner to allow instead for the audience to take part in a manhunt, one that involved Junior. Because in this particular tale, Frankie Cuevas decided the time had come to tie up all the loose ends in this case, so that the cops couldn’t point a single finger at him and that led to some ugly carnage in this tale. The kind that saw Scotty get knifed while he was in line to get his daily methadone and where Frankie ordered a hit on Junior, as a just in case. Which meant it was now a race against time to keep him away from Osito and Kizzle and oddly enough, Jackie was the one to get to Junior first. Which isn’t a bad thing by any means, since they share a powerful connection as friends and that should have allowed for her to convince him to talk to the cops.

But alas, the arrival of Osito and Kizzle, derailed that plan and that forced Jackie to call Ray and get the police involved and it’s a good thing she did. Because it not only got her involved in the hunt, but it also got the police moving on this case like never before, since Ray’s team opted to spring to action and search for Junior in places Osito was known to hang out. But despite their best efforts to find Junior in the most obvious of places, he was nowhere to be found and with good reason. For Osito knew the cops would take that route in their search and that is why he and Kizzle took Junior out to the middle of nowhere to handle Frankie’s business and well… that’s when quite the surprise came into play. Because when given the opportunity to put Junior down, Osito realized that all of this was wrong and that killing a father and loyal employee, accomplished nothing.

Which in turn, motivated Osito to put down Kizzle and use his connections with Wayne, to give Junior the second chance he desperately needed. And it was simply wonderful to see Junior get that bus ticket and a pep talk from a man that a few episodes ago was demanding the worst of him, and once Jackie and Ray were able to figure out where Junior was headed and on what bus… it really seemed as though a happy ending was about to take place. But when a search of the bus revealed that Junior wasn’t on it, that happy ending faded away and the show put addiction back in the spotlight of this story. For in the closing moments of this tale, it was revealed that Junior decided to enjoy one last score before hours before the bus left, and sadly… this goodbye injection, cost him his life.

Which is a moment that really does serve to remind the viewer that without proper treatment and proper support, the wrong moment can motivate an addict to completely give into the joy that drugs provide and if they’re not careful, that desire will cost them everything. If anything, that revelation makes this quite the tragic story when all is said and done. One that will have a lasting impact upon Jackie and Junior’s family, and that is undoubtedly something this show will find a way to explore in some form or fashion. Because it truly wants us to understand the power and the risks of addiction and well, it is definitely hammering its messages home in a devastating manner. To the point where this writer is truly hoping the season one finale that awaits us, will finally see Frankie be brought to justice, so that Junior’s death has some kind of meaning and so that there is some sense of victory and good in a season of storytelling that has seen evil and addiction, win the day. Until next time.

---