‘New Gold Mountain’ Recap: ‘Righteousness’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Two of ‘New Gold Mountain’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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When we last settled in to discuss the fascinating new Sundance Now series, New Gold Mountain, we talked at length about the bevy of plot-lines and concepts that the series premiere presented us with. Since it was part murder mystery, part learning experience and a bit of a parallel piece on racism and prejudice and how it still pops up in our modern world. If anything, revisiting those many threads before diving into the next episode is supremely important. Because each and every one of us have been wondering… if the show was planning to continue to juggle all of those concepts as the series continued along or refine its focus and really grow one of them and as it turns out… the plan was to narrow the focus and expand upon one.

For ‘Righteousness’ took the time to further examine the death of Annie. Whom as it turned out, was married to Pat and by focusing on her… we came learn to a great deal about her and Pat. In that… they lost a child long ago, which led to Pat’s injury and the divisive nature of the death of their little one, moved Annie into the arms of another man. One who gave her the opportunity to become a mother again before she changed her mind and underwent a 19th Century abortion procedure. Something this episode made clear was even more frowned upon back then and well… there was good reason to explore Annie’s past and all of her actions before her passing, simply because… her death still hung heavy over the camp and Leung for that matter as well, since it happened on his watch.

In fact, he was so concerned about this, that he worked with Hattie to send her, and a few of the men, including Pat… into the part of the outback where outlaws thrived. So, he could pin the murder on the redheaded outlaw he saw briefly, and for a time it seemed as though this plan was going to work. Since Pat and his cohorts were eager to find the man and string him up. But the hollow nature of his end, a surprising discovery and some interesting words from another outlaw before he died, made it clear that Leung wouldn’t be able to quickly shift the blame for this. Because it became clear that someone from the camp was spotted with Annie before she died, plus… there was physical evidence that she died far away from the outlaw camp. 

A reality that forced Leung to try and flush out the potential killer in a supremely creative manner. One that involved taking Annie's beautiful Jade storage box, that Hattie found at the outlaw camp, and placing it in plain sight down main street… before kicking back to see who might respond to it. For whomever was involved would surely notice the gift they gave Annie and well, after sitting there for hours with little result, Leung decided to call it a day and speak with his brother who just so happened to arrive at that moment and well, that conversation took quite the turn. Since Leung Wei Sun took a moment to shockingly glance at that trinket whilst talking to Leung Wei Shing and well… that confirmed the worst-case scenario for Shing.

In that, his brother may have been involved in a murder. A reality that could rip Shing’s life to pieces, since he will have to choose between blood and justice and the mine, and more problems are brewing for Shing in this tale as well. Since Zhang Lei made it clear how ruthless she can be and how she knows that more is happening in this camp than she leads on and well, going this route storytelling wise was the right choice. Since it builds tension nicely and informed us what is at stake and well, that definitely sets the stage for a rollercoaster second half to the season. One where Shing will be challenged like never before, and where nothing will ever be the same once the truth about Annie's death comes to light, as the truth always does. Until next time.

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