‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan’ Recap – ‘Where All Are Guilty’

1/20/2024

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Mekai Curtis as Kanan Stark in Episode 307 of ‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan’ – ‘Where All Are Guilty’. (Photo Courtesy of STARZ.)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 307 of ‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.

If there is one thing that can be said about the hit STARZ series, Power Book III: Raising Kanan, that everyone would agree upon, it would have to be that it is the most versatile entry in the Power franchise. For this is the only chapter in the saga, that ebbs and flows with its storytelling and that is indeed bold and keeps things interesting. Because Ghost, Force and even the OG series, were and are all about that high-octane entertainment. Yes, there’s depth, there’s meaning, and poignant character growth, but they ramp up fast. But Raising Kanan is all about taking a moment to process what’s happened to the characters in GREAT detail. Not to mention, it loves to set the future up, in a supremely calculated fashion, and for proof… look no further than this week’s episode.

For ‘Where All Are Guilty’ had the opportunity to drive this story into high gear and put everyone on a collision course for something scary, ugly. But instead… this was a character study, a slow burning build to future events. One filled to the brim with damaging moments for some and tragic ones for others and it brought all of that to bear by just… spending time with everyone and having them live and deal with what’s happened thus far. For instance, Jukebox found herself in a tough place mentally with Kanan. Because he was emboldened and acting quite brash, and that forced her… to try and do right by her cousin and inform Raq that something was up. Just because… she really wants to see Kanan take a shot at the straight and the narrow.

Speaking of Mister Stark, well… Jukebox was right to have concerns about him. Because he was living the life of a little kingpin in this tale. After all, he had Ronnie serve as his muscle often in this story. To the point where any potential snitch, pissed themselves over worry about having harm come to them, for they were flush with fear. Which made for some scary moments, especially for Famous. Since he ‘enjoyed’ a moment with Ronnie and well, both of these sequences made it clear from a setup standpoint that Jukebox and Kanan are on a moral collision course that she is likely going to take damage from and Kanan, is now well on his way to becoming the Kanan Stark we met in Power. Because he simply has no effs to give, and is deeply embracing the gangster lifestyle with glee, which is building that future.

London Brown and Malcolm Mays as Marvin Thomas and Louis ‘Lou-Lou’ Thomas in Episode 307 of ‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan’ – ‘Where All Are Guilty’. (Photo Courtesy of STARZ.)

But that wasn’t the only set up for the future that took place in this mostly low-key tale. Because Raq also worked on laying down the foundation for her return to the game. Which involved taking over Unique’s contract, and immediately immersing herself back into the business with Marvin. Which quite frankly, gave her life, really. Because just like that, she was beaming and eager to learn all there was to learn about the location where she’d be moving weight and of course who owned it. That way… she could find out about whether or not she could build a network again, and well, it would appear such a network exists. For the owner of that restaurant had lots of locations to work with, and those stores, and their supplier, might be the key to getting back on top, quick. Setting the stage for the return of a ruthless kingpin to the marketplace.

But while all of those moments would have been enough to carry this episode, it still had more to build toward. For instance, this story featured a little blow back for Lou Lou. Because word got to Howard about his drunken admission to Shantel, mainly because she came down to the station demanding justice and that meant Lou had to face some demons here. His drinking, his screw up, his past, all of it really, and his mistake was so egregious that the expectation was that he would be the one to fix it. Which meant Lou had to walk back into Shantel’s place and put a bullet or nine in her, to make sure there would be no more snitching and no ties to Raq’s crimes and well… that set the stage for a darker journey for Lou. One where he will have more reasons to hit the bottle to drown his sorrows and numb the pain in his soul.

If anything, all of these elements made for a compelling episode. Because it really did an amazing job of savoring every moment with the characters, so that the past and the setup for the future had weight and was engaging and well… it’s a good thing the show went this route. Because this episode made it clear that very dark times are on the horizon for everyone and helped us to process that reality. Because Raq’s return will spell trouble and strife, and Lou is a mess and Kanan is really embracing his demons and desires and that’s a real recipe for trouble. The kind that might boil over in the next couple of episodes, or between now and the season four finale. Because that’s what this show loves to do, it loves to take its time, and we are here for it. Because this cast, and these scripts make every moment big or small as compelling as possible, and it will be interesting to see what path the series takes as we inch toward the end of season three. Until next time.

Watch ‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan’

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