From This Day Forward  Episode #12

Where an old flame of Ralph’s returns and blindsides the boys by asking for help.

Well here we are, Daddy Rizzo walks into Mia’s room (luckily Jack’s under the bed- it’s best left at that) to tell her about this new fangled contraption called television that broadcasts presidential inaugurations (there’s JFK being sworn in). Daddy Rizzo is happy because JFK is the son of a bootlegger and if he can be president, well anything is possible. Daddy Rizzo for President, anyone?  I thought not. Mia just wants to get rid of Daddy so she can go back to having fun with Jack so she agrees to meet Daddy for breakfast. “Don’t you dare eat my bacon before I get there” she tells him.  Man, this dialog is so good.

We cut to the Sheriff’s Office where Miss Sanchez has asked Dixon to accompany her to a family wedding. The discussion is cut short because Barbara Kent is waiting to see Ralph. Seems she is Dixon’s old teacher and left Ralph for a man of more means. Everyone looks like this can’t bode well. Are you surprised? I thought not. Drink! Because we all know where this story is headed.  Maybe we’ll get lucky and the story will surprise us. Drink! If you think that is possible.  I thought not.

Ralph smiles when he sees Mrs. Kent (Drink! Because Quaid is smiling a hell of more these days than when the show began). Seems Mrs. Kent has a problem. It’s been eight years since she broke Ralph’s heart. She’s in Ralph’s office because her and her husband were robbed last night of $5000. They didn’t report it because, well Mr. Kent isn’t all that thrilled with the fact that the Sheriff is his wife’s old flame. Or at least that’s what she thinks. Drink! If you think it’s because the husband is tied up with people he shouldn’t be.

Dixon is going out on a call because a body has been found on a ranch up north. Jack goes with him. A woman, with manicured nails and dressed like a Hollywood cowgirl, is dead.  Seems she was at a divorce ranch.

The shady DA meets with Vince to discuss that someone is feeding info to the DA on the death of the songbird. Vince wants the snitch found and killed. The shady DA refuses to take Katherine off the case knowing it will only make her dig in more. Vince  vows to find the snitch and shut them up.  If he only knew.

Vince’s secretary catches the Missus going through Vince’s drawers, his desk drawers. Missus says Vince forgot to leave her money. She asks the secretary to set her up with a hair appointment.

Dixon and Jack arrive at the Divorcee Ranch and Dixon is in female heaven. Seems the dead Hollywood cowgirl has been divorced twice and is the life of the party at Divorcee Central.  The female owner of the ranch offers up a suspect.

Back at the Sheriff’s Office, Mrs. Kent is looking through the mug books and flirting with Ralph. Ralph smiles. Drink! Is it just me or is Quaid using his smiles as a crutch? Mrs. Kent recognizes one of the mug shots. Ralph asks Miss Sanchez for info on him.

Jack replies, “She ain’t here about no mugger, Ralph”. Ralph smiles (Drink!)

At the Savoy, Jack, Mia and Daddy Rizzo meet. Mia tells Daddy they are dating. Jack says he is in love with Mia (she looks surprised) and they all need to get along. Daddy ain’t buying it. He says “we’ll talk about this later” and walks off. Jack and Mia kiss.

Ralph walks into a small poker game. Seems Mr. Kent is in a coma, according to Ralph. The two players come clean and tells Ralph Kent wanted a loan and left a diamond bracelet as collateral.  Ralph gets the money back.

Vince and Red have a Leroy Gibbs moment (is it just me or does this seem like a rip-off of NCIS?) when he stops the elevator between floors and asks Red point blank if he is talking to the Feds. Red proves Vince wrong, seems he has powered rhino horn because he has a 26 year old showgirl. Vince doesn’t want Daddy to find out about the snitch.

Daddy wants Vince to fire Mia, no questions asked. Vince reluctantly agrees. Nothing anything these characters does makes much sense nor does it add to the characterization or the over all story arc. In fact, is there an over-arching story arc?

Jack and Dixon break down a motel room door and question one of the divorcees. She’s kicking boots with someone new but she takes time to explain that the Hollywood cowgirl had them playing a female version of Bingo. Seems the suspect got back together with her ex much to the Hollywood cowgirl’s disproval.

Jack is back at the Savoy with Dixon questioning another pretty girl. That leads to a guy named Tony who drives a red Caddy. It looks nice with the neon of Fremont Street bouncing off it. Hollywood cowgirl’s purse is in the car with a receipt for $2500.

Katherine and Missus Savino meet. The Missus gives Katherine  some items from Vince’s desk, implicating Daddy Rizzo. Katherine seems to think that the Savino family can relocate like in an early witness protection program kind of thing. The Missus says Vince won’t leave Vegas. Katherine points out thinking like that could get him killed.

At the Lamb ranch, Mrs. Kent and Ralph kiss. Ralph reminds her she is married. She’s not convinced that Ralph doesn’t want her.

Vince and Red try to figure out who the snitch is. Maybe Vince’s secretary? Red gets her out of the office and Vince checks his desk and finds the appointment in his book that the secretary made for the Missus. Vince realizes who the snitch is.

He confronts the Missus. They argue. The Missus shows Vince the witness protection booklets. He’s not doing it. The Missus agrees with him but they are out of plans unless Vince has something up his sleeve.

We know he must because otherwise there is no show.

After the commercial, we come back to Katherine and Vince meet, she was expecting the Missus. Vince thinks he knows Katherine. She pulls a gun on him. She has the upper hand. “People like me can kill people like you and no questions asked.” Game point to Katherine.

Ralph goes to question Mr. Kent.  He is not happy to see Ralph. Seems there were bad investments made. The two men spar about Mrs. Kent who was/is best for her. We know that Ralph isn’t over the late Mrs. Lamb so this is really a moot point and filler.

Dixon and Miss Sanchez spar about what he is wearing to the wedding. Jack comes in to tell him that the Hollywood cowgirl owned the land she was found dead on. Her hubby isn’t a suspect because he was at the opera where hundreds of people saw him.

Vince fires Mia blaming Chicago. He tells her Daddy “fought like hell to keep you here”. Mia knows Vince is lying. Mia knows Daddy is behind it and it’s because of her relationship with Jack.

After Mia leaves, Vince bitches to Red and says “if he wasn’t around here anymore all this would go away”. Red reminds Vince if they kill Daddy without permission from Chicago there will be hell to pay.

Are you still watching? If so, Drink! Because you knew where this entire episode was going from the very beginning.

Mia confronts Daddy Rizzo. He tries to weasel out of it. She doesn’t believe him and tells him that she can’t get a job in a legit bank because of Daddy’s name. Mia says she’ll go to work at the Golden Nugget but she won’t leave Vegas or leave Jack.

Jack and Dixon are close to closing the case of the dead Hollywood cowgirl. Mrs. Kent puts the moves on Ralph. Quaid smiles ruefully (Drink! A smile is a smile).  They talk about their shared past. Quaid smiles again (Drink!).  They kiss goodbye. She can’t compete with the memory of the dead wife and we all want Ralph with Katherine. Mrs. Kent drives away.

Jack and Dixon question the head wrangler who was marrying the dead Hollywood cowgirl.  Jack’s not buying the wrangler’s story. He shows Jack a note from the dead cowgirl. Seems someone forged the dead woman’s signature. Seems the owner of the Divorcee Ranch had it in for the dead Hollywood cowgirl because she was in love with the wrangler, too. That’s a reason and motive for murder. Case closed.

Dixon arrests her.

Back at the Savoy, Vince tells Daddy Rizzo about the snitch. He tells Daddy that Mia is the snitch. Vince tells him he has an affidavit of dates and Mia didn’t work those days. He blames Jack. Daddy Rizzo blames Jack and threatens to kill him.

Vince plans on letting Jack know that Daddy is coming for him. No one will question a righteous kill. Unfortunately, Jack doesn’t get the call from Vinny.

Vinny and the Missus are driving in the desert. They mention their daughters. Vince tells the Missus to get out the car and signals another car. Vince is sending her away and their relationship is over. The Missus isn’t going quietly. “Anyone who threatens your rise is expendable, just so you won’t end up a washed up carpet salesman like your father” she tells him.  Their marriage is over and the Missus goes away.

At the wedding, Dixon comes dressed in a suit and gets a compliment from Miss Sanchez. Her former boyfriend is not happy seeing her with Dixon.

And the episode ends there. With a whimper, despite the mediocre set-up.

There is no episode next week and only eight episodes left this season so I expect more pre-emptions.

We’ll be back next week with our thoughts on the show and where it might be going.

Hope to see you then!

Till then, hit the comments and tell us what you think!

My friend, Dennis McBride, and I grew up in Las Vegas back in the day. We had plenty of cold days but not too many snow days.

 December, 2008

But as 1973 turned into 1974, we hit the big time.

Back then, my friends and I used to go to movies on New Year's Eve.  That evening we went to the old Red Rock Theaters to see The Sting. We hada great time and really enjoyed the film. The second film pairing of Paul Newman, Robert Redford and George Roy Hill was an absolute delight.

After the film, it was cold out as we bounded into Al's car (he was a year and half older than us and had a big, boat of a car (common back in those pre-oil crisis days). By the time we got to our next stop, it was even colder. As I got out of the car, I remember telling Al, "Do you think it will snow?". He laughed out loud.

We celebrated ringing in the New Year at Al's house, jitterbugging to the Andrew's Sisters (his mother was teaching us to dance- Today, Al is still a really good dancer and I'm not).

He ended up driving me back to my house probably about 1 in the morning. Again, I mentioned that it might snow and again, he laughed out loud (all these years later, he still does that).

When I woke up about nine that morning, I looked out bedroom window to see snow blanketing the ground. Snow, real honest to gosh snow. It was the first real snow we had had since we arrived in 1961. My family went to Mt. Charleston to play in the snow but now the snow had come to us.

The first think I did was pick up my princess phone (anyone remember those?) and called Al. When he answered, I laughed out loud.

                                                       The Stardust and snow, January 1974

                  Dennis McBride in the snow in front of the Flora Dugan Humanities Bldg, UNLV-1974

Dennis, who lived in Boulder City back then, remembers:

Seems to me there was a lot more snow in the 1970s in southern Nevada than there has been in the last thirty-some years. One particularly great snow I remember and wrote about in my journals was the night of New Year's Eve/New Year's Day 1973-74.

I'd spent New Year's Eve with my friend, Dee Keys, in Boulder City and at midnight we went out to see what was going on. Not much in Boulder City. But it was absolutely clear, the stars were brilliant, the moon was high.

Went in to bed and awoke early the next morning with four inches of snow on the ground. Just three days later, Thursday, January 3, another snow storm hit the valley and left seven inches of snow. Dee and I had gone to a science fiction double bill at the El Portal--Zardoz and Soylent Green--and when we came out, Fremont Street and the cars parked along the curb were covered with snow.

One car cruised up and down Fremont with a snow man on its roof. Getting back to BC from Las Vegas, as I wrote in my journal, was "hairy. We could drive only 25-30 miles an hour and very nearly didn't make it out of the valley. The road disappeared and we drove in two tracks in the snow." Another notable snow was February 14, 1979--here's a photograph of me standing on a bench in front of Frazier Hall at UNLV with the Flora Dungan Humanities building in the snowy background.

It would snow again in 1979 but I was gone to college by then. The next time I experienced snow in Las Vegas was December, 2008.

Sorry for the delay but here it is!

Paiutes  episode 11

The show opens with Ralph driving his pick up and listening to Hank Williams singing “We’ll Go Honky-Tonking” and we get to drink at the top of show because Quaid smiles!  He pulls into the parking lot of the Las Vegas Bank and Trust (on my tv it only said Vegas Bank and Trust but that can’t be right because an institution like a bank would be called Las Vegas, not the slangy Vegas), walks a few feet, knocks on the door and gets smacked big time upside the head (as my mother would say).

Title card:  58 hours earlier (that’s two days and change for those of you like me who are time impaired).

58 hours earlier we’re at the Sheriff’s Office where Dixon is trying to put the moves on Miss Sanchez by bringing her a cup of coffee. She reminds him the last time he did something similar he wanted “petty cash to paint racing stripes on his squad car” (that groan you heard was fans who keep hoping this show will get better just take one for the team). A guy with a loaded rifle comes in, threatening to shoot Dixon (can you guess why? I thought you could. DRINK!). Seems Dixon and Mrs. LaForge are “bridge partners” or maybe something more. Her husband certainly seems to think so. Ralph walks between his son  and the loaded rifle and asks Mr. LaForge to put the weapon down.  Dixon copes to his father that he and Mrs. LaForge are more than bridge partners.  (Duh!).  It certainly isn’t going to impress Miss Sanchez. Quaid smiles (DRINK!) as he talks Mr. LaForge into not killing Dixon. He tells Dixon to drive them home “before I shoot  ya myself”and Quaid smiles again (DRINK!- If this keeps up, we’ll be in our cups before the first commercial which considering the writing of the opening scene may not be such a bad idea.)

Over at the Savoy, half naked Jack is lying in Mia Rizzo’s bed talking to her though she is getting ready for work. Jack doesn’t like her working Sundays it seems, “there are no days of rest in the holy book of Ralph Lamb, he thinks it’s just a typo”. He tells Mia she is pretty and she is trying to figure out his angle. Did Jack get a new haircut? A knock at the door and Mia tells him to stay put and shut up. The high rollers have arrived and she is needed. She squeezes out the door make sure  no one sees Jack.

Downstairs, Vince is approached by the not Parry Thomas banker . Not Parry Thomas informs Vince all his accounts have been cleaned out, including the loan the bank made to Vince so he could buy the Tumbleweed.  This is news to Vince.  Not Parry Thomas is not happy and doesn’t want “to look like a fool”.  (If that’s the case he should have talked his agent out of getting him this gig.)

In the high rollers room, we get the info dump on the players. The young man at the table is “Hal, something or other. He’s been losing here all week and wanted to have a private game up here”. Seems Hal is in insurance but he doesn’t know the couple that Mia mentions. Red Flag, anyone?

After the commercial, whoever grabbed Ralph is driving him somewhere.

Title card, 56 hours earlier (yes, time is dragging by) and we are back in the Sheriff’s Office. Jack shows up to work and Ralph ribs him about. Jack blames traffic, no one believes him. (Are you surprised?)

Vince confronts Daddy Rizzo about the missing money, especially the money from the loan that has to be paid back to the bank. Seems Daddy sent half the money to Chi-town and invested the other half on the street for shylocking. Daddy says they’ll get more money by going to another bank. Daddy says he’ll handle it. Vince is not happy. (Are you surprised?- maybe this is the new drinking game?)

Katherine and Missus Savino meet in an alley. Seems they are working together to bring down Daddy Rizzo. Katherine asks Missus Savino about the dead singer and tells Missus Savino that Diane was an informant for the Feds. Katherine tells the Missus that if the Feds start investigating they won’t stop and will dig into Vince as well. The Missus doesn’t like that idea. The only way to stop that, Katherine tells her, is to prove that Rizzo killed Diane Desmond that way the DA’s office brings the charges “and the Feds stay home and I can make sure your husband stays a free man”.

At an empty casino, Ralph and Jack walk into a hostage situation, one of the hostages being one of his deputies.  The hostage takers isWalter, Jr from Breaking Bad (who really must be realizing at this point that not all tv shows are as well written or bolted together as Breaking Bad. This is the second actor from that great series to guest star but I wouldn’t get my hopes up that Bryan Cranston, Anna Gunn, Dean Norris or Bob Oderkirk will be showing up any time soon in guest roles). The other hostage taker is pouring alcohol and lighter fluid all over one of the hostages and looking for matches. He lights the guy on fire. We all  know that this is not going to sit well with Ralph and Jack. The two criminals run away. Ralph tries to save the burning man and Jack gives chase.

Back from commercial and we are back in real time with the driver of the car carrying Ralph coming to a stop. He puts a big wad of gauze and chloroform over Ralph’s face.

36 hours earlier (okay, time is finally moving faster). Back at the Sheriff’s Office, they identify the criminals. Jack has a visitor, Mia. Ralph smiles (DRINK!) and tells him, “don’t keep the lady waiting”. Seems Mia is there officially. Ralph joins the conversation and smiles (DRINK!) while Jack tries to act like there is nothing going on between him and Mia. He does it badly. Mia tells them about the young gambler, Hal. She wants the Lamb boys to look into it. Quaid smiles broadly (BIG DRINK!!!) and asks, “don’t you have your own people for that?” She thinks it might be an inside job, that’s why she wants the Lambs’ help.

Ralph and Dixon talk to the mother of the really bad, fire-starting criminal, Nathan. Seems he has talked his younger brother, Russ (we know him as Walt, Jr) into a life of crime as well.

Over at the Savoy, Vince and Daddy Rizzo are finishing up business when Missus Savino comes in. Daddy Rizzo leaves. Missus Savino starts asking questions about Diane. She point blank asks Vince if he killed the songbird. Vince says he is trying to protect the Missus. “By lying to me.” She retorts. Vince realizes he has to come clean. He tells his wife that it is possible some shot her up with a “hot dose, two parts heroin, one part strychnine. Readily available on Carson Street.” Vince also tells her that it may have been Daddy or it “could just be bad luck”.

Jack tells Mia there’s no dirt on young Hal. Mia’s not convinced nothing is going on. Jack tells her he can spot “a liar a mile away” and tells her to put him in the card game. (Like the regular card sharks in the game won’t recognize him as Ralph’s brother and deputy). Mia’s not buying it. (She is a smart girl, after all).

Ralph and Dixon find another casino owner who got ripped off by Nathan and Russ.

Oops, I was wrong. Seems Mia did buy Jack’s line about being a good card player. He’s playing cards with young Hal and the regular Vegas card sharks while Mia watches. Jack goes all in and wins. Mia still doesn’t look convinced.

So the criminal brothers are hitting places that their late alcoholic father used to haunt.  Pay day at the cement factory where the old man used to work is coming up and the brothers are there to take it from the guards. But Ralph and Jack are there. A stand off commences.  Nathan starts shooting and Ralph drops him while Russ gets away. Nathan tries to draw on Ralph and Ralph kills him.

Not Parry Thomas and his family are out for a drive. They get a flat tire and Daddy Rizzo and a friend come up behind them.  He waves to the wife and son. Daddy Rizzo intimidates not Parry Thomas and tells him from now on, any accounting problems, don’t go to Vince. Not Parry Thomas gets the message. Nice guy that he is, Daddy Rizzo leaves behind a new radial for not Parry Thomas to change out.

Coming back from commercial, Ralph is in not great shape but he realizes he has been thrown down an empty well or a badly shaped hole.

10 hours earlier. (The light, I can see the light!). Ralph and Jack are talking. Katherine shows up to tell them that Russ’ car was spotted outside of Phoenix.  Jack leaves and Katherine tells Ralph that the Feds think Rizzo killed Diane Desmond. Katherine says she can probably get wire taps for Rizzo, Savino and the Savoy. If she is successful, she’ll be celebrating at the Gemini with a cocktail and she hopes Ralph will join her

Over at the Savoy, Mia and Jack are arguing whether Jack won or young Hal lost on purpose. She says he knew they were on to him. Mia had a spotter to see what young Hal is up to.  Seems young Hal was wired and had his own spotter. Busted!!!!

Young Hal will only get hit with a misdemeanor but he can’t keep the $130k he won. That money will be held at the Vegas Bank and Trust.

Over at the Savoy, not Parry Thomas calls to tell Vince and Daddy  Rizzo that the money is flowing again and arranges a meeting for that evening.

Katherine lays out her evidence to the dirty DA but he wants to know her CI before he’ll sign off. Katherine convinces him otherwise.

As Ralph is on his way to meet Katherine for that drink, Jack tells him that young Hal is leaving town and the bank is holding the money. A phone call comes in for Ralph. It’s Walt, Jr (er, Russ). He’s not happy that Ralph killed his brother. “I’m coming for you!” he tells Ralph. “I’ll be waiting.”

As Ralph drives to drop the money at the bank, we are back to where we were at the top of the show.

But before we can go there, we have to go with Daddy Rizzo and Vince to meet with the board of directors at the bank. Seems not Parry Thomas called in some hitters.

It also seems that Walt, Jr (er, Russ) never left town. Ralph’s truck was found with blood all over the sidewalk. Jack realizes that it’s about the money. “Get every deputy, here , NOW!”

After the commercial break, Ralph is trying to escape. But not having much luck. Someone is throwing dirt on him, burying him alive.

Seems young Hal has killed a private investigator from the Golden Nugget in Reno. He pulled a similar scam there and they tried to catch him. The investigator has been missing ever since.  Jack remembers that young Hal’s family had a ranch in Paradise Valley (YAY! Historic accuracy!!!).

Over at not Parry Thomas’ meeting, the hitters have the upper hand. The ring leader has the upper hand. After telling Vince and Daddy Rizzo a story about the Paiutes. Just before they pull the trigger, Vince reminds them that the hoods from Chicago can be of help. There’s some sort of analogy to the Paiutes, the land being all dried up, gambling being the “wave of the future” but it’s convoluted at best. Long story short, they don’t kill the hoods. Vince gives them the Tumbleweed in exchange for their freedom. Money always wins! Vince offers to run the Tumbleweed for them. Daddy Rizzo seems to understand he got out played.

Over in Paradise Valley, Ralph is being buried alive and somehow manages to get young Hal by the collar and drag him into the well. Just before young Hal raises the shovel to bash Ralph’s head in a shot rings out and young Hal drops like a sack of potatoes. Brother Jack to the rescue. Nice back lit shot of Jack, though.

Over at the Savoy, Daddy Rizzo is mad that Vince gave up the Tumbleweed and compares him to the French during WWII. Daddy Rizzo reminds Vince that not only was the Tumbleweed never his, but “none of this is”. As Vince tries to comprehend, Daddy Rizzo hits with his best shot, “you’re quarter Irish, you’re never going to be a made man. You’re expendable.”

Vince reminds Daddy Rizzo that the town is a goldmine and Daddy is screwing it up. Makes no difference to Daddy, he’s a made man and “the only way I’m leaving this town is in a body bag” (foreshadowing much?). Vince is not happy. His dreams for the Tumbleweed and for rising in the organization have just been blasted all to hell.

Over at the hospital, Jack, Dixon and Katherine visit Ralph.  Katherine and Ralph agree to a rain check. Quaid smiles (DRINK!!!).

Mia meets Jack at the hospital. She wanted to make sure that Ralph and Jack were okay. They kiss, a peck. Mia reminds Jack that her family does fight.

There was too much going on in this episode. Some pipe got laid for upcoming episodes. Vince now has a reason to turn on Daddy Rizzo and possibly Chicago. He may partner with the new owners of the Tumbleweed, he may work with the Missus to gather evidence implicating Daddy in the death of the songbird.

A new episode next week so maybe we'll start to find out!

We're working on the recap/review of this week's episode. Stay tuned!

Well, with a new year already rung in, that can only mean one thing!

There's a new episode of Vegas airing this Tuesday night, Jan. 7th!

We'll be reviewing/recapping the episode!

See you then!

Good news, Classic Las Vegas revelers!

If you are planning on ringing in the New Year in the bright light city, there are six hotels that will be offering fireworks displays:

Treasure Island, the Venetian, Caesars, Planet Hollywood, Aria and the MGM Grand are all participating in the 8 minute, 12 song display by Grucci, who also does the annual July 4th displays.

The songs featured will be:

Auld Lang Syne will be the first song, followed by Flo Rida's Whistle,  Pink's Raise Your Glass, Avicii's Le7els, Duncan's Light up the Sky, and Wanted's Glad You Came.

The finale will be Titanium, by David Guetta.

The Fremont Street Experience will have digital fireworks as part of their canopy display. Mayor Carolyn Goodman advises, "Please don't drink and drive."

"This is the biggest fireworks show in the country," said Phil Grucci.

"No city has a bigger show than this one. Only New York City on the Fourth of July might have something larger; but as far as pyrotechnics goes, we're it. And I'm always happy to be a part of it."

If you are looking for room and/or show deals, please check out our sidebar which has links to various deals. Our advertisers offer some of the best deals around! And by supporting them, you help to support us! A win-win!!

For further reading: http://www.lvrj.com/