Richard clearly likes the idea of being some kind of outlaw badass. But considering the things he's done so far, he's more of a cowardly little prick, and a careless one, too.
He's the big man when he's threatening teenagers in the roadhouse, beating Miriam's head in, or screaming obscenities at his grandmother, but he's scared shitless of Red and even deputy doofus Chad toys with him when he tells him to intercept the letter.
A few things to consider - Miriam told him she already contacted the sheriff before she posted the letter. Chad intercepted the letter, but he probably won't destroy it - it's a useful piece of leverage over Richard. Richard tries to set up a crude time-delay gas explosion in Miriam's trailer, but seems to have forgotten that he ventilated the area when he smashed the door in. Maybe it worked, but the episode ended without us seeing the trailer blow up.
I wholeheartedly agree and was just pondering Richard as a villain earlier today. He's really more a schmuck. The first time we saw him, I thought he would be a great bad guy with that sociopathic psychopathic affect. But he's not. He's just a little $#!T who has to impose power over those less powerful than he but cowers in the presence of a larger force than he. I hope he gets his soon and I hope that it's Tammy that gives it to him.... or Audrey.
I am firmly convinced Chad got the wrong letter. From the difference in last names between Miriam Sullivan in the credits M?ri? Hodges on the letter. I put in questions marks because in the letter all the i's have dots except the first one and I see it as Marion Hodges.
Agreed. Richard reminds of, but seems a more real-world update of, the silly aspects of Frank Booth - excessive, childlike frustration; "feel my muscles"; well-dressed-man disguise. He also mirrors/positions Steven Burnett on an interesting continuum of vice. But his contact with Red reveals that he is already a "professional," that he is already part of the "organised," institutionalised continuum of villainy that includes the Mitchums, Anthony Sinclair, Chad and Mr C (and those responsible for atomic bombs?). "Cowardly and careless" but deadly. I foresee a Badlands-like killing spree.
If he was a Brit and didn't have a wealthy family, he'd be a Chav. Far too many of them here, so if there's one thing I wish we could export, it'd be Chavs.
If he was a Brit and didn't have a wealthy family, he'd be a Chav. Far too many of them here, so if there's one thing I wish we could export, it'd be Chavs.
Export all our chavs?! 'We're going to need a bigger boat.'
Sadly, this is true.
I'm starting to think he might be the one who's in trouble. I rewatched the scene with Red, who asks him if he has the situation under control and basically tells him he better not screw things up. But he did, he killed a little boy, then killed a witness that recognized him but probably failed to clear the scene (I believe Miriam is going to die nonetheless, either bleeding or asphyxia will do it as she seems to live in the middle of nowhere, but the trailer might not blow up), and it's possible that Chad failed to intercept the letter that reported his crimes, which might also expose Chad corruption and his involvement in the drug business. Richard topped it by assaulting his grandma, stealing her money and running away. All of this might have at least slowed down Red's distribution network in the area and pissed him off.
As for Richard's thug skills, I'd say it's a little bit of a mixed bag. He does a great job of having a man in the police department working for him and handles the situation with Miriam (at the beginning) perfectly, making sure the letter she sent has not arrived and she hasn't told no one else about the run over before attacking her. And he has a sound idea in blowing up the trailer to leave no evidence/making it look like an accident. But he forgot he broke the glass in the door, leaving a hole for the air to get in, and I'm not sure the windows in the trailer were all closed. We've seen his man in the police might not be the brightest bulb. And all in all he seems like a wannabe bad boy crying for attention who got himself in deeper waters than he's prepared to swim.
I'm still wondering if the police (not Sheriff's department) will be after him - as that's who Miriam said she told. That may cause some further unravelling...
Fire walk with