Average Joe Season 2 Episode 3 Review: The Core Four Are Falling Apart

Critic’s Rating: 4 / 5.0

4

When you think you’ve finally understood Cathy, she does something that makes any goodwill you’re ready to extend come crashing down.

She’s such a complex character, and her relationship with Leon is as confusing to Leon and Touch as it is to me, but that’s also the beauty of her.

Complicated characters will always be far more interesting to watch than almost anything else.

Average Joe Season 2 Episode 3 was a cool-down from the intensity of the first two hours, almost as if the series realized it was going a hundred miles an hour and needed to pump the brakes a little, or it would be over before it got a real chance to start.

Call me crazy, but I still don’t completely understand this whole thing with Cathy and Leon because it all came about in such a convoluted way.

We already knew they took the heroin, but I guess Joe finding that out tipped him over the edge? And essentially, because Cathy already knew that Eddie Philsky was Teddy, she and Leon knew Angela and Jennifer weren’t actually in danger.

So Joe was really in the dark about a lot of things, and now that I am talking it all out, yes, Joe had every right to react the way he did.

The standoff between the three friends and Cathy (the core four nickname has been RETIRED until further notice) really did a great job of showcasing the group dynamics.

Joe’s anger was mostly centered on Leon, someone he considered a brother. And that brutality ran deep, something Leon understood on a fundamental level.

He wasn’t pushing back or trying to skirt responsibility because he understood how deep Joe’s hurt ran.

Then you had Cathy, who doesn’t really care about these men outside their connection to Leon, and at times, you could argue she didn’t even fully care about Leon. At least, she often doesn’t consider his feelings.

Lastly, there was Touch, once again showing the giant death wish he’s carrying around in his pocket, ready to whip it out when the opportunity presents itself.

The four of them have been through so much together, and have literally put their lives on the line for each other, and yet this was the breaking point.

The thing is: none of them are innocent. None of them are perfect people, and none of them are blameless when it comes to the situation they find themselves in.

They’ve made choices of their own free will. It’s just as unfair for Cathy to put everything on Joe’s shoulders as it is for him to put everything on hers.

When Average Joe Season 2 began with the crew heading out to Africa, I never would have guessed that three hours in they’d be split up, and to be honest, I’m not entirely sure how I feel about it.

Sure, there were times during Average Joe Season 1 when everyone was split up, but the series thrives when all the characters are together and get to play off one another. That’s the bread and butter of this whole thing.

Touch was off with Phyllis, and it’s fairly obvious that they’re using this season to explore his background further, which isn’t a bad thing, especially because Touch isn’t just struggling internally, but he’s in deep denial.

Touch never fully processed the loss of his family, and after escaping death so many times last season, it’s almost as if he’s reached a space where he’s numb to everything. He’s numb to his past, yet seemingly convinced he’s invincible.

The vibe between Touch and Phyllis is curiosity, and you can tell there’s a subtle attraction and solid chemistry underneath it all.

Their retreat up the mountain was breathtaking and a powerful moment for Touch, even if he still can’t fully let himself feel any emotion. He won’t let himself feel sadness, pain, hurt, or even anger right now.

Phyllis and Joe, for that matter, can see through him, but someone as hardheaded as Touch likely won’t come to that realization without a tremendous push and a willingness to let someone close.

Touch’s arrest at the end of the hour was unexpected, but considering Akinyemi is onto all of them now, it was likely only a matter of time before they got scooped up one by one.

Elsewhere, Joe and Imani went on another one of Teddy’s scavenger hunts, and I don’t know how Joe isn’t sick of them yet. Teddy could have just written a letter and placed it in a safe-deposit box instead of going through all of this, but then again, Teddy is the worst.

Maybe I’m off base, and I desperately want to be, but I feel as though Imani is hiding something. But at the same time, it’s hard not to feel for her because now her mother is dead and bad people are actively looking for her.

It still doesn’t fully make sense why Sipho is after her, since he was looking for her before he found out who had taken the heroin, so what’s the connection there?

Speaking of Sipho, he’s the kind of villain who works at first but can get stale quickly if he doesn’t evolve beyond a psychopathic killer with a quick trigger finger. Introducing someone just as scary, if not scarier, gives him some much-needed depth.

Now that Sipho has a price on his head, he’ll go that much harder to find the crew and Imani, and it’s all going to lead to something catastrophic.

It’s exciting!

Though that catastrophic thing may have already happened.

I am a longtime Leon defender because I believe at his core, Leon’s a solid individual with a kind heart. He loves his friends. He loves his wife. And he wants everyone he loves to love one another.

The flashback to his bachelorette party was amazing for several reasons, but, like other moments this season, it helped shade in these characters and relationships even more. 

We already know Cathy’s chaotic and not super well-liked among Leon’s friends, but we also know Joe and Touch love Leon and will ride with him through it all.

That makes Leon and Cathy’s deception hurt all the more for Joe. 

Cathy’s got Leon wrapped around her finger, and while she knows it, she’s never scared to cross lines or keep going even when it feels like Leon may be on the cusp of growing a backbone.

The two are a powerful duo, and on the one hand, it’s completely understandable that Cathy would want more for her life. Don’t we all?

The difference between Cathy and us, though, is that she’s willing to hurt people, including Leon, to get to a better life. She’s willing to lie, cheat, steal, and kill—and she does it proudly so she can advance herself.

And she’s willing to bring Leon along with her, but damn, it sure seems begrudging at times.

Does Cathy love Leon? Yes. But she doesn’t fully respect him, and that was evident as all the secrets slowly started to come out during this hour. 

Even something small like her taking the gun back from Leon, after he explicitly asked her to relinquish some control, shows exactly what she thinks about herself and her partner.

It’s fine to believe that if you want something done, do it yourself, but when your husband tells you he wants to help and will be someone who makes it so you don’t have to do everything yourself, and you still rebuff him? Well, what do you expect?

I want to believe that, after all these years of marriage, the two of them understand each other better—and they do. But they’re still not always willing to meet each other halfway.

Leon’s shooting was a complete shock, one that had me screaming at the television!

We can’t lose Leon, and I don’t believe we will.

If there’s anything that could bring the four back together, it’s the cops on their butts, a murderous drug dealer who’s made a pact with the devil, and Leon almost dying. 

Bring my core four back together, please!

Extra, Average Notes

• Leon would give his best men mugs with his and Cathy’s faces on them at the strip club. WE CANNOT LOSE LEON!

• Imani finding her mother dead was awful. So much carnage, and I blame Teddy!

• I love Touch, but he is so rude sometimes! I felt awful for Phyllis when he brushed aside her concern for him.

Everyone in South Africa is about to be looking for Joe, Touch, Leon, and Cathy! What are they going to do?

If you’re watching, I want to hear from you! Drop all your thoughts and theories below!

New episodes of Average Joe air every Wednesday through September 30, only on Paramount+.