The previous episode was a let down. A lot of random twist and unexplained developments. It looked like most of the story thread had to take an unexpected turn.
This episode is a bit better as it makes more sense and is more focused on characters motives rather than plot events. This episode we are (finally) starting to see people motivations more clearly and it feel somewhat refreshing.
The biggest reveal of course concerns the subplot of the gays and Tanya. Until now it looked somewhat uneasy and strange but there was no concrete element to say what was going on for sure. Now, it is clear that it's simply a giant con. Personally, I am a bit disappointed again that Tanya did not storm out of the room at the end, when she discovers it. She ends up in a number of situations where her behavior is not in line with her character. All this time, she was somewhat assertive and impulsive. Now that she is stuck in this surreal rabbit hole; most of that seems lost and forgotten, and she is now basically submissive and timid.
One thing that started to bother me, was the fact that the series was disconnected from its Sicilian environment. And the small acknowledgments felt more like lip-service than anything meaningful. Until now the show could have taken place almost anywhere. Yet, we finally got some immersion. The Di Grassos go to the countryside, have run-ins with the mob and a couple of typical Sicilian nonnas. Also the mob is mentioned! And the final party scene is very deliciously baroque and decadent. It feels Italian, it feels representative.
One aspect that was I liked very much was the whole Ethan-Harper-Cameron love triangle. First of all because it is a plot thread that is not as predictable as the others, and it is well executed. The role-reversal in the infidelity is very interesting, and justifies Harper's beaing a b-word earlier; it is clear that Ethan is very bad at communicating. The whole situation could have been diffused with a simple conversation between adults. Of course that would not make for an interesting show. But it is great to see him almost confronted with his own actions.
I feel that there was too many twists and turns in the previous episodes just for the sake of it. Characters behaving and doing things out of the blue. That somewhat turned me off this series. It feels like this episode attempts to justify many of those previous choices after the fact. Some of it lands, some of it fails, like Valetina's arc. It looks like everything is geared towards a very sinister conclusion; you kinda expect the worst a bit like in Black Mirror. Yet, I do not feel like all these stories are as sophisticated and meaningful as we are told they are.