Just when the crew thought that they could boss up, fate takes a turn on Desna and Roller. As the walls close in on Desna's queendom, she is forced to make a choice no one would have expected.
In 2018, there were 495 scripted shows airing amongst the linear channels and streaming services. The way people are consuming content now is so different than it used to be. It happens according to one's own schedule. As such, there is less necessity to provide ample coverage of each specific episode in any given season from a show. Moreover, it is simply impossible to watch everything. As such, this site is making the move to shorter episodic reviews in order to cover as many shows as possible. With all of that being said, here are my thoughts on the season finale of TNT's Claws.
"Finna" was written by Janine Sherman Barrois & Eliot Laurence and directed by Dale Stern
Even though she burns down the casino and kills Benedict, Ann presents as the rational one at the close of this finale. No matter how often she proclaims it, Desna doesn't really have a strong handling of her various criminal entanglements. She has long believed that prosperity was just around the corner. Her friends and loved ones just had to trust her a little while longer. And yet, that mentality ultimately led to Arlene's death. Ann isn't about to let that happen to another person she loves. She doesn't want anyone else to get tangled up in this mess of Desna's making. Burning down the casino and killing Benedict may not solve all of the crew's problems in the long run. But it's also Ann doing what she has to do right now to keep her family safe. She doesn't want her brother to be a corrupt governor like his predecessor. She wants a better life for him. She wants to raise her child the way that Arlene would have wanted. Ann has the genuine understanding that she should go to the police and tell them everything that has happened at the casino and the dirty cops who allowed it to occur. She isn't given that freedom though. In that corner of the world, everyone in the police precinct is corrupt. They are all owned by the Chinese Triad. That allows those criminals to operate however they want with the understanding that there won't be any consequences. That's what makes them such a dangerous adversary. Of course, the show also wants the audience to fear the danger creeping in for Ann because of a criminal threat while also expecting us to treat the police seriously as an organization capable of doing its job when it comes to detaining Roller. It's devastating that he is arrested. It means that Desna is planning for a life on the road alongside him. She is ready to become a fugitive with him. They will run from justice for as long as they can. It's not as romantic as she wants to make it seem though. It wouldn't be the two of them happily relaxing into retirement. They would constantly be looking over their shoulders out of fear that the law was closing in. Plus, Desna would be too consumed with guilt and regret over leaving Dean behind. She loves him and sees just how independent he has become as of late. He is back on the healthy path now that he is outside the influence of Mac and Melba. But things aren't able to just go back to the way they were. Virginia doesn't want to restart their engagement like nothing ever happened. In fact, she just wants some time to be alone and figure out what she truly wants from this world. She may still end up with Dean. But this has to be an active choice on her part. She just can't keep running towards romantic relationships that may hopefully fix all of her problems. It never works out like that. That's a moment of clarity for her. It's her learning the lesson that is intended for Polly, who is devastated because Joe chooses to stay with his wife instead of wanting to be with her. She is told not to go running into relationships all the time. And yet, she goes running back to Ken who immediately drops his new girlfriend to be with Polly completely once more. That's awful. But it's also a relationship decision that makes sense given what the emotions have been this season. Meanwhile, it's hard to track and care about the various choices being made in several other major relationships. Toby seems to survive everything that happens because the show understands it can't kill two LGBTQ+ characters in the same season. That would almost be catastrophic and prove that the series isn't all that interested in telling those stories. So instead, Toby is forced out of town because Uncle Daddy can't kill him. Of course, there is nothing all that significant that allows the audience to feel something during that decision. The same is also true of Desna breaking Roller out of prison and not going with him as he hits the sea. It's mostly just to create a dramatic climax that means the characters won't be able to enjoy happy lives any time soon. It's just a little too blatant in that regard.
