Ray Donovan just turned in its darkest episode of the season

Ray Donovan’s darkest episode of the season arrived tonight, painting an unforgiving world akin to Dubliners’ short story “Araby” by James Joyce.

This recap contains spoilers for Ray Donovan season 6, episode 8.

Nothing about tonight’s Ray Donovan was absent of the brutal elements of life, ending in Ray placed in a psych ward against his will, having drugs forcibly injected. Much like the story of “Araby” in Dubliners, where the lead character hopes to see a girl he had a crush on at a Bazaar named “Araby” only to arrive past-late to see the darker side of life, so too are each character’s hopes and dreams dashed in this episode… Ray is told by Bridget she doesn’t want him to be in her life anymore after she’s released by Anita Novak from her internship, causing Ray to having a mental breakdown after losing the respect of both his son and daughter. He collapses in Times Square shortly after.

The earlier monologue by Lena about how Ray “deserves to die alone” and ‘always so-called does everything for his family… Yet, where are your brothers? Where’s Bridget? Conor went to the marines just to get away from you,’ certainly did him no favors. It’s one of the few times Ray sheds a tear this season, and he was already visibly shaken after finding Justine murdered in her bathroom (made to look like a suicide by Sam Winslow). Lena is proven right too when Ray finds himself beating Bunchy later on in this episode in order to retrieve the $3 million dollar bag from him (sans 20 grand) but more on that later… Time to talk about the absolute most brutal moment of season 6, nothing else even comes close.

Above: Terry engages in unsanctioned underground fighting again, and this time around against a powerful, unrelenting foe. After a couple direct shots to the head, the unthinkable happens… Terry’s hand starts shaking again like before the surgery. Everything is down the drain, his second chance potentially gone forever. The moment Terry realizes his hand is shaking again was absolutely brutal to see, horrifying to even think about something like this happening.

Above: Terry was clearly going through something this episode, as he sleeps with Abby’s niece Lauren, starting up the whole thing on his own. During their tryst, he starts saying “I love you Abby,” and despite an apology, what’s happened is obvious. Terry attempts to invite Lauren to his fight afterwards but Lauren declines his invite, citing work, and mentioning that, ‘they both knew what this was about.’

Above: Bunchy manages to secure back the $3 million stolen after catching up with Sandy, who says she ‘just wanted to impress her old friends that she was a millionaire but they’re all dead.’ Sandy claims to have only used up 20 grand for herself and bought a present for Maria. She apologizes to Bunchy and tells him that he’s a good man.

When the three of Bunchy, Sandy, and Daryll arrive back to drop Sandy at her house, Mickey is waiting in the house… Wearing his brother’s uniform, gun loaded. At first he thinks Daryll and Sandy were in cahoots but soon is told by Daryll he never willing betrayed him, it was all Ray. Mickey tells Daryll he would have never ‘ratted him out’ or anyone else… Though back in jail Mickey laid his cards out on the table about Ray after feeling betrayal again.

Above: Bunchy had called Teresa citing something that would change her and Maria’s lives forever, (obviously the three million dollars). However, Ray arrives, having tracked down the money and punches Bunchy to the ground, bringing memories of Terry telling Ray that Bunchy is scared of him, and talks the bag. He returns the bag to Sam Winslow and her new fixer but it still doesn’t square things off with her… She wants Ray out of town, while Emerson Lake wants the Mayor out, and now Ray is out of commission.

Check out a recap of last week’s Ray Donovan episode!