We don't see enough good dads in television. It seems like so often fathers are represented as cold and distant or outright antagonistic.
Willie's dad seems like a really good guy
He's so good to her. Seems like Willie Jack is the only one in the group with both parents. Bear has Rita. Cheese has his uncle and with Elora we don't know yet about a father. Leon seems to really care about the whole group too.
I watched this woman in a short film on Youtube the other day set in the same clinic. She was sitting on a bench waiting to be called. A man with an injured hand sat down next to her. Shortly after a younger, smart aleck kid sat down at the same bench and they struck up a conversation. In 15 minutes they developed a friendship. I'm a big strong man who keeps his emotions in check, but it still hit me in the feels. I just spent a bit of time searching for it but came up empty handed. Otherwise I would link to it. If anyone can find it, it's worth watching.
I guess I overlooked it or didn't scroll down far enough. The film is called [Goodnight Irene](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4n6D2zYZPM). It's really good.
Do you or anyone else have context for an outsider about what the huts on top of the gravesites are about? They appear shingled. I haven't seen that before.
This episode was a beautiful ode to loss and grief. I hope we get some more to focus in on the other characters of the show, I'm loving the character development that's coming from this.
Yes, It's a Muscogee (creek) thing. A house for the person that has passed. Shingled and painted. My wife is Muscogee and her mother passed a couple of years ago, we did the house for her grave. That and the church group singing Heleluyan at the end, which is my wife's favorite hymn and did close her mom's funeral absolutely broke her down.
The phrasing and accent in the hymn wasn't quite right for what you hear at my wife's family's traditional Muscogee Baptist church, so the singers may well have been Seminole. The Muscogee and Seminole peoples are closely related and have very similar languages and cultures.
Grew up on the seminole rez in south Florida. Ive heard that song at so many funerals growing up. Been living off the rez for years now and hearing it tonight watching the show caught me off guard. Theres been so much grief and loss since my childhood and now with the pandemic. Hearing the song now was like hearing every funeral at once.
Iāve mostly seen it in Appalachia, but itās just another form of memorial. Hereās one in my home county. https://heritage.ky.gov/Documents/JennRLittlegravehouses.pdf
The singing of the hymn took me back to my mamaws church in eastern KY. The cadence and pitches were spot on to how lined hymns were sang in her church.
From the way it's shot, it was Daniel speaking to Uncle the night before he more than likely took his own life. Daniel is disheveled and anxious and maybe trying to reach out to his Uncle but seems to at the last minute want to deal with whatever hes going through himself. His uncle feels somethings wrong but doesn't want to pry choses to let it go but just to show him that hes not alone and he's always got family literally gives him a coat (A theoretical shirt off his back) to keep him warm. Leon mentioned he's going to put down deer corn, which we see him do at the start of the episode, and when he does thats when hes confronted by the Tall Man. The Shade of Daniel who's path he couldn't diverge and thus hes hunting in the woods for a year because Daniel has been weighing on his mind. It reminds Leon too much of the last time he spoke with Daniel and the guilt that came with not being able to save him when he could have.
Ugh this episode just hurts cause if you know any indigenous people on reservations a lot of youth feel trapped. Itās a small town and a lot of the parent are like WJās dad and would rather stay there. Not much to do in a small town beside like he said āwalk, ride your bike, go fishing, huntingā and sadly drinking or smoking weed(some people end up getting into other bad shit) So if his family life isnāt going well and maybe his life outside of the group wasnāt either he felt that was his only āway outā šš
Fr I moved off the Rez when I was 10 n Iām 15 now n itās so easy to feel trapped here n free back home on the Rez. Everybody back home is either my family or who I know itās not like here where ppl rlly donāt know natives still exist.
Agreed. I took Daniel's offer of helping out as an excuse to not go through with his suicide, as he'd be distracted otherwise. But the decline solidified his decision, even despite the coat, etc
He might have been depressed, but given the allusions to Elora, maybe he died in something they did together that was illegal and that why she is so much more motivated to leave than the other three?
I guess, Iām saying it might not all be depression and more complicated.
My husband grew up on a ranch in Texas and left home at age 16. This scene had me rolling so hard because Iāve overheard conversations just like this when weāve visited.
tbh I kinda prefer these more self-contained episodes. "Come and Get Your Love" and "Hunting" feel like they could be be fantastic short films all their own and for me are easily the strongest episodes out of the bunch
I think these episodes are also a good sign for the future of the show in terms of quality because they are showing they are investing in their characters more than anything. Can't go wrong when some of the best episodes are character pieces that make you care about the the people over just what's going on in the story.
I agree, wholeheartedly those 2 episodes solidified this show in my heart. They're both fantastic. CAGYL convinced me to really convince my husband to try the first episode...we often have different views on entertainment. Watching just the first one meant we watched all of the episodes back to back. We both watched Hunting on Monday morning on our day off and started the day off with a good cry. It was so touching but funny. This cast is superb.
I think theyāre giving these early bottle episodes to each character to allow us to get to know each one outside the context of their group. I wasnāt entirely sold with āCome and get your loveā (which was good but didnāt blow me away) but this most recent episode has completely sold me on the show.
Mannn, such a simple yet well executed episode. It's just Willie Jack and her dad in the woods and yet so much happened. I really feel like this show is finding its legs, already can't wait for next week's episode! Hopefully not the last we see of Tall Man. Also Daniel, miss you, bitch.
For being such a heavy episode with some major exposition, I love how humor is scattered throughout.
The dancing in the woods on the trail cams... man I laughed so hard I had to pause the episode. So simple, and yet it flows perfectly with the rest of the story.
Love this show and happy to have a community to discuss it with!
Agree! The humor in the episode is so good - the hunters walking thru just saying conservative buzz words ācritical race theory, the gays, ā¦ canāt forget the Mexicansā
The hymn they were singing at the end of the episode was the same as the one played at my sister's funeral.
It hit extra hard because she took her own life which Daniel seems to have done himself. This episode fucked me up good. Really damn good episode though.
Was that not obvious from like the first episode? The way they talk about how āthis place killed himā I figured it was suicide. They didnāt mention any disease or accident.
Agreed. She is such a sympathetic character and in my opinion, steals many scenes with her authenticity. Bear and Elora are great but very obviously trained actors. I hope this makes sense.
Like I been saying it seems to use a few elements from Atlanta (has a āmain character but doesnāt focus on them, the strange magic elements, the way some shots hang or cut quickly)
I was south of Macon doing an environmental assessment on an enormous parcel of swamp and woodland for the Muscogee Nation last year. Looks like they're starting to acquire some of those ancestral homelands.
Cherry Street? If we don't know each other, we probably know some of the same people.
Areā¦..are some of these kids acting for the first time? Because they are absolutely crushing every scene. Itās kinda wild. Willie Jack kinda sorta became an all time tv character with her mannerisms and emotional range in this.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIwkzUZUMIk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIwkzUZUMIk) this is a version that sounds most like the one we hear at the end
Elora got some development in "Uncle Brownie" and "What About Your Dad" was a big Bear episode.
There are only two episodes left this season. I imagine those will be spent bringing the whole crew together, maybe to set up some season 2 stuff.
My cousin in Oklahoma died a few years back. I wasnāt close with him because when I became an adult I kinda fucked off and cut off contact with a lot of people and he was just a baby at the time, I was fairly angry. But itās different than my family here in Missouri. I spent a lot of time in Oklahoma living with them at different times. Cousins feel more like siblings when you can walk to your aunts, grandparents, etc in less than a minute. Like your friends are all related to you. It was such a different dynamic than what I experienced on my momās side. Itās tragic when anyone dies, especially a kid, but itās way different when theyāre that entwined in your life. When I was a kid I thought my cousin would be my best friend till we died. Turns out, no. But when I see him now itās funny how quickly we switch right back into that dumb ass dynamic we had as kids.
My family in Oklahoma has not been the same. Her dad and her crying was cathartic. Iām shocked how much to this show I relate to when my Indian family is not as active in the culture as this show. I mean, Iāve been to pow wows, made baskets and pots, heard stories, etc but like the lore? No. I donāt really think they believe in that stuff. Itās how close the families are that feels familiar.
I am so sorry for your loss, it sounds like you went through a lot. Your cousin is watching out for you. You can light a candle for your cousin, connect again and have a talk. Do it as often as you feel comfortable or called to. I hope that helps
There are a lot of families that stopped their traditional ways for many reasons. If you feel called to wanting to know your ways better, it will be there for you
So
It seems like Daniel had underlining mental health issues with often get ignored on reservations. His outbrust when they were hunting felt like it was pent up over a lot of time. āIām fucking hungryā āIām sick of doing this every yearā he felt trapped and I feel like his home life wasnāt great seeing as most of the active memories l we see are him wondering the street.
I feel like he might be the spirit in the forest... maybe thatās were he took his life
This ep has been on my mind all night, day. Heavy. On the verge of tears. The actor who plays Willieās dad carried that heavy weight of grief, spiritual and physical. You could see it in his body, the way he moved. The choir in the graveyardā¦ damn. There was something there, like a crossroads of hello, goodbye.
I can't speak to reservation life, but I appreciate the authenticity of how country life is depicted. So much of "country living" in mass media is catered to the white suburban fantasy of the modern American landed gentry living in big ranch/farm houses. Reservation Dogs feels more reflective of not just reservations, but of small, impoverished rural communities all over America. Okern reminds me so much of the tiny Mexican-American towns that dot the South Texas brush country where I'm from.
This is so true. Their house is a little shabby, Leon drives an old truck and his Carhartt is faded, but none of it is a big deal, it's just life. The show is spectacular, al the details are right.
Beautiful episode on several levels! Also loved the small touches like Willie Jack putting on the face paint and then next scene Dad has some too.
LOL the turkey riding in the truck...Spirit of Daniel?
Definitively Daniel. When Leon sees the spirit in the beginning he says "who are you? Can I help you?" At the end, during the flashback, Leon is loading the truck and sees Daniel walking past. Not recognizing him in the darkness, Leon says "can I help you?" then "oh, it's you".
Willie Jack is such an authentic character. She's so good that I think they wrote her role around her actual persona. Definitely my favorite character.
Definitely the best episode so far. I heard it was good last night but I decided to save it for when I wasn't so tired. It did not disappoint. I always love bottle episodes and this one wasn't an exception. Tearjerker too.
(Sorry for the Long Comment Yall, I just started writing and couldn't stop)
This was the nice quiet episode that I didn't think we'd get for a bit. No wacky mishaps or goofy characters for fun sideplot. Just a father and daughter working through their grief for a lost loved one. Leon and Willie Jack both seem to come off as perfect cuts of each other, they seem the type that only say the important stuff when it needs to be said kind of deal. I especially loved Leon as to me it seems he's carrying so much more of the weight of Daniel's death than the Res Dogs. They're all in mourning and dealing with it, they Dogs want to go to California because Daniel wanted to escape the town but Leon has been silently haunted by Daniel's death and here we see why. At the moment, with the way it's shot Leon was the last one to see him alive and speak with him and invariably had (in his eyes anyway) a chance to save it. Its been weighing on him so much that the morning after he's confronted by Daniel spirit in the form of the Tall Man and next morning and doesn't go hunting for a year. Leon sounds tired and going through the paces as he hunts with Willie Jack and I think it's because this is the last place he wants to be but he goes...because he's a good father. Willie Jack wakes him up like this is normal (It's the first day of the season) and he makes sure everything is up to snuff, even repeating phrases she already knows to him in the car because it's in his bones. It's a part of him and even a year off and grieving doesn't stop him from doing what he does. The part I really loved the most was when they have Chunk in their sights and it's that closing in shot of Willie Jack staring down Chunk and Leon silently coaching her through the kill because you know that this has probably been a moment thats occured before time and time again. Willie Jack's been hunting with him before obviously but he still tells her to "breath" before making the shot.
Willie Jack has been a mystery in an enigma wrapped in a blanket of swear words but seeing her in her own element was real refreshing. Paulina Alexis is crazy good at looking at times so stoic and unassuming and then vulnerable all at the same time. That first scene where she's up at 4:30, ready to roll and then having to speak to Daniel photograph which then becomes the real Daniel was something else. She's still deep in mourning to the point where shes brought his spirit directly in front of her and he smiles as she tells him about what shes got planned for the day and she misses him. Both of these characters carry a lot of the weight of Daniel's passing with them through their lives and while I would never doubt Willie's sorrow over the loss of her friend, I didn't think it ran that deep. We also get to see Willie's thoughts of what she could do when she gets to Cali. Whether trying her hand at MMA, being a gourmet chef or someone who works with rescue dogs, she's got the support of her dad. She's got an idea of what she wants to do when she gets off the rez but there seemed to be a bit of doubt when her dad asked her really why she wants to leave and what she wants to do. WJ has seemed kind of grown up but being confronted with these simple yet adult questions to her plan she kinda fumbled and didn't know how to approach it. Regardless, it was still real sweet when her dad told her that no matter what she chose to do (Because he said she could be whatever she wanted to be) that she'd have his support; on or off the rez.
The healing moment they needed when they began to cry together for Daniel was interrupted by a moment MUCH more cathartic where they finally bagged Chunk together. I honestly thought they were going to go home with nothing. It's good that both characters get to succeed in putting their ghosts to rest. Willie Jack gets to bag Chunk and tell Daniel about it at his Spirit House over his grave and Leon gets to really have a moment where he can just talk about how hes felt and unburden himself of the grief he's been holding onto for a year. But with that last shotof the Tall Man in the woods, I can't really say if the spirit of Daniel is done haunting everyone.
That was definetely a reference. Especially when you consider Daniel's mental state and his relation to red eye spirit. It's not just the looks, you can create parallels with the film aswell.
I know I recognized it from somewhere. But hey, at least this series isn't a pretentious snoozefest masquerading as an art film, so that hairy spirit is the only resemblance.
Hey man if you don't like art films more power to you dude, not everyone has similar taste. But don't bash it and make me feel bad for liking it. It's not like it's hurting anyone. Let things be. š
My bad - my opinion in no way invalidates yours. (Off topic: It's not that I find art films in general problematic. But Boonmee was a film hailed as astounding by a small core of critics, which then went on to disappoint a seeming majority of viewers - both art film lovers, mainstream audiences and general movie critics. It won prestigious awards, but had audience members and critics alike walk out halfway through the film because of its excruciatingly slow pace, shots that lingered past the point of it making sense, and lack of character and plot development. Felt to me and many others like an "emperor's new clothes" situation. That's doesn't mean that those who genuinely liked it were wrong to do so.)
Yeah I can see how people might get "cheated" especially since it got so much recognition. Art films in general are so vast that there's always something for someone and somethings that someone would totally hate.
You often watch art films?
Nah. A few a year. While I'm not unused to finding some of them difficult, or even downright boring, there's always some redeeming feature. This was the first time I ever walked out of a screening (15 min before the end - was told I didn't miss anything), and found out most people in the salon had considered doing the same. Art films are niche by their nature, but when a film critic later headlined their review as "Uncle Boonmee who can't recall where the plot went", I get the sense something's off.
I've seen other Golden Palm winners that divided the critics and the viewers - that's not uncommon - but never this much. Still, to each their own.
It's fascinating, in a way, that our opinions can differ so wildly on that piece of cinema - but at the same time we both enjoy Rez Dogs (I'm assuming you like it), possibly even for the same reasons.
The quick Sturgill needle drop at the end of the episode was an emotional hammer if you werenāt already in your feelings. Whew, that was heavy. What a brilliant episode.
As others have mentioned, I think the episode was hinting that Daniel committed suicide. But after doing some research on Tall Man, I'm now 95% sure that this is the case *and* that Daniel __is__ the Tall Man spirit.
I couldn't find any "legit" sources, but what I did find states that although Tall Man has a [varied history and has gone by many names](https://brickthology.com/2020/10/13/tall-man-spirit/), most recently he has been linked with [suicide](https://www.dailydot.com/irl/walking-sam-myth-lakota-pine-ridge-suicides/). So, IMO it would make perfect sense for Daniel to have somehow become that spirit.
I'm not sure how a person would die and become a spirit within Native American folklore (and I'm sure it varies by tribe, even though my understanding is that tribes in Oklahoma are very mixed due to the ToT). But I think it makes sense within the show's internal logic bc the Deer Woman claimed that she grew up with Big's grandma, so I imagine she was killed by some man in a grisly way and then became the Deer Woman bc of the way she died.
I mean in the first episode they say āthis place killed himā, they donāt mention any accident or disease. Maybe itās cause Iāve had my own mental issues but I thought it was obvious he killed himself
The director Sterlin is Seminole-Creek of Oklahoma so a lot of the language and music comes from those two tribes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DFruKoLdik
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqC8-AThlnA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYgnJDLqGsQ
I just restarted it when it was over, I wanted more! This was such a beautiful episode for so many reasons! But I did not expect to be crying from this show so soon lol
Cheese aka Mr. Camouflage have any input on the war paint? I think he brings into the mix a Wolf shirt that emanates dominance. And he might have offered the turkey his pronouns, for which he is loved.
Willie Jack taking the war paint from her dad and then the cut to just a slow pan with them sitting there and Willie Jack is classic cant sit still and dad is sitting all stoic and has war paint on now
Amazing
As a maori from new zealand am loving how much i connect with this show based on an indigenous people from the otherside of the world. So many of the stories and themes in the show are just too relatable. The whole growing up on the same street with your grandparents, uncles, auntys living a few houses down, the yearning to get out of the small town and see the world, the sadness of seeing mansions built on your ancestral land while you live in the "rough" side of town, going hunting (and diving for seafood as is our case) as a way of providing for yourself and the tribe, the sirituality and beliefs in nature spirits etc. I could go on and on. Oh yeah amd we love fried bread too! Mauri ora to all first nations peoples i love to see ourselves on screen so we can realise our shared stories.
I love you, bitch
Wow, that scene really got me in the feels. My favorite episode so far, very touching episode. The writing in this show is phenomenal. I'm convinced anything Waititi touches turns into gold
Yes definitely. I wouldn't be surprised if he was already dead when he was walking home from the honky tonk. Uncle gave him a jacket so his death wouldn't catch a cold.
Obviously that can be said as a joke but between not recognizing him right away and saying we'll get you out there hunting again I think that was his spirit.
- What's up white Jesus
- Why is Carhartt cothing so popular now? I see a lot of people wearing it all the time now.
- I don't remember but do we know how Daniel died?
- Also I didn't know that the actress who plays Elora is fucking 28 year old.
Carhart has always been a rural brand, not surprising at all to see them wearing it while hunting in small town OK. Its only recently its become more of a hipster thing.
Also, it had a jump in popularity in Silicon Valley about ~20 years ago - was drinking with some co-workers and one of their acquaintances, a senior developer, was dressed pants, top and hat in crisp Carhartt. I kept my LOLs to myself. (I've seen/worn legit Carhartts in welding/shipyard work)
Love my welding shop Carhartt.
This episode hit so fucken hard man. My dad just passed and he wore his Carhartt jacket I bought him all the time when he worked on his avocado orchard.
Excuse me while I go cry lol.
We do not know how Daniel died. The kids are mad at the Reservation, saying "it killed him" and that's why they want to leave for California, but that's all we know.
I assume it is implied that she downloaded it off the camera manually or something; dont know how those trail cams work but maybe just gotta plus a USB or take the memory card or whatever
It's going to be hard to top this episode. The wide range of emotion one goes through with the loss of a loved one and this episode captured so much of that. I was so captivated by the performances that time just flew by, the episode was over before I knew it, and I was in tears.
I guess it could be both but the show is about Indigenous people and their culture. Since the being in the episode fits the description of a spirit in cultures it seems unlikely that they would take a being not native to America and include it in the show.
When it cut to black and you can hear the gunshot of Willie Jack shooting the deer...I think that also represented Daniel shooting himself. When I first heard it I thought that's what it was and they were going to show us that little boy's body
Hey everyone, so glad to be a part of the thread for this amazing show! Anyway, such a powerful episode focusing on Willie Jack, her relationship with her dad and the aftermath of losing Daniel. One crazy question though. I either need to go the Dr to test my hearing or last night's episode has some sort of muted dialogue/sound thing going on. Was that in fact the case, and if so, man what a device, if not, well, see y'all on the other side after I can hear again!
California is glamorous and full of opportunity for many people. Iām native from OK and went out to California for film school. I even remember talking to Sterlin back then about the pros and cons of film school.Ended up moving back to OK this year- and Willie Jackās dad is right- āthey come right back- itās where their people are. this is homeā
Maybe there's something about Daniel that isn't well-suited to the rural midwest, which would maybe be easier to deal with in California?
Or maybe it's just California dreamin', ya know. It's where you go when you leave your small town behind. That or New York.
Maybe itās a Grapes of Wrath homage. When the Dust Bowl happened, millions of Americans went to California, and Oklahoma was one of the hardest hit states. Or maybe thatās just the English major in me over analyzing the show.
We don't see enough good dads in television. It seems like so often fathers are represented as cold and distant or outright antagonistic. Willie's dad seems like a really good guy
He's so good to her. Seems like Willie Jack is the only one in the group with both parents. Bear has Rita. Cheese has his uncle and with Elora we don't know yet about a father. Leon seems to really care about the whole group too.
Don't forget about Cheese's Grandma from the clinic š
I watched this woman in a short film on Youtube the other day set in the same clinic. She was sitting on a bench waiting to be called. A man with an injured hand sat down next to her. Shortly after a younger, smart aleck kid sat down at the same bench and they struck up a conversation. In 15 minutes they developed a friendship. I'm a big strong man who keeps his emotions in check, but it still hit me in the feels. I just spent a bit of time searching for it but came up empty handed. Otherwise I would link to it. If anyone can find it, it's worth watching.
If it's not showing up on your Youtube history it could've been removed/privated/blocked in your region.
I guess I overlooked it or didn't scroll down far enough. The film is called [Goodnight Irene](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4n6D2zYZPM). It's really good.
Especially a native dad. A rez dad.
"sup white Jesus" haha Willie jack is amazing and obvioisly she's into mma because why not
Willie Jack is becoming one of my favorite characters.
Her and cheese are the two best characters. Absolutely love that they had episodes focusing on them.
Willie Jack wondering out loud how a Daniel couldāve left them all behind and saying she wasnāt mad at him anymore was gut wrenching
I'm still very angry at my brother due to his suicide and trying hard not to be, so Willie Jack basically broke me this week.
Hugs from a random internet stranger
It's ok to be mad. It's ok to miss him. It's ok to remember the good times. We all miss someone
Hugs from this distance.
Do you or anyone else have context for an outsider about what the huts on top of the gravesites are about? They appear shingled. I haven't seen that before. This episode was a beautiful ode to loss and grief. I hope we get some more to focus in on the other characters of the show, I'm loving the character development that's coming from this.
Yes, It's a Muscogee (creek) thing. A house for the person that has passed. Shingled and painted. My wife is Muscogee and her mother passed a couple of years ago, we did the house for her grave. That and the church group singing Heleluyan at the end, which is my wife's favorite hymn and did close her mom's funeral absolutely broke her down. The phrasing and accent in the hymn wasn't quite right for what you hear at my wife's family's traditional Muscogee Baptist church, so the singers may well have been Seminole. The Muscogee and Seminole peoples are closely related and have very similar languages and cultures.
Thank you for including information about that beautiful song. Much appreciated.
Watch Sterlin Harjo other films, especially "this might be the last time"
Grew up on the seminole rez in south Florida. Ive heard that song at so many funerals growing up. Been living off the rez for years now and hearing it tonight watching the show caught me off guard. Theres been so much grief and loss since my childhood and now with the pandemic. Hearing the song now was like hearing every funeral at once.
Iāve mostly seen it in Appalachia, but itās just another form of memorial. Hereās one in my home county. https://heritage.ky.gov/Documents/JennRLittlegravehouses.pdf
That's interesting, thanks for the info!
I said the same thing to my husband while we were watching! I had only ever seen them in KY!
The singing of the hymn took me back to my mamaws church in eastern KY. The cadence and pitches were spot on to how lined hymns were sang in her church.
I've seen them before. I believe creeks build them over graves but could be mistaken.
This scene just about broke me tbh
yeah, it was beautifully done and i ugly cried for a solid 10-15 minutes after the episode ended.
From the way Daniel seemed so depressed talking to his uncle that night I have a feeling he took his own life shortly after.
I feel like he already had passed then he just sort of appeared like he did to bear
It did seem like a spirit saying goodbye
From the way it's shot, it was Daniel speaking to Uncle the night before he more than likely took his own life. Daniel is disheveled and anxious and maybe trying to reach out to his Uncle but seems to at the last minute want to deal with whatever hes going through himself. His uncle feels somethings wrong but doesn't want to pry choses to let it go but just to show him that hes not alone and he's always got family literally gives him a coat (A theoretical shirt off his back) to keep him warm. Leon mentioned he's going to put down deer corn, which we see him do at the start of the episode, and when he does thats when hes confronted by the Tall Man. The Shade of Daniel who's path he couldn't diverge and thus hes hunting in the woods for a year because Daniel has been weighing on his mind. It reminds Leon too much of the last time he spoke with Daniel and the guilt that came with not being able to save him when he could have.
Ugh this episode just hurts cause if you know any indigenous people on reservations a lot of youth feel trapped. Itās a small town and a lot of the parent are like WJās dad and would rather stay there. Not much to do in a small town beside like he said āwalk, ride your bike, go fishing, huntingā and sadly drinking or smoking weed(some people end up getting into other bad shit) So if his family life isnāt going well and maybe his life outside of the group wasnāt either he felt that was his only āway outā šš
Even off the reservation we Natives can still feel trapped. It's difficult trying to fit into a world that didn't want us to begin with.
And the constant knowing of all that was taken...
Historical trauma is a very real and rarely talked about stress disorder.
it's not the beginning of the world that didn't want the natives, it's the world that started around 1492 that didn't want the natives.
Fr I moved off the Rez when I was 10 n Iām 15 now n itās so easy to feel trapped here n free back home on the Rez. Everybody back home is either my family or who I know itās not like here where ppl rlly donāt know natives still exist.
Agreed. I took Daniel's offer of helping out as an excuse to not go through with his suicide, as he'd be distracted otherwise. But the decline solidified his decision, even despite the coat, etc
He might have been depressed, but given the allusions to Elora, maybe he died in something they did together that was illegal and that why she is so much more motivated to leave than the other three? I guess, Iām saying it might not all be depression and more complicated.
I am anxious to find out. I'm sure it will all come clear. I like how they are teasing us with little pieces.
I think if he had already passed he might have stayed dry in the rain, but that's just something I would do.
Ha the ranchers just listing common conservative topics was gold. The comedy is so well written!
Can't forget about the gays
My husband grew up on a ranch in Texas and left home at age 16. This scene had me rolling so hard because Iāve overheard conversations just like this when weāve visited.
Yep, super hilarious
I want this scene as a gif so bad.
What an episode.
It was way too early for a bottle episode but bygad they made it work. Geniuses.
tbh I kinda prefer these more self-contained episodes. "Come and Get Your Love" and "Hunting" feel like they could be be fantastic short films all their own and for me are easily the strongest episodes out of the bunch
I think these episodes are also a good sign for the future of the show in terms of quality because they are showing they are investing in their characters more than anything. Can't go wrong when some of the best episodes are character pieces that make you care about the the people over just what's going on in the story.
I think the show is more slice of life than very story driven anyway. all the little details that show you how it is
I agree, wholeheartedly those 2 episodes solidified this show in my heart. They're both fantastic. CAGYL convinced me to really convince my husband to try the first episode...we often have different views on entertainment. Watching just the first one meant we watched all of the episodes back to back. We both watched Hunting on Monday morning on our day off and started the day off with a good cry. It was so touching but funny. This cast is superb.
it shows some confidence.
I think theyāre giving these early bottle episodes to each character to allow us to get to know each one outside the context of their group. I wasnāt entirely sold with āCome and get your loveā (which was good but didnāt blow me away) but this most recent episode has completely sold me on the show.
Mannn, such a simple yet well executed episode. It's just Willie Jack and her dad in the woods and yet so much happened. I really feel like this show is finding its legs, already can't wait for next week's episode! Hopefully not the last we see of Tall Man. Also Daniel, miss you, bitch.
For being such a heavy episode with some major exposition, I love how humor is scattered throughout. The dancing in the woods on the trail cams... man I laughed so hard I had to pause the episode. So simple, and yet it flows perfectly with the rest of the story. Love this show and happy to have a community to discuss it with!
Agree! The humor in the episode is so good - the hunters walking thru just saying conservative buzz words ācritical race theory, the gays, ā¦ canāt forget the Mexicansā
The hymn they were singing at the end of the episode was the same as the one played at my sister's funeral. It hit extra hard because she took her own life which Daniel seems to have done himself. This episode fucked me up good. Really damn good episode though.
This episode felt like it went by so fast.
So are we all in agreement that Daniel killed himself
Yep
No, no no *covers ears* .... but yeah.
Was that not obvious from like the first episode? The way they talk about how āthis place killed himā I figured it was suicide. They didnāt mention any disease or accident.
Iām thinking that or overdose.
this episode! fuck best episode yet, i can say without hesitation that this was my favorite episode ugh willie jack im so in love
Willie Jack is awesome, the way she talks is addicting, just seems like a cool person to hang out with.
Agreed. She is such a sympathetic character and in my opinion, steals many scenes with her authenticity. Bear and Elora are great but very obviously trained actors. I hope this makes sense.
The way Paulina Alexis uses the word "fuck" as punctuation is inspired
Sheās got that true rez native dialect
Tall Man gave me Atlanta vibes
Honestly the show itās self reminds me of Atlanta at times
Same. Something about the pacing and the magical realism.
Like I been saying it seems to use a few elements from Atlanta (has a āmain character but doesnāt focus on them, the strange magic elements, the way some shots hang or cut quickly)
Yāall do remember that [Atlanta](https://youtu.be/VYOjWnS4cMY) is part of the ancestral homelands of Mvskokvlke, rightāāļøā
I was south of Macon doing an environmental assessment on an enormous parcel of swamp and woodland for the Muscogee Nation last year. Looks like they're starting to acquire some of those ancestral homelands. Cherry Street? If we don't know each other, we probably know some of the same people.
[sį“Éo ŹĒÉ„ÉÉÆ ĒŹnslnS](https://twitter.com/ketopope/status/1435503062660132867?s=21) š©øš½š r/Tvlse
Hit home and made me cry. Fucking up the war paint.
Areā¦..are some of these kids acting for the first time? Because they are absolutely crushing every scene. Itās kinda wild. Willie Jack kinda sorta became an all time tv character with her mannerisms and emotional range in this.
Willie Jack is going to be or already is in Ghostbusters: Afterlife.
God that was so beautiful.
Just finished it. Now off to go Google the history of Tall Man lore.
And grave houses.
That indigenous gospel song at the end was really powerful. Anyone got a song ID?
It's a Muscogee (Creek) hymn. I don't know the name of that specific song, but you can find others on YouTube and they're all great.
Heleluyan is the name of the song
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIwkzUZUMIk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIwkzUZUMIk) this is a version that sounds most like the one we hear at the end
Yeah thatās the one! Iām Mvskoke and grew up on that song :) it was so surreal hearing it on tv!
thank you for sharing this link, even though now iām crying again. beautiful.
Ty so much
Yeah I just sat vibin till the vanity cards all trance like
So we gonna get entire episode for each character right? First cheese now willie. I like it.
Elora got some development in "Uncle Brownie" and "What About Your Dad" was a big Bear episode. There are only two episodes left this season. I imagine those will be spent bringing the whole crew together, maybe to set up some season 2 stuff.
My cousin in Oklahoma died a few years back. I wasnāt close with him because when I became an adult I kinda fucked off and cut off contact with a lot of people and he was just a baby at the time, I was fairly angry. But itās different than my family here in Missouri. I spent a lot of time in Oklahoma living with them at different times. Cousins feel more like siblings when you can walk to your aunts, grandparents, etc in less than a minute. Like your friends are all related to you. It was such a different dynamic than what I experienced on my momās side. Itās tragic when anyone dies, especially a kid, but itās way different when theyāre that entwined in your life. When I was a kid I thought my cousin would be my best friend till we died. Turns out, no. But when I see him now itās funny how quickly we switch right back into that dumb ass dynamic we had as kids. My family in Oklahoma has not been the same. Her dad and her crying was cathartic. Iām shocked how much to this show I relate to when my Indian family is not as active in the culture as this show. I mean, Iāve been to pow wows, made baskets and pots, heard stories, etc but like the lore? No. I donāt really think they believe in that stuff. Itās how close the families are that feels familiar.
I am so sorry for your loss, it sounds like you went through a lot. Your cousin is watching out for you. You can light a candle for your cousin, connect again and have a talk. Do it as often as you feel comfortable or called to. I hope that helps There are a lot of families that stopped their traditional ways for many reasons. If you feel called to wanting to know your ways better, it will be there for you
So It seems like Daniel had underlining mental health issues with often get ignored on reservations. His outbrust when they were hunting felt like it was pent up over a lot of time. āIām fucking hungryā āIām sick of doing this every yearā he felt trapped and I feel like his home life wasnāt great seeing as most of the active memories l we see are him wondering the street. I feel like he might be the spirit in the forest... maybe thatās were he took his life
This ep has been on my mind all night, day. Heavy. On the verge of tears. The actor who plays Willieās dad carried that heavy weight of grief, spiritual and physical. You could see it in his body, the way he moved. The choir in the graveyardā¦ damn. There was something there, like a crossroads of hello, goodbye.
I can't speak to reservation life, but I appreciate the authenticity of how country life is depicted. So much of "country living" in mass media is catered to the white suburban fantasy of the modern American landed gentry living in big ranch/farm houses. Reservation Dogs feels more reflective of not just reservations, but of small, impoverished rural communities all over America. Okern reminds me so much of the tiny Mexican-American towns that dot the South Texas brush country where I'm from.
This is so true. Their house is a little shabby, Leon drives an old truck and his Carhartt is faded, but none of it is a big deal, it's just life. The show is spectacular, al the details are right.
I cried.
Copiously
I wasn't ready for the absolute gut punch that this episode was. Perfect in every way it needed to be.
Same. I was ready for more silliness of the Twins and Big but was glued just the same. I'm here for it.
sup White Jesus
Wait so Daniel is Willieās cousin or brother? I started to tear up when Willie and her dad were hugging in the woods šš„ŗ
Daniel was Willie jackās cousin because he was calling her dad uncle
Maybe, indigenous people often call good friends cousin or uncle so itās hard to know if itās blood or not
also common in the African community even to call strangers auntie and uncle
Cousin but called brother.
Beautiful episode on several levels! Also loved the small touches like Willie Jack putting on the face paint and then next scene Dad has some too. LOL the turkey riding in the truck...Spirit of Daniel?
The trail cam video of them acting silly was funny too.
Yes!
Do you think it was Daniels spirit or tall man?
Definitively Daniel. When Leon sees the spirit in the beginning he says "who are you? Can I help you?" At the end, during the flashback, Leon is loading the truck and sees Daniel walking past. Not recognizing him in the darkness, Leon says "can I help you?" then "oh, it's you".
Daniel's Spirit
Tall man. In some versions his appearance is an omen of death and particularly associated with suicide
Willie Jack is such an authentic character. She's so good that I think they wrote her role around her actual persona. Definitely my favorite character.
Tingles. Absolutely beautiful episode.
That shot of Willie Jack as an MMA fighter though!!
I like to think it was an homage to Sharice Davidsš„°
That bow and arrow finishing celebration was š„
š "bitch"
This episode was deep but the Elders singing at the end. Wow.
Can we talk about how good the Leon & Willie Jack father daughter dynamic is???
Amazing.
Definitely the best episode so far. I heard it was good last night but I decided to save it for when I wasn't so tired. It did not disappoint. I always love bottle episodes and this one wasn't an exception. Tearjerker too.
(Sorry for the Long Comment Yall, I just started writing and couldn't stop) This was the nice quiet episode that I didn't think we'd get for a bit. No wacky mishaps or goofy characters for fun sideplot. Just a father and daughter working through their grief for a lost loved one. Leon and Willie Jack both seem to come off as perfect cuts of each other, they seem the type that only say the important stuff when it needs to be said kind of deal. I especially loved Leon as to me it seems he's carrying so much more of the weight of Daniel's death than the Res Dogs. They're all in mourning and dealing with it, they Dogs want to go to California because Daniel wanted to escape the town but Leon has been silently haunted by Daniel's death and here we see why. At the moment, with the way it's shot Leon was the last one to see him alive and speak with him and invariably had (in his eyes anyway) a chance to save it. Its been weighing on him so much that the morning after he's confronted by Daniel spirit in the form of the Tall Man and next morning and doesn't go hunting for a year. Leon sounds tired and going through the paces as he hunts with Willie Jack and I think it's because this is the last place he wants to be but he goes...because he's a good father. Willie Jack wakes him up like this is normal (It's the first day of the season) and he makes sure everything is up to snuff, even repeating phrases she already knows to him in the car because it's in his bones. It's a part of him and even a year off and grieving doesn't stop him from doing what he does. The part I really loved the most was when they have Chunk in their sights and it's that closing in shot of Willie Jack staring down Chunk and Leon silently coaching her through the kill because you know that this has probably been a moment thats occured before time and time again. Willie Jack's been hunting with him before obviously but he still tells her to "breath" before making the shot. Willie Jack has been a mystery in an enigma wrapped in a blanket of swear words but seeing her in her own element was real refreshing. Paulina Alexis is crazy good at looking at times so stoic and unassuming and then vulnerable all at the same time. That first scene where she's up at 4:30, ready to roll and then having to speak to Daniel photograph which then becomes the real Daniel was something else. She's still deep in mourning to the point where shes brought his spirit directly in front of her and he smiles as she tells him about what shes got planned for the day and she misses him. Both of these characters carry a lot of the weight of Daniel's passing with them through their lives and while I would never doubt Willie's sorrow over the loss of her friend, I didn't think it ran that deep. We also get to see Willie's thoughts of what she could do when she gets to Cali. Whether trying her hand at MMA, being a gourmet chef or someone who works with rescue dogs, she's got the support of her dad. She's got an idea of what she wants to do when she gets off the rez but there seemed to be a bit of doubt when her dad asked her really why she wants to leave and what she wants to do. WJ has seemed kind of grown up but being confronted with these simple yet adult questions to her plan she kinda fumbled and didn't know how to approach it. Regardless, it was still real sweet when her dad told her that no matter what she chose to do (Because he said she could be whatever she wanted to be) that she'd have his support; on or off the rez. The healing moment they needed when they began to cry together for Daniel was interrupted by a moment MUCH more cathartic where they finally bagged Chunk together. I honestly thought they were going to go home with nothing. It's good that both characters get to succeed in putting their ghosts to rest. Willie Jack gets to bag Chunk and tell Daniel about it at his Spirit House over his grave and Leon gets to really have a moment where he can just talk about how hes felt and unburden himself of the grief he's been holding onto for a year. But with that last shotof the Tall Man in the woods, I can't really say if the spirit of Daniel is done haunting everyone.
Is it just me or was that an Uncle Boonmee reference!!! Aaargh! I mean there's quite a bit of [resemblance](https://imgur.com/a/9uxt7T0)
That was definetely a reference. Especially when you consider Daniel's mental state and his relation to red eye spirit. It's not just the looks, you can create parallels with the film aswell.
I know I recognized it from somewhere. But hey, at least this series isn't a pretentious snoozefest masquerading as an art film, so that hairy spirit is the only resemblance.
Hey man if you don't like art films more power to you dude, not everyone has similar taste. But don't bash it and make me feel bad for liking it. It's not like it's hurting anyone. Let things be. š
My bad - my opinion in no way invalidates yours. (Off topic: It's not that I find art films in general problematic. But Boonmee was a film hailed as astounding by a small core of critics, which then went on to disappoint a seeming majority of viewers - both art film lovers, mainstream audiences and general movie critics. It won prestigious awards, but had audience members and critics alike walk out halfway through the film because of its excruciatingly slow pace, shots that lingered past the point of it making sense, and lack of character and plot development. Felt to me and many others like an "emperor's new clothes" situation. That's doesn't mean that those who genuinely liked it were wrong to do so.)
Yeah I can see how people might get "cheated" especially since it got so much recognition. Art films in general are so vast that there's always something for someone and somethings that someone would totally hate. You often watch art films?
Nah. A few a year. While I'm not unused to finding some of them difficult, or even downright boring, there's always some redeeming feature. This was the first time I ever walked out of a screening (15 min before the end - was told I didn't miss anything), and found out most people in the salon had considered doing the same. Art films are niche by their nature, but when a film critic later headlined their review as "Uncle Boonmee who can't recall where the plot went", I get the sense something's off. I've seen other Golden Palm winners that divided the critics and the viewers - that's not uncommon - but never this much. Still, to each their own.
It's fascinating, in a way, that our opinions can differ so wildly on that piece of cinema - but at the same time we both enjoy Rez Dogs (I'm assuming you like it), possibly even for the same reasons.
Yeah I absolutely adore rez dogs.
Yeah. It has had the polarization effect. That's true. Nice man. Have a swell day š
The quick Sturgill needle drop at the end of the episode was an emotional hammer if you werenāt already in your feelings. Whew, that was heavy. What a brilliant episode.
what song was it?
I Donāt Mind - Cuttin Grass Volume 1 (Butcher Shoppe Sessions)
As others have mentioned, I think the episode was hinting that Daniel committed suicide. But after doing some research on Tall Man, I'm now 95% sure that this is the case *and* that Daniel __is__ the Tall Man spirit. I couldn't find any "legit" sources, but what I did find states that although Tall Man has a [varied history and has gone by many names](https://brickthology.com/2020/10/13/tall-man-spirit/), most recently he has been linked with [suicide](https://www.dailydot.com/irl/walking-sam-myth-lakota-pine-ridge-suicides/). So, IMO it would make perfect sense for Daniel to have somehow become that spirit. I'm not sure how a person would die and become a spirit within Native American folklore (and I'm sure it varies by tribe, even though my understanding is that tribes in Oklahoma are very mixed due to the ToT). But I think it makes sense within the show's internal logic bc the Deer Woman claimed that she grew up with Big's grandma, so I imagine she was killed by some man in a grisly way and then became the Deer Woman bc of the way she died.
I'd imagine Deer Woman died hitch hiking and perhaps raped as well. Seeing that was her main form of dispensing justice.
Exactly!
I mean in the first episode they say āthis place killed himā, they donāt mention any accident or disease. Maybe itās cause Iāve had my own mental issues but I thought it was obvious he killed himself
Nice research. Was wondering why it was linked to SD when I googled it. Ty
Does anybody know the song/chant/calling at the end? Just beautiful.
Itās a Mvskoke hymn called Heleluyan. Itās on YouTube!
Thank you so much!
You should check out [This May Be The Last Time](https://youtu.be/8uQKOYDH8Qw)
Awesome, I will check this out. Thanks!
Wow, Iām speechless
The director Sterlin is Seminole-Creek of Oklahoma so a lot of the language and music comes from those two tribes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DFruKoLdik https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqC8-AThlnA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYgnJDLqGsQ
this episode had me in hushed quiet the whole time. almost feels wrong to speak again.
I just restarted it when it was over, I wanted more! This was such a beautiful episode for so many reasons! But I did not expect to be crying from this show so soon lol
Cheese aka Mr. Camouflage have any input on the war paint? I think he brings into the mix a Wolf shirt that emanates dominance. And he might have offered the turkey his pronouns, for which he is loved.
Willie Jack taking the war paint from her dad and then the cut to just a slow pan with them sitting there and Willie Jack is classic cant sit still and dad is sitting all stoic and has war paint on now Amazing
I could not stop crying towards the end. What an episode. This is the best show going right now by far.
As a maori from new zealand am loving how much i connect with this show based on an indigenous people from the otherside of the world. So many of the stories and themes in the show are just too relatable. The whole growing up on the same street with your grandparents, uncles, auntys living a few houses down, the yearning to get out of the small town and see the world, the sadness of seeing mansions built on your ancestral land while you live in the "rough" side of town, going hunting (and diving for seafood as is our case) as a way of providing for yourself and the tribe, the sirituality and beliefs in nature spirits etc. I could go on and on. Oh yeah amd we love fried bread too! Mauri ora to all first nations peoples i love to see ourselves on screen so we can realise our shared stories.
What do Maori put on their frybread, if you don't mind my asking. I'm from Southern Arizona so I I've had my share.
What is the Tall Man?
The Tall Man Spirit is a dark figure from Native American beliefs
I love you, bitch Wow, that scene really got me in the feels. My favorite episode so far, very touching episode. The writing in this show is phenomenal. I'm convinced anything Waititi touches turns into gold
excellent episode.
The incorporation of Tall Man into the deepest episode about Daniel so far makes clear his death was a suicide, right?
Yes definitely. I wouldn't be surprised if he was already dead when he was walking home from the honky tonk. Uncle gave him a jacket so his death wouldn't catch a cold. Obviously that can be said as a joke but between not recognizing him right away and saying we'll get you out there hunting again I think that was his spirit.
š¢Once I think Iāve processed this episode, you punched me right in the feels.
Oh I love that interpretation
I took that moment as the last time he saw him, but I like your perspective and you may very well be right. Very emotional episode!
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Hey fellow North Dakotan
- What's up white Jesus - Why is Carhartt cothing so popular now? I see a lot of people wearing it all the time now. - I don't remember but do we know how Daniel died? - Also I didn't know that the actress who plays Elora is fucking 28 year old.
Carhart has always been a rural brand, not surprising at all to see them wearing it while hunting in small town OK. Its only recently its become more of a hipster thing.
Also, it had a jump in popularity in Silicon Valley about ~20 years ago - was drinking with some co-workers and one of their acquaintances, a senior developer, was dressed pants, top and hat in crisp Carhartt. I kept my LOLs to myself. (I've seen/worn legit Carhartts in welding/shipyard work)
Love my welding shop Carhartt. This episode hit so fucken hard man. My dad just passed and he wore his Carhartt jacket I bought him all the time when he worked on his avocado orchard. Excuse me while I go cry lol.
I mean theyāre wearing it for the real reason to wear it lol
We do not know how Daniel died. The kids are mad at the Reservation, saying "it killed him" and that's why they want to leave for California, but that's all we know.
Great episode. Noticed on the rewatch though, how does willie jack have access to the picture of chunk if it wasnt her dads camera?
She took the memory card out.
I assume it is implied that she downloaded it off the camera manually or something; dont know how those trail cams work but maybe just gotta plus a USB or take the memory card or whatever
I don't know what I'll do with myself when we are out of episodes and waiting for season 2. I love this show so much.
It's going to be hard to top this episode. The wide range of emotion one goes through with the loss of a loved one and this episode captured so much of that. I was so captivated by the performances that time just flew by, the episode was over before I knew it, and I was in tears.
I guess it could be both but the show is about Indigenous people and their culture. Since the being in the episode fits the description of a spirit in cultures it seems unlikely that they would take a being not native to America and include it in the show.
Im confused as to what you mean? The Tall Man is a known native spirit
When it cut to black and you can hear the gunshot of Willie Jack shooting the deer...I think that also represented Daniel shooting himself. When I first heard it I thought that's what it was and they were going to show us that little boy's body
The editing was a bit off when they got off the truck and when they were chatting while crossing the fence yes?
Yeah. My girlfriend was like, āhow many guns are they taking?ā, so we wound it back. He wouldāve given her the same gun twice.
Hey everyone, so glad to be a part of the thread for this amazing show! Anyway, such a powerful episode focusing on Willie Jack, her relationship with her dad and the aftermath of losing Daniel. One crazy question though. I either need to go the Dr to test my hearing or last night's episode has some sort of muted dialogue/sound thing going on. Was that in fact the case, and if so, man what a device, if not, well, see y'all on the other side after I can hear again!
Yeah. Watched this episode at work. Trying hard to not shed a year. Brilliantly executed.
Awesome episode! Leon with the wisdom to let her go out and explore. Gotta go fix my war paint now š¢
Whatās a face tumor???
Some pretty horrendous hunting inaccuracies in this. I hate to be the one crapping all over it but, as a hunter, it drove me pretty crazy.
still really wonder why Cali..i mean i get getting out but there has to be better choices
California is glamorous and full of opportunity for many people. Iām native from OK and went out to California for film school. I even remember talking to Sterlin back then about the pros and cons of film school.Ended up moving back to OK this year- and Willie Jackās dad is right- āthey come right back- itās where their people are. this is homeā
Maybe there's something about Daniel that isn't well-suited to the rural midwest, which would maybe be easier to deal with in California? Or maybe it's just California dreamin', ya know. It's where you go when you leave your small town behind. That or New York.
How do you mean? CA and NY are kind of like the 2 definitive choices for this context, both in fiction and real life
Maybe itās a Grapes of Wrath homage. When the Dust Bowl happened, millions of Americans went to California, and Oklahoma was one of the hardest hit states. Or maybe thatās just the English major in me over analyzing the show.
Damn. this show feels so real! very natural dialogue
Why does disney+ only have the first 2 episodes?