'Ozark' Season 3 Episode 8 Review: Can the Byrdes get rid of Wendy's 'maniac' bipolar brother Ben?
Spoilers for 'Ozark' Season 3 Episode 8 'BFF'
A breaking point. That's the gist of this mentally-draining episode. Ben Davis (Tom Pelphrey) and Ruth Langmore's (Julia Garner) relationship always seemed tricky and 'BFF' shows that it is the recklessness of the two that really distorts the Byrde household.
With a mix of astounding performances, the taxing episode brings out big bombshells and leaves us with a hollow feeling. The episode begins on a staggering note as Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman) goes to check on his therapist Sue Shelby (Marylouise Burke). She's nowhere to be found. Out of suspicion, he opens her laptop to check the data. It's all vanished. He checks the register and spots two check-ins — one from Frank Cosgrove Jr. (Joseph Sikora) and another from his lawyer, Helen Pierce (Janet McTeer).
Later, Helen meets Wendy Byrde (Laura Linney) who warns her that their partnership will not work if she keeps her in the dark.
Ruth and Ben: The ransacking BFFs
Steamy sex is what keeps Ben and Ruth hooked to each other. Yes, they seem really happy with each other as they cuddle in the bed. But, it's not just physical. Ben truly cares about the bold tough nut he is dating. As Ben drops her to meet the Byrdes, she has a wistful expression on her face. They are acting too sweet with Ruth, but is it genuine or just to cover up their crime? Ruth takes Marty's instructions but something has changed.
Bursting with angst, Ben goes to see Cosgrove but is straightaway told that he is "not available." To cool off, Ben goes to a bar. It doesn't end well as in Ruth's words, he "beats the living s**t out of a f**king stranger." Clearly, his bipolar symptoms are showing. Helen calls Wendy to tell her about Ben's criminal offense before getting him bailed out.
When Ruth finds out what he did, she asks him, "Promise me, this won't happen again?" He does promise, but how long will he keep it? As they drive home, Ruth hints at how Wendy killed his dad, Cade, but doesn't want to get Frank Jr. killed. Clearly, she isn't happy about Marty and Wendy's plan to bury the hatchet with him. She confesses, "Your sister is not soft. She runs a f**king drug cartel. She's done it before, she just didn't feel like doing it now."
There's a storm a-brewin'
Hearing the story from his lover's mouth, Ben's blood boils and he leaves no stone unturned to get to the bottom of it. Meanwhile, Marty warns Wendy that it's time to take strict action against Ben. "Your brother has been a problem since the day you and I met," he says. With a sarcastic jibe, Wendy answers, "Congratulations, now he won't be a problem."
His words of caution indeed prove to be true as Ben is in no mood to calm down. Not even when his sister walks up to him and asks, "How much is it gonna cost to get you out of town?" The red flag is raised at the Byrde Family Foundation, where Darlene Snell (Lisa Emery) and his young lover Wyatt Langmore (Charlie Tahan) turn up too. The fancy get-together is interrupted by Wendy's brother Ben, who comes storming into the event.
Hellbent on revealing all of the Byrdes' crimes, he yells in front of everyone, "What happened to Marty's partner in Chicago?" Not just that, he punches Marty right in the face. As the security drags him out, every member at the event is shell-shocked. His punishment? He's committed to indefinite hold. "No, no, no..." he screams in the void. The howls and shrieks will ring in your ears for a long time.
The onset of a new liaison
Ruth comes to visit Ben and he sobs, "Tell me what I did that was so insane that I had to be locked up?" To help him get out, Ruth talks to Wyatt and he has an idea: "Maybe Darlene can help." Of course, Darlene can always help. No sooner that is Ben freed, he goes to see the Byrdes and their kinswoman Helen.
Marty and Wendy wonder why Darlene would do that. Wendy has the answer: "Because she hates us! Because she's f**king Wyatt!" The two are in deep s**t. Ben comes storming into Helen's house and tells her innocent daughter, Erin Pierce (Madison Thompson) that her mother helps the Byrdes launder drug money from the Navarro drug cartel. He keeps slamming her and repeating the names of the dead people. Helen listens in silence until it's her breaking point. "Enouuugh," she yells, "Get out." And that's enough for Ben to walk away.
And with that excruciating end, the episode leaves with many questions: Will Ruth team up with Darlene and Wyatt against the Byrdes? Can Wendy and Marty find a way out? This battle is getting interesting, and how!