Longmire 4.08: “Hector Lives”

Up to this point Henry Standing Bear (Lou Diamond Phillips) has been more or less harmlessly inserting himself into the lives of residents on the Reservation who have asked for Hector’s help, believing the avenger is still alive and leaving notes for him at a rock outcropping. But Henry may now be taking it a step further to help Gab (Julia Jones) who’s been raped by two roughnecks and can’t get justice.

But it’s unbeknownst to Longmire (Robert Taylor) who comes together again with Mathias (Zahn McClarnon) when it appears a Hector copycat has killed one of those oil workers. But the copycat has to step in line with a list of several other suspects—there’s Archer Loftus (Lew Temple) who fled shortly after the body was hauled out of the mud, an inside corporate cover-up instigated by supervisor Walker Browning (Callum Keith Rennie), or even Gab’s mother Linda (Stefany Mathias) who’s supposedly out of town. Cady Longmire’s (Cassidy Freeman) suspicion gradually grows of Henry who obtained pictures of both rapists, thanks to her file that she had in her possession, and few other people knew of the case because it failed to go to trial since the terrified Gab refused to testify. Other circumstantial evidence includes Henry buying pliers (to remove human teeth) and his pick-up truck covered in mud. I’m sure most viewers, like me, enjoy the idea of Henry Standing Bear going rogue because these individuals he’s championing have been held down too long and, well, it’s about damn time, right? I wonder if even Mathias is willing to overlook Henry’s involvement after confronting him at the rock outcropping, but Henry plays it off as leaving a note for Hector. But murder? No, I don’t see his character being allowed to wade that deep in the pool.

We’ve seen a lot of well-written character growth in the past seven episodes, including a seasoning of The Ferg (Adam Bartley), Cady’s idealistic turn, and Longmire beginning to move on from his wife’s murder. Vic Moretti (Katee Sackhoff) is the only development I have a bit of a hard time going along with. I say bit because Ms. Sackhoff is an exceptional actress, and she’s believable in every scene. I just have a difficult time accepting some of the situations in which Vic finds herself. Biggest leap was in “High Noon” when she told the sheriff she was willing to lie for him. In “Hector Lives,” she’s picking notes out of Longmire’s office trash and opening his desk draw, snooping on his personal life. Also she poses for photos at a slimy matchmaking service to get a date with Archer Loftus … it had me cringing. Like the oil worker and Longmire agreed, it could have a whiff of entrapment.

Zachary (Barry Sloane) remains an enigma wrapped in a bit of crazy. He’s having some beers with Ferg at the Red Pony, and Ferg is apologizing for being tough on the newbie when Longmire calls Ferg’s cell phone seeking backup. Ferg admits he’s had a little to drink and a moment later Zachary’s on his cell telling Longmire he’s only had a couple of non-alcoholic brews. There’s a look of I can’t believe this on Ferg’s face as the new recruit takes off without blinking an eye. I was beginning to think Zack would be sticking around for the long haul but now I’m not so sure. Speaking of the recruit, how about the fiery development of the return of rejected candidate, Monte (Stephen Louis Grush). He had stormed out of Longmire’s office when he was turned down for the job, now he’s taping conversations with Ferg and conducting his own surveillance from a distance. Can’t wait to see where this is heading.

At the end of the episode, there’s another bonfire party on the reservation as the oil workers are again blowing off some steam … and another woman is about to be brutalized. Henry and Longmire are separately descending on the scene with different intents. Longmire thinking he is going to apprehend a murderer and his best friend preparing to take vengeance for Gab’s rape. Too high octane a conclusion to give away the particulars but the final scene fades after a deafening shotgun blast.

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Edward A. Grainger aka David Cranmer is the editor/publisher of the BEAT to a PULP webzine and books and the recent Western novella, Hell Town Shootout.

Read all of Edward A. Grainger's posts for Criminal Element.