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Belligerence (10/16/2007)

released: Oct 16, 2007

description: Archibald Jenkins swerves through traffic, mustard stains covering his dress shirt, a handle of Jack Daniels on the seat next to him. In doing so, he mows down a small girl in a school crosswalk. The jury finds him guilty of vehicular manslaughter and he is sentenced to fifteen consecutive life sentences.

Upon becoming acquainted with his new roommate, Leftie, Archibald assesses his new surroundings and remembers the events that lead to his imprisonment. He was called into the office of his boss, Mr. Daniels, only to be told his numbers are down and technology is changing, and as such, he is being let go. Upon leaving the office, his father called him and informed him that his mother had just had a heart attack and doesn't have much time left. He rushed to his mother's hospital room, only to be told that he was adopted right before his mother died.

In the prison lunch room, Archibald is forced into giving up his soup by Rex. Archibald makes his way out to the exercise yard, where he is promptly accosted by Bigelow and his gang. A guard intervenes, but Bigelow promises that Archibald hasn't seen the last of him.

That night in their cell, Leftie complains of a rough day in the laundry room. Archibald, meanwhile, lays on his bunk and remembers buying two hot dogs, which left mustard stains all over the front of his shirt, before finding himself in front of a liquor store. It was the same liquor store that led to an intervention by his mother and father. Archibald promised them at the time that he'd never drink again, as he couldn't stand the look of disappointment on their faces. Faced with the death of his mother and the knowledge that he is not their biological child, Archibald shrugs this off and walks into the liquor store.

The next morning, Bigelow's crony Slim finds Leftie in the laundry room and asks him to deliver a message to Archibald. The message is a knife to the side. Leftie falls into a laundry cart and Slim pushes the cart out into the yard where the rest of the inmates are. A guard sees the action, but is soon convinced nothing is going on. Once safe, Bigelow and his gang corner Archibald and force him to fight. Archibald sees his parents and the little girl watch as Bigelow breaks both of his arms before Rex intervenes and tells him to back off. Bigelow vows that Rex owes him one, and Rex gathers Archibald up and takes him back to their cell, as Rex is Archibald's new roommate.

Archibald and Rex are in their cell when suddenly the door opens on its own, and a low chant is heard. They exit to find all the cells open, the guards in a pile, and the prisoners chanting around Bigelow. Rex tells Archibald that there is a prison legend that a supernatural force will unite the prisoners, and they have to get out of there. They begin to make a run for it when they are cut off in the prison belfry by Bigelow and his gang. Bigelow quickly and neatly takes out Rex, and they prepare to cash in on debts with Archibald.

Bigelow and his gang tie up the nude Archibald and prepare to sacrifice him. As they torment him, Archibald remembers again the words he spoke when he promised to stop drinking. He finds himself back outside his car, the handle of Jack Daniels in his hand, wondering whether he should get in. He does, and as he speeds towards the scene of the accident, he sees the little girl clearly before him. He swerves to avoid her, and in doing so, crashes into a telephone pole. The girl watches as Archibald is instantly killed from the impact.

cast & crew:

comments:

this is probably the ''best'' show we ever did. Stunningly dramatic with great acting and cool shots. Little to no ''bits'', but plenty of pathos.

-- Jason Chin on Mar 07, 2008

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