Photo: Michael Parmelee/FX
“Be yourself.” It’s the generic recommendation each child hears rising up, a broad aphorism that may apply to virtually something. But you understand the place it doesn’t apply? Professional soccer. Even earlier than the incoming gamers have begun follow, the NFL needs to hammer that into their heads. These younger males characterize an virtually centurylong historical past of integrity and excellence, in principle, and it’s their obligation to “protect the shield,” in accordance with the well-known phrases of Commissioner Roger Goodell. This is simpler for some gamers to do than others.
Aaron’s early days on the Patriots are a comparatively peaceable time, although it takes Bill Belichick some time to determine what to do with him. He’s not impressed with Aaron’s showy gag of accumulating pads from the follow discipline whereas bare, and he understandably rejects the necessity for Urban Meyer’s babysitting recommendation. “This is a man’s team,” he tells Aaron. “Be a man.” Manhood, and the query of how precisely to outline it, has been a central theme of this present for the reason that first flashback to Aaron’s childhood, and Belichick’s phrases echo his father’s chorus.
“The Man” isn’t a nasty episode of Aaron Hernandez, actually; there’s nothing right here as eyebrow-raising because the molestation backstory from final week. But there’s additionally nothing as targeted, granular, and singularly weird as that episode’s deep dive into the NFL Draft and the Scouting Combine. It’s a mean episode of this present, a common primer on this time in Aaron’s life, and it options all the standard overwrought foreshadowing and on-the-nose dialogue about how Aaron should match the mould. But I’m actually digging Norbert Leo Butz’s tackle Belichick up to now, which feels extra lived-in and plausible than most of, if not all, the opposite performances on this present. He’s a hard-ass, but in addition quirky and wry with a humorous twinkle in his eye at any time when he rambles about unfold offense historical past.
Aaron continues to kill it on the sector, which is just about the one place he can frequently really feel like himself. The glory in all probability helps; he’s the youngest participant within the League, and he deserves to do a barely complicated “make it rain” landing dance if he needs. He solely begins to lose his confidence when Belichick forces him to play working again, a place he’s satisfied he can’t pull off. It’s a helpful thematic parallel to the recurring concept that Aaron hasn’t been given the time or house to essentially develop up whereas being himself. When Belichick scolds him for boasting to the press later within the episode, he responds, “I was just being me, coach,” to which Belichick says, “Don’t be.” The message is evident.
Aaron does handle to suit a sq. peg in a spherical gap, although, for the easy cause that he’s extremely gifted. His large run in opposition to the Broncos is a victorious second, undercut instantly by a tough hit that leaves him disoriented, drifting out and in of lucidity even hours later. Aaron Hernandez hasn’t devoted a ton of time to the CTE that possible performed a serious position in Hernandez’s downward spiral, possibly simply because it’s exhausting to mine drama from a medical situation that went largely ignored. But that is an efficient sequence with Maggie Kiley’s route actually immersing us in Aaron’s level of view. Even simply the sunshine congratulatory helmet slaps from his teammates really feel explosive.
Off the sector, “The Man” returns the present’s focus to Aaron’s residence life. Aaron may be well-known in Boston and past, however he’s a megacelebrity in Bristol. Inviting Shayanna to a celebration with the Krafts may be self-serving — he must show he’s a good younger man who cleaned up his act and is able to develop up — however he does have an actual affection for her. As they eat pizza collectively at an overpass and banter about wealthy folks’s choice for small meals, their connection is apparent. They need the identical issues, together with a method out of Bristol, a possibility to get away from household baggage and make their very own method. The two of them match collectively nicely. The solely situation, actually, is that Aaron isn’t all that drawn to girls.
Their relationship thrives anyway, and it’s not till Shayanna hangs out with another NFL wives and girlfriends that she second-guesses her assumptions about Aaron’s sexual urge for food. Of course, Aaron is technically telling the reality when he reassures her there are not any different girls in his life. But if he had been telling the full fact, he’d in all probability inform her that spending the evening with Chris was essentially the most himself he’d felt in a very long time. When Chris (who additionally has a girlfriend now) asks Aaron if he loves Shayanna, there’s no reply.
While Aaron needs to mission the picture of somebody who surrounds himself with wholesome influences, most of his most popular help system comes from his cousin Tanya and his shady hometown buddies like Carlos and Bo. That group now contains their weed vendor, Sherrod, who could be very clearly dangerous information. The two turn into quick buddies after an preliminary miscommunication, and after listening to Aaron rant about his stepdad, Jeff, Sherrod gives this poorly timed encouragement: “Ain’t nobody in charge of you.”
There’s one thing slightly shallow about this present’s depiction of competing optimistic and destructive influences, the latter of which can inevitably win out. But setting apart the tacky fatefulness of the fixed references to jail and the contrived nature of Sherrod repeatedly telling Aaron to place his foot down, there’s one thing attention-grabbing in regards to the comparability he attracts between the NFL and jail. If you’re not prepared for this life — and it’s simple to see that Aaron wasn’t — the shortage of freedom will be particularly stifling.
When Jeff slashes Terri within the face with a kitchen knife in the future, Aaron finds an ideal outlet for his anger, an excellent state of affairs to flex management and really feel like a person. Using Sherrod’s gun, Aaron savagely beats Jeff exterior a bar, threatening to kill him if he touches Terri once more. It’s exhausting to really feel dangerous for the man contemplating what he did to Terri, however that’s irrelevant. Every act of violence brings Aaron nearer to a degree of no return. We know the place this ends.
• That opening play-within-the-show did get me for a second, which I admire, however it’s not precisely a praise to Aaron Hernandez {that a} foolish anti-drug demonstration looks like enterprise as typical.
• Jon Bon Jovi does take into account Belichick his “best friend in the game,” and the coach’s 2013 pump-up playlist did embrace two Bon Jovi songs, so it’s not a stretch in any respect that he’d loudly take heed to “It’s My Life.”
• Goofy however humorous look from Laith Wallschleger as Gronk.
• The passage of time will get a tad complicated right here, however I believe that ending Broncos recreation is meant to be the playoff recreation close to the top of Hernandez’s second season with the Pats in January 2012. Hernandez left the sport with a head harm after an otherwise successful debut as the only real working again, then insisted, “I’m ready, baby. I feel great,” after the sport was over.
• The actual Jeffrey Cummings was convicted for slashing Terri within the face, although the timing right here isn’t precisely proper. It additionally wasn’t his first incident.
• The switching turn-signal picture could be very unsettling.
