Ep 4. Jack

In the fourth episode of Tin Star's first season, titled "Jack," viewers are taken further into the complex, interconnected world of Little Big Bear, the remote Canadian town where Jim Worth (played by Tim Roth) serves as police chief.

As the aftermath of the innocent bystander's death at the hands of the oil company security team continues to reverberate, the already uneasy balance in the community is further disrupted when a Native American activist named Jack Devlin (played by Nathaniel Arcand) arrives in town. Jack is passionate and charismatic, drawing a group of followers who are outraged by the environmental impact of the oil company's presence in the area. He also has connections to an unexpected figure from Jim's past, deepening the tension between the two men.

Complicating matters further, the drug addiction that Jim has been struggling with throughout the season worsens in this episode, leading to both physical and emotional outbursts. As the audience watches him spiral, it becomes clear that Jim's past is much darker than previously suggested, and that his addiction is rooted in trauma that he has not yet faced.

Meanwhile, Peter (played by Oliver Coopersmith), Jim's son, continues to pursue his own criminal agenda, putting himself in danger in the process. As the father and son struggle to communicate and understand one another, their divergent paths threaten to tear them apart.

The episode is notable for its deft handling of themes related to addiction, trauma, and the intersection of capitalism and ecological destruction. The writing is sharp, drawing viewers in with complex characters and unexpected plot twists. The performances are uniformly excellent, particularly Roth's as he navigates Jim's descent into chaos.

Overall, "Jack" reinforces Tin Star's status as a gripping, thought-provoking drama that is not afraid to tackle difficult subject matter.