The Company You Keep (Season 1), Episode 2: ABC’s ‘The Company You Keep’ introduced us to its central characters and their families in its first episode. While Charlie and Emma met due to their desire for a rebound relationship, they quickly got infatuated with each other. However, they are not yet aware of the fact that they work on different sides of the law. The latest episode hints at the same happening.
While the Nicolettis are gearing up to pay Daphne a huge amount, the Hills are working on David’s election campaign as a family. The new episode delves deeper into Charlie and Emma’s relationship with their respective families. Meanwhile, it also shows them trying to decipher what they truly mean to one another.
Let’s look at what happens in this new episode. Be aware that there are spoilers ahead.
The Company You Keep (Season 1), Episode 2 Recap:
Episode 2: A Sparkling Reputation
To pay Daphne (Felisha Terrell) back all that they owe her, the Nicolettis get involved in a new attempt at stealing. They enter an auction and play different roles to eventually get hold of a diamond ring being sold. Charlie (Milo Ventimiglia) plays the waiter, Fran (Polly Draper) is a bidder, and Leo (William Fichtner) pretends to be a driver. Meanwhile, Birdie (Sarah Wayne Callies) keeps a watch on them from an outside van, providing them with important details.
The former Russian ambassador Claude Ellsworth (Reilly Burke) makes the successful bid with his wife (Kristin Carey). However, Birdie notices that he is actually buying this rare Indian-origin necklace from himself. It leads them to the conclusion that he is laundering it. While learning about these details, Charlie was also busy responding to Emma’s (Catherine Haena Kim) texts. When her colleague teases her about this date of hers, Emma continues to maintain ambiguity. She isn’t sure what they are to each other either.
Emma soon goes on her first date with Charlie, and they start off their interaction on an awkward note. They still maintain a secret about their professions, and to battle the weirdness of their interaction, they decide to head to have sex instead in her car. Maybe the physical attraction trumps the emotional one for them. Suddenly, she sees her brother, David’s (Tim Chiou) face on a van billboard for the upcoming election, which ends their sexual adventure on an awkward note.
Emma goes back to her parent’s place, where she is currently staying. It is simultaneously being used for her brother, David’s (Tim Chiou) re-election campaign. Later, during a discussion with her father -Joseph (James Saito), and her mother – Grace (Freda For Shen), Emma understands their misjudgment related to recent polls. Grace sees the low votes as an indicator of suburban voters and decides to get a family photo made to influence them. Emma clears her doubt saying the places where David lacks votes are predominantly Asian-American communities, where some other strategy needs to be used.
Back at the bar, Daphne arrives to give Birdie a surprise. She threatens Birdie’s daughter – Ollie’s (Shaylee Mansfield) life if she doesn’t abide by her demands. Charlie enters the argument to keep his enraged sister under control. He assures Daphne that her money will be returned in just a couple of weeks. The family then huddles up to discuss the future plan to steal the diamond ring. Since the Ellsworths value their public image the most, they decide to use it against them.
While Birdie is angry because of Daphne’s threat to her daughter, she finds her current address (a hotel room) to use her vulnerability against her. Charlie enters this room to look for something suspicious that they can use against her. He finds her disciplined diary along with a woman’s photo, most probably her mother on vacation. Suddenly, someone walks into the room. But it turns out to be not Daphne but Emma. While this couple was discussing the truth of their professions, Birdie luckily helps him get out at the right time.
Right after this incident, Charlie and Emma meet again in her car to finish what they started. But the moment Charlie sees a genuine emotional connection between them, Emma stops him from getting personal. She sees it only as two people who feel a strong physical connection with each other ending up together, looking merely for a rebound. So, it ends their interaction on an unflattering note.
Meanwhile, Leo poses as a flamboyant photographer Milos and Fran join him as a part of his camaraderie. They manage to influence Claude’s wife with an offer where she can flaunt her fancy house. The couple soon enters this house, joined by Charlie and Birdie as a part of his photography crew. As Milos’ assistant, Charlie blows off a fuse to get enough time to find the real necklace kept in the family’s locker. While Birdie is getting hold of Claude’s fingerprints, Charlie replaces the real necklace with a fake one. So, they successfully get out with what they want.
On the other hand, Daphne returns to her room, and owing to her obsessive-compulsive nature, she notices a slight change in the placements of her scents. She realizes that someone entered her place, i.e., someone might still be watching her. So, she keeps her daily movements to a bare minimum so that no particular details get revealed about her. Emma notices that from her headquarters.
That’s where David meets her and offers her a role as his campaign manager. He was impressed by her succinct judgment about his campaign. In that awkward moment, she ends up saying that she will think about it. Back at their parents’ place, she finally decides to come clean to him. She tells him that her logistics job is just a front for her real one as an undercover agent. Hearing that, he understands why she did not want to run his campaign and accepts her decision.
Back at their bar, Nicolettis realise that the diamond they stole was already stolen before by the Ellsworths from its rightful Indian owners. So, it is of no use if they want to sell it. So, Charlie cooks another plan and returns to Claude’s grand villa. He threatens to reveal these details if Claude does not offer him $900,000. He also mentions that the Indian ambassador and a Washington Post reporter are just outside the door. So, Mr. Ellsworth is left with no option but to pay him the amount right then.
The Company You Keep (Season 1), Episode 2 Ending Explained:
What is the relationship between Daphne and Patrick?
Charlie gives this money to Daphne, but she still does not take Birdie’s child out of the equation. While that worries the entire family, they start thinking of leverage to use against her. Charlie shows the woman’s photo he found in her hotel room when Leo confirms the location to be Ireland. It leads them to understand that Daphne is, in fact, Patrick’s daughter. It’s clear to them why she quickly rose up the ranks in his business.
Does Emma manage to track down Daphne?
Meanwhile, Emma is persistent in tracing more details about Daphne. But, since Daphne noticed the disruption, she became aware of getting tracked. When Emma and her unit reach a remote location at the harbor to arrest her, they find a broken surveillance camera instead. It makes for Emma’s professional embarrassment.
Since she had planted an illegal bug, she implicated Emma in an unlawful activity while also proving Patrick her worth without even making any sale. As noticed since the beginning of the season, she is looking for an acknowledgment of her worth. She asks him for a bump in her position.
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The Company You Keep (Season 1), Episode 2 Links – IMDb
The Company You Keep (Season 1), Episode 2 Cast – Milo Ventimiglia, Catherine Haena Kim, Polly Draper
Where to watch The Company You Keep
