(Courtesy of EDDY CHEN)
TNT airs the highly anticipated Season 3 premiere of Animal Kingdom, starring Scott Speedman and Ellen Barkin, with Episode 1: The Killing. With Smurf (Barkin) behind bars, can her boys continue their living through armed robberies without her?
Though we still didn’t know who shot him — or who ordered the hit — Baz (Speedman) ended up getting caught in the crossfire. The doctors are racing against the clock to save Baz as he’s rushed to the hospital. All of a sudden, Baz dies in the operating table.
After the cops reveal the news to Pope (Shawn Hatosy), he rounds up the rest of his family. Everyone seems think that Lucy is responsible. Getting mad at Nicky (Molly Gordon), Pope though begins to think this is retaliation for Javi’s murder. After playing cards with the female inmates, Smurf gets a visit from Detective Pearce. After finding out about Baz’s death. Smurf appears to be genuinely broken up.
Elsewhere, the gang that Smurf was paying to protect her behind bars have discovered that her stolen goods aren’t Baz’s secret house. While Pope, Deran (Jake Weary) and J (Finn Cole) arm themselves in case of another attack, Nicky wonders about Lena’s fate. Pope refuses to believe that Lena will end up in foster care.
After visiting Smurf at the prison, J is instructed by Pope to leave behind his car and his gun. They have to pick up Lena (Aamya Deva Keroles) from school. Afterwards, Pope is unable to tell the truth to Lena about the father. Pope cries and promises to take care of her if she likes that; she does.
Returning home, Pope, J, and Lena have a surprise visitor waiting for them. Out in the pool, Lucy (Carolina Guerra) maintains her shock and tears after seeing Baz die from his gunshot wounds. Even though J was supposed to be watching her, Lena overhears their discussion and discovers that her father is dead.
After almost getting into a broken brawl over Renn ( Christina Ochoa), Deran finally checks up on his cell and looks at Craig’s texts. Though Deran is reunited with the others, Pope sneaks into J’s room and threatens him with a gun. Pope warns J that he’s won’t stop until he ends up killing Baz’s murderer.
Meanwhile, Pearce returns to the prison and presents Smurf with an offer: If she gives up on her boys, Pearce will make sure Craig and Deran get light sentences, andJ gets off scot-free. Pope though needs to be put away before he hurts other people. Smurf though will have to serve 10-20 years in prison.
Pope questions Lucy, wanting to know if she had another lover. Lucky breaks down in tears, saying she loved Baz, but Pope doesn’t show any mercy. While J pays off Pete’s crew, Craig tells Deran that he’s thinking of going back to Mexico.
At the beach, the surfers hold a funeral for Baz and form a circle in the water.
Season 3 of Animal Kingdom continues TNT Tuesdays at 9pm.