The Final Stretch
Episode 5 of Inhuman Resources starts with Major Morisset arriving to visit Alain. He agrees to help with his test but in exchange, wants to be there for Morisset if he has any issues. Deciding that he needs a mobile phone next, Alain finds a prisoner who sells them and buys one off him. Unfortunately, this attracts the attention of one of his cellmates who fights him for it. The guard comes to stop them though while Paul Cousin meets with Fontana and tells him that the list Alain gave is fake. Fontana admits that he didn’t think it was true and promises to take care of Alain. Back in prison, Alain records a message on the mobile, telling his story and sends it to the media. After getting his wife’s voicemail, he calls Lucie and insists again that he wants her to be the one defending him. She explains that he needs someone specialized so he decides to represent himself and plead self-defence. This convinces her but she warns him that it’s going to cost a lot and he will have to do exactly what she says. After helping out the Major some more, Alain is visited by Charles who reveals that Nicole is having an affair with one of her colleagues. This completely devastates him as he realizes he is losing her. Later on during lunch, as the news comes on, the prisoners hear that Alain’s story has been shared to the media and touched many people who are rooting for him. This of course denounces EXXYA and their methods but also brings the approval and cheers from the other prisoners. Meanwhile, Nicole comes home and after being hounded by journalists, finds a dark figure waiting for her who starts strangling her inside the house. Back in prison, Alain is the victim of more violence from Bebeta and Boulon. He later receives another visit from Fontana who demands that he give the money back. He blackmails him with his daughters’ well-being and reveals that they visited his wife that same morning. Alain remains stoic and tells him that since he is the most famous unemployed man in France, anything done to his family will be good for the media. He also mentions that he has had the upper-hand since the beginning and wants to make a deal; he will give the money back if they manage to get him out of prison. Outside, Fontana meets with Alexandre and Cousin to relay his meeting with Alain. Alexandre accepts his condition but only if he gets the whole amount back and upfront, while Alain calls Karminski to ask him to have someone protecting his family 24/7. Lucie arrives in prison to discuss the case with Alain. She is angry that he sent his story to the press as it has undermined her. She then explains that she found an expert but it will cost money, going on to mention their plan of action. They will plead insanity but she has to first convince the lawyer of his ex-boss to drop the charges. There is also the issue of him hitting his son-in-law too, which makes him look more violent and like someone hit his family. Mathilde is trying to convince Gregory to withdraw his complaint but the latter is being stubborn. Back in his cell, Alain opens a letter from an editor who wants to turn his story into a book and is offering a cash advance of 150.000 euros. He later sees his other daughter, Mathilde, who tells him that her mother wants to sell the flat. Alain categorically refuses before going back to help the major. After their lesson, Morisset tells him that he knows Boulon is after him in the prison so he will put him in isolation. Next to visit him is Nicole, who reveals she is leaving with. Alain confronts her about her lover but she tells him that she left him too as she needs to think things through. Angry, he tells her that he will never sell the flat. We then cut to some time in the future with Alain looking different with a shaved head and a tattoo. He seems to have a different stature now too as Bebeta comes to him for help. Outside, Lucie meets with the judge who advises her to speak with a lawyer, Durant-Pernety. He warns her about the complexity of the trial and because of her lack of experience, the case and the closing statement will be very difficult. She manages to convince him to defend Alain but when they visit, Alain is adamant that he wants Lucie to be his lawyer. Durant tries to convince him that she doesn’t have enough experience and that he will have a better chance to free him, but to no avail. For a few months we learn that Alain carried on writing to his wife. She eventually came back to visit him and they ended up patching things up. His book has also been published too, which certainly hasn’t pleased Lucie but he needed it to pay for his legal fees. As the episode closes, the day of trial has arrived but things are not looking good for Alain when the judge reads the charges and mentions the book Alain has published. He believes it’s his way of trying to impress the public and the media. The judge warns him that it won’t impress anyone here and that it will be taken as a way of intimidating the jurors. Inhuman Resources has been building up to the finale in a tense manner as all eyes now turn to Alain’s trial. While he seems to have a few people on his side, this will prove to be quite tough, especially for his daughter Lucie who might have bitten more than she could chew. Alain hasn’t really given her any choice though so the next episode promises to be really interesting, as we see it unfold. Alain has taken a lot of risks and even if he is set free, will still have quite a few enemies and a tough job if he wants to patch things up with his family. It has been a downward spiral for him and with the finale up next, we can expect more twists and tension in this French drama. So far Inhuman Resources has delivered a decent thriller full of suspense and an intriguing narrative. Let’s hope it closes things out on a bang!
