Black Bird has been yet another hit TV show for Apple TV+, which has received Emmy recognition this year for shows like Severance and Ted Lasso. With a star-studded cast that includes Taron Egerton, Greg Kinnear, and the late Ray Liotta combined with a compelling tale based on an unbelievable real-life story and a short six-episode run, Black Bird is a quick and satisfying binge.
The fascinating story is propped up by the talented performances and dialogue that both keeps viewers glued to their screens and, in some cases, will even send chills down the spine.
11 “I Never Wanted This For You. I Wanted A Totally Different Deal.”
Episode 1 “Pilot,” Big James Keene To Jimmy
Any parent can relate to always wanting the best for children, no matter what path they take. This was the case with Big James Keene who, despite seemingly doing everything right (save for a broken marriage with Jimmy’s mother), still couldn’t stop his son from getting caught up with the wrong crowd.
He played football with him and showed Jimmy tons of love, but conflict with his wife at the time led to a fractured relationship that may have played into Jimmy making some bad decisions, despite having the potential for a bright future. All the guilt for this is captured in these few words.
10 “…It Was Stress That Did You. You Know What Caused That Stress?”
Episode 1, “Pilot,” Sammy Keene to Jimmy
At first, Sammy comes across as the quiet second wife, Jimmy’s stepmom, who simply tries to stay out of the drama and keep to herself. She knows Jimmy doesn’t accept her but doesn’t really do anything about it. That is, until after Big James – played by the late Ray Liotta, whose best movies, according to IMDb, include ones like Goodfellas and Marriage Story – has a stroke and ends up in the hospital.
When she is mistreated by Jimmy when she visits him in prison, she says these words, poignantly followed by “You,” to him to make it known that she won’t take his attitude any longer. She is the one caring for his father and is tired of being treated like she doesn’t belong.
9 “You’re Not Gonna Want To Blow The Job Interview, Believe Me.”
Episode 2, “We Are Coming, Father Abraham,” Lauren To Jimmy
At first, Jimmy’s cockiness makes him think he’s a shoo-in for the job that he isn’t quite sure he wants to take: to enter a maximum-security prison and extract a confession out of a suspected serial killer. But the more he speaks with Lauren, the more he realizes that he isn’t the only one in the running.
Soon, it becomes apparent that Jimmy needs to “Keep doing [his] homework,” as if he were about to go to a job interview or take a test. Lauren didn’t mess around, and because of her insistence on this, Jimmy spent his night reading through all of the materials.
8 I Can’t Help If I Drive Home Where The Girl Jogs Every Day.”
Episode 1, “Pilot,” Larry Hall To Brian And The Other Detectives
This defense of stalking was one of the early lines that truly presented to fans how disconnected Larry Hall was from reality and how warped his perspective on women was. He could easily rank among the scariest serial killers and creeps on screen precisely because of his unassuming manner. In this one statement, he inadvertently admitted that he was indeed stalking the woman in question.
If he wasn’t, after all, how would he know that she jogs the same route every day? His belief is that it was a route he already took home every day. But if he was traveling and away from home, this wouldn’t make sense. It would also be a strange coincidence.
7 “]Larry’s] Always Trying To Make Himself Look Bigger Than He Is.”
Episode 2, “We Are Coming, Father Abraham, Gary Hall To Lauren and Brian
It was clear that Larry’s twin brother Gary had blinders on when it come to his sibling. He likely knew all along that his brother was mentally unstable and likely a killer. But he did not want to accept that, choosing only to tell himself his brother was simply quirky, eccentric, and different.
In the end, as noted in the ending credits, one of the things fans might not know about Black Bird is that Gary did eventually convince his brother to confess to some of the murders. Nonetheless, at the time of this quote, Gary was simply making excuses for his beloved family member.
6 “In My Dreams, I Like To Kill Women.”
Episode 1, “Pilot,” Larry Hall To The Detectives
One of Hall’s signature moves was to confess to various heinous acts, in great detail, only to turn around immediately after, or even days later, and say he was simply recounting a dream he had. He didn’t kill women; he just dreamed about doing so.
He said this on several occasions, including once to Jimmy. However, Jimmy was smart enough to turn things around on Hall and make it sound like he was upset his “friend” would lie to him while also making it sound like he didn’t think Hall was capable of doing it in real life anyway. The reverse psychology tactic worked.
5 “You Show Me You Can Find Common Ground With This Man…”
Episode 2, “We’re Coming, Father Abraham,” Lauren To Jimmy)
This statement didn’t have as much an impact until Jimmy got to the prison and started getting close to Hall. When Hall began to reveal terrifying and disturbing details, Jimmy had to do his best to act as though he agreed or understood To ensure the project wouldn’t end up a big waste of time. In reality, Jimmy wanted so badly to scream or call Hall a terrible person. Instead, he went back to his cell and cried himself to sleep in horror.
However, Lauren was right in this statement in that if Jimmy had shown any visible signs of disgust or disdain, Hall would have figured out very quickly that he was a plant and not a genuine friend.
4 “You Make People Believe You Aren’t The Killer…”
(Episode 2, “We’re Coming, Father Abraham,” Brian Miller To Larry)
When Detective Miller went to question Hall based on a hunch and what he believed was compelling evidence, he was floored at how the local police weren’t taking Hall’s confessions seriously. He got increasingly frustrated when they would interrupt his line of questioning by cracking jokes or making sarcastic remarks.
He said this line, which was followed by the confusing claim that Hall had previously confessed, when realizing exactly what Hall was doing: confessing in great detail, then pretending he was just talking about a dream he had and convincing everyone that he was simply an attention seeker.
3 “He Looks At Me, Not Through Me.”
(Episode 3, “Hand to Mouth,” Larry Hall To His therapist)
Jimmy was successful in achieving his goal of getting Larry to confess, even though he blew his cover before officially giving his report and getting out of prison. He managed to do this by appealing to Larry’s needs and being a kind of friend to who he felt he could relate and understand.
Larry told his therapist this when she asked what was so special about Jimmy. It was obvious she detected something was up since Jimmy didn’t even appear like he needed to be in that prison, even confronting him about it as best she could without revealing confidential patient information. Nonetheless, Jimmy had the knack for making Larry feel appreciated and loved.
2 “What Hurt Was That She Loved Him So Much More Than … You.”
(Episode 4, “WhatsHerName,” Larry Hall To Jimmy About His Mother And Stepfather)
Larry managed to get to Jimmy in a way that others didn’t, perhaps tapping into the reason that Jimmy was able to, in some small way, relate to the way Larry spoke about women. When Jimmy told Larry a story about how his mother stayed with an abusive stepfather who beat him terribly one night when he tried to defend her, Larry said these words, which expressed how much more emotional pain can hurt than physical pain.
Sadly, they might very well have been accurate, and that cut right to Jimmy’s core. While he would never do the types of things Larry did, this slight common ground helped him fight through and continue having deep conversations with the killer.
1 “You Can Die, But You Can’t Unlive. I Lived.”
(Episode 6, “You Promised,” Jessica Roach Via Voiceover)
In a voiceover, the voice of what would be the now deceased Jessica Roach speaks of what she might have been thinking in her final moments. Recounting her life, she remembers times spent with her parents, with her sister doing simple things, and the death of a grandparent. She talks about a boy who liked her at school and the day she got the bike she was riding at the time of her kidnapping.
The powerful words help bring solace to anyone who has lost someone. While she was killed and would not get to live her life beyond being a teenager, for the time she was on Earth, she lived. And that can’t be taken away from her.
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