“Covet” is exactly whatAnimal Kingdom’sfinal season is all about. The latest episode of the TNT drama doesn’t include any true high-stakes action, but it is an ideal episode to foreshadow the trouble that is to come. The never-ending pit of dramatic trouble that surrounds the Cody family continues to follow them in their efforts to distance themselves from the legacy that only recognizes them as Smurf’s boys. “Covet” begins to demonstrate what happens when their past with Smurf and the new legacy the boys are trying to forge, are forced to collide.
“Covet” is the first episode ofAnimal Kingdom’ssixth and final season that aired solo. After returning to TNT’sweekly lineup for its final season,Animal Kingdomhas aired two back-to-back episodes to establish the Codys' new threats. AsAnimal Kingdomseason six’s first episode to air as its own, “Covet” makes a strong showing, boding well for the season’s remaining episodes. “Covet” is a fairly well-rounded episode that uses a mix of the old and new.
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Animal Kingdomcontinues to provide an example of what an action-filled thriller can do. Though heavily reliant on the heists the Cody family is able to pull off, much ofAnimal Kingdom’sexcitement comes from its family drama. Its final season has already done a meaningful job of introducing new problems within the Cody dynamic, particularly amongst Deran (Jake Weary) and Craig (Ben Robson). “Covet” continues to build the suspense of this subplot,as well as the upcoming heistthe boys plan on pulling. Its flashback sequences offer some explanation of the background ofAnimal Kingdom’soriginal cast of characters while personifying the eerie trend of one Cody straying from the pack either by force or choice.
One of the subtle aspects of “Covet” includes the origins of Pope’s nickname. His interest in religion was heavily mocked by Smurf and Baz, who failed in their attempts to steer him from it. Pope has always been the odd one out in the Cody family, andthe flashbacks have reinforced that. When Julia invites Pope to drink and attend a bonfire with herself and Baz, Baz remarks that they’re living with “Pope Andrew now,” teasing that Pope is uninterested in their teenage sins. The aftermath of the tiny heist with Pope’s newfound religious freedom that Baz lures Pope and Julia to take part in, does a great job of painting the difficult relationship between Pope and Baz.
This religious exploration of Pope’s character has provided the perfect opportunity for Amy toreturn toAnimal Kingdom’sfold. Amy was first met in season 2 when Pope began attending church again. The two began a romantic relationship that nearly came to a lethal end after Pope confessed to Amy that he killed Catherine. With the investigation into Catherine’s death pointing directly at Pope, and his old cellmate making his obsession with his former flame clear, the circumstances of Amy’s return toAnimal Kingdomshould cast a small shadow of a doubt. Pope is already being deceived by a teenage plant from Pope’s skate park, who is feeding intel to the detective leading an in-depth investigation into Catherine’s death.
Where “Covet” is its strongest, is in the recurring realization that it’s not foreign for the Codys to stray from one another. One ofAnimal Kingdom’srecent explorationsin season 6, involves the inevitable distance Julia puts between herself and the rest of her family. Prior to J (Finn Cole) joining the family’s sinful way of life,Animal Kingdommade it abundantly clear that his mother never wanted him to be a part of her family’s immoral life. The only person that seemed remotely affected by Julia’s death in season 1 was Pope, who had only recently returned from a stint in prison.Animal Kingdom’sflashbackshave done a great job in saying why that is, as the twins grew up trying to get one another through Smurf’s deceit.
Craig’s allegiance has slowly begun to shift from his brothers and his nephew to the friends he’s made on his own. Craig isn’t the first Cody to begin pulling jobs with those outside the family, as Deran previously had a band of friends he’d pull off-the-wall jobs with. Going behind the back of the family never went well, only causing more problems for the Codys down the line. While Craig has begun to pull jobs with those outside the family, he is still actively trying to help the Codyspull off a tricky heist. His growing animosity and discomfort with Deran are causing several problems for the Codys and if they implode before they can pull off the heist, it’ll be the entire family paying the price.
