SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers for The Rainmaker Episode 4.

The Rainmaker Episode 4 is mostly a murder thriller, as it focuses more than ever on Melvin Pritcher, Jackie Lemanczyk and private investigator Jane Allen. But between scenes in the creepy abandoned summer camp, the USA show gets to the moment everyone knew was coming: Rudy Baylor and Sarah Plankmore becoming enemies.

The duo don’t explicitly break up, but when Sarah kicks Rudy out of her new house at the end of the episode, that says enough. The scene that starts the collapse of their relationship does leave something to be desired. Sarah appears at the bar just to visit her boyfriend, and Rudy can’t help but bring up the case, even though (as she reminds him) they had an agreement not to discuss it. In the heat of an argument that escalates quickly, Sarah blurts out a vital piece of information about Jackie.

She pleads with Rudy not to mention it, which is completely understandable. She wants him to stop being opposing counsel and just be her boyfriend—which he’s proven unable to do by the fact they’re having this talk in the first place. The Rainmaker does have a few scenes of Rudy trying to protect Sarah, but no one has much empathy for that, which lessens the impact of those moments. He’s essentially told to get over it, and between that and Rudy continuing to be interested in Kelly Riker, viewers know where Episode 4 is going to end before it gets there.

Sarah is more interesting dramatically if she becomes an adversary to Rudy, and Kelly is obviously positioned as his new love interest (moreso for anyone familiar with the movie, in which Rudy and Kelly end up together). The Rainmaker telegraphs its punches in that respect. The quick downgrade of Rudy and Sarah is also a little jarring when Episode 3 had them hooking up during a break in the bar exam. A slower-paced show might have had the previous disagreement between Sarah and Rudy last longer, or dwelled further on Rudy’s internal conflict—at least the fact that he started the argument that led to Sarah’s faux pas in the first place.

But Episode 4 gets both characters to where they were always destined to go. Its most successful scene is actually one of its smaller moments, when John Slattery gets to show the slightest amount of vulnerability in Leo Drummond. Drummond attempts to get Keeley to take Bruiser up on her settlement offer, and Keeley has no interest in cutting an $80 million check. It’s interesting to see Drummond believing that settling is the best move for his client, and not just being a stereotypical villain who is only able to think one way. More of those moments would give Drummond some color, since most of the time Slattery is still the bad guy behind the big desk.

Yet hopefully Episode 5 involves more of the legal part of the proceedings, because this hour is again more action-heavy. Dan Fogler has a larger amount of screen time as Pritcher, and continues to keep audience members on edge (will Jane survive or meet the same fate as her colleague?). Viewers finally understand the context of that series premiere scene that killed Pritcher’s mom. The conspiracy is now almost fully in the frame. But what’s going to stick with the fans are the character moments Michael Seitzman and company can put in between those mysterious plot points, especially with a talented cast that’s more than capable of carrying them off.

The Rainmaker airs Fridays at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on USA. Photo Credit: Courtesy of USA.

Article content is (c)2020-2025 Brittany Frederick and may not be excerpted or reproduced without express written permission by the author. Follow me on Twitter at @BFTVTwtr and on Instagram at @BFTVGram. For story pitches, contact me at tvbrittanyf@yahoo.com.