Cane: The Work of a Businessman (Episode 102)

Henry Duque: cute and dumb, just like I like 'em

We open with Alex narrating the whole premise of this series and we get a lengthy set of previouslies from last week's episode. Overkill, much? This is only the second episode; I don't think they need to worry quite yet about audiences forgetting what happened.

The main plotline this week is all about Alex trying to juggle his figurative balls. First, he's excited about a deal he's worked out with Senator Barnes to have Duque Industries open the first suger ethanol refinery in the US. The government is supposedly ponying up $50 million but the company is responsible for the other $50 million. Needless to say, Frank is unhappy about this and he throws it in Alex's face that if they'd taken the deal with the Samuelses, they'd be making $50 million, not losing it. Then Frank scampers off to tell everything to Ellis Samuels who, of course, runs and tells her daddy. Remember how I said Frank wasn't an idiot last week because he openly laughed at Ellis' suggestion that they merge their families by getting married? Yeah, I take that back. Frank is an effing moron. The one smart thing he does this episode is to plant the seeds for Henry to join forces with him and combine their shares to overrule Alex, but that plan doesn't come to fruition in this episode.

Alex's second problem is Miguel, one of Santo's buddies. Miguel helped Santo kill and bury Quinones, but now he wants some hush money from Alex. When Alex refuses to pay up, Miguel sends a scorpion to Alex's home and it stings Isabel, although she's fine. Alex fires Miguel from the plant and orders him out of town so, naturally, he goes right to Joe Samuels and spills everything about the plot to murder Quinones. Samuels calls the cops and they head out to the body's supposed location (on Samuelses land, no less, which is brilliant) but all they find in the grave is a dead pig. Santo, who is completely loyal to Alex and only wants Alex's help to bring his family over from Cuba, has moved the body. He takes it to the Everglades and leaves it for the alligators to chow down on. As for the blackmailing Miguel? He gets a one way ticket back to Cuba.

Alex's third problem is Isabel, who thinks her husband should try and talk Jaime out of joining the Army. He gently points out that there are no take backs in the Army and, besides, Jaime's an adult who can make his own choices. And since those choices include a sexy buzzcut, I approve. Isabel is also miffed that Alex takes a phone call in the middle of her first ultrasound. And she got stung by a scorpion thanks to her husband's shady business practices, so I can't really blame her for being a little cranky this week. I also can't blame her for wanting to spend a night dancing at Henry's club, because she may be a 37-year-old wife and mother of three with a fourth child on the way, but she's smokin' hot and deserves to let her hair down once in a while.

Speaking of cute Henry and his club, he's annoyed that Alex's subsidy deal means he won't get the money he wants to build a VIP room. I think Henry is as adorable as a fuzzy puppy, but he's more than a wee bit spoiled and naive. It's called a business loan, Henry. Look into it. And why does Henry want a VIP room at his club? Because he's booked Daddy Yankee, who performs in the episode. I recapped Daddy Yankee on So You Think You Can Dance this summer and I remain just as unimpressed now as I was then. Also, during Daddy Yankee's performance, Katie takes some ecstacy and has to hide in Henry's office to avoid her mother. So, Henry not only wants the family money to pay for his club ventures, he covers for his 16-year-old niece when she takes drugs. Again, I love Henry, but he's kind of an idiot, just in a less dickish way than Frank.

In other news, Amalia tells Pancho that she thinks it was a huge mistake for him to favor Alex over his eldest natural son. Pancho says Frank wasn't ready to take over as CEO and when Amalia asks him what's the big rush, he says he has his reasons and asks her to trust him. She does not seem to realize that's code for, "I'm totally dying."

Finally, Ellis Samuels suddenly no longer has a brother. On the one hand, that's okay because he was never given a name in the pilot. On the other hand, he was played by Lee Tergesen so, you know, it's a waste of a brilliant actor. And I didn't even get my Tobias Beecher/Sister Pete Oz reunion scene with Lee Tergesen and Rita Moreno. Unfair! Oh, and sometime between the first and second episodes Polly Walker has managed to come up with a Southern accent that doesn't make my ears bleed.

Next week: My DVR cut out before the previews but I'm going to guess that Alex will continue to bitchslap all of his enemies, Frank will continue to whine and sulk like a three-year-old, and Henry will continue to be as cute, and about as bright, as a newborn lamb.