Abhiroop Das
At the end of Season 1 of ‘Hightown,’ Ray Abruzzo and Jackie Quiñones are tested in their quest to solve the murder of Sherry Henry. While the narrative introduces the main culprits early on, incriminating them proves to be no easy task. The protagonists struggle to balance their personal and professional lives, with Jackie’s addiction serving as a constant hindrance in her work, and Ray’s relationship with Renee crossing various ethical boundaries. However, no party in the conflict seems ready to submit, and their clash leaves a trail of death and destruction behind. As such, the season finale, titled ‘#Blessed,’ brings forth a new set of twists and turns, bringing a cruel end to some chapters of the story, while blowing many others wide open. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Hightown Season 1 Plot Recap
The story begins with two men killing a girl in the middle of the night, before fleeing the scene with her corpse. Unbeknownst to them, her friend witnesses the entire event from a distance. Later that night, the body washes up on the shore and is discovered by Jackie Quiñones, who is a National Marine Fisheries Service Agent. The incident draws the attention of Officers Ray Abruzzo and Alan Saintille, the latter of whom identifies the victim as his confidential informant, Sherry Henry. This sets off an investigation into Frankie Cuevas, Provincetown’s drug kingpin, who continues his operations despite being locked up. At the same time, we delve deeper into Jackie’s life and learn that she is a drug abuser and an alcohol addict. One of her drug benders results in a car crash, nearly killing the person with her.
With the threat of suspension looming over her, Jackie decides to try her hand at rehab, where she discovers Krista Collins, a patient with ties to Sherry, and the witness seen at the start of the show. Jackie tries to get her friend, Junior, to help him locate Krista, not knowing that he himself is the one who dumped her body in the ocean, under the orders of Frankie, his boss. In the meantime, Ray tries his own methods of pinning down the culprit by trying to convert Renee, Frankie’s former partner, into his informant. The hunt soon leads Ray to a man named Osito, who pulled the trigger that night. The two get into a cat-and-mouse chase, with Osito always one step ahead. Meanwhile, Jackie manages to locate Krista’s address but is unable to find her, so she leaves a message behind.
Soon, Jackie’s addiction catches up to her, and she relapses. While she sleeps away inebriated, Junior and Osito devise a plan to kill Krista by giving her a lethal dose of drugs. When that fails, Osito bashes her head in with a clothes iron. When Jackie learns of the fact, she begins to regret her actions and makes another attempt at sobriety while devoting herself to the investigation. One by one, the pieces begin to fall in place as Jackie finds out that Osito was involved in Sherry’s murder, and Ray closes in on Osito. At the same time, his dynamic with Renee begins to change, and soon, he develops feelings for her. However, she remains conflicted, stuck between the roles imposed on her by him and Frankie.
When Jackie tries to confront Junior, she is interrupted by Osito, and his partner, Kizzle, who plan to kill Junior under Frankie’s command. However, in a turn of events, Osito kills his partner and recruits Junior as a future member of his independent drug operations. With this, their paths separate. While the former goes into hiding, Junior, realizing that he is now inextricably trapped in the network of crime, seemingly takes his own life by drug overdose. This leaves Jackie both traumatized and eager to solve the case, believing that her friend was murdered. Believing that Osito is hiding at the house of a drug kingpin named Wayne, Ray leads his team into a raid, wherein Jackie and Osito come face to face and engage in a shootout. Although she suffers an injury in the process, Osito is ultimately arrested, and the narrative reaches its climax.
Does Renee Betray Ray? Why is He Suspended?
Following Osito’s arrest, Ray appears to be jubilant about almost having the case in hand. Given his ability to groom criminals into informants, the possibility of Osito’s similar fate remains. Yet, at the most important point of the investigation, Ray is faced with a crushing setback, as his conversation with Frankie reveals that Renee was working for the antagonist all along. While he believed her to be his chief informant in the case, in actuality, she was playing the complex role of a double agent, getting close to him on her partner’s command. Frankie’s plan bears fruit when Ray is called into the station and shown a video recording of his sexual affair with Renee, who had secretly filmed it, before framing it as him soliciting sexual favours against her wishes.
The allegation completely stumps Ray, who tries to push back by pointing out that she is no longer his informant, but by then, it is too late. He realizes the gravity of the situation upon learning that the charges against Frankie have been dropped. His superior then explained that they cannot risk the video coming out in the trial in light of the #MeToo movement, which can put the entire department into chaos. Ray’s bad luck doesn’t end here, as he is promptly suspended, which seemingly forces him to give up on all the progress he made on the case. At this point, Leslie, his fellow Officer, brings out Ray’s weak point, his sexual relationship with Sherry, while she was an informant. This marks an irrefutable breach of conduct, and he soon gives up, frustrated with his loss.
Following his suspension, Ray rushes to Xavier’s and confronts Renee, but is met with another reality check. She reminds him that this entire time, he has exploited her, keeping the relationship transactional while also reaping all sexual and emotional benefits. At last, Ray’s flaws come to bite him, resulting in a swift fall from grace. However, despite being officially kicked out of the system, he refuses to back down from the case. In a later meeting with Jackie, he discusses his predicament, this time fully conscious of his errors. When she asks him what his future holds, he puts up a hopeful front, claiming that he has seen cops come back from far worse. While it is a positive sentiment, Ray’s actual road ahead seems to be a uniquely difficult one.
Does Jackie Join the Narcotics Unit?
Ray’s downfall in the season finale is contrasted by Jackie’s trajectory, as she seems all set to join his Narcotics Unit. The chain of events leading up to this starts when she gets a call from her lawyer, who brings her some good news: the district attorney has dropped her DUI case, and consequently, she is free to drive again. The news comes as an absolute surprise to her, and upon probing deeper, she realizes that it is a result of her recent heroic actions in the drug raid, which have proven her importance to law enforcement. However, that’s not all, as she is further informed that the person responsible for the entire thing is none other than Officer Alan Saintille, Ray’s former partner. The discovery prompts her to visit the Narcotics Unit, where she sits down with Alan to discuss the aftermath of the case.
Alan quickly gives her the entire string of bad news, from Frankie’s release to Ray’s suspension, which leaves her similarly dumbfounded; however, we learn that the context behind Ray’s departure has been sealed by the higher-ups. As such, the duo is left with more questions than answers. However, a glimmer of hope is introduced into the narrative when Jackie asks if she can join the Narcotics. Here, she brings up Alan’s own words in the first episode, where he said that the unit welcomes everyone. After pondering it, he brings up the possibility that she can be included under the banner of diversity, which leaves her shocked, but she ultimately chooses to accept it. This exchange shows how serious she is about contributing to the investigation as closely as possible.
Jackie has her own share of reasons for joining the unit, which are tied to the death of her friend, Junior. While it is never confirmed whether Junior took his own life or not, the fact remains that he was, on some level, a victim of Frankie’s. Jackie is personally aware of his long-standing battle with addiction, which extends into his general lifestyle, and has a cruel end. With all of this taken into consideration, bringing Frankie to justice becomes one of her priorities. With this, her journey as Ray’s spiritual successor also reaches its next stage, as now she, too, has a personal motive involved. Additionally, the entirety of the first season can be perceived as Jackie’s coming of age, leaving the sea behind to acclimate to the brutal world of drugs and violence, and come out as a transformed individual.
Frankie’s Release From Prison Stirs the Pot Further
Frankie’s exit is conveyed in a montage sequence, which provides a quick rundown of how the different elements of the narrative respond to it. While Ray’s life gets destroyed, Frankie comes out of the prison bedecked, with his partner, Renee, and child, Frankie Jr., waiting for him. The antagonist seems confident about his victory and kisses his soon-to-be wife before heading out in the car. From a distance, Jackie watches with a mix of shock and determination. However, it is likely to be a while before she can make her next move, as Frankie’s return means that the drug business is soon to kick into the next gear. Furthermore, the police avoiding him, coupled with the arrest of his competition, Wayne, points to Frankie’s empire likely growing larger than ever.
Frankie’s return to power is contrasted by the subtle decay in Renee’s life. Earlier in the story, he proposes to her with a ring, and while she displays happiness, later, in the privacy of her car, she breaks down. This brings to light how Renee has been exploited by both the leading men in the narrative, leaving her with no room to voice her own opinions. Her dynamic with her son also undergoes a transformation, as Frankie is likely to take over his upbringing and education, shedding the close bond she had developed with her child over the years. While it is possible that Jackie comes to her rescue, for now, Renee’s fate remains tied to her husband, with all chances of attaining freedom seemingly blocked out of sight.
Does Osito Become a Police Informant?
Amidst the twists and turns in the Police front of the narrative, Osito’s fate appears to get lost in the background, till the final sequence. Still hospitalized, he meets Alan, who informs him of Frankie’s release. For the criminal, the reveal operates on two levels, both introducing the potential of an early release and the fear of what his former boss might do upon learning of his betrayal. Alan wisely decides to cash in on both, pointing out that he can help Osito if the latter chooses to push the right buttons. In this case, Osito’s only available option is to help the police discreetly cover his tracks. In light of this, the partnership with Alan is definitely on the table, and he chooses to confirm that fact by showing interest.
This introduces several new possibilities into the fray. While it might be that Osito books his exit ticket early by divulging details of the criminal operations, it seems unlikely that Alan will let go of him that easily, especially when Frankie is now protected by the higher-ups themselves. As such, it is more likely that Osito becomes a long-term informant, gradually earning his release. This likely means an end to his aspirations of starting an independent drug operation, with his former boss once again taking his seat at the top. Additionally, Osito and Alan’s upcoming dynamic can serve as a foil to how Ray dealt with his own informants. On the other hand, Osito’s demonstrable cunningness suggests that he is not one to give up easily, and might be planning his next move under the pretense of assistance, leaving his arc on an exciting note.
What is Charmaine Planning Next?
Besides Osito, another rising player in the game appears to be Charmaine Grasa, Wayne Grasa’s niece. In the final scene of the show, we see her boarding a bus to Cape Cod along with her sister, likely making their way to Provincetown. When the latter asks why they couldn’t just stay behind in New Beige, Charmaine asserts her sense of independence, trying to break free of her simple life with Aunt Ruth. It becomes increasingly evident that the sisters plan on dipping their toes into the drug business in P-town, which is substantiated by the teen declaring that they will take over the whole town together. This suggests that the duo is eager to set shop, calling their competition “soft,” echoing the words of Wayne.
Charmaine’s knowledge of the business is subtly indicated at multiple points in the final episode. When her uncle is arrested, she displays a calm demeanor, not giving in to Ray’s pressure. Following this, we see her stuff drugs from Wayne’s secret cabin in her bag, which shows that she is already familiar with his operations, way more so than the police. Given this, it is likely that she will put her experience to use going forward and slowly build another empire in town. This direction puts her at direct odds with Frankie, who is finally back to oversee things himself. As such, the girls, with seemingly no muscle power by their side, are likely at a disadvantage. This brings up the potential angle of Osito, or some new party, teaming up with them, adding weight to the sisters’ promise of shaking things up.
Read More: Where Was Hightown Filmed? All Shooting Locations
