Wow, what an ending.

Full Circle wrapped up it’s mini series run this week, and I just need to quickly reemphasize that this should have been a Sunday night showcase program. If you replace “The Idol” with Full Circle, HBO would have had a lot more happy eyeballs.

Let’s talk about Melody Harmony, the most fascinating character on the show which allowed Zazie Beetz to do some of the best work of her career.

One of the most important moments of the series occurs when she’s pulled off of the raid at Mahabir’s place and her boss Manny is tasked with leading the charge. This happened because of Mel’s sloppy personal life and dating an ex witness.

It completely changes the ending.

In the ending we just watched, an out of shape and stupid, Manny (Jim Gaggigan, who also did a fine job) gets himself killed while chasing Garmen. This results in Garmen also escaping and getting killed at the rendezvous point by Xavier. Multiple little girls are left fatherless but Melody gets to Sam and is able to break open the Essequibo case.

If the much more intelligent Mel Harmony goes on the raid, Manny likely lives, and Garmen and Xavier are either killed or put in jail. Louis and Natalia don’t make the plane and we don’t get our (mostly) happy ending.

Or let’s completely flip it around. Let’s say Mel goes on the raid, her ego gets the better of her, and she’s killed instead of Manny. We covered that Mel doesn’t have any friends HERE, its possible that cover up continues and all the criminals walk.

Staring in that prism you could argue that the most important decision of the show was Mel’s ex girlfriend putting her on the bench.

Thought provoking television. Excellent television.