I Haven’t Been This Disappointed By The Finale Of A Once-Promising TV Series In A Long Time
WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for Dope Thief Episode 8.Dope Thief crash-landed into its finale episode, which was compelling in parts, underwhelming in others, and ultimately a tonal mess. Throughout its eight episodes, Dope Thief continuously felt like it was still figuring out what type of crime series it wanted to be as it unfolded. The gritty, realistic foundation that initially made it so promising often didn’t align with some of its absurd character decisions and random side quests. For example, Michelle’s unprofessionalism and attraction to Ray remain utterly nonsensical, and I still can’t get over how misplaced the insane clown guy was in Dope Thief episode 4.
Dope Thief’s greatest flaw is a convoluted plot that thinks it’s more clever than it is, much like Ray Driscoll himself, who is a top contender for 2025’s most insufferable TV protagonist. How on earth does Ray, who stumbles over his own feet and screws up constantly throughout the first seven episodes of the series, suddenly become the mastermind who helps the DEA take out a crooked cop kingpin in the finale? These shaky character developments, combined with wafty, pseudo-deep dialogue, forced action sequences, and a dull, obvious villain reveal, make Dope Thief a dud.
Dope Thief’s Finale Proved The Messy Crime Series Lacked Direction & Identity
The Finale Felt Inflated By A False Sense Of Confidence With Little Payoff
Brian Tyree Henry gives what felt like his best Denzel Washington impression in the finale, deviating from that standard con-man fare that we have come to expect from Ray. Ray’s accent and demeanor were oddly switched up to match the show’s tonal shift from a bleak, slow-burning tragedy to an action thriller vibe. Still, the bottom line in Dope Thief remains that Ray is incredibly difficult to not only empathize with or root for, but to understand in any logical sense.
After losing his father and Manny in Dope Thief episode 6 and Dope Thief episode 7, respectively, Ray proves that he still only cares about himself. Theresa is wasted and underdeveloped, apparently having zero reaction or reasonable resentment for Ray after Bart’s death. Mina forgives him way too easily during her built-up confrontation in the prison hospital, and their unlikely bond in the finale’s final moments just doesn’t sit right (although their drive-thru scene did earn a laugh).
Things got dark, really dark, in some of Dope Thief’s middle episodes, which resulted in not just the plot and characters, but the product itself being too unpredictable in an undermining way.
Humor, one of the series’ strong points in the earlier episodes, was notably missing from Dope Thief’s latter half. Ray and Manny’s entertaining dynamic should have been the backbone that carried the entire season. Things got dark, really dark, in some of Dope Thief’s middle episodes, which resulted in not just the plot and characters, but the product itself being too unpredictable in an undermining way. Once again, like Ray, the series imposed a false sense of confidence and certainty on its direction only to reveal it had no idea where it was going in the first place.
Dope Thief’s Villain Twist Was Unfulfilling, Forced & Obvious
The Finale Tried To Clean Up The Mess It Made Throughout The Season
Most viewers would have probably tagged the new character with a distinct Boston accent as a prime suspect from the mysterious kingpin behind the radio that Ray stole from the second that he appeared in the Dope Thief finale. There are a handful of confusing elements to Special Agent Bill McKinty’s villain reveal, such as how the DEA didn’t recognize his voice on the radio and why in the world Son Pham didn’t just give Bill back his money if he was working for him all along.
Son’s voicemail to Ray tries to force the sentiment that Son was trying to protect Ray, but their onscreen relationship doesn’t suggest they were as close as the script calls for, making it entirely unconvincing. The whole marked $2 bills set up that led to hidden stashes marked by four-digit numbers on tombstones, rather than being coordinates, was intriguing but far-fetched. I also struggle to believe how the three bikers died in the RV explosion when they had plenty of time to clear out and Ray and Mina miraculously escaped without explanation.
The series behaves like a teenager still figuring out his identity, interests, and style, trying on different clothes each week to see what fits (while still knowing that explosions and gun fights are cool).
All these inconsistencies and underlying insecurities make Dope Thief, in a word, juvenile. The series behaves like a teenager still figuring out his identity, interests, and style, trying on different clothes each week to see what fits (while still knowing that explosions and gun fights are cool). The show must think that Ray comes off as earnest and pitiful when he’s really irredeemably self-centered and obnoxious, always acting like he’s the victim when he created the problem.
Dope Thief is simply too broken to fix. Mina’s two DEA counterparts were incredibly bland and impersonal. Theresa, Michelle, and Manny’s girlfriend, Sherry, all fade away with a dozen loose ends. On top of that, the best supporting characters, Bart and Manny, are dead. If Dope Thief thinks it can pull off a season 2 with a newfound Ray and Mina connection, I’m afraid its lifeless and inept finale proves otherwise.
