Elora's Dad
| "Elora's Dad" | |
|---|---|
| Reservation Dogs episode | |
 Devery Jacobs and Ethan Hawke (pictured in the episode) received praise for their portrayals of Elora Danan and Rick Miller. | |
| Episode no. | Season 3 Episode 9 |
| Directed by | Sterlin Harjo |
| Written by | Kawennáhere Devery Jacobs |
| Featured music |
|
| Cinematography by | Mark Schwartzbard |
| Editing by | Varun Viswanath |
| Production code | XRDV3009 |
| Original air date | September 20, 2023 |
| Running time | 34 minutes |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"Elora's Dad" is the ninth episode of the third season of the comedy and teen drama television series Reservation Dogs. It is also the series' penultimate and twenty-seventh overall episode. The episode was written by series star Kawennáhere Devery Jacobs, and directed by its showrunner and co-creator, Sterlin Harjo. In the episode, Elora (Devery Jacobs) connects with her estranged father (guest star Ethan Hawke), whom she previously believed to be dead, and his other children. It was released on FX on Hulu on September 20, 2023.
Plot
[edit]Elora attends college for an interview. With no scholarships available she needs her absentee father's financial information to apply for financial aid. After tracking him down she makes it clear she is not looking for a relationship, just the information. He reveals Elora has three half-siblings and presents her with a photograph of her on her first birthday; the last time he saw her. Elora agrees to meet them and whilst chatting, bonds with her father.
Production
[edit]"Elora's Dad" was written by Kawennáhere Devery Jacobs who appears in the series as Elora Danan Postoak. She had starred in the show since its inception and joined the writers' room in the second season. She was assigned to write the episode by showrunner and co-creator Sterlin Harjo after telling him her ideas for it. It is the second episode she wrote for the series after she and Harjo co-wrote "Mabel" in the previous season.[1][2] The titular role of Elora's Dad, Rick Miller, was portrayed by Ethan Hawke.[3] No auditions were held for the role of Miller. Instead, Angelique Midthunder, the show's casting director, assembled a list of performers to possibly take on the role. This list was then presented to Harjo who picked Hawke because the two were friends and had previously expressed interest in working together. Midthunder said that no one else on the list was contacted or considered afterwards, and that hiring Hawke was "the easiest process that we've had on the show."[4][5][6]
Jacobs described the episode as "mumblecore" and compared it to three of Hawke's previous films: Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, and Before Midnight. She specifically explained that Harjo wanted to "pay homage" to the Before trilogy, and that similar to those films, the script relies heavily on dialogue, something that is unusual for the program. Some pieces of the story were also inspired by Jacobs' personal life.[1][7][8] Harjo later elaborated on this, saying "I love those movies because they're so simple. It's humans sort of fumbling through this relationship and trying to connect."[9] This allowed the episode to explore numerous themes such as healing, reconnection, generational trauma, connection, and family and community dynamics.[10] Hawke's character was named after Richard Linklater, the director of the Before trilogy.[11]
The episode was directed by Harjo.[12] In a scene where Elora and Rick smoke marijuana, CBD, which lacks THC, was used instead as a substitute.[1] Featured music from the episode included "Social Skills" by John Fullbright and "Words Come Easy" by the Glaser Brothers.[13] Harjo was seeking additional music to include and also contacted local Ken Pomeroy, an Oklahoma-based musician from Moore. Pomeroy sent Harjo three unfinished demos and he decided to include two of the three songs: "Pareidolia" and "Cicadas". Pomeroy rushed to complete production on the tracks within two weeks to meet the deadline.[14]
Release and reception
[edit]
The episode was first released on Hulu on September 20, 2023, under their FX on Hulu content hub.[15] Alec Bojalad from Den of Geek said that "'Elora's Dad' is a riveting experience for what is basically a conversation between two people in three different settings." Bojalad later praised the episode's dialogue, calling it "achingly, breathtakingly real" because it's "profound, yet mundane."[16]
Manuel Betancourt penned a review for the A.V. Club, in which he wrote that it was "a beautiful two-hander of an episode that brims with complex emotions and careful characterization."[17] Rolling Stone critic Alan Sepinwall commended Jacobs' writing, stating that the script "so smart about digging into this secret history of Elora's childhood without assigning too much or too little blame anywhere."[18]
The Oklahoman's Brandy McDonnell praised Hawke's performance, saying he "brings an honesty and vulnerability to the role of the regretful dad, providing the perfect foil for Elora's usual prickly toughness."[19] Reviewing the episode for Vulture, Kali Simmons also applauded Hawke's acting, as well as Jacobs', explaining how developed their relationship becomes within the singular episode and noting comparisons to the Before trilogy.[20]
Jacobs and Hawke were named as TVLine's "Performers of the Week" for their role in the episode.[21] Daniel Fienberg with The Hollywood Reporter opined that the episode should have been nominated in several categories at the 2024 Emmy Awards, specifically in areas for Hawke's role, Jacobs' writing, and Harjo's directing.[22] Paste Magazine ranked "Elora's Dad" the fifth best overall episode of Reservation Dogs while The Oklahoman ranked Elora meeting her dad as the series' eighth best moment.[10][19]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Reservation Dogs Star Devery Jacobs, Emmy Nomination Predictions, And More in EW's The Awardist". Entertainment Weekly. May 24, 2024. Archived from the original on February 11, 2025. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
- ^ "Reservation Dogs - WGA Directory". Writers Guild of America, West. Archived from the original on January 16, 2025. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
- ^ @RezDogsFX (September 28, 2023). "Ethan Hawke Guests Stars as Elora's Dad, Rick Miller. The Final Season of FX's #ReservationDogs. Now Streaming. Only on Hulu" (Tweet). Retrieved February 18, 2025 – via Twitter.
- ^ Klein, Brennan (September 21, 2023). "How Reservation Dogs Season 3 Made Its Biggest Cameo Yet A Reality". ScreenRant. Archived from the original on September 30, 2023. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
- ^ Darwish, Meaghan (September 20, 2023). "How 'Reservation Dogs' Landed Ethan Hawke as Elora's Dad & More Season 3 Secrets". TV Insider. Archived from the original on September 25, 2024. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
- ^ Schneider, Michael (September 27, 2023). "'Reservation Dogs' Co-Creator On How Robert Altman's 'Nashville' Inspired the Series Finale". Variety. Archived from the original on October 29, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
- ^ Darwish, Meaghan (June 20, 2024). "'Reservation Dogs': Devery Jacobs Reflects on Elora's Journey & Writing Scenes for Ethan Hawke". TV Insider. Archived from the original on June 21, 2024. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
- ^ Caballerro, David (October 27, 2024). "Every Movie in Richard Linklater's Before Trilogy, Ranked". Collider. Archived from the original on November 19, 2024. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
- ^ Caruso, Nick (September 29, 2023). "Reservation Dogs Creator Sterlin Harjo Talks Finale's Focus on Community and Whether We'll See the Rez Dogs Again". TVLine. Archived from the original on December 5, 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
- ^ a b Harris, Joshua (November 20, 2024). "The 10 Best Episodes of Reservation Dogs". Paste Magazine. Archived from the original on December 2, 2024. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
- ^ Chaney, Jen (September 25, 2023). "How Reservation Dogs Became the Best-Cast Show on TV". Vulture. Archived from the original on January 18, 2025. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
- ^ Connolly, Kelly (September 19, 2023). "How Reservation Dogs Found the Perfect Guest Star to Play Elora's Dad". TV Guide. Archived from the original on September 25, 2024. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
- ^ "Listen to Music from Reservation Dogs Season 3". FX Networks. Archived from the original on January 7, 2024. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
- ^ McDonnell, Brandy (July 6, 2024). "Oklahoma Singer-Songwriter Is Featured in 'Twisters,' 'Reservation Dogs' — and This Year, WoodyFest". The Oklahoman. Archived from the original on October 1, 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
- ^ "(#309) 'Elora's Dad'" (Press release). Disney General Entertainment Content Press. Retrieved February 19, 2025 – via The Futon Critic.
- ^ Bojalad, Alec (September 20, 2023). "Reservation Dogs Makes the Perfect Choice to Play Elora's Dad". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on July 14, 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
- ^ Bentancourt, Manuel (September 20, 2023). "Reservation Dogs Recap: In the Show's Penultimate Episode, We Finally Meet Elora's Dad". A.V. Club. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
- ^ Sepinwall, Alan (September 20, 2023). "'Reservation Dogs' Taps Ethan Hawke for Powerful Penultimate Episode". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 25, 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
- ^ a b McDonnell, Brandy (September 27, 2023). "As 'Reservation Dogs' Ends, Here Are the 10 Most Memorable Moments of the Series". The Oklahoman. Archived from the original on February 18, 2025. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
- ^ Simmons, Kali (September 20, 2023). "Reservation Dogs Recap: Second Chances". Vulture. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
- ^ "The TVLine Performers of the Week: Ethan Hawke and Devery Jacobs". TVLine. September 23, 2023. Archived from the original on January 19, 2024. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
- ^ Fienberg, Daniel (July 17, 2024). "Critic's Notebook: Emmy Vacuum Enables Voters to Right Some Wrongs — but Perpetuate Others". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 25, 2024. Retrieved February 18, 2025.