Enlightened - Season 2 Episode 3 - Recap and Review - Higher Power

I still can't believe more people aren't watching Enlightened on HBO. "Higher Power" shifted the show's focus from Laura Dern's Amy to Luke Wilson's Levi for a special one episode arc. During which, we got to be flies on the wall witnessing his experience at the Open Air rehab facility.

HBO "Enlightened"

The episode began with Helen (Diane Ladd) snooping through Amy's mail in an attempt to see through to a letter sent by Levi. Levi had spent some time away attempting rehab, by that point, but to Amy's surprise, he wasn't taking to the program as she had. Where Amy had found camaraderie, Levi found strangers. Where Amy had participated fully, Levi pulled and pushed away. Most importantly, where Amy found her turtle, the symbol of her higher power, Levi found nothing but pollution. A tearful Amy tossed the letter in the trash, and it was at this point that we journeyed over to Hawaii to begin the full-on experience with Levi.

Levi initially found the issues plaguing the other participants to be obnoxious and trivial. We heard whispers of hard breakups, watched them play "silly" trust games, etc. Levi, meanwhile, was starting to believe that his concept of a high power was a cold beer on the beach. Honestly, in any other case that would sound kind of nice. Coming from an addict, it just sounded sad. I have to say, though, Levi's situation as a raging addict is different than what Amy experienced.

Levi's roommate Tony was an awkward fellow with a gas problem, to say the least. By the midway point, Levi erupted in a fit of rage over Tony's t.m.i. talks regarding how he'd spent days on end stressing about his bathroom schedule. Yes, it was cruel of Levi. Although, generally hygienic living situations aren't too much to ask, right? You should be able to breathe in your own bedroom.

Inevitably, Levi ended up hooking up with two much younger junkies in an attempt to fly the coop. The trio set out for a nearby hotel after sunset, looking to get absolutely wrecked after a few days of nothing but talking and thinking. Party favors were passed out in the bathroom, and after Levi's first few lines of coke, the soundtrack started to fade out leaving only the sound of Levi's heartbeat. Was I the only one who was worried that something was about to go wrong there? I was expecting a very rude awakening for Levi. I was wrong, though.

The party continued for hours on end. As usual, high Levi seemed like a lot more fun than angry sober Levi. Still, as the youngsters continued their shenanigans, Levi seemed to be the only one cautious about time management and getting back to the center.

What was most interesting, I thought, was how Levi had a one-on-one moment with each of the kids. Firstly, he chatted with the girl, Danielle, who was used to living a fast-paced life of dating much older guys; drug dealers, of course. Inevitably, she ended up burned and in rehab. It was sad to see her end up leaving the hotel with another pervy rich dude promising private jets. We all know how this story ends. Levi spent the night in that same man's empty hotel room with a very hung-over young man (Christopher Abbott of Girls), who wallowed in his own self-inflicted misery. If he ended up kicked out of the program, he'd go to jail, and his parents would, for all intents and purposes, disown him. Suddenly, things weren't looking so hopeless for Levi, who hadn't yet felt he had no way out.

The next morning, Levi attempted to stir the boy to no avail. Instead, he ran home to the facility alone and was welcomed back into the program with a new sense of motivation. First, he made amends with his roommate. We learned that Levi hadn't known the whole story, and that Tony hurt his body from years of drug abuse. As it turned out, they had more in common than we'd realized.

In another letter to Amy, he revealed that he hadn't yet "drank the Kool-Aid," but that he was seriously going to try to get through it. He was going to try. During meditation, they asked him to remember what it was like to be his best self. He realized, he had never been that person, but the closest he came was in the vision Amy had of him when they were first married. Thus, Levi promised to spend every day he had to search for that turtle. If he never found it, the fact that Amy had would have to be enough.

HBO "Enlightened"

What did you all think of Enlightened Season 2 Episode 3, "Higher Power"? Are you more understanding of Levi now that we've spent personal time alone with him? Do you think he'll eventually clean up his act and become his "best self"?

Thanks for reading my recap and review of Enlightened Season 2 Episode 3, "Higher Power"!