As someone who's very close to a person with end-stage cancer, this episode hit hard. I cannot say enough about everyone's heartbreaking performance, but Liev Schreiber was astounding. He put me in his shoes, I am devastated after watching this episode. At the end of the day, everyone's human and there are always problems in life that noone can 'fix'. I'm glad that a show like Ray Donovan portrayed these harsh realities.
21 Reviews
The lengths Ray will go to
charliehasler19 October 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Wow. I have watched every episode of this gripping series and this episode ranks up there as being one of the best.
We know that Ray would do anything for his family and in this episode you see the true lengths he would go to save the love of his life. Throughout the episode you see the pain and suffering that Abby is going through but with great writing you see past that and start to feel sorry for Ray. You get the feeling that without I'll be by his side, the only stable thing in his life, that he will fall down some black hole and never return. I think deep down Ray is all to aware of that.
The episode is very emotionally draining as a viewer. On the one hand you are fighting for Ray and wanting him to succeed in getting Abby's treatment. On the other hand you can't help but feel sorry for Abby and you can see that she just wants to be free.
We know that Ray would do anything for his family and in this episode you see the true lengths he would go to save the love of his life. Throughout the episode you see the pain and suffering that Abby is going through but with great writing you see past that and start to feel sorry for Ray. You get the feeling that without I'll be by his side, the only stable thing in his life, that he will fall down some black hole and never return. I think deep down Ray is all to aware of that.
The episode is very emotionally draining as a viewer. On the one hand you are fighting for Ray and wanting him to succeed in getting Abby's treatment. On the other hand you can't help but feel sorry for Abby and you can see that she just wants to be free.
Superb writing and acting
pbrull17 November 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Spoiler alert:
First off, please don't believe what those 1 and 2 star folks have said. Maybe, they just don't like to be moved. Possibly, makes 'em feel uncomfortable to watch someone dying.
We came to Ray Donovan late, but better late than never. After becoming so involved with these characters, season 5 is full of mysteries and character development that is needed to reveal the humanness and fragility of the main character, Ray Donovan. Losing Abby, the woman behind the man and who binds the family together, begins a series of downward cycles in everyone's lives. Throughout the series, Liev Schreiber has been captivating to watch. A man with a secretly abused past who uses his anger and frustration to the advantage of others who want to "fix" their clients wrong doings, leaving him hardened and unable to express the emotions he keeps bottled up, even to his wife. This episode is like watching that damn breaking into smithereens. The emotional, gut wrenching scene of discovering Abby, after having gone to such a far-reaching attempt to save her life, was some of the best, moving, heartwrenching acting I've ever seen on television. Bravo, Liev! And, to the entire cast who bring these characters so brilliantly to life, so that we, as an audience, become close to them all, imperfect as they are. A big shout-out to the writers! A great, great series. However, this episode rules the day. Cried my eyes out....and I can't say I do that very often.
We came to Ray Donovan late, but better late than never. After becoming so involved with these characters, season 5 is full of mysteries and character development that is needed to reveal the humanness and fragility of the main character, Ray Donovan. Losing Abby, the woman behind the man and who binds the family together, begins a series of downward cycles in everyone's lives. Throughout the series, Liev Schreiber has been captivating to watch. A man with a secretly abused past who uses his anger and frustration to the advantage of others who want to "fix" their clients wrong doings, leaving him hardened and unable to express the emotions he keeps bottled up, even to his wife. This episode is like watching that damn breaking into smithereens. The emotional, gut wrenching scene of discovering Abby, after having gone to such a far-reaching attempt to save her life, was some of the best, moving, heartwrenching acting I've ever seen on television. Bravo, Liev! And, to the entire cast who bring these characters so brilliantly to life, so that we, as an audience, become close to them all, imperfect as they are. A big shout-out to the writers! A great, great series. However, this episode rules the day. Cried my eyes out....and I can't say I do that very often.
Best episodes in season 5 and one of the most emotional this show was ever produced
85122217 December 2017
Greetings from Lithuania.
8th episode of "Ray Donovan" finally has given us something to be hold of. This was the missing link between previous 7 episodes - flashbacks and present time. The ending of "Horses" was simply heartbreaking. It was also a proof for what Liev Schreiber has just recently received Golden Globe nomination for performance in this show - great acting to say the least.
Overall, as slow as this season was so far, there aren't any big revelation in this episode. Yet it was the best episode in this season so far one of the most emotional this series produced yet. Great episode.
8th episode of "Ray Donovan" finally has given us something to be hold of. This was the missing link between previous 7 episodes - flashbacks and present time. The ending of "Horses" was simply heartbreaking. It was also a proof for what Liev Schreiber has just recently received Golden Globe nomination for performance in this show - great acting to say the least.
Overall, as slow as this season was so far, there aren't any big revelation in this episode. Yet it was the best episode in this season so far one of the most emotional this series produced yet. Great episode.
......
smithgregg20 July 2018
AMAZING
debejere18 July 2019
Life vs Death ~ how many hours do I have to live? That thought in itself, that line on these two past episodes strikes every nerve in our bodies. This particular episode wrenched my heart. The acting is beyond belief. The love, hope, desperation, I just think it is amazing.
This episode murdered me.
angelabox6 April 2019
Warning: Spoilers
My father is going through pancreatic cancer and watching the Abby scene just about did me in. Television is at its finest when it touches the heart, makes you think, and causes you to be thankful for the people in your own life.
Season 5 started weird, but this makes it all worth it, just power through them.
Eienkei2 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Not sure why they went for flashback & forward at the beginning of the season, not knowing the outcome would have made it even more powerful.
I guess they lost some audience earlier this season due to the flashbacks & direction. But if you have stopped watching, just power through it! This episode was one of the best episodes of the show so far and made this a well worthy season.
Hope, faith, despair & tragedy all come together.
I know most people don't like Abby but she was the glue for this mess of a family. She loved Ray even if he is a monster & now that glue is dissolved.
Pain makes people do things they don't normally like; Avi gets into drugs & Abby finds her eternal rest with them. Happens every day in this world, this just made us feel the deep sorrow families go through.
I guess they lost some audience earlier this season due to the flashbacks & direction. But if you have stopped watching, just power through it! This episode was one of the best episodes of the show so far and made this a well worthy season.
Hope, faith, despair & tragedy all come together.
I know most people don't like Abby but she was the glue for this mess of a family. She loved Ray even if he is a monster & now that glue is dissolved.
Pain makes people do things they don't normally like; Avi gets into drugs & Abby finds her eternal rest with them. Happens every day in this world, this just made us feel the deep sorrow families go through.
Most Heart-wrenching Performance...Ever
zenbeing1917 March 2020
Powerful acting by Liev. Best male performance I've ever seen on tv or film bar non. Although I am NOT a fan of the exposition like story telling that began this season, this episode makes it all worth it. Bonus: Patti Smith's haunting vocals add depth to the entire episode and to the character of Abby. Had to download it. Land: Horses/ Land of a Thousand Dances/ La Mer (de)
Far more like it!
jay193031 July 2019
From what has been a dispersed and simply lame season of Ray Donovan, this episode was downright tragic. This show is at its best when the Donovan family are together, not on their own story-lines trying to solve their own problems.
Schreiber's acting is sensational. Jon Voight's line "Its not her fault you weren't here" to break the tension is more of the Mickey Donovan we know, he is cold, insensitive, sympathetic all at the same time. Its also ironic, Ray was elsewhere to save his wife's life (by killing another), whilst his family were scheming behind his back to essentially kill his wife.
5 brownie points to Bunchy! The toughest character on the show after Ray, to take a beating like that from him and still remain standing..
5 brownie points to Bunchy! The toughest character on the show after Ray, to take a beating like that from him and still remain standing..
Uncomfortable
dierregi18 August 2022
I read all sorts of reviews about season 5 and I agree it's a mediocre season because of the garbled, shallow story line, the frequent flashbacks and the lack of the previous grittiness but also sense of humour.
The first episodes were almost incomprehensible and we finally get the proper story in episode 8, which makes me wonder once more why following a chronological timeline is so underrated.
Anyway, even if I did not like the Abby character, I think the actress playing her did a reasonably good job and so did "Ray", being for once suitable upset and understandably furious.
I also liked the choice of soundtrack, it was a long time since I hear Horses and it was quite effective, coupled with the painting of horses running wild.
Apart from that, a most uncomfortable episode to watch more suited to a soap/drama than to a crime series.
The first episodes were almost incomprehensible and we finally get the proper story in episode 8, which makes me wonder once more why following a chronological timeline is so underrated.
Anyway, even if I did not like the Abby character, I think the actress playing her did a reasonably good job and so did "Ray", being for once suitable upset and understandably furious.
I also liked the choice of soundtrack, it was a long time since I hear Horses and it was quite effective, coupled with the painting of horses running wild.
Apart from that, a most uncomfortable episode to watch more suited to a soap/drama than to a crime series.
Getting More Unrealistic Every Episode
asfhgwt-19 October 2017
Warning: Spoilers
This once-compelling series has followed a path similar to many others: first year is great, second excellent, third good, fourth fair, fifth poor, sixth bad.
Apparently season 5 was so bad that the producers had to re-edit it with copious time-jumps in order to create little "mysteries" to be solved -- intended to be compelling, of course, but unfortunately they have all fallen flat. (The worst was: why is Bridget sleeping with that sick kid in New York?)
In episode 5.8, the writers have ignored realism to indulge in whatever they want to happen. One example: the much-presaged family fight. Okay, I get why Ray is angry, but he laughably defeats three opponents in a typical phony Hollywood fight scene, even scoring hits with a baseball bat(?) which result in no permanent damage. Another example: non-thug brother Daryll murders the local FBI chief, a completely out-of- character act. Don't worry, though, I'm sure he'll get away with it.
What I found extremely unpleasant was the unquestioned acceptance of Abby's suicide by Terry and Bridget. Apparently assisting in such things are perfectly normal for "Southies." Abby wanted to "go," so no problem, let's help and not think twice about it. Sorry, I'm not buying it.
Apparently season 5 was so bad that the producers had to re-edit it with copious time-jumps in order to create little "mysteries" to be solved -- intended to be compelling, of course, but unfortunately they have all fallen flat. (The worst was: why is Bridget sleeping with that sick kid in New York?)
In episode 5.8, the writers have ignored realism to indulge in whatever they want to happen. One example: the much-presaged family fight. Okay, I get why Ray is angry, but he laughably defeats three opponents in a typical phony Hollywood fight scene, even scoring hits with a baseball bat(?) which result in no permanent damage. Another example: non-thug brother Daryll murders the local FBI chief, a completely out-of- character act. Don't worry, though, I'm sure he'll get away with it.
What I found extremely unpleasant was the unquestioned acceptance of Abby's suicide by Terry and Bridget. Apparently assisting in such things are perfectly normal for "Southies." Abby wanted to "go," so no problem, let's help and not think twice about it. Sorry, I'm not buying it.
Beautiful but very cruel
eng-gaser25 November 2017
Warning: Spoilers
It was beautiful, amazingly sad, heart squeezing epic episode.. Now that said.. What the hell!? why did they do that to the audience, it was too much, I hardly finished the episode because of the huge amount of pain that was injected into this one, why the creators tortured us like that.. (SPOILER ALERT).. So Abby's gonna commit suicide (it was obvious from the beginning of the season of course), OK it's fine we GET IT, don't throw it into our face like that, actually they stuck a knife into our face. I really loved it, but the sadness dosage was TOO MUCH.
She really thought Ray wouldn't be able to get her in? She was clearly upset when she heard she didn't get into the trial.
ansharora-126389 August 2020
Warning: Spoilers
How long has Abby known Ray, huh? How long? She really thought Ray wouldn't do everything in his power to get her in the trial? She was completely devastated when she heard she was not selected. So yeah she wanted the fking trial. Is this a family worth fighting for? How Brendan tackled ray is absurd. Plus Kerris Dorsey andd her character are the worst thing happened to tv history because every worst character of tv had a reason, she is just unappealing and irritating and she brought that in her character too. Absurd.
Make it stop
djdaddydoug2 July 2019
They should erase season 5 completely. They took the most unlikable character and killed her off and we're supposed to be upset? No. I'm upset they turned a good show into a soap opera. Either go back to the original idea or cancel it.
The worst most unrealistic show ever
burnor-116 June 2020
Warning: Spoilers
If you had a rating of Zero I definitely would have given a zero rating. First of all in the previous season she had breast cancer that went away, so what was this cancer all about. That song about horses, it was totally horrible to listen to. The season has been a waste of time up until now, I have not watched the next episode yet but hopefully we can get on with the show. Ray's character has cheated on her, even as she is dying, he deals with it by sleeping someone. But he has treated Abby like crap for years. So why would he be so sad? Not even plausible for fiction. He's carrying on still. The season so far has been bad. Plus that is not the way people die, of coarse no movie or show death is like the way truly people die (I am a RN). This whole episode was completely unrealistic and over the top melodramatic. I have no idea why it got so many good reviews, but then again this is the USA.
Betrayal and Selfishness - Character Inconsistencies
nimkal29 July 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I want to rate this higher based on the good acting of the actors who deserve it, however I cannot help but strongly notice the huge inconsistencies of characters compared to previous seasons.
The Abby I know would never be this selfish as to not even try all possible leads, no matter what available option, while voluntary death being the literal no-option. All these talks she's had with Ray countless of times in the spectrum of "we're always going to solve things together no matter what, together we'll find a solution, we're in this together, I'm not leaving you, etc etc". Well let me tell you, this is definitely not the same person, as if the writers forgot who she was. It really feels like she completely left Ray out on this decision and definitely did not make it a team decision as she herself had been praising about so many times (almost to the point of betrayal). I know for a fact that (switching things around) if for example I was always preaching to my wife about "team decision making" no matter what the issue, however once I got cancer I decide to just yeet myself. I know for a fact that I would be strongly betraying my wife (not even mentioning the selfishness towards kids). It's horrible.
This is a huge disconnection between the original character of Abby from previous seasons, and due to that it really deserves a lower rating to reflect the very poor ignorance of the writers towards their own characters.
The one and only explanation would be that the cancer is also affecting her judgement and her character, causing her to become selfish to the point of not even caring to bare pain longer for her children to have her by their side for a bit longer (even if not for her husband). BUT even if that is indeed the case, then someone with an affected judgement should never be assisted with suicide when they are incapable of correct judgement! So again just too many inconsistencies and a flawed analogy no matter which way you look at it! It's a shame the writers basically completely forgot what kind of character Abby has been displayed as for the past 4 seasons, deciding to simply just rewrite her character in season 5.
The Abby I know would never be this selfish as to not even try all possible leads, no matter what available option, while voluntary death being the literal no-option. All these talks she's had with Ray countless of times in the spectrum of "we're always going to solve things together no matter what, together we'll find a solution, we're in this together, I'm not leaving you, etc etc". Well let me tell you, this is definitely not the same person, as if the writers forgot who she was. It really feels like she completely left Ray out on this decision and definitely did not make it a team decision as she herself had been praising about so many times (almost to the point of betrayal). I know for a fact that (switching things around) if for example I was always preaching to my wife about "team decision making" no matter what the issue, however once I got cancer I decide to just yeet myself. I know for a fact that I would be strongly betraying my wife (not even mentioning the selfishness towards kids). It's horrible.
This is a huge disconnection between the original character of Abby from previous seasons, and due to that it really deserves a lower rating to reflect the very poor ignorance of the writers towards their own characters.
The one and only explanation would be that the cancer is also affecting her judgement and her character, causing her to become selfish to the point of not even caring to bare pain longer for her children to have her by their side for a bit longer (even if not for her husband). BUT even if that is indeed the case, then someone with an affected judgement should never be assisted with suicide when they are incapable of correct judgement! So again just too many inconsistencies and a flawed analogy no matter which way you look at it! It's a shame the writers basically completely forgot what kind of character Abby has been displayed as for the past 4 seasons, deciding to simply just rewrite her character in season 5.
Enough, already
silverton-3795920 June 2020
Warning: Spoilers
It's bad enough that the episode is told in flashbacks, and that the makeup people flubbed the bald head over the actor's hair so that Abby looks like one of the Martians in Mars Attacks, but the annoying song being played over and over so that there's no audible dialog finishes this episode off. This episode should mark the end of the flashbacks, but it doesn't. The flashbacks are going to be the hallmark of entire season apparently.
Misstreated audience
mdagis21 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
The producers dragged the audience which expected to see a gangster action series with a lot of comedy into a never ending cancer drama that repeats itself in every episode.
It's like transforming SpongeBob into a horror series.
They didnt respect their audience.
This season can easily compete with last season of Game of thrones as the worst disappointment in TV.
It's like transforming SpongeBob into a horror series.
They didnt respect their audience.
This season can easily compete with last season of Game of thrones as the worst disappointment in TV.
Seventh season is horrible period
jneedleman-0690413 October 2017
I would seriously not waste my time watching this season especially this episode. Idk about you but i don't watch ray Donovan to cry but i watch it for the crazy Gangsterness about it. So if i was you id just skip this hard and forget about this garbage episode and season. There are way better shows to watch if you like this type of stuff and why waste your time. im kicking myself for watching this garbage season so far.
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