Abhiroop Das
Created by David J. Rosen, Apple TV’s ‘Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed‘ adds a comedic spin to a riveting murder mystery that brings together characters from very different walks of life. Paula Saunders, a single mother who has hit a career wall, finds her pockets of relaxation in cyber sex sessions with Trevor. But when he turns out to be a scam artist, Paula cannot help but confront him face-to-face. At his home, however, Paula comes across a masked man sawing Trevor’s dead body, and thus begins her hopeless attempts to lose the man’s tail. As we get to know more about this killer, who is actually Trevor’s partner, Dennis O’Neill, we learn that he is just one spoke in a giant wheel steadily making its way towards everything Paulla knows and loves. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Dennis Makes a Miraculous Comeback, Only to Die For Good in the Season Finale
After a fake-out death in episode 6, Dennis O’Neill meets his end in the season 1 finale, not at the hands of Paula, but his own group. Though it seems hard to believe at first that Dennis can somehow survive a gunshot at point-blank range, the show does a fine job subverting a subversion. After intensive surgeries, Dennis is brought back just enough to be functional as a sacrificial lamb. From there, the supposed doctors scoop him into a wheelchair in the name of an evening stroll, but it is only later that Dennis realizes that he isn’t in a park, but at the terrace of a New York high-rise. Though he tries to resist the inevitable, the group manages to pick him up and then drop him from the top. Dennis hits concrete face-first, which means there’s little doubt this time that he’s been killed.
The most puzzling thing about Dennis’ conclusion is not the death itself, but the reasoning behind it. Prior to the fall, the doctors slip a note inside his pocket, and later the police find it to be his confession letter. Ironically, Dennis “confesses” to murdering Trevor and Sky, but not of his own will. This surprises even Paula, who was sure of having shot the man to death, but with the past seemingly behind her, she has little interest in digging deeper. However, the real play here is likely to replace Paula with Dennis, at least in some capacity. The organization that Dennis works for is known to be ruthless in its endeavor for self-preservation, going as far as to kill even Jennifer after she slips up once. While this raises the question of how Paula has been allowed to live for so long, the probable answer is that she has something they need to succeed.
Murray Bartlett’s Journey as Dennis Reaches its Finish Line With Season 1
With Dennis O’Neill’s death, actor Murray Bartlett’s role as the menacing antagonist of season 1 has come to an end. Though we were almost led to believe that episode 6 is the last we see of him, the finale proves to be a welcome surprise in many ways. The fake-out death, though perfectly functional as a shock or a jumpscare, doesn’t carry the thematic weight or the narrative implications that the show has come to be known for. However, with episode 10, we find that Dennis’ story has come full circle. After starting out as one of his organization’s most reliable operatives, having put down countless people and coerced many more, Dennis ironically becomes a victim of his own system, ruthlessly murdered for a single slip-up, not unlike Trevor and Sky.
When signing up for the role, Bartlett was, and continues to be, impressed by Dennis’ ability to fit into whatever mold the show sets out for him. Describing it as a chameleon-like trait in a conversation with Man About Town, the actor noted, “He just shapeshifts into whatever he needs to be in different situations, and that’s just a cool thing for an actor to be able to play.” To get into the mind of his character, Bartlett researched a book called ‘Sociopath: A Memoir’ penned by Patric Gagne, allowing him to inject a great deal of realism into the screen. While his departure from the series will leave a hole that cannot be replaced, it also sets up just how much bigger the criminal conspiracies might just be, going forward.
Read More: Is Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed Based on a True Story?
You must be logged in to post a comment.