At the end of “American Gigolo” Episode 7, we saw Julian arrive at the Stratton mansion. Meanwhile, Isabelle visited the motel where McGregor had been holding Colin for $3 million ransom. Back at the police station, Panish was being interrogated by Sunday. It seems that many things are about to come to light for many people. Is this then the beginning of the end?
Spoilers Ahead
American Gigolo Episode 8: Recap Summary
Isabelle gives McGregor the ransom and takes Colin with her. It seems that she has known McGregor for quite some time. After all, she had his contact number. But we do not yet know why or how. She tells Colin to get in her car, and they leave. Back at the Stratton’s, Julian notifies Michelle and Richard that their attorney, Panish, has been arrested. He was trying to leave the city with the ransom. This means that the money hasn’t reached McGregor. This, in turn, could compromise Colin’s safety. So they need a new plan to get Colin before McGregor decides to do something dangerous. Richard walks off, dialing McGregor. With Richard not around, Julian asks Michelle if Richard knows that Colin isn’t his son but Julian’s. Michelle says yes.
Julian and Isabelle have been talking about Colin when Julian receives a text from Isabelle saying she knows where Colin is. He excuses himself from Michelle, walks away, and calls Isabelle, who tells him that she has Colin. But Julian can only meet them if he promises to withhold Isabelle’s name from the cops. Julian complies and leaves the Strattons, saying that he has to take care of something. Richard hasn’t been able to contact McGregor. Unbeknownst to Richard and Michelle, Julian is about to meet Colin at “the house” (Olga’s residence).
At the police station, Panish puts the blame for Elizabeth Shannonhouse’s murder on James McGregor, the guy who is holding Colin. [Neither of them knows that Colin is no longer with McGregor] According to Panish, McGregor was hired to find Colin, but in pursuit, he accidentally killed Elizabeth and now wants the $3 million in return for Colin. The money the police found with him was the same ransom. Sunday asks Panish for the address of the motel where McGregor is apparently holding Colin, as well as McGregor’s home address. Sometime later, Sunday arrives at the motel with some cops to see if they can find any evidence. But the room has been cleaned. She orders dusting the room for fingerprints. She then heads to McGregor’s house.
Isabelle brings Colin to the mansion. He heads to the bathroom and closes the door behind him, heaving a sigh, not of relief, but to be able to take in all that’s happening. He is unable to get the motionless body of Elizabeth out of his head. Outside, Julian arrives and asks Isabelle for Colin. He is fed up with Isabelle interfering in his life, despite Isabelle’s claim that all she wants is to help him. This is when Colin comes out of the bathroom. For the first time, Julian sees his son face-to-face. He takes a moment before asking him to take him to his parents. Colin agrees. Julian gives Isabelle a stare before leaving, clearly a warning. Julian is about to call Colin’s home when he says that he doesn’t want to see his father. Julian then calls Michelle and tells her that he has found Colin. On the other side of the call, an overwhelmed Michelle, with Richard not around but outside, tells Julian to take Colin to the beach house.
The search has already begun at McGregor’s house under Sunday’s orders. Two guns and a knife are recovered inside a box. Sunday also finds a picture of McGregor; the tattoo on his hand reminds her of what Tina Williams, one of the witnesses in the Janet Holmes murder case, had told her. Sunday realizes that McGregor is the guy Tina was talking about. He was there 15 years ago. And here he is, 15 years later, still associated with a murder, if not two.
Michelle arrives at the beach house and meets her son Colin, hugging him and crying. Colin tells her that it was Panish who killed Elizabeth. He holds his father responsible for Elizabeth’s death. And no matter how much Michelle tries to reassure Colin, he isn’t willing to settle down and walks away, intending to stay alone. Michelle then calls Richard and tells him that she is with Colin, but they cannot return home right away. Colin needs some time. Richard tells Michelle to give his love to Colin. Outside on the beach, Julian goes and sits beside Colin. Michelle and Colin come home and see Richard at the entrance. Colin quietly walks past his father as he looks at him, eyes all swollen.
In her office, Sunday finds out from his co-officer Clyborne that one of the guns recovered at McGregor’s house was used to kill Olga Desnain. Before McGregor worked for Panish, he worked for Olga. Apparently, McGregor didn’t want Olga, who had dementia, to spill his beans and thus decided to tie up the loose end. But Sunday doesn’t buy it. Clyborne tells Sunday to “take the win” and do something for herself. The case is on the verge of a conclusion. After Clyborne leaves her office, Sunday stares at her phone with her ex-Rachel’s number staring back at her.
Colin blames his father for having Elizabeth killed because he thought that it would be effective in hurting him. He wanted this to happen after finding out that Colin was not his son but someone else’s. But Richard makes it clear that he has always believed Colin to be his son and himself as Colin’s father. He assures Colin that he will make Panish pay for what he has done. Colin goes to bed. Richard admits to Michelle that it should have been him and not someone else to bring him home. Michelle tells Richard that now that Colin is home, he can now be the father he could never before be.
Panish has his mug shot taken. In other words, his jail time is about to begin. Sunday cleaned her board that had all the names and connections to the case. The Strattons are trying to get things back to normal, like having dinner together. Julian is back on the beach with Lizzy, walking and talking. It seems that things are slowly falling back into place.
One day, Julian hears a knock on his door. It is Michelle. She tells him that Colin has been talking to a therapist. They start talking about the first time they went to the beach house and the moments they spent there when Julian kissed Michelle. They end up making love. With Michelle in his arms, Julian inquires about how things will work out. Michelle says, “Together.”
Julian goes to work at the restaurant. When he comes out from work, he finds Sunday waiting for him. She tells him that Olga’s murderer has been found, McGregor. He worked for Olga and Stratton, among other influential people. However, she also tells him that she feels that there is more to the case in the way it revolves around Julian, who was never at fault. It seems personal. Someone wanted Julian to go through it all. But Julian doesn’t have anything to add to her theory and leaves, saying that he’s done.
Meanwhile, Michelle returns home to find Richard and Colin having a fun time washing a car. She is glad that they are both happy and joins in the fun. After a long time, the Strattons are back as a family. Sunday visits Rachel, who ushers her in with a smile.
‘American Gigolo’ Episode 8: Ending Explained – Does Michelle Get Back with Julian Kaye?
Julian meets Michelle at the beach. Michelle tells him that she will be unable to be with him. Richard and Colin are, after a long time, spending time together, and leaving them would ruin them forever. Julian states how he never wanted to cause harm in her life. Michelle hugs Julian for the last time.
At some other time, Julian is having a drink with Isabelle at a restaurant. She wants him back as a friend. But Julian knows, as well we do, what she is really asking for, i.e., for Julian to be back in business. But Julian doesn’t want to be a part of her world. Saying this, he leaves, Isabelle’s morose eyes following him for as long as they can. Later, Lorenzo finds Isabelle by the pool behind the mansion, staring at the sea. She tells him that he’s gone and asks Lorenzo if he knows why Julian has been behaving the way he has. Lorenzo tells her that Julian thinks that he was set up for the murder of Janet Holmes. He then asks Isabelle if Julian is right. Did Isabelle set him up? Isabelle answers that all she ever did for Julian was to love him. But this doesn’t answer Lorenzo’s question. It seems that Isabelle is still hiding something.
Back in his room, Julian is going through his things, including the notepad with the contacts of his clients and his pictures of Michelle. He has even been dreaming about Colin and Michelle. One evening, while sitting in his car, he sees the Stratton family having fun at the beach. He then rides his way to a restaurant where one of his older clients, Missy, has been waiting for him. It seems that Julian, after having realized that he has to move on from Michelle, chooses to do so in the only way he can, i.e., as the American Gigolo.
We do not know how Lisa Beck or Janet Holmes died. The show leaves it open for the viewers to think about it. In this way, the show conveys the message that sometimes we have to move on with what we have rather than live in the past, which can hurt. Julian will never know who set him up. And nor does Isabelle tell Lorenzo anything about the murder of Janet Holmes (that is only if she knew about it). But Julian chose to be content knowing Michelle and Colin were happy and safe. And that’s all that matters.
