American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez Season 1 Episode 8: "Odin" Review
In episode 8 of Ryan Murphy’s American Sports Story, Aaron Hernandez spirals even more out of control mentally, and develops a new friendship that turns deadly.
The doomed episode began with Odin Lloyd, one of the real-life victims of Hernandez, getting breakfast made by his mom. Shayanna’s sister dated Odin, who was a fan of Aaron.
The four of them were supposed to have dinner, but Aaron was too busy getting high. Shayanna tells him to come home immediately. He finally meets Odin, who says he plays semi-pro football. The conversation actually goes well and Aaron senses that he’s a good guy.
Aaron’s world shifts when his cousin Tanya tells him she has breast cancer and has already started chemotherapy. It’s a very emotional moment, especially since viewers have seen them be each other’s rock. Tanya assures Aaron that she isn’t going anywhere.
In the locker room, Murphy calls Aaron to inform him that Sherrod has filed a lawsuit against him and advises him to settle the case. The Patriots player agrees angrily.
Shayanna returns home to comfort Aaron about Tanya and invites him to watch Odin play with her and her sister. Aaron instantly becomes Odin’s biggest cheerleader and even takes pictures with his teammates after the game is over. Aaron also gives Odin money so that he can hang out and skip work the next morning.
At the club, Odin starts to see Aaron’s ways of drinking and doing drugs. When the star tight end hallucinates and sees Sherrod, he invites his friends back to his place, where Odin gets teased about being whipped.
Aaron then shows his new friend his gun closet and explains the reasoning for needing it. The room becomes tense, filled with an unmistakable sense of discomfort, emanating from Odin. Odin leaves when Aaron falls asleep and comes home to an angry Shanea, letting it slip that Aaron has a secret home.
Shayanna and Aaron’s marriage unravels when she arrives at the apartment, revealing that she knows everything, which puts a target on Odin’s back literally. During practice, Aaron’s anger boils over, and he gets into a physical brawl with his teammates, which Bill Belichick seems to relish.
After failing to contact Shayanna and Odin, Aaron gathers his people and ambushes Odin at his house. They arrive at a dark, unknown location where Aaron forces Odin to tell him everything he knows, eventually shooting him twice. It was a grim and dreadful scene.
Shayanna asks Aaron to come home when news breaks about the murder. Not long after, Aaron asks Shayanna to get rid of something for him.
The episode ends with the police arriving at Aaron’s house to question him about Odin’s murder. Aaron turns them away, leaving Shayanna worried and distressed as she looks over her sleeping sister. Does Shayanna know about Aaron’s deplorable crime?
In episode 9, viewers will be introduced to the NFL player’s life behind bars and the consequences of his arrest. It will air November 5 on FX and will stream on Hulu the next day.
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