NOTE: this post contains spoilers for Lucky Hank episode 4, "The Goose Boxer."
Lily (Mireille Enos) has always been a sounding board/compass for Hank (Bob Odenkirk) as he deals with his malaise, but in episode 4 Lily is heading to New York to interview with a charter school there. Hank makes a point to say that this is really just a chance for her to gain leverage with her current job, though it's hard to see if that's what Lily really wants. Before she heads off, she tells Hank she can't shake a feeling that he is going to end up in either jail or the hospital.
On campus, a groundskeeper (Alistar Abell) waxes poetically about geese to a student, how the lead goose in a flock has to work the hardest. Hank sees the same geese flying from somewhere else on campus before he has a meeting with Railton's president, Dickie Pope (Kyle MacLachlan).
Pope wonders why Hank is the only department head to not have submitted a list of possible cuts to his staff, to which Hank is his usual passive, non-committal self. Pope tries to make it look like this is a chance for Hank to shape his department as he sees fit. Hank is skeptical though that the money from the cuts are going to go to a new technical careers building named for Jeffrey Epstein (not that one, and the school is throwing a Q as his middle initial to clear up any confusion), but Pope insists the building is being entirely paid for by the donor. He straight up tells Hank he needs to make a list, as the budget is going down no matter what, believing the school is "too fat."
Later, Rourke (Cedric Yarbrough) talks with Hank in his office, upset that he spoke with Pope but didn’t confer with the department. Rourke rails into Hank, believing he is not on their side. Hank doesn't object, instead he just sits there and lets Rourke vent.
In New York, Lily goes to her interview, meeting up with her old co-worker Tom (Chris Diamantopoulos) who now works at the school. Lily is clearly in awe of the difference between this charter school and her public one, but she comes clean to Tom that even if she does well in the interview (she does), she isn't likely to take the job, saying "a move would be really hard for me right now."
One reason for that is obviously Hank, who works out with Tony (Diedrich Bader) to try and figure out just what Lily meant by her departing message of staying out of jail/the hospital. Talking it out as they hit a punching bag, Hank hypothesizes that Lily may be getting bored with their relationship. They also talk about who Hank would cut in the department, with reasons for firing everyone, including himself.
The rest of the department isn't going to take this lying down, as they make plans to stage a protest during the groundbreaking for the Epstein building. It is a rare moment of unity for them, though Gracie (Suzanne Cryer) does hope she can still manage to read the poem she wrote specifically for the ceremony.
Hank, meanwhile, spots Epstein (Chris Gethard) as he arrives for the ceremony. He and Tony lure him into a conversation, where Epstein lets slip that the building cost him $40 million to build, but that he got an extra $10 million to help with a tax writeoff from Pope, which Hank puts together is why there are going to be cuts.
During the ceremony, before the department can start their protest, Hank is pestered by a goose and decides the best thing to do is box it. This quickly draws the attention of the news crew present to cover the ceremony. Hank sees the opportunity and says directly into the camera that he will fight a goose a day until his budget is restored and he won't have to make cuts, much to the chagrin of Pope.
After her interview, Lily goes out for a drink with Tom and another old co-worker. She can't help but be jealous of how their jobs compare and but she also loves spending time with them again. At the bar back in Railton, Hank has a drinking party of his own, as the rest of the English department shows their appreciation for his stunt. These scenes are then intercut with missed calls from Lily and Hank about where they are and what they are doing. They finally connect, but while they are talking, Tom flirts with Lily and kisses her. Back at their table, Lily confronts Tom for the kiss. He tries to play it off as a misunderstanding, but everything is ruined for Lily now, so she leaves.
Things also start to take a turn in Railton. First, Billie (Nancy Robertson) tells Meg (Sara Amini) that Hank, not the administration, was the one that pulled her classes next year, which of course, Meg is not thrilled about. But that's left for another time. As Hank tries to leave, he is confronted by the school's groundskeeper, who is upset with Hank for his stunt. He coldcocks Hank, who then gets into a shoving match with the man. Hank winds up in jail, making Lily's feeling at the top of the episode quite prescient.
New episodes of Lucky Hank air Sundays on AMC and are available to stream on AMC Plus.
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