Kailey Gilbert

Defying Freddie’s direct orders, Michael and his old partner, Pete McGonagle, intimidate a local merchant into selling them her store for half its worth. When the merchant goes to Tommy to complain, Tommy passes her off to police detective Declan Giggs, who used to date Tommy’s sister in high school. Declan compromises himself when he makes the complaint go away. Tommy’s efforts to stop the new highway, including a deal with the mysterious power-broker Judd, lead him to bribe and blackmail two of his fellow representatives. The conflict between Eileen’s public demeanor and private pain are thrown into relief when she learns that her sister-in-law is having medical problems.

A local garbage strike puts Tommy in the difficult position of mediating between the garbage collectors’ union, controlled by Freddie Cork, and the mayor of Providence. To end the strike, he is forced to surrender a piece of his independence to Judd. Eileen struggles to pull out of a tailspin after her lover Carl ends their illicit affair. Michael’s continuing effort to expand his criminal activities is thwarted when he discovers that his old gang has lost its teeth and that he and Pete are on their own. He’s further disappointed when he goes to visit his old girlfriend Kath Parry and finds that she’s married and has two children. In the end, Michael’s frustration explodes in the wrong place at the wrong time in front of the wrong person -– his eight-year-old niece, Noni.

Tommy and Eileen keep up the appearance of a happy marriage for the sake of their children and his political career. Michael, recovering from a head injury, tries to reestablish his memory and his territory.

As Tommy begins his reelection campaign, he turns to his sister, Mary-Kate for support, since he is still upset with Eileen and her infidelities. Estranged Irish cousin, Colin Carr (Brian F. O'Byrne), returns to Providence and stirs up trouble for Tommy, while his cop brother-in-law Declan continues down a slippery slope with his drugs and alcohol.

Rose sows unrest between her sons, which leads Michael to throw a wrench into Tommy's big real estate deal; Freddie asks Declan to use his police badge to negotiate with the competition; Tommy and Dana see more of each other.