A few weeks ago, I talked about how it's hard to feel sympathetic for Lights because his money problems is more of a choice than an inescapable situation. There are shows in which the main character who looks to get more money is legitimately a bad person (The Sopranos), and there are shows in which the main character who looks to get more money out of necessity is a legitimately a good person and goes far off in the wrong direction (Breaking Bad). Lights Out is supposed to be one of the latter, where Lights is forced down this road of crime in search of money.
So far, however, Lights seems to be delusional about his current state. He's made bad investments, overspent, and now has no money left. When Theresa offers a reasonable and logical solution--sell things and cut back--Lights refuses, thinking his financial fortunes will turn around. The fact remains: Lights does not have to turn to crime, and could easily cut back on unnecessary spending--the house, cars, private schools, etc. Where is the conflict?
Out of pure necessity, the writers must make Lights turn to crime, and that leaves very few reasons why Lights would act like this. My theory is that Lights is so prideful about his stature as former world champion that he'd rather turn to crime than let anyone think less of him, so Lights has to make the one choice to keep the show going--fight. And that's exactly what happens when he goes to the underground MMA fight. No one can expect a boxer, even one of Lights's caliber, to beat a professional MMA fighter with MMA rules, but Lights prevails in the end and earns some money to pay off Omar.
Score: 8.5/10
