I'm stupid or this makes no sense. Possibly both.
1. When the episode opens, Joe's been missing for 17 days, and Peggy herself called the police.
2. Dr. Ito confirms Joe's addicted to heroin.
3. But it's all a setup! He's not a heroin addict! He's (big flourish) ACT-ING! It's all an elaborate MASQUERADE!
4. He fooled a doctor who did lab tests? He didn't tell Peggy, who probably thought Joe was dead?
5. Joe pulled a gun on a cop to escape from his withdrawal bed. The cop turns out to be a dealer later in the episode, which was a surprise to Joe. But wait - if the cop wasn't in on THE MASQUERADE, why pull such a stupid risky stunt as part of THE MASQUERADE? As far as Joe knew at the time, he was a legit cop WHOSE FIREARM Joe had to TAKE AND USE AGAINST HIM. Part of any MASQUERADE involving escaping from a hospital should be not having to take firearms from people who are there to guard you.
6. The bad guy uses Joe to deliver one message to the guy they're buying heroin from. There are much easier ways to deliver a message.
7. Why send a guy who's been part of your operation for one day to be the guy bringing the money and receiving the heroin?
8. WHO'S PAYING JOE FOR THIS WHOLE THING? THIS IS LIKE A THREE WEEK MASQUERADE.
In sum, life is a MASQUERADE. That we don't know who being billed for.
1. When the episode opens, Joe's been missing for 17 days, and Peggy herself called the police.
2. Dr. Ito confirms Joe's addicted to heroin.
3. But it's all a setup! He's not a heroin addict! He's (big flourish) ACT-ING! It's all an elaborate MASQUERADE!
4. He fooled a doctor who did lab tests? He didn't tell Peggy, who probably thought Joe was dead?
5. Joe pulled a gun on a cop to escape from his withdrawal bed. The cop turns out to be a dealer later in the episode, which was a surprise to Joe. But wait - if the cop wasn't in on THE MASQUERADE, why pull such a stupid risky stunt as part of THE MASQUERADE? As far as Joe knew at the time, he was a legit cop WHOSE FIREARM Joe had to TAKE AND USE AGAINST HIM. Part of any MASQUERADE involving escaping from a hospital should be not having to take firearms from people who are there to guard you.
6. The bad guy uses Joe to deliver one message to the guy they're buying heroin from. There are much easier ways to deliver a message.
7. Why send a guy who's been part of your operation for one day to be the guy bringing the money and receiving the heroin?
8. WHO'S PAYING JOE FOR THIS WHOLE THING? THIS IS LIKE A THREE WEEK MASQUERADE.
In sum, life is a MASQUERADE. That we don't know who being billed for.