In the eighth episode of Lucky Hank, the suspense reaches a fever pitch as the English department braces for the inevitable "chopping" and the uncertainty surrounding Hank and Lily's marriage, along with Julie and Russell's own. With Dickie Pope boasting about his "deal" with the legislature to slash the budget, layoffs begin to unfold, leaving many long-serving faculty members unemployed.
Desperate to deter Pope, Hank makes his way to his office, but finds it empty. Dennis, Pope's assistant, directs Hank to the cafeteria, where Pope is seen casually dipping his hand into a public buffet of raisins, licking them, and then touching them again. Enraged, Hank threatens to expose Pope's secret of siphoning funds from the faculty's endowment to cover the shortfall in the "Jeffrey Q. Epstein" building. He even claims to possess a letter from Epstein as proof, but Pope remains unfazed.
On the dreaded "Hatchet Day," Hank arrives at work with a palpable sense of anxiety filling the air. He scribbles down the names on a sheet of paper and sits in his chair, fraught with indecision. He summons his assistant, Rachel, and then Billy, his closest and longest-serving friend in the department, to request their help in selecting the three names. However, both of them refuse to partake in this "dirty work." Hank is left feeling hopeless and at a loss, wondering, "What am I supposed to do?" (Now we understand the source of Julie's personality trait.)
In a last-ditch effort, Hank arranges a clandestine meeting with Epstein. Toni joins them, but Epstein suspects that Pope might have financed the ten-million-dollar shortfall, a common occurrence in their business. Hank and Toni leave disappointed, inviting Epstein to Nora's at 5 for a drink. The billionaire, lacking friends, is delighted to make new ones.
Russell arrives unannounced at Hank and Lily's abode, determined to reclaim Julie's affections. However, her rage overcomes her, and she hurls a wine bottle with such force that it embeds itself neatly into the wall, leaving her stunned parents as witnesses. Russell, undeterred, takes up camp on the porch, refusing to budge until Julie relents. Lily, enraged by his presumptuousness, slaps Russell across the face, chastising him for assuming Julie would return to him, claiming she "does not know what she wants." Soon after, Lily departs for New York, leaving behind an awkward exchange with Hank, where he halfheartedly promises to visit her on the weekend. Julie, bewildered, finds herself without Lily's guidance.
With Lily gone, Julie and Russell are left alone, facing each other from opposite sides of the house. He attempts once again to engage her, hoping to resolve their differences. It is then revealed that Julie had herself cheated on Russell twice before, a fact that he confesses makes it difficult to confront her, as she tends to become "angry and judgmental" like Hank.
The mention of Keener first cropped up in episode 1, when Lily casually brought her up in conversation with Hank. Keener's warmth and kindness quickly endear her to Lily, and they engage in a lively chat. Lily divulges her tumultuous relationship with Hank, and even Keener admits that "it might not work."
Meanwhile, Gracie indulges in a passionate encounter with Dean Rose, who is leaving his job due to his disdain for Dickie Pope. He extends an invitation to Gracie to join him in Florida, but she defiantly refuses, claiming she "likes it here."
At the Department, the tension reaches a feverish pitch as Hank announces he won't betray Pope. Though it might not save their jobs, it offers them a respite from the constant anxiety. He treats the staff to drinks at Nora's, where Meg clarifies her feelings for Hank, revealing she doesn't harbor any romantic sentiments for Russell. However, Hank remains fixated on the idea that Meg is trying to hurt him, refusing to resolve the matter.
Rose joins them at the bar, and soon after, Epstein arrives to console the professors. Rose then reveals the Board's decision: Emma, Finny, and Billie are terminated, while Toni invites everyone to a rager at his house. The atmosphere is heavy with sadness and melancholy. Epstein mentions Pope's obsession with MIT, and Rose adds that there's an open position at the helm of MIT.
Amidst all the chaos, Epstein was particularly offended to discover that Pope had appended the letter "Q" to the name of the building, unbeknownst to him. During Jeffrey's initial appearance in the series, he confided in Toni and Hank, revealing his disdain for the inclusion of "Q" in "Jeffrey Q. Epstein," as it wasn't truly his middle name. Pope had inserted it as a means to differentiate the name from the disgraced billionaire child molester. Hank, amused, mocked Pope in his office, unaware that the Board of Trustees had summoned him for a physical meeting within the same edifice.
It was then revealed that Pope had violated his fiduciary duty to the college by slashing 25% of the workforce, not for the benefit of the institution but to bolster his own credentials for the MIT position. Dennis, his assistant, emerged as the whistleblower, providing the press with digital evidence of emails and call logs, leading to Pope's termination and the salvation of not just the English Department but the entire Railton College.
Julie remained indecisive, yet she couldn't help but voice her concern over Hank's neglect towards his crumbling marriage. Hank called Lily, and as they recounted their respective days, the conversation stumbled upon the topic of "separation," making the air awkward. Yet, they chose to brush it off.
The following day at work, the English professors scoured for Hank to celebrate, but he was in his office, gesturing to Rachel to convey his absence. In truth, he wanted to savor his sense of pride with his parents. William and Laurel were unenthused by the news, but Hank was unfazed. William indulged in his usual rant about Columbia University fact-checking his claim of being in Selma in 1965, only to be exposed as a liar and subsequently dismissed. Hank witnessed a desperate yearning for validation in William's tearful eyes as he jestingly referred to his vain attempts at "being invited to panels and conferences." What else truly mattered in this profession? Enraged, Hank drove to New York.
Handing in his resignation to Rose, Hank pondered, "I have everything." He rang the bell, and Lily peered through the peephole, a mix of shock and elation filling her eyes. This wasn't another fleeting moment for Hank; he was genuinely striving to grow with Lily. Rose shredded Hank's resignation, and as he relieved himself in the toilet—a feat he hadn't achieved throughout the episode—Lily sat there, pondering the implications for their marriage.
