Uncle Danny

**"Uncle Danny"** is the seventh episode of the first season of *Almost Paradise*. The episode first aired on May 11, 2020, on WGN America (now NewsNation).

## Synopsis

Alex Walker is meditating in his apartment in the back of his gift shop when a knock at the door interrupts him. To his surprise, he is greeted by his uncle, con artist Danny Walker. Danny claims to be on vacation and wanted to visit Alex to make amends, and says he will be staying with Alex in the gift shop over his objections.

At the police station Chief Ike Ocampo assigns Detectives Kai Mendoza and Ernesto Alamares to look into a possible small-scale counterfeiting operation going on at the hotel. Kai goes to the gift shop to ask Alex if he has seen anything, but Alex says that he has not. However, feeling suspicious, Alex checks Danny's bag after Kai leaves and finds a roll of counterfeit Philippine pesos.

Alex goes to confront Danny, who is playing cards with two other guests at the hotel. Alex asks Danny about the money and he claims that he got it from a man outside the airport who offered to convert his American dollars into the local currency. Alex realizes he has to keep the police from arresting Danny for counterfeiting.

Later on, Alex sees mafia hit man Arthur Pink wandering the hotel grounds and realizes that Danny is not telling the whole truth. Danny reveals that he owes the mafia a lot of money and is hiding from them in Cebu. In order to make this money he has been hustling other guests at poker, and he challenges members of the wealthy Yee family to a game of golf. Alex reluctantly joins in as he does not want anyone to be swindled. They place a prize of US$250,000 on the game and Danny subtly cheats in order to win. This includes swapping the Yee family's balls for weighted balls and using tees after the initial swing. Alex ends up winning but tries to decline the prize money. Mr. Yee says that forfeiting the money would make it go to the runner-up, Danny, so Alex ends up accepting it with the intention of giving it back later.

Following the golf game, Alex and Danny are spotted by Pink and they are chased around the hotel before hiding in a supply closet. Alex leaves Danny there to go get help, but is taken into custody by Kai, who knows about the counterfeiting. Alex is explains the whole situation and is let go with Kai and Ernesto close behind. Alex returns to the hotel just as Pink is taking Danny away at gunpoint. Alex inserts himself into the situation and promises Pink more money than his mafia bosses are paying him if he lets them go. Alex gives Pink a roll of counterfeit Philippine pesos as a piece of this. Pink tells Alex and Danny to take him to the location of the money with Kai and Ernesto close behind. Pink realizes the money is fake on the drive over and calls Alex and Danny out on it but they insist that there is real money to be had. Thinking they are about to die, Alex and Danny apologize to each other for their past and Alex thanks Danny for raising him after his father died. Alex gives Pink the US$250,000 from the golf game but Pink decides to kill them anyway. Pink shoots Danny before getting arrested by Kai and Ernesto. After Ernesto leaves with Pink, Danny gets back up revealing a blood pack and that the death was fake. Kai and Alex take him to the airport where he is hitching a ride with the Yee family. After Danny leaves, Kai asks Alex if he and his uncle are on good terms now, to which he replies yes until he realizes Danny stole his wallet on his way out.

## Cast

### Main

* Christian Kane as Alex Walker
* Samantha Richelle as Detective Kai Mendoza
* Arthur Acuña as Detective Ernesto Alamares
* Nonie Buencamino as Chief Ike Ocampo
* Ces Quesada as Cory Santos

### Guest

* Richard Kind as Danny Walker
* Erroll Shand as Arthur Pink
* Lisa Barker as Tourist Woman
* Poppert Bernadas as Detective
* Rebecca Chuaunsu as Singaporean Woman
* Joost Folkers as Jack
* Jim Lumbera as Gardener
* Miguel Vasquez as Mongkut
* Noel Trinidad as Yee Man #1
* Richard Yap as Yee Man #2