AKA Customer Service is Standing By

## Marvel Cinematic Universe

*"Well, customer service is standing by to take your order."*
―Grace Bennett to Jessica Jones
***AKA Customer Service is Standing By*** is the fourth episode of the third season of the television series *Jessica Jones*.

## Synopsis

Jessica learns there's more to Erik than meets the eye as they track down three potential attackers. Malcolm digs up dirt on Kith's husband.

## Plot

A week ago, Erik Gelden emerges from underwater in a backyard pool. He comes up 30 seconds earlier than expected and costs Sal Blaskowski $20 to Dwayne Blaskowski. Apparently, Erik owes them money, and as punishment, they tied two weights to him and threw him into the pool. Sal then gives Erik one week to pay what he owes or else they will throw him in with a third weight. He assures them that he will pay all the money on time.

In present day, Erik explains his story to Jessica Jones at her apartment. However, Sal isn't the one who tried to kill Erik. There are others who he owes money to. He blackmailed them, and now it seems like one is after him. While he knew they were bad people, he doesn't know what they did exactly. He, like Jones, has powers. Erik can sense the darkness in people. The things they’d done, are doing, or will do. The worst ones have no guilt. The closer they are, the sharper the needle on the back of Erik's eye. His powers are a nonstop migraine, relieved only by gambling, booze and sex. Erik starts from the beginning. He targeted three marks. He slipped them anonymous notes, demanding pay. For all he knows, the money is still sitting there. With that, Jones asks for names, addresses, and details so that she could look into it and check the drop sites for money. Someone figures Erik out and follows him. The plan was for Jones and Erik to go see them, let them see Erik, and watch for a tell. As for the money, Jones doesn't care what happens to it. She only wants the man that stabbed her.

Trish Walker stops by to let Jones know that Andrew Brandt had been arrested and taken to jail. Although, whoever attacked Jones was still out there. Walker wants to work together, but Jones is already on the case. Jones reveals to Walker that the attacker is actually after Erik. They are handling it, and Jones prefers to do it without Walker's help. Walker accepts Jones’ decision and leaves. In exiting the building, she passes Erik, who is on the phone and mentions the name Blaskowski, which Walker decides to look into.

Jones and Erik hit the first drop site. She finds the money under a trash can. Mark #1 is Todd White. He is an accountant with no family or priors. Jones and Erik knock on Todd White's door to see if he recognizes them. He doesn't. But while in his presence, Erik is in quite a bit of pain, leaving Jones to question why White paid the blackmail. When he doesn't answer, she forces her way inside his home, where she discovers that White is a child predator. She locks him inside a closet and calls the police, knowing they’d arrest White after entering his apartment and seeing what Jones saw. Jones and Erik stand outside the apartment building until the cops arrive and arrest White. Jones then gets a call from Walker, who reveals that Sal Blaskowski is a bookie who was arrested for assault six years ago, but it didn't stick. Walker informs Jones on how she overheard Blaskowski's people threaten Erik over the phone. Maybe she sent the attacker, Walker thought. Jones informs her that she is wrong and that they are narrowing in on the actual stabber. Walker wants to check her out regardless, but Jones couldn't care less.

Hogarth has begun home infusion for Radicava at her apartment. It seems like most of her furniture has to go and many installations has to be made. However, Hogarth is starting to regret that decision.

Malcolm Ducasse continues his investigation into Peter Lyonne from his office. He is interrupted by Zaya Okonjo. He'd been struggling, which now has him wondering if he is working for the firm or Hogarth. However, he can't divulge to Okonjo on what he knows due to the contract he signed.

Jones and Erik hit up the second mark. After securing the cash, they go to his place of employment, an insurance company. Mark #2 is Reyna Pincer, however, she doesn't recognize Erik. Jones informs her of the note that Erik previously sent, demanding cash. Pincer admits that she skimmed from their petty cash to pay for her mom's operation. Then, her funeral. Pincer had to sell her mother's wedding ring just to pay the blackmail. Jones suspects that Pincer is holding out and gets rough with her. Jones proceeds to reveal to the entire floor that Pincer had embezzled millions from their pension accounts.

Ducasse returns to his office to discover that someone has broken in. They had been looking into Sal Blaskowski's file. When he discovers that the intruder is still there, a fight ensues. Walker reveals herself to Ducasse. She also tells him how the procedure works, allowing her to do things now to help people. Walker asks Ducasse not to tell Hogarth as it would do more damage than it's worth to the both of them. After thinking it over, he lets her go.

Jones and Erik go to the third and final drop, but the last mark doesn't pay, but Jones doesn't care. She is certain that he is the guy they are after. Erik on the other hand, has a bookie to pay and has the money to cover it. He tells Jones that he tried it her way, to use his powers for good. But, anytime he tries to make something better, it is always 50-50 he'd make it worse. However, Jones isn't buying into his excuse. Erik argues that nothing they do would make a difference. They could spend the rest of their lives stopping bad guys, and they’d never make a dent.

Ducasse meets up with Hogarth to share what he has dug up on Peter Lyonne. While searching, he discovered a photo of Hogarth and Kith. Ducasse realizes that Hogarth wants him to destroy Peter so that she could then steal his wife. Hogarth is not pleased, as she gave Ducasse an assignment and he failed to deliver. However, Ducasse did find something that could destroy Peter's life and send him to jail. But, he would only reveal it if given a promotion. He wants more than a temp desk in the file room and a new employment contract with some financial incentives. After Hogarth reluctantly agrees to Ducasse's demands, he informs her that Peter had been making withdrawals from the scholarship fund that he and Kith set up in their daughter's memory. He uses the cash to buy gifts for his girlfriends and sometimes pay their rent. Ducasse suggests distributing this information to all of Peter Lyonne's contacts without it being traced back to them. Hogarth decides against sharing this information, as it would not only destroy his life, but Kith's.

Hogarth and Kith go on a date to the Thomas Moreau Concert Hall. Afterward, she introduces Kith to her client, Mathias Cole, who is a musical director for the Philharmonic. Hogarth introduces Kith as one of the best cellist she has ever heard. Kith questions Hogarth's motives, which she explains are to only make Kith happy because Hogarth is happier than she's been in a long time. Kith tells Hogarth not to ruin the best sex she has had in years by asking for something more. She and Peter have been through so much together. But Hogarth believes she deserves more, both in her romantic life and career path. However, Kith is fine with how her life is.

While Erik may have come with all the cash, he is three hours late and must be punished. Sal instructs Dwayne to put Erik underwater with three weights. And they do just that, holding him down, attaching the weights and throwing him into the pool. Walker follows her lead to Blaskowski's home, taking out Dwayne with a shovel and quickly disposing of the other two thugs, one of which, she tosses in the pool, allowing Erik to grab his knife and cut himself free from the weights. Once Erik is out the pool, Walker sends him on his way. As she is leaving, she is attacked by Sal, who comes at her with a crowbar. Walker dodges the attack and pushes Sal to the ground, who lands on her own weapon, resulting in Sal stabbing herself. Walker apologizes before fleeing the scene.

Back at the concert hall, Kith reminds Hogarth how to "cede control". As the symphony comes to an end, Hogarth and Kith share a kiss, before being interrupted by Peter, who is calling Kith's phone. After her call with Peter, Kith says goodbye to Hogarth.

Jones breaks into the third mark's apartment. His name is Gregory Sallinger. She takes numerous photos while inside. She discovers just from looking through his place that he likes taking photos and reading books. He's a lawyer, psychologist, chemist, and engineer. He is also athletic and aggressive, judging by his numerous wrestling trophies. In his kitchen, she finds a knife set hanging above the stove, with a knife missing, presumably the one used to stab Jones. Sallinger returns home, and she turns on the voice recorder on her phone. She then grabs him by his shirt, and he pleads with her not to hurt him. Jones barely touches him. However, it made for great visuals, as Sallinger has cameras set up in his apartment. Now, he has proof that a powered woman entered his home and attacked him. Sallinger had researched Jones. He figured her out in an afternoon. She tries to bait him into a confession, but he is too smart. He then calls Jones out for being a fraud as she's never be a true hero. He believes that he was so far above Jones, comparing her to an ant. He then pulls the knife he used to stab Jones with, out of his bag. He had to break into her apartment to get it. He gives Jones what she wanted and advises her to go home and take it. As for what he wanted; respect. He then calls 911 and claims that Jones broke into his house and attacked him.

While laying in bed, Ducasse gets a message from Hogarth, telling him to release the incriminating info on Peter Lyonne.

Walker calls the hospital from the set of *Style by Trish* to check on the condition of Sal Blaskowski. She learns that Blaskowski's condition had stabilized.

Jones comes home to find Erik asleep in front of her door. He tells her about how Sal tried to kill him and that he was saved by Walker. Inside, they find the bag left behind by Sallinger. The money inside the bag is covered with blood. On her board, Jones finds a single dollar, with the word "hero?" written on it in blood on one side and "fraud?" written on the other. She sees now that they are dealing with a murderer, and Sallinger thinks they have proof of it, which makes them targets. Erik plans to lay low while Jones deals with Sallinger.

Jones calls into Style by Trish while they are on air. She claims that she is calling about the sweater that Walker has previously tried to sell her. Jones has changed her mind and wants to buy it. The clingy, smothering, and tenacious sweater. The one that won't quit even when she asked it to. Lastly, Jones says that she needs Walker's help, to which Walker is more than happy to.

Shortly after killing a man in the middle of his apartment, Sallinger, dressed in a blue hazmat suit, takes a break for a snack.

## Cast

**Main Cast:**

* Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones
* Rachael Taylor as Trish Walker
* Eka Darville as Malcolm Ducasse
* Benjamin Walker as Erik Gelden
* Sarita Choudhury as Kith Lyonne
* Jeremy Bobb as Gregory Sallinger
* Tiffany Mack as Zaya Okonjo
* Carrie-Anne Moss as Jeri Hogarth

**Guest Stars:**

* Jessica Frances Dukes as Grace Bennett
* Barbara Tirrell as Sal Blaskowski
* Airon Armstrong as Dwayne Blaskowski
* Thomas Pojanowski as Thomas Blaskowski
* Brady Adair as Todd White
* Lori Hammel as Reyna Pincer
* Jennifer Lim as Carly
* Dan Shor as Mathias Cole
* Kevin Kenny as Bart (uncredited)
* Bob Leszczak as Pedestrian with Cell Phone (uncredited)
* Ashley North as Pedestrian (uncredited)

## Appearances

### Locations

* New York City, New York
	+ Jessica Jones' Apartment Building
		- Alias Investigations Office
		- Malcolm Ducasse's Apartment
	+ Todd White's Apartment
	+ Jeri Hogarth's Apartment
	+ Hogarth & Associates Law Office
	+ East Brook Building
	+ Blaskowski Residence
	+ Thomas Moreau Concert Hall
	+ Gregory Sallinger's Apartment
* Riverside Park College (mentioned)
* Holden Finnegan College of Engineering (mentioned)
* Hanover Law School (mentioned)
* Beckett Community College (mentioned)
* Wappingers Falls High School (mentioned)

### Events

* Search for Erik Gelden's Blackmail Targets
* Rescue of Erik Gelden
* Ambush at Alias Investigations Office (mentioned)
* Chase of Whizzer (mentioned)

### Creatures

* Worms
* Ants (mentioned)

### Organizations

* Alias Investigations
* Hogarth & Associates
* Cheng Consulting Management
* East Brook
* ARN
* WJBP-TV
* New York City Police Department (mentioned)

### Mentioned

* Andrew Brandt
* Whizzer
* Peter Lyonne
* Harry Houdini
* Claude Debussy
* *La Mer*

## Music

 Suite Bergamasque: III. Clair de Lune | CSR Symphony Orchestra & Keith Clark | * Kith Lyonne and Jeri Hogarth get intimate during an orchestra performance.

## References

The Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki has a collection of images and media related to **AKA Customer Service is Standing By**.

## External Links

* AKA Customer Service is Standing By on IMDb
* AKA Customer Service is Standing By on Disney+
* AKA Customer Service is Standing By on Marvel Database