2-11. You Want a War?

The Cluster works together to take down Sun's brother.

Running Time: Approx. 57 minutes. Written by: Lana Wachowski, J. Michael Straczynski. Directed by: Lana Wachowski.


THE PLOT:

When Detective Mun attempts to arrest Sun's brother, Joong-Ki (Lee Ki-chan), at the Bak Gala, Joong-Ki shoots the detective and flees. Sun is able to catch up with him, but is unable to make herself take revenge. She escapes - But so does her brother, with the aid of a political figure.

Meanwhile, Kala discovers that her husband is cooperating with a major corruption investigation, and has implicated one of his business associates. A major change occurs in the relationship between Nomi and Amanita. And Lila (Valeria Bilello) returns, taking a particularly vicious revenge against Wolfgang for his refusal to join forces with her...


CHARACTERS:

After his lapse in the previous episode, Will is back to acting as the de facto leader of the group. He halts Sun's blind thirst for vengeance at the gala by pointing out Detective Mun's arrival, and it's his "Get the bastard" that sets the stage for the chase that follows. He is also the architect of the plan to turn the tables on BPO at the end of the episode.

The relationship between Nomi and Amanita has gotten a lot of focus this season, to the extent that I've noted that Amanita feels like an honorary member of the Cluster. Their quiet scene that follows the big action piece brings that thread to its climax for the season, as their relationship undergoes a major shift. As has been true of almost all of their scenes together, it's a very well-turned moment, and Jamie Clayton and Freema Agyeman continue to show an absolutely unforced screen chemistry that really sells the relationship.

As in Season One's finale, every character gets a chance to contribute something to the episode, from Capheus' driving skills to Kala's chemical know-how and observational abilities, to Wolfgang's handiness with violence of pretty much all types. Sun, Will, and Wolfgang are the most prominently featured here, but nobody is forgotten.


THOUGHTS:

"Are you serious? My sister is the fucking Terminator?"

Sun's relentless pursuit of Joong-ki is at the center of a breathtaking action set piece that more or less makes up the first half of this episode. The sequence does not feel like something from a television series. It's more in line with the kind of larger-than-life set piece you would find in the Wachowskis' Matrix movies.

I love the sense of geography to this sequence.  It starts in the lobby of the gala, when Joong-ki shoots the detective and escapes in the chaos. Sun's pursuit of him takes us through the gala to a shootout in a parking garage. From there, we move to a car chase in the streets of South Korea, and finally to a direct, one-on-one confrontation. It's terrifically kinetic and energetic, but it also maintains a strong sense of where the characters are.  This may seem like basic filmmaking competence (and perhaps it is), but it is very refreshing after entirely too many Hollywood action set pieces that have left me wondering when the dust settles: "So how did the characters get here from there?"

The rest of the episode does a good job of keeping the pace going. After the chase, we get a chance to breathe with the Nomi/Amanita scene, and take in some new exposition that was doubtless prepping a Season Three plotline in the scene between Kala and her husband. Then the episode upends expectations during a particularly tender Kala/Wolfgang moment, which kicks us into the final Act.

...And here's where my only issue with the episode is. The last part of the episode remains gripping, but it also feels rushed. Lila takes revenge on Wolfgang and BPO seems to have the Cluster cornered, but Will Has a Plan (TM) - and with almost no transition and frankly too little explanation, the episode ends with the Cluster somehow having turned the tables.  An extra 10 minutes or so was badly needed, so that Will's plan could be a little bit better defines. Yes, I know the very end is meant to be a surprise - But it's a surprise that comes out of nowhere, with not enough planted to even retroactively understand what happened. I'll withdraw this complaint if all is explained at the start of the series finale... But as it stands right now, the entire last bit plays as vaguely incomplete, and represents the one factor costing this episode full marks.

That cliffhanger is a beauty, though. And when the episode ends, I'm left very grateful that I wasn't watching at the time... When this cliffhanger would have been presented by Netflix as the final end of the series, before a fan campaign pushed the company to finance a movie-length finale.

It is clear enough that this series was creatively far from over, but I am glad at least that it was afforded the opportunity of a proper ending - an ending I look forward to watching very soon.


Overall Rating: 9/10.

Previous Episode: If All the World's a Stage, Identity Is Nothing But a Costume
Next Episode: Amor Vincit Omnia



Review Index

2-8. All I Want Right Now Is One More Bullet.

Wolfgang gets caught in an assassin's trap.

Running Time: Approx. 57 minutes. Written by: Lana Wachowski, J. Michael Straczynski. Directed by: Dan Glass.


THE PLOT:

Jonas is alive.

Though the group was certain they had witnessed his death, he reveals that he was saved through the intervention of BPO's Chairman. He is still BPO's prisoner, forced to work with them, but he is alive - and Whispers' position may not be quite so secure as he had believed.

Meanwhile, having been dropped by his agent, Lito decides that his career is over and wallows in self-pity and comfort food. But his skills may soon be needed. Sun's brother is soon to attend a function, and Nomi and Amanita have found a way to smuggle Sun in with the help. The catch? She will have to pose as a bartender, which will only be possible if she borrows the skills Lito learned on the set of a previous movie.

Capheus is drawing attention in his bid for public office, but is also drawing a backlash from his opponent, seeking to paint the upstart bus driver as a "thug" who extorts protection money from his neighbors. As Capheus absorbs this, he receives a visit at gunpoint by the leader of the Superpower Gang, who lets him know in no uncertain terms that his life is in danger - but that he also has support in some unexpected places.

Finally, in Berlin, Wolfgang realizes that Lila, the sensate assassin, is planning to play him off against gang leader Sebastian Fuchs (Lars Eidinger) - all to further her dream of transforming Berlin into a haven for sensates. She hopes to enlist Wolfgang to her cause - But will settle for eliminating him to remove the threat he poses!


CHARACTERS:

Nomi is rather adorable in this episode, from accidentally waking Sun and begging her not to hit her to admitting that time zones confuse her to her clutziness in high heels. When Amanita tries to relax her nerves, correctly diagnosing that she's worried about seeing her parents again, Nomi observes that Amanita knows her in ways her Cluster never will.  Speaking of Amanita, at this point she could be considered an honorary member of the Cluster.  When Nomi knocks herself out of action near the end, Amanita effectively fills her role via FaceTime (with an assist from Bug), which ends up working seamlessly.

Lito's self-pity is amusing, and Miguel Angel Silvestre continues to show a genuine knack for comedy. The scene in which he curls up on Sun's bed, clutching a stuffed animal and crying, is genuinely funny, with Sun alternating between exasperation and compassion in her response to him. At the end of the scene, after Sun has spelled out exactly how much worse her situation is than Lito's, he passes her the stuffed animal and grabs another one for himself.

My favorite part of the episode is, of course, the standoff between Wolfgang and Lila at the end. But there's a great character moment before the shooting starts, when Lila tries to persuade him to become a "king" for Berlin. He dismisses that as fantasy, telling her Berliners always ultimately reject would-be kings. When she tells him that he's not like other people, he dismisses her by replying, "You are." The great thing about a character who says little - When he talks, his words are never wasted.


THOUGHTS:

When Jonas returned at the very end of the previous episode, my first thought was that he was another kind of "meat puppet" for Whispers to use to try to ensnare the Cluster. When he coldly referred to Will as "Officer Gorski" at the start of this episode, I was certain my suspicions were about to be confirmed.

Instead, we discover that he is another kind of puppet - kept alive for the benefit of "The Chairman" (whom I do hope we meet before the series ends), as a potential check on Whispers. Later in the episode, Will gets a glimpse of Whispers, hiding with his family in a hotel room. His wife and daughter are losing patience with the disruptions to their lives, and he is losing patience with them, shouting that all he is doing is to "protect this family!" Will realizes that Whispers is just as much a prisoner of circumstance as he is, or as Jonas is.

These revelations are intriguing, likely setting up major plot developments for the finale. The episode also sets up other strands. Kala's husband comes home bleeding, then later takes an angry midnight phone call, both of which he lies about (and not very well, so at least Kala can take comfort in knowing that Rajan is a lousy liar). In the midst of Lito's epic self-pity, Dani and Hernando observe that his Sao Paolo speech has generated a lot of buzz, and that his situation is actually much better than he thinks; it's just that Lito is unable to see this in the midst of his wallowing. And of course, we set up the inevitable conversation between Sun and her brother.  With only a handful of episodes left, I actively hope they don't set up anything else - These strands and the BPO arc are already quite a lot to resolve in the four remaining installments.

In short, this is a transitional episode, carefully moving pieces into place. The kinetic action climax aside, this installment exists to get the characters ready for the season's final Act.  The script offers some amusing bits of comedy alongside several good character exchanges. But transitional episodes never are the ones that leave you breathless, and despite the fantastic final scene, this episode is no exception. It does its job well - But when I think back on this series after completing it, I doubt there is much my mind will cling to from this particular piece.


Overall Rating: 7/10.

Previous Episode; I Have No Room in My Heart for Hate
Next Episode: What Family Actually Means



Review Index

2-3. Obligate Mutualisms.

Sun escapes from prison.

Running Time: Approx. 51 minutes. Written by: Lana Wachowski, J. Michael Straczynski. Directed by: Lana Wachowski.


THE PLOT:

After barely surviving a brush with hit men disguised as prison guards, Sun escapes from prison in the company of one of her cellmates, Min-Jung (Yuh-Jung Youn). They hide with Mrs. Cho (Young Lan Lee), an old friend of Min-Jung's.

In Mexico, Lito discovers that the movie studio has pulled its deal with him, citing a "morals clause" in his contract... Even as he, Hernando, and Dani find a new apartment that may now be outside their price range. In Berlin, Wolfgang visits Sebastian (Lars Eidinger), one of the "crime kings" now eyeing the territory once controlled by Sergei. Sebastian has a tempting proposal for Wolfgang - and an even more tempting associate in Lila (Valeria Bilello), who is also a sensate.

Meanwhile, Will arranges an in-person meeting with BPO executive Richard Croome (Clive Wood), under the condition that Whispers be put "on ice" until after their talk. Croome agrees - but Whispers has other plans in mind...


CHARACTERS:

Just before the prison break sequence, there's a lovely moment in which Nomi and Amanita prepare to go out for a "normal" evening. There is something infectiously joyous in their brief moment of relaxation.  When Sun reaches out for help, Amanita doesn't skip a beat before sitting down at her computer to do her part in freeing her. I also love the little button on that scene, as the couple marvels that they just assisted in prison break. "So much for normal," Amanita remarks.

Though most viewers will realize immediately when Will strikes his deal that something is going to go wrong, it is nevertheless nice to see him finally step out into the sun with Riley. Their moment of celebration, shared with the rest of the cluster, is an effective grace note, even if it's clearly just a moment of calm before the next storm.


THOUGHTS:

Another strong installment - I'll be honestly surprised if the series has a weak one left in it, and I'm feeling confident that this is one series that will be free of any true clunkers.

The assault on Sun and her subsequent prison break form the episode's major set piece. As Sun is walked down the prison hallway, she realizes that this is not normal and that she is in trouble. When she reaches out for help, the others fill in details to confirm her worries. Will observes that the guards carry tasers, equipment the other guards have not possessed; Nomi lets her know that the camera is powering down in the room they are taking her to.

The assault is brutal and visceral. As Sun is tasered, then hanged, we see the other sensates physically react. To those around them, it looks as if they are having seizures. I found myself actively wondering if they were about to kill her off (which would be a gutsy move - killing off the most physically capable member of the group). Eventually, with some help from Will and Wolfgang and the timely intervention of Min-Jung, she is able to turn the tables... at which point, Will, Capheus, and Lito take turns using their particular skillsets to make good her escape, with the tone now turning much lighter to allow us to enjoy the relief of her survival. The entire sequence - assault and escape combined - is lengthy, taking up a good percentage of the total running time, and it is spellbinding from start to finish.

Wolfgang's Season Two story continues to develop in the background. The revelation of a sensate who is apparently attached neither to our cluster nor to BPO is an intriguing one, and actress Valeria Bilello makes a striking first impression. Wolfgang is a little too stricken, which I suspect will lead him to consequences down the road.

Narratively, the main thread is again Will's. Through his deal with Croome, he is able to talk to Jonas again. We learn new information as a result, including that the sensate population is increasing worldwide. We also receive additional backstory about Jonas' life with Angelica, and about the gradual disappearnce of Angelica's first cluster. The episode ends with Will's meeting with Croome - at an art gallery, discussing a particular piece, in a direct reflection of Lito's first conversation with Nomi.  There, the piece overlooking the conversation was Diego Rivera's subversive Man, Controller of the Universe, with mention made of Rivera's clashes with J. D. Rockefeller and his belief in artistic freedom; here, it's Rembrandt's The Night Watch, with mention made of the artist's eyes being on the flag, on the "bigger picture."

The conversation that ensues hints to schism at BPO, with indications that not all at the organization share the same vision. An intriguing revelation... that segues into yet another of this series' spectacular shock endings.


Overall Rating: 8/10.

Previous Episode: Who Am I?
Next Episode: Polyphony



Review Index