Episode description: "In an attempt to gather information on the Grey aliens, Harry puts Asta in harm's way."
This episode opens season 3, moving us along from where we were at the end of season 2. Asta and D’arcy have moved into a house together. Harry is now working for General McAllister. Sheriff Mike is dating Lena Torres. A Patience Post headline lets us know that D’arcy is no longer skiing in the tournament. She pretends not to care, but when Asta is gone she attacks the newspaper.
Still, things have not moved very far. Asta and D’arcy are living together, but they are still figuring out how to do it. Asta hugs D’arcy a lot, but she doesn’t want D’arcy’s cold feet at four in the morning. D’arcy wants a cat, but Asta doesn’t.
Mike and Lena are dating but it’s a little hard for Mike because he’s not used to having women pay their part. Liv gets in some excellent commentary on this.
Resident Alien is mostly comedy, but what Ben and Kate are going through is amazingly creepy. Each of them is being taken by the Greys to visit their “unborn” child, and even though they don’t remember consciously, there’s residual unease. The creepiness works until the episode chooses to have them react by being nauseated, and although that’s a realistic response, few actors do “vomit” or “about to vomit” well. The scenes were good until they got to that.
Harry is working for General McCallister, which involves a 6 minute and 32 second underground commute to a secret facility in Montana. However, Harry is not a team player; nor has he gone through HR training (or he would not show the general a dick pic on his phone). But he is dedicated to finding out what the Greys are doing by the Grey hybrid who is now in Patience (also the mole at the site in New Mexico and the person who actually shot and killed Peter Bach).
At the end of season 2 – adding tension, but also a logical move for the series - Joseph the Grey was hired by Sheriff Mike as a deputy. Joseph comes into the clinic to check up on Harry but then segues into showing interest in Asta. They go on a date, during which Harry and Joseph both try to get information about each other. Joseph the Grey’s attempt is thwarted by the fact that Asta does not want to talk about Harry. Harry’s attempt is first thwarted by the fact that Asta did not bring the compact (bug) with her. He manages to get it to her, but next is thwarted by D’arcy. When Harry finally tells D’arcy what is really going on, D’arcy goes home and interrupts Asta’s date by pretending to be sick (she’s more believable than Ben and Kate).
Robert Bach’s duffel bag was brought in and given to Deputy Joseph. Before he can do a thorough search, Sheriff Mike reassigns the clerical work to Deputy Liv. It’s done in a chauvinist way, but it turns out to be the best for the investigation as Deputy Joseph is a dangerous alien.
Asta shows real insight when she explains to D’arcy that as Harry is an alien, there are really things he doesn’t understand. I love how D’arcy is always ready to protect Asta. She doesn’t realize that Harry is like that too.
Sahar may be bright and insightful, but she can get things wrong. I understand her being suspicious of Harry, but Harry did not kill the Alien Tracker. On the other hand, it’s sweet how she tries to find other friends for Max now that she is moving away.
The episode's end is satisfying. Harry cannot bring himself to kill Asta, but his affection for her prevents it – even though, as he logically reasons, she will die anyway if the Grey conquer the planet. They hug, and Asta promises to do what she can to help.
Title musings. The title of the episode is “Lone Wolf,” which typically means a predator who works alone. Harry is not exactly a predator – of course he has killed, but mostly others of his own species – but his main goal is to preserve humans on Earth. However, he has trouble working with humans, something that they don’t make at all subtle, although he gets over it (at least for the time being) at the end of the episode. Sahar also works to prepare Max for the fact that she’s going to be away.
However, I don’t really like the title. There were several mentions of owls in the episode, but I don’t think there were any of wolves. I think the title could be improved, but to be fair, I haven’t come up with a better one.
Bits and pieces
I prefer the somewhat toned-down version of red for D’arcy’s hair.
I don’t understand General McCallister’s position. She has said in previous episodes that she’s not really with the Men In Black. What group is she leading? Maybe they’re being deliberately vague, either to keep open options or because the writers don’t want to deal with the issue.
Fun watching Liv’s in-laws give Sheriff Mike the run-around. Sort of like how some people must feel when they are talking to him and he starts talking about turtles.
Apparently, owls are considered either bad luck or death, at least in some Native American cultures.
OK, although I talked about how creepy the abductions of Ben and Kate are, it is funny how Ben was accidentally dropped on the floor instead of back in his bed.
It’s hilarious how not just one but two different people sneak into Asta and D’arcy’s new place. But, as Asta tells Jay in season 1, there's not a house in Patience where she hasn't partied - presumably without being invited.
Wonder why Sahar is taking a break from the show. Also, we could see some of her hair this time; usually her hajib is tighter.
Nice reminder, just when the new Superman has just been released, that Superman is an undocumented alien.
Hmm, as Ute, John’s parents feel totally free to ignore the US government. Maybe this will help even more with the awkward situations in the storylines.
Sheriff Mike and Deputy Liv have discovered a fingerprint in the car that belonged to Peter Bach. It would be nice if it belonged to Deputy Joseph, but what if it belongs to our Harry?
Quotes
Kate: How'd you sleep?
Ben: Mm, great. But I did roll off the bed again.
Kate: Well, I guess it's better than sleepwalking and waking up outside.
Ben: Mm, that's true. It's freezing this morning.
Kate: How do you know that?
Harry to self: Human babies cannot even live without help from others. It is probably a good thing because if human babies could kill, they would certainly do it.
Asta: Oh, um, I'm going to lock my door when you come home at 4:00 a.m.
D’arcy: No, my bed's a block of ice, and I pick locks, so get your warm feet ready.
Deputy Liv: To think just one statement could contain 200 million years of misinformation.
Sheriff Mike: Look, there goes a damn government drone watching us right now.
Deputy Liv: I think that's just some mustard on the window.
Sheriff Mike: That's what they want you to think. You gotta trust no one, Deputy.
Asta: Harry, where have you been? Your shift started, like, an hour ago.
Harry: It is the General's fault for making me work late. Do not bite my balls.
Asta: There is 0% chance of that happening.
Joseph the Grey: Oh, I live here now. Got a job, an apartment. Figured I'd settle in till I figure out what it is you're up to. You were supposed to leave the planet on a ship we provided, but you're still here. Why?
Harry: I do not like public transportation. So why don't you go away, or I will tell everyone you are a Grey.
Joseph the Grey: Nope, that's against the Galactic Federation's charter.
Sheriff Mike: I'm Sheriff Mike Thompson from Patience. I work with your daughter-in-law. I'm meeting her and John here to see the van.
Gloria (Deputy Liv’s mother-in-law): We don't have a daughter-in-law or a van.
Ralph (Deputy Liv’s father-in-law): Don't know a John.
Sheriff Mike: Huh. I could swear that this was the right house. It's even got a brown barn with white doors.
Ralph : Don't have a brown barn.
Gloria: Or white doors.
Sheriff Mike: The barn right there: it's brown. I'm looking at it with my own eyes.
Gloria: We don't have eyes.
Kate: I am going to go pick up dinner. Oh, Sahar, you want to eat with us?
Sahar: No, thanks. I don't eat takeout, because the packaging is slowly destroying the Earth.
Kate: It's okay to just say no.
Asta: Now that you know who Harry is, you should also know that he's not emotionally evolved enough to distinguish between right and wrong. He's basically a child.
Harry: Just a child.
Asta: He doesn't get it.
Harry: I don't get it.
D’arcy: But I still want to hit him.
Asta: Harry? Harry, you scared me. What are you doing here? Are you crying?
Harry: I came in here to kill you.
Asta: What's that now?
Harry: Oh, do not worry. I could not do it. And even if I did, your murder would be gentle, painless.
Asta: Well, that's good to know.
Harry: Asta, what should I do? I could have gotten information from Joseph, information that would help me save the planet. But I had to stop because of you. I will always have to stop because of you.
Overall Rating
Solid start to season three. Three and a half out of four owls looking in through windows.
Victoria Grossack loves math, birds, Greek mythology, Jane Austen and great storytelling in many forms.
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