I honestly thought Wayward Pines would have lost me by now, but each episode has gotten a little stronger. And more fun, for some reason. Ethan made me laugh out loud a couple of times in this one, and I didn't expect that.
In Wayward Pines, you get executed for spray painting "subversive" graffiti on a building. But Ethan killed Sheriff Pope, and was rewarded with Pope's job plus a whole bunch of secret files on the townspeople secreted under the floorboards. Why? Is Ethan getting a pass on the whole talking-smack-about-Wayward-Pines thing because he was in law enforcement and would make a good sheriff? That makes no sense. How do the Powers That Be think they're going to make Ethan enforce the Rules when he's spouting "subversive" statements in front of the Mayor and Pam?
The Mayor, Brad Fisher, told Ethan during the celebration of Ethan's new job at the Biergarten that Wayward Pines was all about shaping the mind of the child. I thought Brad felt just a bit more sympathetic than his wife Megan, the hypnotherapist who runs the Wayward Pines Brainwashing Academy. Is it her job to turn the kids in town into good little Stepford people? How far has she gotten with young Amy, who was pointedly pursuing Ben?
I kept wondering what Ethan would do about the "reckoning" order for Peter McCall, the unfortunate realtor. Would they use Ethan's family to force him to carry out the execution? Instead, McCall took himself out after showing Ethan a way to climb over the Great Wall. Nice performance by Justin Kirk. I cared about whether or not Peter McCall would live and was sorry he didn't. Guest stars don't live long in Wayward Pines, do they?
Before his super convenient suicide, McCall suggested to Ethan that the Great Wall might be keeping something out of Wayward Pines. Something that looked like a very pale and scary-looking person. McCall also said that the town needs someone like Ethan. And again, why?
Articles I've read about this miniseries have said repeatedly that we're going to get some answers in episode five, which is next week. Can't wait.
Bits and pieces:
— Loved the title of this episode.
— Peter McCall was seduced and kidnapped back in 2001, in Los Angeles, by Pam herself when she was a lot younger and calling herself "Denise." So you don't need to be driving into Wayward Pines to wind up there. And again with the time thing, because it sounded like McCall had been in Wayward Pines for about eight years, not fourteen.
— Theresa used to be a Secret Service agent herself. That explains why she was so assertive and detective-like in the Boise office. But not why they gave her Peter McCall's job.
— Theresa and Kate had a tiny discussion under music box cover in the toy store. Theresa, I think you have other, more important concerns than Ethan possibly cheating on you.
— The "reckoning" follows a third transgression of the Rules. So Beverly must have had two previous transgressions?
— What was with the "high fives"? A way of reinforcing the brainwashing?
— There are no calendars in Wayward Pines. How do you remind yourself of appointments, like dinner at the Biergarten with the Mayor?
Quotes:
Orwell (McCall's graffiti): "In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act."
McCall: "Tried to climb out. Silly me."
Theresa: "They made you sheriff?"
Ethan: "I guess when you kill somebody in this town, they give you his job."
Ethan: "I just love it here. I think it's great. The mountains, the pine trees, the look of fear in everyone's eyes..."
Dr. Jenkins: "Sometimes the best things require the greatest sacrifice."
The good doctor was cross-pollinating hybrid pine trees or something. It's starting to feel like he's the Big Boss, doesn't it? Hey, Toby Jones can play a powerful villain. He played Karl Rove, didn't he?
What did you guys think? I enjoyed this one. Three out of four high fives,
Billie
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Billie Doux loves good television and spends way too much time writing about it.
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