Cinemax’s Outcast
Season 2, Episode 10: “To The Sea”
Directed by Loni Peristere
Written by Chris Black
* For a recap & review of the penultimate Season 2 episode, “This Is How It Starts” – click here
Again from the pulpit, Reverend Anderson (Philip Glenister) leads his flock and gives them hope once more. Or does he? He starts ripping pages from the Bible, calling them bullshit. He preaches finding the enemy, destroying them and their evil influence.
At the same time, those at the Lighthouse are preparing their own rituals, led by Simon Barnes (C. Thomas Howell) with his son Kyle (Patrick Fugit) watching on.
Anderson: “Devil or not, evil exists.”
There’s something heavy brewing in the air, though I’m not sure what exactly. A showdown’s coming, one way or another.
Kyle catches up with his father after all these years, talking of how his mother, how he didn’t want to leave a stain on the family. He hoped leaving meant the demonic possession and all that mess would pass him, leave him be. There’s certainly no love lost, as there was never much in the beginning. Kyle feels abandoned, and rightfully so. Now cult leader daddy is back, a head full of plans.
What about Megan (Wrenn Schmidt)? Well, she’s being taken care of by Dr. Ken Park (Hoon Lee), held in a locked room. The demons are going to need that baby of hers, to help them with whatever’s meant to come with the Great Merge. But apparently no one like them has carried one to term. A new frontier.
Simon talks with Dakota (Madelyn Deutch) about the coming Merge. She’s under the impression that only the “pure” will remain afterwards. Although she isn’t struck with confidence in the way he speaks, not now. Either way, they’ve got weapons and other needed items stockpiled in preparation.
Poor Byron Giles (Reg E. Cathey) is still reeling from the loss of Rosie, trying to figure out where he’ll put her body. His old pal Anderson offers what comfort he can in such a harsh time. He’s ready to fight a war, and Giles suggests they start with the list Rosie compiled of the possessed in Rome.
Under the watchful eye of Blake Morrow (Lee Tergesen), Megan and her daughter Holly exist in a prison. Mom does her best not to freak out or act suspicious. She ingratiates herself and her daughter to Blake, acting friendly, building trust. However, he knows this is all a ruse, threatening brutal violence if she tries doing it again. Yikes.
In the woods Dakota finds others from her cult cutting down trees. She says that Simon’s “lost his way.” Yet nobody else seems ready to believe her, still trusting in the power of their beacon prophet. At the same time, Simon and son go looking for Junkyard Bob (M.C. Gainey), who’s definitely surprised to see his former buddy. Then Kyle finds out Amber and Allison (Kate Lyn Shiel) were taken from their motel. Moreover, dad shows his son a few tricks about his own powers; the powers they share alike. He advises not rushing into anything, but to take the time, use his power, and he’ll locate his family.
Park goes to see a woman in a fancy house. She apparently has a power like Kyle and Simon and Amber, grabbing the doc by the hand as the black veins bulge and throb around his hands and his face. Sidney was actually protecting Kyle and his daughter, as they’re able to bring about the Merge. Now? It’s Park’s job.
Simon: “They hate what makes us human”
With all the shit Helen caused back in the day, Simon remembers there were 9 beacons; only 8 were found. So, this means there’s someone left out there who may be capable of helping them in their latest journey. They go visit Bob’s sister Emma (Laura Gardner), her husband Martin Pruitt (Mark Jeffrey Miller) – he’s not in good shape, they did a number on him years before. Martin holds a key to helping them stop more demons, unfortunately he’s as close to a vegetable without being one as he can get.
At the police station, Byron picks up ammo and weapons. He and the Rev have picked up the people on that list, the demonically possessed. They’re all transported to the station – a “Holy War” has begun, Giles tells one of his former officers. The remainder of the congregation helps pull them together, like God’s army. Dakota turns up to speak with Anderson, who’s not particularly keen on working with her. But it seems she’s taking a turn.
“Like water drawn to the sea” the Barnes men are pulled back together. Later, they receive a visit from Emma and Martin, to hopefully aid in whatever’s headed for Rome. A group of them all head together into the forest.
Simultaneously, Blake is having flashes, visions of Kyle and people in that same forest, as he plans on taking Megan and her daughter elsewhere. Then Park turns up, finding Blake tearing the place apart – neither he nor Megan want to be part of his experiments. This puts the two possessed men against one another until the doc uses a Taser to drop Blake, and outside Megan manages to flee in the car.
In the woods, Kyle, Simon, and the others gather. A storm comes together overhead. Also returning, finally, are Amber and Allison; Kyle’s dad was holding them for safety. Together, all those beacons with their power align and concentrate their faith on the demons of Rome. Suddenly a light opens in the darkness, a bunch of the beacons cut their throats and Simon cuts Martin’s open wide. WHOA! Simon tells his boy their blood will help seal the darkness.
And now Kyle offers himself up for sacrifice. Grandpa says they also need his daughter, too. Interrupting the madness, Giles and Anderson show up with their people; even Dakota fights with them. A massive fight breaks out, as Simon tries putting the knife to his son’s throat. A wild sequence, perhaps the craziest of the whole Outcast series!
When Kyle comes to, his family is safe. But things aren’t going well, many are infected with the darkness again and going absolutely mad. This is the start of something even worse than before, something scarier.
And guess who woke up?
Mama Barnes, after all these years.
CINEMAX, PLEASE DO NOT CANCEL THIS! We need a Season 3, we have to find out more about the Great Merge, about the plans of Dr. Park and Megan’s baby, about Sarah Barnes and what will happen now that she’s out of her decades-long coma. Give it to us, Cinemax! Don’t you dare fuck us. This is one of my favourite TV shows currently, I need more. WE need more.
For the first time in so long, we see Blake Morrow (Lee Tergesen) in his jail cell. He’s worried. “It‘s not supposed to be like this,” he laments after a fleeting vision of Kyle Barnes (Patrick Fugit), a.k.a “The one who ends it all.” He warns everything’s about to end. To others, the rantings of a crazy man.
Kyle worries about his sister Megan (Wrenn Schmidt). But he ain’t doin’ so hot, either. His wound isn’t altogether healed, not by a long shot. He goes back over to the hospital to try finding help under the radar. He finds one of the demon host doctors and strong arms her into stitching him closed. Not long after when he can’t find his mother Kyle winds up getting arrested.
Soon enough Megan runs into Blake. He says he was saved by Anderson and Kyle. So now he’s going to find out exactly where one of them is for certain. Shiit. Meanwhile, Kyle looks through the van Bob buried, the corpse inside. Turns out that Helen Devere “needed their light” and stole it from the beacons, like Simon Barnes and his son Kyle, now little Amber. Then Simon mercy killed the damaged beacons. That’s a YIKES moment if I’ve ever seen one.
Before the supposed doctor can do something terrible to Megan, she’s interrupted by Blake. Who strangles the woman to death and saves the day. Is he going to use this AND Megan as leverage over Kyle?
Another fine chapter in Season 2. Love that Howell is part of the cast, he’s an awesome character actor with lots of good television roles under his belt over the past decade. Can’t wait for “This Is How It Starts” – the penultimate episode of the season. And Cinemax, you best be ready with that renewal pen; or else!
When in Rome… yeah, that’s not gonna work here. Or maybe it does work for Sidney (Brent Spiner).
What about Rosie (Charmin Lee)? She’s been up to a few things, without her husband Byron (Reg E. Cathey) in his weakened state. She’s been real busy getting shit done. But is she safe?
Across town the big, bad boss Sidney goes to meet the Council for coffee. He tells them Helen Devere was “successful” in her work. That he’s trying to figure out how she nearly brought about the Merge. But the Council is waning in their support for his little experiments, they want action.
Sidney’s still kicking, walking along the road until someone picks him up. He heads back to town in rough shape. Over at the Lighthouse, Anderson follows Dakota into the woods as she goes on by herself. To a cellar a ways out. He finds what they call a dormitory, and he knows better. They’re going to be keeping somebody down there. Then he sees it’s Sidney himself.
Sidney (Brent Spiner) is taking care of his burned, young friend, who asks about if what Reverend Anderson (Philip Glenister) says of him is true. And the mysterious man says that the rev’s book calls him a “dragon” and he’s been called many other things by humans of flesh and blood. He has big plans for the kid, that’s why he saved him from the fire.
Dealing with the consequences of her husband’s death, Megan (Wrenn Schmidt) has reached the lowest depths of herself. She’s dragged from the water by Rev. Anderson. He makes clear he wouldn’t judge her; not in the places he’s been himself. Even quotes a bit of Dr. Seuss. Meanwhile, Kyle (Patrick Fugit) takes Amber to go see her mother, Allison (Kate Lyn Sheil), at the hospital. Things aren’t well between the estranged husband and wife. While Amber waits for her parents to chat, a man approaches her in a creepy manner, though a hospital attendant shows up. However, there’s something odd about her. She and the man corner Amber, and the little girl uses her own powers to fend them off; she’s just like her papa.
What a great episode! This series gets exponentially better, as well as the fact it has a great score and soundtrack alike. Lots of things to look forward to, particularly “The One I’d Be Waiting For” next week. More demons, more Sidney, more mystery.
With a car in a ravine, a police officer checks the scene. Inside is the dead body of Megan Holter’s (Wrenn Schmidt) husband Mark (David Denman). Now begins an interesting strain of the story, where we have to wait and watch as Kyle Barnes (Patrick Fugit) and his sister Megan deal with the fallout of demonic possession in the rest of their lives.
In jail, Reverend Anderson (Philip Glenister) sits in his bunk patiently. Watching the world around him. I wonder to what length he’ll go, or fall, in Season 2. Seems like he’s poised for something large. A little later Patricia (Melinda McGraw) goes to see him, and he confesses to burning down the trailer where her son was supposedly staying.
Season 2 is going so well. Very dark, lots to look forward to on the horror front and the drama, as well. Fugit, as always, is spectacular, and his Kyle Barnes is a character that reels me in.
Hood (Antony Starr) is confronted with reality for the first time in so long. Now Siobhan (Trieste Kelly Dunn) knows the truth about him, after Agent Phillips left all the information for her. How do they move forward from here?
Job (Hoon Lee) and Sugar Bates (Frankie Faison) are busy infiltrating their latest target. A bumpy entry smooths out. The pair gets to work. I love that Job gets more and more time. He is a solid character; interesting, exciting. He’s slick. He and Sugar manage to get what they need, but just in the nick of time.
Naturally, Hood is worried about what Siobhan’s going to do with the information she’s learned. There’s no telling. The call about dead Redbones on the highway comes in, begging their attention. Kinaho Officer Aimee King (Meaghan Rath) worries what Chayton Littlestone (Geno Segers) will do after this “act of war“, as she calls it.
Excited for the next episode, “Tribal”, as it continues this cliffhanger. Things get real serious, real quick. Lots of guns. Lots of surprises to come. Plus, it’s almost like an homage to Assault on Precinct 13 in certain ways. Maybe the shots of the Redbones and their tables of weapons was even a slight nod to other John Carpenter work? Maybe. Who knows. Either way, I dig. All of it.
One of the Nazis that killed Emmett and his wife is being hunted. By whom? Oh, you know. Sheriff Lucas Hood (Antony Starr). Shotgun and all. Because in a town like Banshee, with a sheriff like that, you do not want to be on the wrong side of the law.
Carrie (Ivana Milicevic) and Gordon (Rus Blackwell) are no more, as she has intense sex with Colonel Douglas Stowe (Langley Kirkwood). He seems totally cool with their lax relationship. At the very same time, Siobhan and Hood are in bed together continually becoming closer. What’ll be interesting to watch this series is how both Carrie and Hood move on. From everything, from one another. There are some exciting plots this season, so get ready.
At home, Carrie finds Gordon waiting for her. He isn’t happy she was out doing whatever while the kids were at home, all alone. Right then and there Hood arrives with Deva. She’s got questions about their past. For his part, he does his best to make Carrie look good to her daughter. There’s good and bad about what Carrie did. On the one hand, she tried to protect her family. On the other hand, she let Deva’s real father go on unknowing, in prison. All alone. A sweet moment between Deva and Hood, as he basically confesses his love for her, his daughter. Then I feel awful for Gordon while he’s talking to Hood: “I don‘t care who made her, I‘m her father,” he chokes out through the tears.
After the credits, Chayton sits carving symbols into his bow. Readying for war.
What an amazing opener to Season 3. Oh, and Nola Longshadow (Odette Annable) is still kicking around. Prepared to avenge the death of her brother. What will she do?
We see Olek (Chris Vasilopoulos) again. A younger Mr. Rabbit (Ben Cross). They’ve got a man named Yuri on his knees, questioning whether he stole from the boss. He did, in fact. Not a good sign for ole Yuri, though he tells the truth. Right before having his throat cut. A look at the ruthlessness in Rabbit, heading into a swan song for either him or the ones against him in this season finale.
Carrie: “How many lives have you lived?”
In the New York church, Carrie meets her Uncle Yulish (Julian Sands). Then a row of gunmen. I LOVE THIS SEQUENCE! Carrie and Hood go deep, diving in. They take on the guns like two immortal bad asses, as their beautiful Massive Attack theme plays over the gunfight. Bullets spray through the church. The two lovers are stuck, much like that night on the heist 15 years before. Hood replays those images in his mind.
Back in Banshee, Hood and Carrie return to their lives. Or whatever life they have there, respectively. Another goodbye between the lovers, as Carrie goes back to Gordon, Hood goes to the bar with Sugar (Frankie Faison). Always, they’re parting. Never coming together like the tropes of romance hope. But for now, Hood goes to Siobhan (Trieste Kelly Dunn). Their relationship is certainly tenuous, though undeniably so; they are perpetually attracted to each other. That’s just never a good sign, for anyone to get close with Hood. He simply cannot survive alone. He is a lover AND a fighter.
Job (Hoon Lee) has tracked down where Mr. Rabbit (Ben Cross) is hiding, in the church with his priest brother (Julian Sands). This is a suspenseful opener, as Job follows the man of God further down into the church, into the basement.
At the Hopewell house things are slowly, steadily moving along between Gordon (Rus Blackwell) and Carrie (Ivana Milicevic). While Deva (Ryann Shane) is warming back to her mother, as is Gordon, things are never going to be the same. For now, things are fine. Is that always going to last?
At his office, Alex is confronted by George Hunter (Gil Birmingham). For a moment it seems like there might be trouble. The violent kind. That moment passes, as George leaves in frustration. Perhaps the torch has finally been passed, reluctantly.
Off go Carrie and Hood, suiting up. Simultaneously, a couple men dressed in the garb of priests are headed for Job’s hospital room. This puts them in each other’s way. A showdown ensues in the halls of New York Presbyterian once Carrie spies a holy man with the tattoo signifying Rabbit’s men on his neck. Furthermore, we get a bit of solid action, as usual. Hood takes on one of the henchmen, hand-to-hand, while Carrie guns at the other in the reception area. Awesome sequence on both sides. Little things here are so great, from one of the priest henchmen missing a high kick and busting a cabinet open, to Carrie using a wheelchair to divert the other henchman long enough to get a shot off. So many nice touches. In the end, they manage to slip themselves out of trouble. Just barely. And Dt. Bonner is not far behind, seemingly always nipping at the heels of both Rabbit and now, more importantly, Hood. They pass one another in the hallway briefly before Bonner realizes who he’s let by him.
After the credits, we watch Gordon smoke a joint, holding the picture Hood had under his bunk, and contemplating what’s next.
Love this episode. And the next episode, “Bullets & Tears”, makes for a wonderful Season 2 finale that propels things forward into a new era for Banshee as a series.
Hood (Antony Starr) bumps into Job (Hoon Lee) and Carrie (Ivana Milicevic) on a bust they’re doing. He lets them go. Quickly, Deputies Lotus (Matt Servitto) and Yawners (Demetrius Grosse) find him. He says nobody passed, they doubled back. But now Brock is starting to wonder even more: is this new sheriff all he says?
At the bar, Sugar (Frankie Faison) watches as the gang kind of falls apart. Not really, but they argue a good deal. Such a small amount Hood sees as a risk. It’s only distance Carrie is trying to put between them. She’s trying not to fall back into their relationship, trying her best to stay away.
One good thing for Hood and the gang, Job tracked down Rabbit. Hooray! Maybe they can finish this all off, cauterise the wound.
After the credits, we see a sad shot of Emmett’s desk. A picture of him and Meg. An ultrasound. The faint sound of me weeping in the background.
Another great chapter, a sad one but a great one. The next episode is titled “Homecoming”, and again, I love it. So get ready to rewatch the penultimate Season 2 finisher, heading towards that big season finale.
Finally, Carrie (Ivana Milicevic) is let out of prison. No dream. Waiting for her is not Gordon (Rus Blackwell). It’s Hood (Antony Starr). And they’re headed off for an adventure together.
Of course Carrie misses home. Her children. Hood’s keeping an eye on Deva (Ryann Shane), much as possible. The two talk together in the truck headed along the highway. But Hood also spies a a car trailing them. Who could it be? Likely not Rabbit. Or is it? Maybe Agent Racine (Zeljko Ivanek). Someone else, somebody worse? We’ll find out eventually.
That theme again. God damn you, Massive Attack!
After the credits, Hood beats the hell out of a punching bag, a picture of Carrie and her family nearby. Hard to quell a love and lust for someone when they were meant to be together forever, now forever seems much longer for him.
Great, great episode. A favourite of mine in the entire series. Next up is another solid chapter titled “Armies of One” that brings in a fun little character, one that helps push Hood to the limit for an exciting, thrilling episode.
Carrie (Ivana Milicevic) sits in jail. Disoriented. Feeling awful, filled with guilt. Thinking only of her family. But she does have a visitor waiting for her: Hood (Antony Starr), of course. Luckily, Carrie never got any further time for her brawl last episode. She’s more worried about Rabbit (Ben Cross) coming back for her, the kids. All of them. As always, Hood reassures there’s nothing to fear.
Out in in the country, Lana Cleary (Amber Midthunder) and Solomon Bowman (Gunnar Carrigan) are together. A forbidden relationship. They talk about running away, from the Amish county, from the reservation. Together. Young love trying to break away from the shackling traditions of their respective communities. Sadly, their relationship is destined for something far more sinister. Someone knows about them, and it seems as if they’re intent on putting an end to it. More permanent than keeping the two separated.
Hood starts sussing out the actual Hood’s son. He owes money, apparently. Some people are after him. Certainly Jason is smart enough to realize this man who’s not his dad has some reach. He wants to disappear and not be constantly watching his back. This resonates with Hood, son or not. The man known as Lucas Hood knows what it’s like to consistently be on his guard. All these things converge to push Hood and his too-big heart into helping the kid. For his part, Sugar (Frankie Faison) sets Jason straight on what the man now named Hood is really like – he’s a good guy, even killed the guys that murdered Jason’s dad. So in a roundabout way, Sugar gets through to him. Well, kinda.
Amazing episode. Another favourite of mine. Soon, I’ll do another recap and review on the next episode “Bloodlines”, which continues a great chapter in the series. Almost like a double-parter to this one, though the storyline and plots within keep going for quite a time. Excellent writing, as usual, in a exemplary arc involving Chayton, Nola, and the entire tribe aspect versus Hood and the Banshee P.D.
Hood (Antony Starr) and Nola Longshadow (Odette Annable) hooking seems too coincidental to be random. We’ll see if this leads to anything else. At the same time, Carrie (Ivana Milicevic) tries to move on with no family, all by her lonesome.
At his strip club, Kai receives a visit from Deputy Brock Lotus (Matt Servitto). They chat about bodies dug up in the woods – men who worked for Proctor – about Kai’s own talk with the FBI, and more. Clearly there’s going to be more to come, as Brock now discovers Kai last saw those men the same day Sheriff Hood arrived. Have mercy!
When Rebecca goes to see Hood, a couple army guys at Sugar’s (Frankie Faison) place start to get up in her business. They physically assault her, starting to get more serious. Right as Nola Longshadow kicks the hell out of them with her bad ass female power. She ain’t there to save Rebecca, though. She’s there to get a hostage. Over with Alex, they clash on what’s the best way forward.
Hood is off to drop Carrie at jail. He remembers going in himself, not wanting to see her face the same things. He gives her advice, even if it’s only a month. Still, he worries about what will happen. He knows the dangers of being inside.
And in the end, after the credits, Siobhan breathes a sigh of relief. Smiling. Knowing there’s no more abuse in her future.
A solid chapter in Season 2 to get things really rocking. Next episode is titled “The Warrior Class” and starts digging into the Amish and Native Indian aspects of the series more than ever. Stay tuned, fellow fans! I’ll have another recap and review coming up soon.
After the climactic moments of Season 1, this new season picks up with the man known as Lucas Hood (Antony Starr) laying injured in his bed, nursing those wounds he picked up going head to head with Mr. Rabbit. Still, he trains and keeps his physique proper, much like back in jail. And that’s one of the interesting points about his life. Each subsequent situation is similar to jail, as he finds himself always trapped, barred in somewhere. Right now, he’s stuck to Banshee like a barnacle, one that either needs to stay put or get eaten by much bigger fish. Because as the title of the episode makes clear, right now we’re dealing with the little fish.
Amish county is another part of why Banshee as a series is unique, innovative. We’re not often given a fictional peek into the Amish community, but with Rebecca Bowman (Lili Simmons) back at her family’s place again, Season 2 gives us more insight. She’s reeling after they discover Mayor Kendall was in the building she detonated. Uncle Kai Proctor (Ulrich Thomsen) tells her he didn’t know, either. She shouldn’t blame herself. But there’s so much doubt in her. Instead of going to apologize, she decides home is now with her uncle. She’s going to be a part of his business, a part of everything. A downward spiral at the outset.
Now there’s more FBI descending upon the town. Agent Dean Xavier (Derek Cecil) is joined by the ever wonderful Zeljko Ivanek as Agent Jim Racine. This only spells more trouble, for the town, for the dude masquerading as Sheriff Hood. For everyone wrapped up in the whole mess of the past season.
Sadly, Brock gets smacked with 18 months probation. Siobhan and Emmett receive 12. Hood is back being Sheriff, as he was an “endangered civilian” during the acts in question. With that, Racine is gone. Chain smoking the minutes away. We discover he’s dying with awful cancer. Reason he’s going so hard at Rabbit, obviously. So that’s all a part of things. Hood and the gang are definitely not getting off completely. However, they’re the “little fish” Xavier is using to dangle in front of the Ukranian mobster, all in order to try and do some good before the cancer takes him. At the same time, Xavier’s headed away from Banshee, so that’s a sigh of relief for Lucas, Carrie, and the rest.
Carrie: “Could you have been hacked?”
Hood and Siobhan are a little closer now. He helps her set-up in a trailer, they chat about everything that’s transpired in Banshee. She’s of course worried about the future, though Hood tries to reassure her it’ll all work out. At the same time, Gordon and Carrie are at odds, with him having to recuse himself from her trial, and so on. There are so many pressures pushing down on Banshee as a town. Something is bound to break, again.
Next up is “The Thunder Man” and it takes Season 2 up a level early on.
Back in jail, Hood (Antony Starr) sits with a psychiatrist. Not saying much, but rather sitting there simply to get on towards parole. He ends up sort of picking her apart. We start to get the feeling Hood has either been formally trained, somehow, or else has a natural gift for psychology. An observant man. A thief. An inmate. We also figure out no matter where he is, where he goes, what he does, the guy’s got a unique talent for drawing women towards him.
Cut to the end of last episode. Hood hears the cocking of guns behind him, outside the Cadi. Rounds and rounds empty into the building. Hood ducks and covers, much as he can. The place is near decimated and he finds himself backed into a corner, glass raining down upon him. That is, until he hears other bullets. Bodies nearby dropping. And out comes the cavalry: Kai Proctor (Ulrich Thomsen) with an AK-47. “I guess you owe me one,” he quips to his apparent new ally.
Well now Carrie lets the deputies in on what’s happening with Rabbit. Soon enough, everybody’s convinced once Siobhan reminds everyone what would be happening if it were any of them and Hood was in their shoes. Everybody’s off now. Guns at the ready.
Out amongst the trees, there’s another crime scene. This one is bad news: they’ve found a body with a hole in its hand, next to another one. Sound familiar? Ah, that whole thing about reaping what we sow. It’s possibly going to start blowing back on ole Hood. With Agent Xavier on the case, as well as Banshee PD sniffing around, things may get sticky. What a finish to this season!
Next season is a blast. Only gets better with each passing set of episodes. Another ten coming at you soon, as I review Season 2. This’ll be my second or third watch of these episodes, and still I always find enjoyment. A solid, quality work of television magic.
Hood (Antony Starr) rushes to the hospital with Ana a.k.a Carrie Hopewell (Ivana Milicevic). He gets her into the Emergency Room. Saying someone attacked her. The doctors take her inside, but who knows what will happen next. Hood’s left outside, to wait, to hope, to go crazy.
I’m worrying about what comes next with Kai (Ulrich Thomsen) and his niece Rebecca (Lili Simmons). He looks at her in a different light, after what happened in the previous episode. He’s seen her naked, and something disgusting has awoken in him. He watches her, not like an uncle should, as she takes off her towel and steps out to the pool in a bathing suit. This is headed to a dark place.
Next up is the Season 1 finale, “A Mixture of Madness”, which brings lots of the titular madness, some blood, and plenty of wild action. As usual.
Farewell, Banshee – we hardly knew ye! This show matured as it went. Despite how others saw the serial killer storyline this season, I dig it. Capped off a wild series of events from day one. Now, we’ve arrived at the series finale.
Hood (Antony Starr) arrives to say goodbye to Deva (Ryann Shane), as she heads off to college. She’s worried about not fitting in, that her messed up life has done a number on her. But her father assures she’ll work through it. She is a tough cookie.
Brock: “That’s right. Someone just blew up your fuckin‘ drugs.”
Back to Kurt and Maggie (Casey LaBow). They embrace as she gets ready to head out. Then Calvin appears from the distance. A brother showdown. Heat radiates off their burning stares. Betrayal is hot and steaming between the two. And instead of shooting his brother, Kurt engages in fucking Spartan warfare with him after Cal pulls brass knuckles. Another amazing fight. All around, this show has the best fight choreography of any series, and beats many films, too. The actors are also so versatile. They put in top notch performances, then they further get physically involved to do a host of fighting and some stuns. Really remarkable for a television series, as far as I’m concerned.
Hood’s still gearing up to say goodbye. To Banshee. To everyone and everything. There are things that could keep him sticking around, or keep him from floating at least. He just doesn’t feel it’s worth it. Time to get away. Especially now with his own daughter moving on. Before Dawson leaves him in the motel, she drops a file on his bed – his file, an arrest report. The real Hood, whomever that might be, is in those pages. She knows him. And she still wants him, despite that.
Hood: “You know the whole ti– all those years in my cell, you were always there with me.”
An amazing series. I keep going back and rewatching many episodes, seasons. Head back to look through my recaps/reviews. What were your favourite episodes? This finale was incredible and fit very well. Love that we never found out Hood’s real name, or did we? Try zooming in on that file Dawson left him. Maybe there’s nothing (hint: there’s nothing you can see clearly I don’t think). And that’s better off. Because it wouldn’t have made anything better. He’s proper mysterious. Leave it at that.
The third of three final episodes in Banshee‘s swan song season begins as a woman sits in her car, taking a pill, then getting out with bag that looks suspiciously like it may contain a small gas canister. Is it just me? Likely this is one of the serial killer’s followers. She’s bringing a message for Sheriff Brock Lotus (Matt Servitto). “He wants you to know he won‘t stop,” she tells him. Uh oh. As I guessed, she douses herself in gasoline. “He wants you to see. You will all see.” Then she lights herself up.
When Maggie (Casey LaBow) wakes up, she finds her husband Calvin Bunker (Chris Coy) naked, bloody. Then he jumps on top of her demanding sex. Seems they’ve not been having any for a while. Likely since she’s been sleeping with Calvin’s brother, Deputy Kurt Bunker (Tom Pelphrey). But Cal, he’s got bigger problems. He killed his neo-Nazi boss. Oh, and now he’s decided to rape his own wife. What a piece of work.
Agent Dawson is a god damn bad ass, and slick as hell. Plus she has Hood as back-up. They go to see a doctor, one who’s had his medical license revoked. Yet still he’s there, popping in breast implants. Almost a pity Dawson only came in during the final season. She and Hood have good chemistry, as characters and in terms of Dushku/Starr. Anyways, they’re tracking down implants: devil horns, to be exact. But the body mod community is slippery, dark, not the type of business where receipts are kept and credit card numbers stay on file. Luckily, they get a camera out due to Hood’s superior thief skills.
The end of this episode shocked me. I saw it coming gradually, then it still got me. Next episode is “Truths Other Than the Ones You Tell Yourself”, the penultimate finish to this beautiful, brutal, mad series. Stay with me, fellow fans.
After Special Agent Dawson (Eliza Dushku) arrived in the last episode, offering up a likely sexy ride to the former Lucas Hood (Antony Starr), as well as a serial killer with weird devil horns and other eccentricities running around Banshee, this episode is bound to be fun.
Out on the hunt goes Dawson. In a sleazy little club, she looks through the backrooms filled with BDSM play everywhere, all shades and sorts. A few people try pulling a hard, fast one on Dawson. Before Hood shows up and they finish the place off. “You come here too,” he quips comically. So the two of them ended up there for different reasons, same journey. They make a great team. So glad the writers didn’t automatically just toss them in bed together, as I predicted at the end of last episode, beginning of this episode. They’re two ass kickers and deserve to be written as such instead of falling into love stories. Plus, Hood has had enough tragedy in that department.
Can’t wait for the next episode, titled “Only One Way a Dog Fight Ends”, as the final season approaches its last few episodes. This will be a sorely missed series when it goes, I cannot say it enough.
This episode starts four months previous. Job (Hoon Lee) is being tortured with ultraviolet lights at high intensity. A man behind him is goggled, talking to him in a low voice. Then he forces Job to stare into the lights, causing him pain. This is one desperate situation.
Seventeen months ago, we’re back with Kurt. We see him and Calvin’s wife Maggie (Casey LaBow) – she comes to try and help him out a bit with groceries. This is clearly where their forbidden love affair began. She shouldn’t have been visiting, but her hate for what Calvin did to his brother drives her to Kurt. In present day, Calvin starts to get suspicious of his wife, where she is all the time not answering her phone. So the race is whether Kurt can figure out how to get Calvin put in jail, something similar, or if his brother figures out their affair.
In a black van Job is transported to an old rundown mill of some sort. There, he’s made to walk into the nearby woods led by men at gunpoint. A car pulls up and he’s finally safe in the arms of Hood. Only a minute later armed men are surrounding them all. Seems Leo isn’t that trustworthy when all is said and done. However, Fat Au has things handled. Above in the wings waiting are men with rifles, picking off the would-be captors, and everything is settled quick. Although, Leo gets away like a greasy snake. One leftover man gets shot in the head by Job in a nice cathartic moment of revenge.
Excited for the next episode, “Innocent Might Be a Bit of a Stretch” – many big things are shaping up to come. Including more of the serial killer, out murdering in the night. Almost halfway through the final season. Christ, will I ever miss this damn show.
