On some levels, this approach works to the episode's benefit. We're able to spend more time on this group and get to know them more than we have when they were fighting two other camps for screen time. This also allows for more momentum in terms of plot as we have a few revelations come to light.
One of the big whammies is that Bryan isn't Bryan. Instead, he's someone named Jonah Dixon and Bryan Hunt lies injured in another hospital room. Given the name, it's possible that they could have just had the same one, but the show seems to be going a different route. It should lead to some more information about "Arrowhead" in the next episode as the two end the episode meeting face to face.
The episode actually seems to draw a lot from "The Walking Dead" in the way that its structured. Whether you view that as a positive or a negative depends on your view of the show. I don't know if I'd want to see every episode take this approach, but it worked here.
In order to keep the episode from getting too claustrophobic, we are given some flashbacks to Kevin and Eve's earlier days of marriage. It allows us to see a world where the sun still shines and the couple are happy. It was a breath of fresh air in all honesty. As dour as things are, it helps to get a brief breather now and then.
It would have been nice if the previous episodes had better established Kevin's brother. If the flashbacks hadn't reminded us that he was mentioned, I would have thought he came out of the blue. It seems they're a tad estranged, so I guess that helps justify it, but I think it would have helped add to the emotional conflict in which Kevin finds himself.
For all the episode does well, when it goes awry, it goes really awry. Kevin's decision to perform surgery on his brother while a doctor instructs him over a radio headset is probably one of the dumber ideas presented. If there was a live video feed, I might have been able to go along, but this was much harder to buy. The fact that both the doctor and Kevin's brother point out that this is a stupid plan doesn't really help change the fact that it's a stupid plan.
The surgery itself was engaging in a gruesome way, but it still seemed like the stupid outweighed the tension.
Outside of that, Adrian takes a step backwards, coming off more like he did back in episode 1, when he was one of the show's most glaring flaws. You still kind of feel bad for him when one of the jocks from episode 1 beats the crap out of him, but the ensuing love scene is just played weird.
Same goes for the hetero love scene between Kevin and Eve in the flashback. This more because it came off as rather gratuitous, but it still has an odd vibe to it.
As to the titular mist, it takes a backseat. It's actually a plus, as when it does come to the forefront, it makes the episode more goofy than scary. Any interest in the true nature of the mysterious fog wanes, as it is clear that even the writers don't know what the mist does or how it works. Sometimes it makes monsters/killer animals/manifests the dead, sometimes it drives you crazy, sometimes it does nothing, and sometimes it rots your flesh. There's no rhyme or reason to any of it. Sure, it's a plot device, but they could at least try to hide the fact a little better.
We're halfway through. Hopefully, the writers will be able to bring more cohesion and consistency to the show's second half.
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