All of the individual sub-plots held their own. Normally, one lags while the other moves, but this time equal care was given to all of them and it really worked to the show's benefit.
A lot of the characters are also starting to stand out more. Vic, the game employee, is quickly becoming one of my favorite characters. He's likable, adds some levity, and is pretty helpful in tight spots. For somebody who started off as a no name background character, he's made serious strides as of late.
In a similar manner, Adrian has gone from being the bane of the show's existence to one of its stronger aspects. The twist really did him some good as it adds whole new layers to Posner's portrayal. The kid's a pathological liar who could give Walter White a run for his money. We even see him rehearsing his lines at one point. It makes what would have otherwise been a heartfelt reunion between two longtime friends into something very unsettling.
On other fronts, Natalie and her group venture through the sewers en route to the mall. It was nice to see that the two others outside of the cop were still skeptical of Natalie's ramblings. They raise eyebrows and point out the flaws in her logic. It was nice to see that it was more of an alliance of convenience than actual faith in her cause. Of course, you know what that means for these two. While they didn't have a whole lot of time to establish themselves, they served the purpose of showing how far off Natalie and the cop are in terms of mental stability and how determined they are to follow through with their whackadoo agenda.
The mall subplot is probably the weakest, as Alex is now public enemy number one thanks to Gus. I do find it odd that he was surprised that people were worked into a frenzy over it, though he does at least suggest sending her out into the mist as a way to "avenge" Shelley's death without everyone turning rabid. Oddly enough, the idea never comes up again and the angry mob acts like an angry mob, barring one woman who makes a somewhat sincere plea for Alex to just cop to it.
There are some upsides. Mia and Jonah have a rather nice scene together. It fleshed out the characters and showed how far the relationship has come. Hopefully the show can deliver more scenes like that.
Speaking of scenes the show needs more of, we actually got some spooky and supernatural goings on in regards to the mist. It's refreshing to see after the season has, by and large, ignored that plot point. We also get some ominous warnings about something evil setting its sights on the main characters.
We also follow up on the military sub-plot that has largely been ignored. The episode's final twist really doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Wes attacking Jonah would have made sense if he was friends (or at least serving) with the original Bryan Hunt; but then we learn that Jonah is actually Wes' commanding officer. If so, why did Wes beat the crap out of him? Maybe soldiers think about doing that and he saw a chance to live out the fantasy? It's weird. If nothing else, this hints that the military might have something to do with what's going on. Hopefully, it'll mean we get at least some answers in the near future.
The show is making a sincere effort to at least end things on a high note. If there is going to be a second season, it's the best way to ensure its success. Hopefully the final episode will be able to take the momentum that this episode provided and keep going with it.
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