As we saw in this year's docket, there's quite a bit of backlog to go through. The focus of 2019 Q1 will be to clear out a lot of these TV shows that really should have been done a long time ago. It's been awhile, so if you need a refresher on what's happening in this particular series, this might help jog your memory.
Honestly, though, this episode was still pretty easy to follow. Even if your memory is a bit foggy, only a few references are made to specific events. It allows the episode to act as a solid stand alone, which is weird because this episode probably has the most momentum in terms of plot that the show has seen in some time.
I said before that a part of me wanted to see Skarsgard get more screen time and this episode delivers it. He still doesn't say a whole lot, and we learn only a little, but he is able to play a much larger role in the plot.
A lot of this is due to the fact that the warden at Shawshank has him released. Funnily enough, even Henry (who had fought to get him released) seems uncomfortable with the idea of the Kid being out and about.
The episode tries to play with moral ambiguity by suggesting that the Kid is a victim. It would have been an interesting angle if it wasn't already abundantly clear that something is up with him that is beyond the norm. Even if he's not intentionally malevolent, he does pose a clear danger and bad things happen when he's around. It seems that not even skin to skin contact is necessary as his presence outside of a suburban home results in a child's birthday party turning into a violent fiasco.
Even Warden Lacey admits in a flashback that he's not entirely sure if his faith has led him in the right direction. Judging by what we've seen, it seems like it has. In any event, it gives Terry O'Quinn more screen time, so I can hardly complain about that.
This episode also delivers when it comes to Stephen King nods. The references to Dodd and Cujo are nice, though they've been done a couple times now. Juniper Hill is mentioned, but I think the big one is the reveal that Jackie Torrance is the niece of one Jack Torrance. She even admits that it isn't her real name and she took it out of spite. It does explain the similarity, though I do hope that the show does something more with the connection.
In the meantime, there are plenty of strange goings-on to keep the viewer intrigued. There are too many to list, but it does add a foreboding element given the Kid's release. It does suggest that dark times are looming. This is almost literal too, as the sky takes on a darker, more overcast tone in some of the key scenes featuring the mysterious figure.
Much like the last episode, this one really kicks into high gear in the final scenes. There's no big shootout, but there is a tense standoff, as Pangborn confronts the kid and tries to demand answers. We learn that how Pangborn knew about Lacey's imprisonment of the Kid and that he went along with it, despite some doubts. Those doubts are laid to rest, however, as Pangborn reveals that the Kid hasn't aged a day.
It's weird, we pretty much knew that, but for some reason, the fact never clicked up until Pangborn said as much. The revelation still carries some weight for a decent wham moment, even though it really had no right to.
The Kid does admit that he isn't the devil, though he is perplexed regarding the fact that Pangborn doesn't know what's going on in the town. It's a nice cryptic line to end on. Honestly, the fact that he offered to help Ruth seems like the bigger twist, but we'll see what comes of it. Maybe he does have good intentions or maybe he's just trying to gain leverage, it's too soon to say.
Really, though, Pangborn should have known that the Kid isn't Satan. After all, the devil had already made his way to the town and set up a pawn shop. I'm surprised that fact hasn't come up yet on the show, but I guess it's possible that that didn't happen in this continuity.
Either way, this was a strong outing for the show. It moved things forward and provided an impetus for some major developments in the episodes to come. The strong ending also stirs up that urge to binge watch, which is quite easy now that the whole season is out. Hopefully, I'll be able to keep pace. While I do want to progress for the sake of clearing out the back log, I am interested to see where the show goes from here. My analysis may be out of date, but my curiosity is still very much intact.
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