As slow as this was, I never lost interest.
The Mother of all Evil
I’ve never really seen Carrie Coon in anything, but she singlehandedly makes this hour a mesmerizing experience. Her Vera is a fascinating character; you totally buy her as a desperate mother, but also as a ruthless cult leader who will let nothing get in her way. Of course the word “cult” is never really uttered – Mosswood Grove is pitched as some kind of utopian community, but the red flags are all there. There are also some intriguing parallels with our protagonist, Detective Heather Novack having had some strange experience with the group: she and her girlfriend almost joined years back, and the latter disappeared into that strange shed with the cult leader. The episode’s cliffhanger isn’t the biggest shocker (is everyone worshipping that bizarre rock?) but I’m still so very curious to learn more.
An Unlikely Dynamic
Elisha Henig continues to be a tremendous Julian Walker. The little boy is just so good in the role – equal parts vulnerable and creepy (much like his mother). I also love the dynamic between him and Ambrose, who finally starts opening up to the young boy. We didn’t learn much about Harry last year, but this episode reveals a pretty big bombshell (he lived in a foster home after his mom had an “accident”), as well as intriguing tidbits like the fact that he thinks growing a beard makes him more imposing. Can we please have more scenes between the duo next week? I can totally see a father-son relationship brewing here.
Sinful Bits
– Super creepy moment: Vera desperately whispering into Julian’s ear and getting him to change his story.
– The figure that Julian sees at night has to be the most terrifying thing I’ve seen all year .
– Vera says “I know where the monster is”. What could she be referring to?
– So the duo that Julian supposedly “killed” at the motel were trying to escape from the cult. Hmmm… Why were they running?
Conclusion
A fascinating follow-up to last week’s explosive premiere. I have high hopes for this season!