12 Monkeys continues to make less and less sense as far as I am concerned. Does anyone really know who or what the threat to humanity is anymore? Is it the red forest? Is it the virus? Does time travel bring about the end of civilization or is it the only thing that stops the destruction of humanity? I am just about getting to the point where I know longer care.
Let's start with Cassie and Ramse because they were the least interesting this week. Now that Cassie has revealed to Ramse that she saw a place called Titan when connected to the Witness, they decide to search for it. They are unable to find any reference to it on any map that they have, so Cassie laments the fact that databases no longer exist. Cue the arrival of Hannah, who has just the ticket. Hannah suggests that they visit The Keeper, who just happens to trade in truths. Ramse gets packed to head out and Cassie is quick to follow despite his objections. It seems that Cassie has figured out that even though she is not immune to the virus, the fact that she hasn't left the message for Cole from the past about the virus means that she won't die in 2044. Did anyone else have to stop and think about what the hell Cassie was referring to for a moment? Yeah, that's because 12 Monkeys keeps switching threats.
Thanks to the fact that humanity had started digitizing documents, The Keeper managed to save many things when society fell apart. Take that all you purists who insist on reading paper instead of e reading like the rest of us. So, anyway, The Keeper hooks up Cassie and Ramse to his uber lie detector test. Given Ramse's obvious disdain for Cassie, he demands to know why they hate each other. Cassie claims of course that the issue is that Ramse was willing to kill millions to save just one person. Surprisingly, The Keeper's machine indicates that Cassie is lying. Wait, all those hours of giving Ramse grief for trying to save Sam is not her issue? Yeah, it's a lot more shallow than that. It seems that Cassie hates Ramse because Cole supposedly chose him over her. Similarly, Ramse's reason is exactly the same - JEALOUSY. It's petty and ridiculous and had me rolling my eyes. So now that The Keeper has the dirt on Cassie and Ramse's relationship, though I cannot think for a moment why he would even give two fucks, he prints out a classified document which mentions Titan in Germany and offers a date. Looks like there's going to be more road trips in the future.
While Ramse and Cassie are off on their road trip, Cole heads to see Jennifer about the fact that the red forest is growing because of a paradox. Jennifer actually calls Cole out on his distraction and warns him to keep his eye on her hands. She's trippy and fun and Cole realises that while this is all new for him, it's a part of Jennifer's history.
Back in 2016, Jennifer has freed a group of women who were in a mental institution and drawn a picture of a hyena on the wall because hyenas are the natural predator of the monkeys. The big plan is using the women she has collected, (which she has named the Hyenas) is to take the fight to The Monkeys for a change. Jennifer refers to it as her A Team but made up of a Murdocks. Yeah, I love when she makes 80's references that fly right over Cole's head.
Cole splinters in and the Hyenas are not down with a man invading their sisterhood. They've all set a trap for the Pallid Man hoping to be able to take him out for good. That's right, The Pallid Man and Olivia are back in action. Olivia is now a wheelchair user and is filled with doubt about The Witness. I think any reasonable person would be given how much he has gotten wrong recently. The Pallid Man however isn't down for any questioning of their lord and master and chokes Olivia for daring to speak her doubts. It's a pretty violent scene that actually had me rooting for Olivia to find a way to end the Pallid Man.
Unsurprisingly, The Hyenas and Jennifer have way under estimated the Pallid Man and he scores against them big time. The Pallid Man has all of the Hyenas save Jennifer killed, along with their source, who was going to reveal of his dirty little secrets. To add a little more salt to the wounds, The Pallid Man informs Cole that the paradox has already happened and then taunts him about trying to stop it. The Pallid Man even takes the time to taunt Cole about killing his father. Sure, Cole gets to punch the Pallid Man a few times but I suppose for the Pallid Man, it's a small price to pay.
Jennifer is distraught by her defeat and though she knows that she makes it to 2044, she wonders if she can ever be a leader. Cole repeats Jennifer's words to her from 2044, informing her that the right choice, is the choice she makes.
The Pallid Man isn't done with his scheming. He actually recruits Hannah's father to build the Splitter Machine. Obviously, The Witness has something to do with this. This is one of those times when 12 Monkeys feels circular and doesn't make a lot of sense to me at all. So yeah, he builds the machine and Jones makes it work.
Back in 2044, though Hannah and Jones are reunited, the warm and fuzzy moments seem to be over. Hannah returns the blanket because she was raised to believe that one shouldn't have personal possessions. Rather than throwing out the blanket, Hannah returns it to Jones sure that it has some sentimental meaning for her. Hannah very much disapproves of science in the belief that it brought about the end of civilisation and while she has a point to make, without science things could be even worse. The two women have a little chat about Hannah's father and Jones admits that the only thing she loved the man for was giving her Hannah.
Okay, that's it for this week of 12 Monkeys. Without Jennifer this show would unwatchable as far as I am concerned. She's so much more than the comic relief that the writers have set her up to be. I want to know what she is going to say and do next. I love the way that she teaches Cole about what he needs to pay attention to and her brutal honesty. None of the other characters interest me the way that she does.
Whitley is alive. We saw him briefly this week but I have given up hope on the writers actually doing anything with his character. It seems like there can only be one character of colour on this show to have any kind of plot or characterisation? They might as well have left Whitley in the plot box as far as I am concerned at this point.
It was somewhat interesting to see Hannah and Jones play against each other. I am however wary that it might turn into too much of a good thing because thus far, Hannah and Jones are pretty unemotional and similar in disposition if not beliefs. We'll see.
