So after last
episode, Ben decides to not kill the mermaid and stops Xander and his dad from
doing so. Which doesn’t make them happy because killing mermaids is how
they’re going to get Chris back!
Apparently?
I feel they haven’t
thought it through. They’re not the smartest people on the boat
And then Ben decides
to jump into the water. Hey remember Helen last episode telling us mermaids
naturally view humans in the water as prey and how Ben was nearly killed by a
mermaid in the water? Well he just jumped into the water with a possible
mermaid
I take it back, maybe the guys who think killing mermaids will get them Chris back ARE the smartest guys on the boat
So with this stunning
display of intellect, Ben isn’t eviscerated but he does find like the hugest
possible thing ever stuck on the bottom of the boat. Like I don’t know boats at
all, but I feel if you go out to see and don’t notice this is on the bottom of
your boat then you’re doing boats wrong
This device makes
mermaid noises and has probably lots of other nefarious military technology
assuming the military hadn’t heard of miniaturisation. Ben also makes peace
with Xander by explaining he totally does want to find Chris (allegedly? I
mean, this whole episode he seems distinctly unbothered) but murdering random
aquatic creatures just doesn‘t seem to be the way to do it.
Oh and Xander’s plan
is to power up the device, wait for the military arrive and then question them.
Because the military answer questions
I think there may be
a lot of inbreeding in this town.
Ryn has been
attracting some attention - now Sheriff Dale (Maddie’s dad) is investigating
the death of rapist arsehole from last episode. The police conclude that
someone big and immensely strong killed him and that he’s a rapist arsehole and
good riddence. But Ryn has also showed off her super strength while stealing
some clothes so she’s attracting some attention.
Ryn works her way to
Helen’s shop and Helen is cautiously accepting of her, teaching her English,
buying an entire fishmongers to feed her, and working round her sometimes
violent fear and propensity to lash out. I say again, the alienness of Ryn is
excellently well done. She does manage to convey that she’s looking for her
sister
Ben meanwhile introduces
Maddie to the big mermaid secret (and points Siren, when he’s half naked -
which is happening enough to make this character much more interesting - and
covered in scratch marks we don’t get a convoluted cheating assumption from
Maddie. Because “I’m not cheating, it was a mermaid” is just not a good story).
Thankfully he has video evidence so Maddie quickly becomes a member of team
mermaid though he does tell
He also takes Helen’s
advice to see his dad who runs a fish company. They have differences about
sustainable fishing and, predictably, his dad thinks all the stories about
grandad killing mermaids are fictional and/or evidence that great grand-dad had
mental health issues or was a big drinker or both. Which… yeah? I mean, why
would anyone think this would be a useful line of inquiry. I say again that the
people in this town aren’t that bright.
Speaking of, Xander’s
friend Calvin hates Ben as a spoiled rich kid slumming it (which may be
reasonable) but also thinks they should lure the military and then ambush them
I mean, is there a
competition? Who can be the stupidest on this show?
Maddie and Ben
eventually make their way to Helen’s where, after Helen pretends Ryn isn’t
there, they get to meet the mermaid, introduce themselves and confirm that the
big mechanical thing is playing a recording of her sister in distress which
gets Ryn pretty agitated. Helen insists on secrecy because of the whole
massacre thing. I insist on it because people don’t believe in mermaids.
But of course they
all decide to try and find Ryn’s sister and I can’t help but think they’re way
more interested in this than they are in finding Chris. I also think Ryn reacts
when she gets wet? Or her skin changes at least.
They decide to go on
a road trip to help find her sister, though Helen is worried about Ryn being
out in the world. They end up in the bar so Ben can try and make nice with
Xander and continue to deal with a very hostile Calvin. And I’m wondering
exactly what the point of this trip was? Especially since Ben decides to
research mermaids which doesn’t exactly involve Xander at all.
While they wait in
the car, Maddie does interact with Ryn which includes some clear, careful
moments when Maddie is afraid of her, but also gives her chance to expand on
her being Native American but I also get a sense of disillusionment. She talks
about her stories and beliefs but also makes it clear she doesn’t think they’re
real, that she thinks they’re fictional. I think it may be linked to her
mother’s disappearance and a growth of cynicism.
After taking Ryn home
they go to her dad’s and hear that that non-human blood was found at the murder
of rapist arsehole.
Why do television
cops never care about confidentiality?
We also drop in on
evil lab to confirm they’re doing evil experimenting on Ryn’s sister and
drugging Chris. But said sister may be using her mojo on one of the guards
And my opinion of the
second episode is fairly similar to the first - the mermaid is impressive. The
predator, the alienness, it’s just excellent.
Everyone else? I’m
not so sure - they need work. There’s a lot of dubious decisions going on. And
a lot of movement without really doing anything. Which is reasonable in a second
episode but it’s not really characterising to a huge degree. So I’m just on
hold for the time being
