Helix - Cross Pollination
The most recent episode of Helix, "Cross Pollination" came to a close and my shoulders just slumped.
They slumped.
"That's it?" I thought to myself.
I must be really jaded by TV. A roomful of people were poisoned to death and I felt disappointed.
As Brother Michael passed through the crowd the music rose the people fell and Michael felt nothing. (Yikes, maybe I should start a cult if I didn't feel that much too.)
I think I was disappointed because the people Michael poisoned didn't mean that much to me. I felt no personal investment with them. They've been characterized as sheep. They've turned on each other and the CDC team . And when we got to know individual members they come off as paranoids, schemers and yes, again, sheep.
I get it. Brother Michael is the ultimate evil. A Narcissist's narcissist. He was wronged back in 1601 and he hasn't gotten over it. We get his back story and we understand his motivation.
Oh, that little tidbit opened one of the big reveals in the episode. Let's get to it!
We learn from little mam'selle Durant why they are so interested in Michael's work. Infertility!
Michael is so bitter from another man fathering a child through his young wife that he has been working on making men infertile for 400 years. Woman too? Not sure.
Anyway, it's a great plan and it makes you wonder why Ilaria doesn't adopt it. Oh, that's right, too impatient. Bring on Narvik C and let's end this. Well, I like the plan and I thought it was pretty clever of the Helix writers to go in this direction.
We've seen something similar from the movie, "Children of Men." We don't explicitly find out why people become infertile in that movie but as you can see from the above image eventually somebody does have a child again. Great movie a modern day sci-fi classic. See it.
So, similar themes of infertility on an apocalyptic level.
Our next reveal? It comes in the form of the next episode's teaser and I'm so happy. (Skip ahead if you hate teasers.)
The Coast Guard shows up and tells everyone they have to get off the island.
Yaaaaaaay!!! Unslump those shoulders! (Can you tell I'm getting a little tired of the island nonsense.)
Oh wait, Alan stays on the island because, as we know, Julia is looking for him in the future.
Darn it.
Perhaps without all the cult followers the show will tighten up a little and our team will be left fighting the "Veggie Vectors" after the Coast Guard levels the Abbey. That's just a guess but something awful happens to the compound because in the future it is just a smoking hole.
Another reveal?
Sarah loses the baby. Finally.
Sorry, that sounded cruel. But this plot line couldn't continue. And she didn't so much as lose the baby, she had it taken from her.
And it was Alan's fault! (Pretty much.)
He did feel pretty badly. It was his child too.
So what is Michael's endgame? He's got the fetus, he's still going ahead with the "planting ritual" but Amy gets to keep her teeth. He's "thinned his crop." So what does he do with an immortal fetus? He doesn't like anyone else to procreate. He's a geneticist. Sooo, we're not certain Immortals can procreate and that seems doubtful.
Oh! Immortal companions or should I say an immortal companion for Brother Michael so he doesn't have to go through generations of women anymore. Then again, why wouldn't he just pair up with an existing Immortal? And he's such a Narcissist wouldn't he just tire of the same old companion anyway?
Darn.
He is a madman so maybe he wants to clone his favorite wife/daughters from time gone by and have them forever.
That makes sense.
I'll tell you what I'd like to see.
Michael still has his goons, the Veggie Vectors (Fungi Friends?) are still on the island, the CDC is there and the Coast Guard too. A big battle ensues, Michael and his contingent lose, a power vacuum arises and Hatake arrives at the island to fill the void!
We'd get to see him in the present time and he'd be back on the show.
Now that's what I call a win win!
I'm actually a bit surprised you didn't enjoy this episode so much... I posted some random thoughts on my own blog this morning (kvhardy.com). To be honest. most of my feelings revolve around the end of the epsiode, but overall I liked it. I really enjoy Mlle Durant, she quite charming for a little kid. And to me, Sarah is SO so much more enjoyable this seson - I like her a million times more than I did in season one!
ReplyDeleteMicheal, now, is something else entirely. The whole Island Cult thing is, at first glance, a rather overused plot engine, but it has been interesting to see the different characters. I do agree with you Dave, that the "common people" of the island are very much portrayed as sheep, but honestly.... Honestly, isn't that really what they are, in the end? That and they were obviously indoctrinated since birth to follow, if I have understood it all properly. Micheal used a first girl - an Eve, if you will - and then did the incest or cloning thing down the centuries to keep it all pure. I also agree that we don't really feel much for them when they bite the dust, but I think that is why the little kid was there. Worked for me anyway. I couldn't believe that none of them, not even the littlest one, was saved.
It was a bit much at first, and then I thought about it. That is what really happens in those places, it seems. Awful.
The only way I could now be disappointed is if Micheal is given a way to redeem himself. For me personally, he has gone over the line - Micheal must die an awful, horrible, nasty death. As for Hatake, I don't see what could come of him taking over, though it could happen, I guess...
Which brings me to the one thing I have not liked this season (just a little complaint, because I've really liked this season), and that is Julia in the future. I don't mind time jumps at all, but what I'm not so fond of is that we are this far in and we STILL don't know why she is there, if she follow the slow road to get there or if something happened. Because if she is there and her story carries on from there, it'll be hard to logically tie her back to this time, even if it is "backstory" for her but "current story" for us.
Anyway.
Just my cent and a half... :-)
Ingrid,
ReplyDeleteI didn't enjoy it so much because the ending didn't resonate with me at all. It was like this big set piece where Michael walks down the center of the room. The camera follows him from above and the bodies fall left and right like so much wheat before the scythe. The symphonic music that swelled in the background was supposed to add depth and meaning to it all but I felt absolutely nothing. I think I was being manipulated and it irked me. There was no investiture with the island "sheep" at all.
Totally agree with you about Sarah. Jordan Hayes is really killing it this season. She has more to chew on as an actor. It started with her "Hot Zone" status where we learn she's been taking unacceptable chances and we get her vulnerable side with her interminable pregnancy and then having the fetus taken from her. She's doing great work.
Redemption for Michael? Yeesh, I hope not. They better not! They should throw him in that pit with all the rats. Or better yet, have Amy snap his neck.
As far as any possible return for Hatake, I would hope it would come in the present timeline. I don't see him as taking over Michael's community as much as I see him continuing his research. And perhaps we could get a better insight into his madness.
The Julia of the future? Hmm, they better make it work. Where did Caleb go? What is the sword for? Who else is on the island and why?
Thanks Ingrid!