Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
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Overview
As Charlie introduces herself to Holden and begins another love triangle, we go deeper into the past of Arthur and Dr. Frost.
Topic 1: Search For The Truth (Luke, Tom, and Jeff)
Thanks to his girlfriend, and him, dealing pills and having them, plus Luke refusing to snitch, he gets expelled. Which he wants his dad, Tom, to tell his mom since he doesn’t want to see her face when she finds out. Though considering Jeff has gone from pestering Holden to Tom in order to get some help in investigating Hollow Sky, it seems despite Luke’s latest actions that he still won’t be the child who gets focused on.
Commentary
So, Luke has been dealing pills for awhile now. How interesting. Shame that we aren’t going to explore how he got into it, if that is how he and Riley connected, and explore their possible addiction and that culture. I mean, we could, but this show is a sci-fi program and arguably isn’t one which seems to want to go that direction. But with Luke meeting Willa, maybe that’ll be the direction he goes in. Falling for the girl who loves his brother and this leads to him feeling envious to the point of hate. I mean, he has already dealt with most of his life living in his brother’s shadow, no matter what he has done, so sooner or later enough will have to be enough. Making it with him no longer having college to run away from Holden-mania, he seems like he will pop.
That aside, anyone else feel like Jeff’s storyline should be a solo venture? Holden was a bad enough potential partner but now his dad? The man who seemingly would have fought Jeff when he pulled up his driveway just one or two episodes ago? Much less, Tom ain’t no spring chicken. While not as skittish or green like Holden, he is a liability in other ways.
Topic 2: Someone Who Understands Me (Holden and Charlie)
Charlie finds Holden and crafts a better relationship with him in one episode than Willa or Jamie did in multiple ones. Though with her revealing she works with Hollow Sky comes some hesitation from Holden. However, with her not waiting forever and a day to reveal part of her secret, Holden seems to accept her into his life. Though not Hollow Sky just yet.
Commentary
Tess spoke of trading something for Holden, assumingly a person, so could Charlie perhaps one-day trade Holden for her dad? She notes she was raised by her stepdad, in the type of environment where she jumped out of a 2nd-floor window just to get away from him, so it would make sense. Though, with that idea, it leads to the question if Dr. Frost is holding him hostage or if her dad is there on his own free will?
Charlie’s original reasoning for seeking Holden aside, I’m getting some Willia flashbacks in terms of her reasoning. Yet, unlike Willa, there is something genuine about Charlie and also her actress Eden Brolin. Be it that she doesn’t seem like an ice princess slowly defrosting or doesn’t seem like the type who was cast because she was skinny, white, and pretty, it’s hard not to like her. Granted, she is rude, eccentric, and maybe even condescending to a point, but she is perhaps the first character who seems three dimensional. She is the first character on here which has the personality of a real person and doesn’t seem born from a checklist of being the mysterious girlfriend, the misunderstood genius, or what you’d often find in superhero media. For while she has powers, and is possibly becoming Holden’s love interest, she is perhaps the first one who seems like her life doesn’t revolve around Holden and she has something about her worth taking an interest in.
Topic 3: The Missing Details (Willa & Dr. Frost)
Willa learns Dr. Frost is her dad, through someone who used to work with Arthur and Dr. Frost named Anil Vemuri, and we learn her mom was part of an experiment to see the afterlife. Yes, from what it seems, traveling through the realm is part of Arthur and Dr. Frost’s plan to know what is in the afterlife. Though Dr. Frost seems geared toward bringing people back while Arthur might just be about visiting.
Commentary
Honestly, I think I watch too many TV shows and movies at this point. It is like nothing truly is jaw dropping or shocking to me anymore. For even when I don’t guess what will happen, I don’t see twists as being a big deal. Which I don’t know if because this episode really rushed through things, both in terms of this reveal and even Charlie and Holden becoming close, or this show just doesn’t really feed into its own mystery well.
When I think back and think of the earlier seasons of Pretty Little Liars or the first season of Twisted, it shows FreeForm can employ writers who know how to balance mystery and romance. There was a time when they could build to something and not have it fall flat. But, then again, nostalgia only captures the extremes. Either what is remembered is something really good or really bad and maybe I’m forgetting the eye-roll inducing moments perhaps? Either way, sadly Holden and Charlie’s possible relationship is now the most interesting thing about this show. For whether Arthur or Dr. Frost are good or evil, much less what they are after when it comes to him, they haven’t built up a reason to care. There has been more of an effort to establish girls find Holden cute and datable then making him this guy who should be seen as interesting to you as a viewer.
Things to Note | Question(s) Left Unanswered
- What happened to Jeff and Kevin’s parents?
- Celeste is the name of Willa’s mom.
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