Prodigal Son 1.5: The Tripby Wolfen MoondaughterReviews may contain information that could be considered 'spoilers'. Readers should proceed at their own risk. Network
Credits Grade: 8 The team's investigation of the murder of a drug lord hits close to home for Dani. Jessica enlists aid in her charitable endeavours. And Malcolm's sleep deprivation worsens; besides the girl in the box, now Malcolm is haunted by visions of a woman chained in the back of a station wagon.Interestingly, this is an episode which doesn't feature a modern-day scene with Whitly -- he only appears in flashbacks, and barely at that! It's still a good ep, though. I appreciate Malcolm -- and therefore us -- getting to know Dani and her history better, even if drug-lord scenarios aren't really my cuppa. In fact, this is the most compelling and best put-together cases of the series so far, with hints of Luke Cage flavour! I appreciate that the story humanised the criminal element, reminded us that they are people with loved ones, people who may not have had many choices available to them -- and people who may have dreams outside of the underworld. Also, the show did a good job of balancing Dani's and Malcolm's respective expertise, letting each both be right and wrong on various ways, so neither outshone the other, their skills ultimately complementing one another's. The downside to this storyline, though, is that the tragedy of Dani's backstory wasn't even remotely as compelling as Malcolm's (partially because we were told more than we were shown), so there, she's on uneven footing with him. For that matter, overall, I found myself more interested in the suspects' backstories than Dani's; I find myself hoping a couple in particular will appear in later eps! Meanwhile, I continue to enjoy Malcom and Dani's interactions, and how nicely paced their developing friendship is. The "gangs and cops agreed churches as safe-spaces / used them for negotiating truces" thing sounds kinda inspired by the concept of sanctuary as presented The Hunchback of Notre Dame -- I wonder if it's a real thing. I'm intrigued by Eve, a new character Jessica interacts with in this ep -- by the woman's line of work, by her positive attitude about working with "the wife of The Surgeon", and by the instant chemistry she had with Malcom! The logic Jessica used to answer Eve's question of why she kept the name Whitly seemed a bit weak, though. The series usually has good moments of levity, but this ep in particular has some great quips! Also as usual, the show proved very ready-and-willing to whump on Malcolm, which is why it continues to be my favourite current show -- it's perfect for me! The (slight spoliers) accidentally-drugged, extra-emotional, extra-reckless, extra-hyper Malcom was adorable! And my inner hurt-comfort fiend found Malcom's mental suffering and delusions, as well as the physical toll they took on him / the problems they caused, to be delicious. I loved when he was so moved to hear Dani say they were friends, and her dealing with his freak-out in the bathroom. And lastly, again as usual, the show dropped a hefty revelation at the end of the ep -- that's a formula I can appreciate! I look forward to seeing how this one unfolds. Written: November 10, 2019
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