Bitten - Bitten - Review : "When Your Past Comes Back to Bite You"

    Bitten 1.05 “Bitten” was written by Daegan Fryklind and directed by Andy Mikita. This is the third episode penned by Fryklind and the second directed by Mikita. As the episode centers around Elena’s (Laura Vandervoort) initiation into the pack, it makes sense that Fryklind would step in to write this one herself.

    In flashbacks, we see Elena apply for a job as Professor Clay Danver’s (Greyston Holt) typist. There is an immediate attraction between the two and Pete (Joel Keller) and Nick (Steve Lund) who are visiting tease Clay about her. Clay is determined to keep his distance, but Elena is determined to get the job. She tells him that she is very self-sufficient when he suggests she’ll need to be trained. Her strength and determination in getting the job, the fact that she is already living on her own and supporting her own way through university are all evidence of the strength that allows her to withstand the change.

    There’s a nice repeat of the scene we’ve already seen of Elena showing up with Clay at Stonehaven. I’d been wondering about the totem pole in the foyer since we first saw it – but of course it’s a wolf! They identify it as a Haida totem. Totem means “his kinship group.” The wolf totem is associated with love, freedom, and compassion – all themes we’ve already seen in the show. However, Clay’s memory of sleeping at the base of it as a boy because he could smell the moss, smoke, and ocean is a perfect reflection of his own adjustment to life in the pack – those smells would have reminded him of his home in the swamp. We also learn about Clay’s origin story. Jeremy (Greg Bryk) reminds him that when he found him, he’d already been bitten and was a feral little boy abandoned in the swamp. Jeremy sat for weeks on a tree stump until he gained Clay’s trust. Jeremy calls on that trust to get Clay’s obedience.

    Bryk does a wonderful job in this episode in showing us a different side to the Jeremy we’ve come to know. In his dealings with the Sheriff (Fiona Highet), he’s always been very courteous and sought her good will to protect the pack. When Elena arrives at Stonehaven unannounced by Clay, we see a much more foreboding and severe Jeremy who is protecting his pack.

    Clay confesses that he loves Elena. Jeremy has noticed their rings, and Clay tells him they are engaged. Jeremy tells Clay that they don’t get to love and dismisses Clay’s suggestion that he can live away from Stonehaven with Elena in the city. It makes me curious about how those of the pack were “born” when there are apparently no women in their lives.

    In desperation, Clay transforms and bites Elena. I loved the scene in which Elena notices the “dog” come in the room and is immediately attracted to his beauty, scooting across the couch she’s sitting on to get closer to him and make friends. While the CGI wolves are not perfect, I thought this scene was done very well as you can see the wolf listening to Jeremy and almost obeying. Bryk and Vandervoort both do a wonderful job reacting to something that was clearly not there when they were filming.

    As Elena succumbs to the bite, the possibility of her surviving the change clearly passes across his face. Jeremy sends Clay away while Elena goes through the first change. Whether this is punishment or actually mercy is unclear. Jeremy doesn’t expect Elena to survive, so sending Clay away so he doesn’t have to watch her die in agony seems more like compassion to me. Jeremy stays with her and talks her through the change, telling her not to fight the pain. Of course, this also solidifies him as her alpha, he directs her through the change and also ensures her loyalty as his direction helps save her life. I loved Bryk’s small smile when she does survive.

    Vandervoort is excellent as she awakens after the first change. Her very body language has changed and her awakening and looking around the cage seem much more canine than human. It’s a nice parallel to watching her transition to wolf the first time – the wolf is unsteady as it shakes and gets used to four legs and then we see her rise from the bed and regain her human legs. But she’s changed. She convinces Clay to let her out of the cage, knocks him out and escapes. Clay rescues her and brings her back to Stonehaven. He tells her he knows she’s a survivor and that she can’t live out in the world... yet. He also tells her that Jeremy will teach her. I hope we get more of the backstory soon!

    In the present, Clay apologizes to Elena for biting her, telling her he did it because he loves her. In a way, he’s right. It’s hard to fathom how any of them can have a long term relationship if one of them isn’t a wolf – it’s why Jeremy said they couldn’t have love. The scene is a nice mirror to the scene in which Clay bites Elena – with Elena and Clay seated opposite each other.

    Daniel Santos (Michael Luckett) arrives at Stonehaven. We learn his brother was killed trying to take out Jeremy and that Elena bit off most of Santos’ right ear. Like all the other wolves, Santos is also drawn to her. Santos wants protection. It’s interesting that he characterizes himself as a lone wolf not a mutt. He tells the pack that the mutts are creating a psycho army in retaliation for Clay’s brutality in dealing with the mutts. It’s entirely possible that Clay was brutal because he was acting out after Elena left him. Santos is not wrong in saying that Clay acts impulsively – it’s what he did when he bit Elena after all. Santos also says that the Queen – Elena – can do whatever she wants – this seems a clear indication that Elena can choose whatever side she wants as all sides want her.

    The mutts continue to work against the pack by planting Braxton’s (Evan Buliung) body on Stonehaven property. They also recruit a recently released pedophile to their ranks. Victor is played by Patrick Garrow who was also on XIII: The Series as was Bryk. Cain (Noah Danby) meets with him and suggests he get revenge on one of the girls who sent him to prison – and that girl is Elena!

    As always there are very nice subtle touches that remind us that these folks are not entirely human. When agitated, they pace the room like caged animals – Elena in the first scene and Clay when Jeremy is trying to calm him while the others search for Braxton’s body. When Santos arrives at Stonehaven, Holt does a wonderful job conveying Clay’s pent up rage. Jeremy controls him through eye contact and a small shake of the head. Once again, Clay shows his submission through dropping his eyes.

    Elena is roped into being a bridesmaid by Philip (Paul Greene) and Diane (Natalie Brown). Diane continues to grow suspicious of Elena, but Philip brushes her off. Meanwhile, William (James McGowan) has somehow obtained the video of Elena in wolf form killing the coyote that attacked Logan (Michael Xavier) and asks Philip to use it in the vodka campaign. It’s pretty obvious that someone taped it for him. It’s still unclear what he hopes to gain, however. Of course, there’s no advertising campaign that’s actually going to show an animal killing another to sell its product. Philip learns that the Estonian word for wolf is hunt. Williams is concerned about the rights to use the video tape and Philip says he’ll track the shooter down. All of these clues – hunt, shoot – make me wonder if William isn’t a werewolf hunter. But it would also seem that he knows of the link between the wolf in the video and Philip, so he must know that the wolf is Elena. It’s definitely an interesting storyline.

    In the final scene, Elena says goodbye to Jeremy. She tells him that she will always come when he calls – she will remain loyal to the pack, but she asks him not to call, to let her go. She tells Jeremy that Philip is the man she can trust and that she used to think she could trust Clay. It’s unclear exactly what made her stop trusting Clay – was it the bite or something else? Jeremy tries to interrupt her and says “I think it’s time I...” I have to wonder if maybe the misunderstanding between Clay and Elena has something more to do with Jeremy. She also tells him that he’s the closest thing she’s ever had to a father. Bryk is just outstanding in this scene and is clearly moved by Elena’s words. As always, he rules by love and compassion, not force, and he lets her go. The final shot of him framed in the doorway flanked by Clay and Nick is a perfect final tableau.

    What did you think of the episode? Did you find Elena’s backstory satisfying? What do you make of Williams? Do you think the wedding is going to be a disaster? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!