This week’s episode of Bitten, “Stalking,” was written by Grant Rosenberg and directed by TW Peacock. Among Peacock’s other credits are Haven, Rookie Blue, and North of 60. Rosenberg last directed “Grief” which also dealt with the death of a pack member. I think I’m going to start getting nervous every time I see his name in the credits!
Once again, the title of the episode resonates both with what is happening at Stonehaven and with what is happening in Toronto. In Toronto, we see Philip (Paul Greene) is being stalked by an old girlfriend, Sylvie (Natalie Lisinska), as she in turn helps him track down the guy who posted the wolf video. She even arrives with bait! The video itself is bait for Philip who is being stalked by Williams. Luckily for Elena (Laura Vandervoort), Sylvie’s presence actually has the opposite effect on Philip and actually drives home why he’s in love with Elena. In an interesting twist, Cain (Noah Danby) is also stalked by a wolf groupie, Amber (Eve Harlow), who wants to become the Bonnie to his Clyde.
Michael Luckett is delicious as Daniel Santos – I can’t wait for them to kill him! The major reference for the episode is, of course, the mutts stalking the pack. The first point has to go to the mutts as Jeremy (Greg Bryk) is seriously wounded and apparently poisoned, and Antonio (Paulino Nunes) is mortally wounded.
Once again the pack works together to try to save Antonio. However, we also learn that going to a hospital isn’t even an option. They don’t explain why – is it because they simply can’t draw attention to themselves? The Sheriff (Fiona Highet) is already watching them closely. Or is it because they aren’t human? I wish they’d made that a bit clearer. I am very sorry to see Nunes go as I think he added an important dimension to the show. For myself, it’s nice to see a more mature outlook and storyline. Antonio also filled an important support position for Jeremy as a contemporary and one of the only pack members to share the same experiences and history.
The entire cast delivered powerful performances as they gathered around the dying Antonio. Antonio’s dying wish for Jeremy is to go after Santos with no mercy. Bryk deserves special mention for his portrayal of Jeremy’s grief at losing his best friend and confidante. I’m dying to know what Antonio whispered to Nick (Steve Lund) which had Nick responding with thank you. I will also miss the wonderful chemistry between Lund and Nunes as father and son.
Sadly for Philip, Elena is growing closer to the pack. It would seem her natural instinct is to want to protect them. She tells Clay (Greyston Holt) that she’s come back to avenge Stillwell and take care of Santos, but it’s still clear that she was worried about him as well. Antonio’s dying wish for her is to take care of the boys. After his death, she tells Jeremy, “No middle ground. No mercy.” She is completely committed to the hunt. Elena also vows to Clay that they aren’t going to lose any more family – she is learning just how much they mean to her as she loses them. I loved the scenes between Elena and Philip – she is the only one who can really ask him if he’s ok. She clearly senses that he is unwell even before he collapses. However, as alpha, he has to keep up the appearance of being strong and in charge.
Elena’s call to Philip is the first time he actually seems annoyed with her at first. She tells him that the wedding stirred up the feelings she had about the death in her family. Philip, to his credit, tells her that he will stay with her through what she’s dealing with.
The Sheriff is also stalking the pack as she seeks answers to the recent deaths. We learn a little bit more about her as she questions Jeremy. She didn’t always live in Bear Valley – she knows art and she’s from Baltimore. It’s hard to tell if she’s flirting with Jeremy or simply trying to get him off guard. The poison is clearly having an effect on Jeremy as he fumbles the question of whether or not Clayton is his son. She gets far more information out of Jeremy than he can be comfortable with. I was still left wondering if she isn’t also attracted to Jeremy. She asks to see the “rest” of the house after all – but then, as Sheriff, she would also want to look around.
I loved Elena and Clay stalking Cain. Watching relatively tiny Elena completely best gigantic Cain was awesome! Once again, we see Elena act as Clay’s conscience, pulling him back from killing Cain because they need to interrogate him. Once again, it was great to see the pack working together – with Jeremy strategizing and Elena and Clay hunting. Like wolves, the weaker, less intelligent wolves like Cain aren’t wanted in the pack.
I’m really curious to see what is going to happen with Logan (Michael Xavier). He seems to be pulling away from the pack, putting Rachel (Genelle Williams) ahead of the pack. Logan refuses to go to Stonehaven when called, primarily because of Rachel’s revelation that this isn’t her first pregnancy and she lost the first baby because of stress. The stress was caused at least partially by her boyfriend at the time disappearing on her. Is Logan concerned about what the pack will do about the baby? It’s possible that because he was bitten and not born into the pack that he doesn’t have the same faith in the pack or loyalty to it? I was still shocked when he refused Jeremy’s request to return.
What did you think of the episode? Do you think Logan is damaging his relationship with the pack and that it will have ramifications? Do you think Clay will be able to get Cain to break? Are you as eager for me to see Santos get what’s coming to him? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
FYI, Logan wasn't bitten. His father left him and his mom with only a note to find Jeremy when he was like 16. Also, this article uses incorrect character names at least twice.
ReplyDeleteAgreed! And I really like your theory on what Antonio told Nick!
ReplyDeleteI haven't read the books - so thanks for that backstory. Not sure which names you are referring too. I use IMDb for spelling.
ReplyDeleteDon't mean the spelling! I meant talking about the wrong character. "loved the scenes between Elena and Philip – she is the only one who can really ask him if he’s ok." I think you mean Elena and Jeremy. I think there is another instance of this, but from a quick skim I couldn't find it.
ReplyDeleteAs for the hospital, you are right about not being able to call attention to themselves. Somewhere in the series it breaks it down to the wolves not having "human" blood, and that blood tests would revel that.
Also, I am furious with Logan, and I think the look on Jeremy's face when Logan tells him he can't come is crushing.
Good review.
ReplyDeleteI didn't find this episode particularly satisfying, however, for a few reasons. The killing of Antonio was one, of course; he was, for me, far more interesting than several others who have been spared, so they can presumably continue to be ineffectual and brooding. however, more troubling for me were thoughts like, "if you guys absolutely CAN'T do the hospital thing but have vicious fighting potentially to the death as an integral part of your culture, and you have existed--apparently--for centuries, shouldn't SOME sort of medical training/expertise/knowledge be a main function for at least one pack member?" ("We have our pack anthropologist and our pack artist; hmmm . . . what crucial survival functions are left?"); "it doesn't seem to you an awfully unlikely coincidence that on the way to a pre-arrange meeting with demonstrably dangerous and treacherous foes, you run across a car accident with a victim spilled on the road; if you REALLy have to stop and check, do you think you might actually exercise a degree or even two of caution?" and, "have you guys never heard of, you know, guns?"
Through the books it says that Jeremy bought and studied a bunch of medical books, but I think they also had a "pack doctor" who would take care of them no questions asked.
ReplyDeleteAlso, part of the law is that they fight only using their bodies, bringing in weapons is seen as "cheating." Not that I disagree with you.
It seems to me that Antonio was probably poisoned by the knife wounds, as well. The wolves are supposed to have fast healing, but poison is probably a substance that hinders, the healing process. I think. I also agree weapons, is considered bad form (Jeremy told Sam,his challenger, that, when he whipped out his knife), for the wolves.
ReplyDelete