Review Guide:
Episode 2.01 San Jose -
Advanced Preview &
Review
Episode 2.02 Reunion -
Review
Episode 2.03 Scion -
Review
Episode 2.04 Densho -
Review
Episode 2.05 Oubliette -
Review
Episode 2.06 M. Domestica -
Review
Episode 2.07 Cross Pollination -
Review
Episode 2.08 Vade In Pace -
Advance Preview &
Review
Episode 2.09 Ectogenesis -
Review
Episode 2.10 Mother -
Review
Episode 2.11 Plan B -
Review
Episode 2.12 The Ascendant -
Review
Episode 2.13 O Brave New World (Season Finale) -
Review
Helix - Reunion - Recap/Review
Helix continued last night with the second episode of the second season, and what a great follow up it was. It was an improvement over an already brilliant première episode.
The second episode was a good one, and it brought back Alan Farragut who has been living with the cult for a while now after resigning from the CDC. He is continuing his hunt to take down Ilaria and to find Julia. We see early on in the episode that the Island does have some association with Ilaria after all which was my initial assumption. He searches through a memory stick which he got from an immortal which we saw from a few memories of his time searching for answers and Jules, he uncovers an image of an island, St Germaine. He looks like a changed man, a more violent one. What happened at the arctic clearly changed him, and not for the better. I am also even surer that St Germain is home to a few immortals, or that the island is the origin of the immortals. Where it all began.
A bit later in the episode came a big reveal during Alan and Sarah's conversation, who by the way was trying to get some alone time with him all episode. Alan kept on saying the island was dangerous, and not what it seems. I am thinking that this cult could just be an act, and there is something more sinister going on, they could all possibly be immortals. Sarah informs Alan that she is pregnant, but he assumed she had lost the baby, which at the time so did I. She then reveals she is still pregnant 15 months on. This not only blew my Caleb theory out the window, but it sheds some light on the consequences for her being an immortal. She can't have the child as she has stopped ageing.
Brother Michael this episode seemed even more corporative than the first time we met him. I don't know if he is playing a game, but it sure looks like he wants to help them. The same can't be said for his number two Sister Anne who the entire episode was very shady. When Peter was interviewing that woman, she looked scared and intimidated by Sister Anne. Could she know what's going on around the island? Well I think that she does. I think that brother Michael is in the dark about what is going on, and that Anne is conducting some experiments on people which is the cause of the infection. Also worthy of noting is the boy who was infected miraculously healed; I think Anne had something to do with that. In the present Julia finds a boys remains, and I am guessing they are Soren's. Maybe Anne knows Michael is immortal and wants to find a way to kill him, as we know that her family have been living on the island for many years, perhaps the immortals overtook the Abbey, and Anne doesn't like that? Which is why she could have been experimenting on them people in the basement, to try to find someway to kill immortals? Perhaps, Anne helped cure Soren somehow, I mean if she did have some involvement in the creation of the fungus, which it looks like she might have then she must have a cure as well. So many things are happening that I don't know whether Anne or Michael is bad, but it sure doesn't look like there on the same page.
Elsewhere in the present, Julia decided to dig up Alan's grave. I was a bit surprised they weren't Alans remains, but at least we now know that he could well be alive. Maybe Alan himself dumped all them remains in his own grave, and carved that map knowing Julia or someone who came looking for him might find it one day. The bigger question is what is out there that Caleb is afraid off, considering by the looks of things the islands inhabitants have been wiped out. Caleb did recognize the carvings, he was just afraid to take her to a certain point highlighted in black. There is still actually a slight possibility Caleb is Sarah's son, maybe somehow she starts ageing again? Caleb has to have some ties to Alan at least if he is not his son, and must surely know what is going on. Something I do find strange though is why he is the only person left on the island (so far), hopefully over time we will start to learn a little more about his back story.
Other notes:
- I saw Mark Ghanime's (Ballerseros) name in the credits, so does this confirm he is an alive. Why is Neil Napier down as guest star also?
- Has Michael got any control over the virus anymore, he doesn't seem to be kept in the loop on things. Anne seems to know a lot more than he does.
- Why did the boy get thrown out of the Abbey if he was better/cured? Maybe he knew what happened to him, and someone wants to get rid of the evidence? Or are they feeding children to the infected?
Summary
It was another brilliant episode, although at this point I am utterly confused. The writers do a good job of not telling you anything before they dish out some more things that you will have questions about. I am glad the pregnancy issue got resolved this episode, and that we got to see Alan, I just wish we knew a little more about what is going on, as at this point we can only speculate.
As always, thank you for reading! Let me know in the comments what you thought of the episode!
About the Author - Robert Fruin
Robert is a sixth form student from the United Kingdom, who is currently studying IT, Media and Business Studies. Robert is a huge fan of the ended ABC series LOST, he has seen it many times over and has even visited some of the filming locations for it. Robert mainly watches drama series such as Game Of Thrones and Person of Interest, but has a soft spot for the comedy The Middle. Some other shows he watches are The Walking Dead, Arrow and The 100. Some other interests include cycling, photography and kayaking. Robert will be reviewing Z Nation,The Librarians, Sons Of Anarchy, Intruders, The Fosters and Aquarius. Feel free to connect with him on any of these social media sites.
What did you think of the episode? I personally have no idea what is going on.
ReplyDeletedoes this show have any direction? or any theme? it seems just a show that syfy and Moore's company made hoping they will get some money but even that is doubtfull.
ReplyDeleteThere is a CDC team who investigate outbreaks of possible deadly viruses, they find a virus, and try to find a solution. Obviously the virus does become deadly,and finding a cure is much harder.
ReplyDeleteThis season though does feel a lot different than its first season, but certain aspects are still there, and there is a storyline from season that has continued over to this season.
I was worried what they would do with the second season as it obvious would be different to the frist one but so far I really love it.
ReplyDeleteI'm loving it as well, it feels much more fast paced than the first season, which felt like a slow burn. I am sure that this new virus/the island will tie into season 1's Ilaria storyline at some point, so I think they have continued from where season 1 left off it just doesn't seem that visible at the moment.
ReplyDeleteThanks for another great review, Robert!
ReplyDeleteI'm really digging the season so far. Last season I really didn't care for either Sarah or Alan too much, but find them and/or their acting much more interesting this year.
"Sarah informs Alan that she is pregnant, but he assumed she had lost the baby, which at the time so did I. She then reveals she is still pregnant 15 months on. This not only blew my Caleb theory out the window, but it sheds some light on the consequences for her being an immortal. She can't have the child as she has stopped ageing."
That was an unexpected twist to be sure. (15 is a LOST number! And I can't help to think of the Other's Island pregnancy issue either! Plus the series originally said there wouldn't be "flashbacks" only non exact hallucinations giving insight, but was glad to see that seems to have changed) I still think you're right though and that Caleb could still be Sarah's and Alan's sun. It feels like the perfect juxtaposition between space time, which also makes me fear for Sarah, because once they find out she's pregnant, I can only imagine that they will want her child...
One thing I also noticed, again going with Lost-ian nods, was that we had 4 scenes that all together transitioned between the present and the future and then back again, but it was done as though it was on "film reel" like that of the Dharma Initiative. There were even discolorations and splices in it! So it makes me wonder, thinking about a potential season 3, if time travel is something to really consider, otherwise are we just going to jump @ 41-50 yrs into the future (1-10 years past Julia) or is Julia and Caleb's time and purpose obsolete????
Good question about Peter too. I would assume he is with Ilaria. It's the only thing that makes sense, because it's really Alan he's mad at, but I also know considering what we witnessed last season with Horoshi, Constance, and her son, that it seems like not all of immortals "agree" on things...
There is definitely story lines with character development. The series does have a lot of "horror" genre tropes, but there is also an interesting science fiction and fantasy elements too that are becoming more predominant (mythology) in relation to these viruses and an origin story behind a certain group/corporation of people...
ReplyDeleteIt's also intended to according to this:
"As Porsandeh explained:
So I took a stab at it and we sent it over to Sony [Pictures Television] and Lynda Obst, she takes a real interest in science, she did Contact and really sort of prides herself on the subject, and she saw something in it. So I developed it over at Sony for probably about six months. Then they said "if you could work with anyone on this project, who would you want to do it with?" And I said, "Ron Moore" sort of like it's a fantasy, sort of like "who would you want to date if you could date anyone," and I threw his name out the way you would throw a movie star's name out. They sent it over to him and he was interested so he got on board. Then together we came up with an overarching mythology that would extend over the course of the entire series, then he and I together pitched it to Syfy.[7]"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helix_(TV_series)
I agree, they have made them more interesting this year. Last season most of it felt like a slow burn, but this season has picked up the pace.
ReplyDeleteYou love relating Helix to LOST, although currently there are a few things that does feel similar! I am firmly holding down the idea that Caleb is her's, he can't know everything that he does without having any ties to any of them. Interestingly in the promo for next episode something happens to Sarah which could be deadly for the baby (Don't want to spoil).
I wouldn't put it past them to consider time travel, as even if the CDC team are alive in the future they would be nearly 60-70. I don't think Julia and Caleb's time is obsolete. They could just continue on from the past with the CDC team as there is a huge gap between times, but they would need to somehow write Julia of.
Another possibility is that they could continue this current storyline out for a few seasons (That would probably get extremely boring to watch though) or the CDC could become immortal somehow. If Sarah did what Julia did to her would that make them immortal? (I forget what she did). If they were immortal we could see them all in Julia's time.
I'm still just as confused. It will probably take a few more eps till we get a clearer pic of what's really happening. I knew as soon as Julia found the child's bones, it had to be that little boy. What's really creepy is it sounded like they ate him.
ReplyDeleteThey've been hinting this virus or fungus, whatever it is, may have come from what they are using on their crops. But it doesn't yet explain the pattern of infection. They aren't all sick yet.
Sarah still being pregnant was definitely a surprise. And I want to know what Alan is really doing on that island. And how it ties into Julia going there thirty years later, which is quite alot of time for her to suddenly be looking for Alan.
I think the storylines are very intriguing. Even if we don't fully understand it all yet. That island and the cult are creepy. Can't wait to see where it all ends up.
"I'm still just as confused. It will probably take a few more eps till we get a clearer pic of what's really happening. I knew as soon as Julia found the child's bones, it had to be that little boy. What's really creepy is it sounded like they ate him."
ReplyDeleteYa, it 's really unclear what exactly any of this is, but that scene was very reminiscent to Game of Thrones at Crabster's Keep with the The Others/White Walkers....eeeww!
Sarah is immortal too, I think it's just Alan who isn't and Kyle seems like Joe Blow, but could come with a twist!
ReplyDeleteI know they could follow from Julia's time if they wanted, but I'm just not sure what that would be in order to keep Helix "fresh" every season--would it be a zombie Apocalypse in the outside world, Futuristic Metropolis, or could they go back in time? I'm just wondering if they would blow off 40 yrs of untold story and/or would they really kill Julia off and not have her reunite with the others??? I feel like something bizaar has to give there.
Yep, hopefully in the upcoming episodes the writers can shed some light onto what is actually happening, as at this point I have no idea, we can only assume things. I still think that it was created by someone on the island,and gets physically injected into someone, as we still don't know what they were doing in that basement.
ReplyDeleteWe know Alan went there as the island was on the memory stick he got off an immortal, so he probably went to check it out since that is all his mind is set on at the moment (finding julia/Ilaria). I agree with you about Julia going there 30yrs later, it is very strange, why couldn't should look for him earlier? More importantly what does she want with him, as it's not like she spent 30 years trying to find him. Something must have happened to make her start looking for him.
I know Sarah is immortal, I'm just thinking if she can make Alan/Peter immortal using by injecting them with spinal fluid like Julia did to her. I think Kyle will die at some point in the season, I can't see him lasting until next season mainly because they would have to go out and explain to him everything they know about Ilaria.
ReplyDeleteYep something unexpected will have to happen if it's going to make sense, I believe Julia or Caleb mentioned in ep 1 that the virus got off the island so they could explore like you said a zombie Apocalypse type thing, but then again all the CDC would have aged a lot/are dead.
wellwhen you'll find the overarching mythology please tell me.
ReplyDeleteIt's already starting to occur. Without being too spoilery:
ReplyDeleteFor instance we already know what season ones' virus (which there were two strains with two different effects) does/turns people into and how some of those can turn also into something else (<---this is key in the mythology), and that certain characters from the CDC AND some characters from the Compound learn about an unknown past and/or become apart of the corporation presented in season one, along with what the goal of that corporation is/was...(Plus there is also a kind of twisted relationship/family history thing going on all the time with the characters, so even with 3 characters of the first season apart of the CDC, what they discover and confront at the compound tends to be VERY personal and affects their relationships with each other, which is still playing out in season 2...)
Season two has mentioned two key elements in relating back to those things and there are parallels with the new virus compared to the old one in which it seems like it can have one of two effects and/or again there are two strains. Additionally this new virus is also contagious to these "special people" so it directly ties in and is effecting one well known character at the moment.
Helix is really good at surprising the audience with the unexpected! Even though it has those horror tropes I mentioned, it is also thought provoking and does a lot of plot twists like that of a good psychological thriller and the characters tend to grow on you.
I could see Kyle being like last season's Julia and/or Daniel...so he could die, but I suspect he could also meanwhile find out that he is related to some of these people on the Island. On the other hand, I could also see them juxtaposing Sergio, where he is there because he has another agenda and where we don't suspect him, because he comes off so uninformative, polite, or not too terribly interested as of yet...
ReplyDeleteThey sure do, that would be a huge twist if he had another agenda. I know I wouldn't see it coming. Strangely Sergio (Mark Ghanimé) was actually in the opening credits so we should be seeing him soon!
ReplyDeleteCool! I'm glad he'll turn up too! :)
ReplyDeleteI feel like Alan's brother is still out of place after season 1 though.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, I actually think he has some involvement with Ilaria still.
ReplyDeleteI think the Immortal women can still have children, her child was just stuck as a fetus because it became immortal at the same time she did, forever preserving it in utero.
ReplyDelete