12 Monkeys - Cassandra Complex - Review

12 Monkeys, “Cassandra Complex,” was written by Rebecca Kirsch and was directed by Michael Waxman. It was another well written and acted episode that really gave us a glimpse into the world of 2043 and expanded that part of the show. There is clear evidence that Cassie (Amanda Schull) and Cole (Aaron Stanford) come from very different places. Kirsch’s credits include Mind Games, Dominion, Dracula, and Leverage, so she knows how to write both SF and mystery. Waxman’s many credits include Nashville, Touch, The Event, and Friday Night Lights.

The title of the episode is an actual psychological phenomenon in which a person accurately predicts a catastrophe but it repeatedly ignored or dismissed. The fact that Schull’s character had her first name changed to Cassandra from Catherine in the movie, is a good indication of what her character’s trajectory is going to be. My question is if they manage to avert the plague and Cole ceases to be, will that also change what he’s done in the past or will Cassandra have been predicting this catastrophe only to be proven wrong when it never happens. Actually, we could say that she’s been exhibiting this since the first time we saw her giving a lecture about a widespread pandemic. There’s also a scene in the movie that parallels that lecture almost shot for shot. In the movie, Catherine is promoting her book, The Doomsday Sydrome – sound familiar? Only the book is about Cole in the movie.

The recap ends with “the one that got away” and that phrase applies to a lot of what happens in the episode. The episode is also nicely framed by “shots” of Cassie shooting. The one that got away refers to Henri (Lyriq Bent) but also to Cole getting away from “Pallid Man” (Tom Noonan) and vice vera, and it also refers to Cole and Ramse (Kirk Acevedo) as having gotten away from Deacon (Todd Stashwick). In a way, it can even refer to Cassie ‘getting away’ from Aaron (Noah Bean).

The differences between Cassie and Cole are made starkly obvious right at the outset of the episode. Cole tells her that “every second counts” and “It’s you or them.” When the takeout food arrives, Cole eats it almost like an animal, without a fork and hunched over it like it’s going to try to get away. It’s a funny scene when Cole asks if the delivery guy is really a General, but it underscores how Cassie (and us!) take food for granted. It’s important to note how different Cassie and Cole’s worlds are.

We get some insight into what Cole’s world is like in the 2043 scenes. In fact, Whitley (Demore Barnes) calls the scavengers animals. There is a definite line drawn between the “haves” and the “have nots” in the future. The scavengers clearly must fight for everything they get, including food, water, and the other basic necessities. There is no love lost between Whitley, a soldier who was raised in the compound, not knowing the kind of deprivation that Cole and Ramse did. We also see that Ramse is only tolerated because of Cole’s value to the scientists. Barnes creates an interesting character. Because he doesn't like our "heroes," the knee jerk reaction is to dislike the character, but from what we see of the scavengers, Whitley may have reason to distrust and dislike them.

Max (Romina D’Ugo) clearly has a history with Cole, given his reaction when Ramse tells him. Ramse and Cole are clearly between a rock and a hard place as the scavengers don’t have any love for them either. It’s interesting that Max and Ramse lie to each other. Max says she isn’t with the “West Seventh” anymore and Ramse tells her he split up from Cole. We only get the briefest glimpse of the West Seven leader, Deacon, but Stashwick’s grin tells an entire story. But Ramse does save Max from Whitley killing her by knocking Whitely out, and that can’t have good consequences for him!

It’s clear that Ramse and Cole have each other’s backs – at least for now. I wonder if Ramse wasn’t right in wondering about Cole getting too comfortable in the past. My favorite scene from 2043 has to be Ramse confronting Jones (Barbara Sukowa) about endangering Cole by sending him back through temporal interference when she doesn’t know what that will do to him. Ramse accuses her or “trying to kill him!” Jones agrees and then just stares at him for a beat before clarifying, “That’s sarcasm!”

        I loved the look on both Sukowa’s and Acevedo’s faces! Both are doing terrific jobs bringing their characters to life. The scene really resonated with me because I had a riding coach once accuse me of the same thing – that I was trying to kill myself – to which I replied, “of course” as you do!

It’s interesting that both Cassie and Jones are adamant that Cole not interact with Cassie in 2014 in Haiti when Cole pursues Henri there/then. Clearly, Cassie is trying to avoid Cole seeing her at her worst. She may also be trying to hide the fact that she slept with Henri. Interestingly, we see that she had been pursuing all outbreaks since meeting Cole, and her relationship with Aaron was disintegrating. We do learn that Aaron knew about the meeting at the hotel in 2015. It was about this time that I really felt like I was experiencing time out of order the way that Cole does – it’s a great way that the show really helps us to empathize with him.

It was interesting to see the CDC come back into play. It makes sense that Cassie had worked for them, and I liked the scene when they first drive up to it. Both Cole and Cassie are a bit overwhelmed. Cassie has a history there, but also now knows this is where she will die if they can’t change the future. Cole gets the opportunity to see a place he’s only known as a ruin as a busy, living building. We seem to be marching inevitably toward Cassie’s future as she decides to take up Jules’ (Jeff Clarke) offer of a job and go back to work at the CDC by the end of the episode.

We see that splintering really is painful for Cole, and that the temporal interference caused by the solar flares is also quite painful – and makes his job even more difficult as he phases in and out during fight scenes! This was a particularly good special effect. While in pursuit of Henri, Cole stumbles upon an altar – with a monkey’s head and the petals that the Pallid Man favors.

Cassie and Cole both end up lying to each other at the end of the episode. We see that Cassie absolutely lost it in the clinic with Jules, but she simply tells Cole that she left shortly after the quarantine was lifted – not that she was sent away. Henri gives them some valuable information. They were working on viral gene therapy and had built a new containment system. He tells Cole that if he wants to get Jennifer to do anything, he should ask her not to do it. Henri doesn’t know where the Night Room is because they moved it around and blindfolded him.

Of course, the Pallid Man catches up with them and we see that this is where/when Cole gave him the scar on his face. It’s interesting that the Pallid Man doesn’t like Haiti because there are “too many people.” Was this his motivation for releasing the virus? To make the world less crowded? In the end, they get away from the Pallid Man, but Cole shoots Henri because he can’t trust him not to give the same information to the Pallid Man. But Cole lies to Cassie and tells her that he splintered before he saw who killed Henri.

There’s a lovely shot between Cole’s gun barrel and Cassie’s as she practices with live ammunition now. We see that Cole clearly practices what he preaches – he doesn’t hesitate in gunning Henri down in cold blood. There is, however, a look of regret on Cole’s face after he lies to Cassie. We also see the blocking change between the two lessons. In the first lesson, Cassie is pointing her gun at him, but in the second lesson, he is beside and behind her, guiding her. Is he then, coming over to her side?

It will be interesting to see what happens if either finds out about the other’s secret. Somehow, I think Cole’s secret will have a much bigger impact on Cassie – though they are related. After all, Cassie not only feels guilty about sending Henri on the errand for the medicine, she also had a much closer relationship with him – even though a one night stand – than she revealed.

There were two other shout outs to the movie in the episode that are fun. Cole’s Hawaiian shirt and sunglasses in the episode are almost identical to the outfit worn by Cole at the end of the movie. The other really fun tie-in to the movie actually relates more to the last episode. The mental institute where most of the action takes place is called the JD Peoples Mental Institution. Janet and David Peoples actually wrote the screenplay for the movie!

One thing really did bug me about the episode. If there is an unknown disease outbreak, should you be wearing your mask willy-nilly or should you be wearing it ALL THE TIME??? Cassie arriving and immediately touching/dealing with a very sick patient with no mask was ridiculous – especially considering she’s already thinking the worst! What did you think of the episode? Do you think there is any way that Cassie can be taught to be as ruthless as Cole? Do you think she should be? What did you think of Whitley? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

About the Author - Lisa Macklem

I do interviews and write articles for the site in addition to reviewing a number of shows, including Supernatural, Arrow, Agents of Shield, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Forever, Defiance, Bitten, Glee, and a few others! Highlights of this past year include covering San Diego Comic Con as press and a set visit to Bitten. When I'm not writing about television shows, I'm often writing about entertainment and media law in my capacity as a legal scholar. I also work in theatre when the opportunity arises. I'm an avid runner and rider, currently training in dressage.