This week we learned more about Cricket and why she wrote that disparaging comment on the wall in the pilot (“Cricket = Slut”.) I identified with Cricket quite a bit. My teen angst wasn’t exactly Cricket’s, but I understood and empathized with her struggle throughout the flashbacks in this episode.
After her harsh lesson about how boys really treat the girls who put out, she returns home from school to find him sleeping with the neighbor who fits the prevailing definition of beauty. Her mother basically telling her that she would never attract a good/faithful man follows that discovery. The message: settle for whatever you can get however you can get it.
Cricket arrived at the camp still struggling with these issues. She likes Alex and has been trying to get his attention since they got off the bus. Jessie suggests that Cricket use Damon to make Alex jealous. I’m not sure she was particularly successful on that point, but Alex’ reaction to Damon's “She was asking for it.” and “Every camp has a whore.” was the heroic move she thought she was looking for. It was enough for her to decide to sleep with him. Happily, when she finds the mix tape Blotter made for her, she realizes that the advice she’s been getting from Blair is right. She wants the guy who cares about her enough to make her a mix tape.
One of my favorite moments was the way Amy handled Jessie after she manipulated the situation so that Amy was left working movie night. That was pretty sweet move on her part. I’m not sure the moniker “Super Zen” fits Amy, but the cookies and guilt bomb were nicely played.
Having discovered the importance of that skull drawing on the piano key he requested information on the history of the camp. He fills the Sheriff in on what he found. The historical documents mention a deer carcass exactly like one a witness in the 1800s found.
I’ve been enjoying the supernatural elements of the show, but the opening “suspense” sequence in the shower was pretty anemic. They didn’t need to bother with all those slo-mo tricks. They didn’t work for this scene at all. Her actual nightmare, however, was considerably more successful.
I was trying to figure out what it meant for the masked men in her dream to be wearing the same masks we saw on the men following her in the opening sequence. Was it not a dream? Was it a vision?
The pilot did a good job of painting The Tall Man as an evil presence whose execution, nearly a hundred years ago, saved the good people of the area. Last week he was working to get his body found before Damon and his sidekicks found it and used it to start whatever bad thing is coming. This week he warns Cricket not to go to town on her night off. I may be proven wrong, but I’m convinced The Tall Man was behind trying to spare Cricket from the run in with Damon.
I am still enjoying the show. The approach of telling one of the counselor’s stories is keeping me interested as they do a slow build on the Evil Arc Story. The only thing I could skip is the idea of Deb and Joel getting closer, although it was interesting to see the mask in Deb’s closet. I can’t wait to find out what that means.
What did you think about the episode? Was that supposed to be The Devil that Amy saw? Is the build up to the horror story working for you? Do you think Blotter is still alive out there, but handless? Does anyone have any good nicknames for Damon and his sidekicks?
