Killjoys returned for its second season with “Dutch and the Real Girl” written by creator Michelle Lovretta and directed by Stefan Pleszczynski, whose other credits include
Supernatural,
19-2, and
Being Human. We pick up pretty much where last season left off. And the series delivers more of what made it a success in season one – some really good performances, terrific special effects and action sequences, and snappy dialogue. The thing that may have made me the happiest about this episode? Pree (Thom Allison) joining the team! Not to mention seeing Stephanie Leonidas pop up on my screen as Clara – who needs to come back to the team asap!
The episode opens as so many of the best ones did last season, with a scene that isn’t what it seems. It seems like D’Avin (Luke Macfarlane) has escaped and been reunited with John (Aaron Ashmore) and Dutch (Hannah John-Kamen), but of course, this isn’t the case and he’s still under the influence of whatever crazy experiment Khylen (Rob Stewart) is having performed on him – to turn him into a Level 6.
In the next scene, we’re told it’s been five days, and Dutch insists there’s no time to waste in rescuing D’Avin from Khlyen. However, Arkyn is protected by a defense level of radiation and there probe is destroyed by it. Dutch insists that Lucy (Tamsen McDonough) can get them through anyway. It’s John that has to tell Lucy to pull out before they’re killed. Did anyone else notice that Dutch was the only one to suffer a bloody nose? Why was that?
They find out that only Abel Connover and his gang were the only ones to ever manage to break into Arkyn. The three go to Bellus (Nora McLellan) for information. John’s found out that there is a standing warrant – alive or dead – for the tech that the gang used to break onto Arkyn. They find the tech, but will need a criminal and something worth wagering to get it. Pree turns out to be the criminal they need! And John, of course, has something worth wagering – guns.
I loved the banter between John and Pree, especially when they are posing as a couple – and I loved how cool Pree was about having “history”! Dutch gets in by hiding in the gun case, and John has fitted her with some pretty cool eye-tech to find the tech they’re looking for. And of course, the tech, turns out to be Clara – or at least it’s embedded in her.
John disrespects Pree’s mother to create a diversion – also loved that that worked! This allows him to get Lucy into the system to get them all out again. This season, like last season, John and Lucy have a special bond, and when Lucy struggles to get the station’s computer under control, John tells her “Kick its ass, woman!”
Meanwhile, Dutch and Clara have gotten to know each other a very little bit. Clara tells Dutch that the Connover gang won her in a bet and then started modifying her. Dutch finds her chained up, but Clara refuses to leave without Alice… her good arm! There’s a terrific shooting sequence. And perhaps Pree’s best line of the episode – “Let’s give these bitches some stitches!” Clara ends up getting shot, but Lucy is eventually able to rescue them.
As it happens, D’Avin is somehow immune to whatever that green junk is that Khylen is pumping into him. The doctors have never seen anything like it – and neither has Khylen. Khylen surprises D’Avin – and the rest of us! – by killing all the witnesses. He tells D’Avin they only have 15 minutes to save D’Avin’s life. Khylen tells D’Avin that he’d always planned to send D’Avin back to Dutch – but as a level 6 who would be able to protect Dutch. Khylen removes all traces of D’Avin and then blocks the Blackroot from going after D’Avin. Kyhlen tells D’Avin to lie to Dutch about what happened – but thank heavens he isn’t that stupid, and tells her everything almost right away.
Meanwhile, on the ship, John expresses admiration for Alice. Clara tells him that she’s a hack mod and that the Connover’s took her to the Factory where she was modified way past any legal limits. Most people don’t even consider her to be human – and neither does the law, which creates the loophole John needs not to serve the warrant on her later in the episode. Alice was there to protect the other modifications. Clara is trapped because there Connovers also implanted some explosives, so if someone tries to remove the tech that lets them through to Arkyn, she’ll explode. John also learns that the device lets Clara absorb the radiation – and it’s killing her.
Dutch fills Clara in on her background – and it’s one of the few instances in which a show is able to do a re-cap for a good reason – even if you didn’t see season one – what were you thinking! – you’ll be all caught up too! Dutch tells Clara this isn’t her fight – she doesn’t want the tech killing Clara either. But Clara distinguishes that this is the first time she gets to choose whether she wants to help or not. She tells them that she had family once, but they never came to rescue her. She wants to repay our group.
I loved everyone being concerned when Clara plugs herself into Lucy and takes over! She is literally burning to get them through by absorbing the radiation – but it doesn’t kill her outright.
The team goes in after D’Avin. He’s hurt his leg. They also find Fancy who says he hasn’t gone through the procedure yet. D’Avin shoots him – and sure enough he heals. He’s level 6 now, and they leave him behind. We see the Blackroot taser Khlyen over the symbol and then take him away – in some sort of stasis. Dutch cuts D’Avin’s hand to prove he’s “a bleeder, not a healer.” D’Avin says Pawter (Sarah Power) will patch him up, and they fill him in about what happened to Old Town. There’s a containment field, and they don’t know who’s survived. But getting into Old Town is their next mission.
On Leith, Clara is leaving. Because she’s 60% mod, she’s illegal. John encourages her to stay, saying Pawter could help her, but she doesn’t want to have her mods stripped. She doesn’t want to be a “basic” again. I really liked the chemistry between Leonidas and Ashmore, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we will see a lot more of her. Lucy likes her too! So maybe she’ll like her enough to be ok with John and Clara progressing beyond friends!
D’Avin confesses about lying about Khylen. Dutch knows he was there anyway – so good thing you came clean, D’Av! – but she left because they needed her too. She’s about the team, not her own revenge. D’Avin suggests that Khylen isn’t her enemy and that Khylen may not even run the Rack. What if there’s another level above 6? The Blackroot are taking Khylen to “the lady” which definitely suggests that someone else is pulling the strings. Anybody else kind of want it to be Bellus? Fancy rescues Khylen.
They one thing that D’Avin doesn’t tell Dutch is that he saw her in the green dream – fighting. It’s unclear what she was doing, but Khylen has admitted that it wasn’t really quite a dream.
Lots of great action in this scene in breaking out both Clara and D’Avin – also nice parallels to freeing them. As usual, the show also touches on some deeper issues – like Clara’s decision not to want to become a basic – and who is considered “human.” There’s also a nice parallel between her modifications and those of the level 6’s…
Love having more Pree – now bring back Clara! It seems pretty obvious that Fancy may end up chasing them again this season – or he may fall into line behind Khylen, who it would seem is being groomed to be a good guy. What did you think of the episode? Want more Clara? Like her as a love interest for John AND a kickass new partner for the team? Let me know your thoughts – and especially what you’re hoping to see this season – 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, Agent Carter, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, The X-Files, Defiance, Bitten, Killjoys, and a few others! I'm active on the Con scene when I have the time. 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.
