Unfortunately, for Van Helsing, there have been plenty of 'last time's' over the past 10 episodes. The backlash against this Syfy show has been mind-blowing. For those who stuck through and plan on staying loyal, the 'last time' to them would be the title of this shocking episode.
This week's proceedings was profoundly memorable due to how intimate it felt. 'Last Time' was not set in some random community or a random hideout - the team is in a house that has meaning to one of them. Also, the antagonist of the week was not Julius or some radiation or a random vampire, it was within their own team as the serial killer finally revealed himself.
There were rumours floating around among fans that the killer was Sam, especially after the fingers were found in John's bag following Sam's retrieval of it. I did not believe it was Sam as his character was built up to be the heart of the team and with him out of the equation, well, that's one more reason for many a fan to stop tuning in.
However, there isn't much of a team now, in the first place. A string of shocking deaths, plus Flesh and Doc staying behind means it is just Mohamad and Vanessa now. Was the whole plan all along to be about Van Helsing and Van Helsing only? Will we see Mohamad bite the dust too by season's end? I hope it doesn't come to that.
Speaking of deaths, I did not see Susan getting written off this early. Watching Sam strangle her to death was both unsettling and upsetting. Susan's chemistry with Vanessa felt very real and watching her be the emotional support for the titular heroine made her instantly likeable. All of that came to a sudden end, a death that I personally do not agree with.
Sam as the serial character makes sense because of the actor. Christopher Heyerdahl has played some memorable villains throughout his career (Alistair remains one of my favourite baddies from Supernatural) and it seemed about time he made the turn in Van Helsing. However, he had grown to become so likeable as a protagonist, thus making the reveal that much more heartbreaking.
The scene that saw an enraged Mohamad attack Sam was quite an emotional sequence. It would have been nice if they had explored their friendship more and looked into how they met as it would've added more depth to this rift between the former friends. Nevertheless, the level of deep respect the two characters had for each other was clearly felt and it made the turn that much more impactful when it happened this week.
The episode as a whole was paced well and it was packed with some great character moments. Sam's turn was both heartbreaking and chilling, and the intimacy of the events that unfolded made the episode very memorable. However, they killed off a very likeable protagonist and turned another one into a vampire, that of whom will probably be a pile of dust by the end of next week.
The obliteration of the core team as a whole has been unexpected. Going back over the past several episodes, Axle and John's deaths was too soon. The verdict is still out on Axle, but I feel bringing him back would be cheap. Now, add Susan and probably soon, Sam to that list too. The quick deaths has made Van Helsing a very unpredictable show, but it may also draw much ire among viewers as we were just starting to grow with these characters.
Van Helsing continues to make itself a love it or hate it type of show, with the vocal viewers being more on the latter side. It'll be interesting to see how they handle the last two episodes to close out this controversial first season.
7.5/10
What did you guys think of 'Last Time?' Leave your comments below and don't forget to vote in the poll!
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