Wynonna Earp - Steel Bars and Stone Walls- Review: Black Badges and Hearts

Wynonna Earp 201

Written by Emily Andras


Last year among the multitude of new shows one stood out for me above the rest. Its appeal, while fun, was a little macabre and you could run a commentary on the episode that Elvira would be proud of. That show was, of course, Wynonna Earp.

A family curse and a town full of demons you might think well, that’s kind of been done already, but the twist and the humor had you applauding the reluctant heroine whose past is tainted with darkness.
What it did have was likable, if not flawed, characters, the sister bond which is golden right now in shows and a strong LGBT storyline that didn’t kill off the love interest just for shock value.

In season one Wynonna accepts her fate as the Earp heir where she must send all the 77 revenants back to hell. Her focus is the seven who caused her father’s death (Wynonna accidentally shot him as they were taking him) and took her older sister who was the first Earp heir, believed to be dead. Her older sister Willa is found without her memories in a commune but later her connection with the Leader of the Demons, Bobo Del Rey, brings devastating results
Adding to the mix a freed Doc Holiday who’s deal with a witch did not end well. Yes, the Doc Holiday, good old Wyatt’s BFF, and Agent Xavier Dolls from the Black badge division. They investigate anything out the ordinary and Wynonna’s younger Sister Waverly who seems to know her history involving the Earp’s curse and the revenants.
The demons can’t go anywhere. Thanks to some magic they are stuck in the Black River Triangle and Purgatory, an apt name for the town. The local sheriff Nedley does his best to cover up the strange happenings in in the town. After all being beheaded by an animal is better than by a demon. However, his newest Deputy, Officer Nicole Haught, isn’t as convinced. Not only is she sneaking about the evidence but taking an interest in the youngest Earp and soon romance blossoms. Not that they get much of a break with demons to kill and curses to be broken.

In the finale and the ultimate betrayal Willa, having regained her memories goes back to old alliances and tries to open the triangle which, as well as letting them out, will let more in. Wynonna stops her but the cost of killing her sister is sure to play heavily on her. Waverly’s curiosity gets the better of her and she touches some suspicious looking black goo, which we can only assume is the demon's blood. It creeps into her system and as she turns her gun on Wynonna the credits role and season 1 came to an end.

Wynonna Earp is back and kicks off into the action with Waverly and Doc running. Soon we see a demon on their tail, think Licker from Resident Evil and you get the idea. Doc’s hat becomes an unfortunate casualty and Wynonna arrives just to time to dispatch the demon back to hell. It seems Waverly was aiming at it not at either of our two heroes as previously hinted at the end of last season.

I love the hair flick worthy of Charlie’s Angels after she kills the demons. Wynonna is indeed back but looks like a few deadly demons have escaped from hell.

Dolls, who you will remember was taken by Black badge division, calls off the air strike using his last favour but Agent Lucado has other plans for him. A transfer to Black Rock prison which doesn’t sound appealing.

Wynonna arrives at the Sheriff’s office to hear Sheriff Nedley telling the press her deranged ex tried to poison the town. Black Badge have given the town the antidote. They are clearing house and doing a little housekeeping.

Wynonna knows Dolls would not keep anything important in the office so proceeds to locate and search his hotel room but a scantily clad woman with impressive fighting skills is not what she expected to find. Nice surprise to see actress Rachel Skarsten (Lost Girl, Reign) make an appearance as Eliza, also an agent of the Black Badge division. Seems she is a friend of Dolls as Wynonna tells Doc and Waverly later,’ a friend’ implying more. Why else would she be in his room in her undies, right?

As for Waverly, you do wonder if she is ok, did we imagine the goo... Officer Haught notes her girlfriend tastes different.

Wynonna also learns Dolls secret when Eliza looks for his medicine. Thankfully Doc kept a vial.

They need to plan to rescue Dolls, luckily Eliza has a key card and knows where they would take him. Waverly gets to do some chopping off of the demon’s head from earlier but as her eyes turn dark you wonder how much is still Waverly.

Black Badge, well Agent Lucado seems to expect them to come despite their stealth. Luckily Wynonna has a plan B which involves Waverly and use of the demon’s head, glasses, and a British accent. (Nice to hear Dominque Provost- Chalkley speak in her native accent). While they are waiting Eliza reveals she was messing with Wynonna, she had her own room. Waverly tries to flirt with the hapless lab tech and delivers one of my fav lines of the episode when he tries to mansplain who Kanye West is, ‘I’m British not elderly ‘. I will mention some of my other favourite lines later.

Waverly tricks the tech to open the doors but Doc, knowing Wynonna can’t kill anyone else close to her, shuts them out. They are all worried Dolls may have transformed too much without his medicine.

Using his wits and dynamite he manages to free Dolls with help from Dolls himself and they head out, but guards are upon them. Luckily Dolls escapes but Doc hides some dynamite in the hopes it will help them escape.
It’s old and unstable and in a facility with all things weird, what could go wrong.

Wynonna and Eliza are battling guards and making a pretty good duo. Soon Wynonna heads to Waverly who, after trying to knock out the tech stirs up another licker demon, this one loves the smell of blood. However, it seems frightened of Black Eyed Waverly who stares it down long enough for Wynonna to arrive and put it down.

However, soon Doc and the others are rounded up by Agent Lucado but her boss intervenes and isn’t too happy. Someone must pay and, as he can’t kill the Earp heir, he shots Eliza. The rest must sign up to Black Badge in Blood. Waverly lies about Nicola being there to which she overhears and leaves.

The Boss, Moody, informs them a lot more nasties have come out since the breach. He needs them and in turn, will help track the remaining 62 (Wynonna’s count) down. Since Bobo was dispatched by Wynonna they have fled the trailer park.

Back at the ranch, Waverly explains she was trying to protect her but seems Officer Haught isn’t happy about it. Wynonna lets the events of the last few days hit her including the death of Willa. Props to Melanie Scrofano on this beautiful scene with Willa’s soft toy and her crying on the bed.
Something glinting in the distance catches her eye and Dolls has retuned her Evil Eye necklace and key. Seems she dropped it in the Black Badge division HQ. Speaking of dropping things, there’s Doc ‘s forgotten dynamite. A hand sneaks out from one of the crates and things go boom! I get the feeling some other things may have also gotten lost as well.


A fabulous season opener that has you wanting more, from the twists to the even uglier demons.

The Earp heir returns to give us plenty of fun and action this summer season.

Favourite scene: the underwear fight, I was half expecting pillows at one point but the lamp was a nice touch.

Shocking scenes:
Waverly’s beheading of the demon (who’s heart was in their mouth?)
Eliza’s death

Best lines:
Officer Haught to Waverly: Worse British accent I ever heard (in-joke as we all know Dominque is British)

Wynonna and Eliza after fighting black badge agents
Wynonna: I thought you were good in your underwear
Eliza: If you think that’s good you should see what I can do naked

What did you think of the season 2 premiere?

What would you like to see in this season?

Please post in the comments below