In the aptly titled 'Everything Changes,' Van Helsing took things to a whole other level, in one of the more exciting episodes of the series.
'Changes' kicked off with a revealing flashback of Dmitri (channeling his 1960s Don Johnson) who gets cornered by presumably a Van Helsing, locked up in The Farm and experimented on with a needle only to be released by Van Helsing.
The directing during Dmitri's escape was done exceptionally well. We don't always see Dmitri's carnage, the camera instead focused on a guard crawling to safety, but we sure as hell hear it and feel it as the vamp walks in and out of view killing guards off camera, making him even more terrifying.
The opening scene sets up what comes next as we find out Dmitri knows more about Van Helsing and her sister than they ever imagined due to his time locked up. He also reveals that the Elder One has awakened due to Van Helsing waking up, emotionally speaking, which can only mean, hopefully, that Dracula will be arriving.
What follows this moment of exposition is one of the most craziest scenes we've seen in this young series. Both Van Helsing and Scarlett Harker fend off a horde of vamps in a Marvel Netflix-esque hallway fight scene. After Vanessa bites Scarlett, in a moment that is unintentionally funny, to consume her power, she goes all rage mode and we finally see the heir of the vampire slayer in all her glory chopping away savagely at every vamp in her way.
Following all this intense action was a very emotional moment with the possible death of Axle. All the quick deaths last season, as unwarranted as they were, has made this show so unpredictable. I actually believed Axle did die, and the writers did a fabulous job at teasing his resurrection, only to not go ahead with it. The reveal that he was alive was also done very well and at the right time with the sisters hearing his heartbeat six feet under and miles away. Though the show would survive without him, he does admittedly provide a certain charisma to this show, and so it was a great to see him rise from the dead after all.
Some of the B-stories included an amusing moment of Mohamad refusing to give up his Nirvana tee, and Sam making a brief appearance as he kidnaps his former friend.
We also see Scab confront the sisters. The guy is such an awesome baddie in his grunts and body movement and feral like nature. We didn't get to see enough of him last season, but it looks he will have a larger role to play after unexpectedly offing Maya, taking over her leadership of the sisters.
After this episode things certainly feels like it is changing. The first one and a half seasons of Van Helsing was quite the plodding drag, for the most part. Now, with Van Helsing being taken away by whomever took her, and the introduction of Scarlett Harker and talk of 'The Elder' one and the mythology finally opening up, things are finally getting intriguing and with exciting results, so far.
8.5/10
