Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Lost Girl, Season 2, Episode 10: Raging Fae



Wow, we start with the succubus actually feeding? About time! 

Bo, having had an apocalyptic vision last episode, has decided that the best thing to do is avoid trick – y’know the guy with all the knowledge, because she thinks she killed him in the vision (which is a reason not to find out more, apparently or, maybe, give him a vested interest in making sure said vision doesn’t come to pass). She even resists Trick’s offer of a full Sunday lunch with Yorkshire Pudding.

Interrupting the musings of a good dinner, Lauren calls Bo to one of her patients – an ogre who has been badly beaten by a human (clearly this ogre goes to the Bo school of combat) in illegal underground fighting ring. And yes, that’s a human defeating ogres – which shouldn’t be happening.
Needless to say, Bo isn’t all that amused by the idea of underground fighting rings. Except that Fererro, the guy who runs the fights is a Light Fae of impeccable record – and, of course, beating and killing humans isn’t considered that big a no-no in fae society. Giving special powers to humans so they can beat ogres? Now that is naughty and will get one into trouble, if it can be proved. 

Bo goes to join Ferrero's fighting gym and cage fights (and lo, she remembers her succubus powers to save her from the human beating her! How is it that waaaaay back in season 1, episode 1, with no training or experience with her abilities,Bo can take down underfae without breaking a sweat but now wrestling human fighters and even battling a human dominatrix is beyondher?). Oh and of course, while Bo was considered too delicate for a fighting gymn (go find a yoga class – after all yoga and pilates are the only physical exercise delicate white women can do, right?) the woman she fights is a muscular black woman – that’s not stereotyping at all now, is it? Then she gets the stage name “boom boom”. Yeah, do I even need to talk about that? 

There follows Bo’s usual skilful investigation “you taking drugs? No? You sure? You still not taking drugs? How about now? You are taking drugs aren’t you?” eventually she does track down the culprit, somewhat randomly and with huge leaps of logic and makes it alllll better (don't midn the loose ends, the Ash will clear that up)

And the Ash, a friend of Fererro, wants the investigation shut down – apparent political corruption or shadows of something worse? Or just the Ash ruthlessly taking care of business - the plot thickens. Well, maybe. I could be wishful thinking

And to complicate things there’s another human hunting Bo – a human from Bo’s past who knew her when she was a kid and just coming into her powers. And Kenzi is now working to distract her and get her off Bo’s back – and this involves dragging Hale into it. I’m glad to see Kenzi and Hale acting without Bo and Dyson over their backs – but nor am I happy to see them doing it for the sake of Bo. Except Hale can’t act to help Bo because she isn’t Light fae – and it’s too big (what, we’ve had episode after episode telling us that killing humans is no big deal, this whole episode relies on the fact, but now it’s too much?)

We do get a chunk of Bo’s backstory – but it’s no surprise really; except for how conservative her upbringing was and how much sex negativity she was raised with. And we see how much guilt Bo is carrying and how she feels she has to run to avoid it – not so much her (after all, she could succubus her into subservience) but as much the memories. Or it’s implied, I think it could have been carried a little better but Bo lets herself get beaten out of guilt. Probably guilt. It wasn’t awfully done, but it could have been better. Bo revolves to reveal all, but finds that Hale (and Trick) has already covered up for her – so she goes and gets pissy with Trick about it? Since when does Bo decide to reveal the fae to humanity?

Bo still seems to have forgotten her god powers she used against the Liche and we’ve kind of glossed over her visions from the Nain Rouge. Metaplot oh metaplot, wherefore art thou metaplot? We got 5 minutes of Bo explaining her vision to Trick – who promptly brushes it off in a totally believable way.

Yes it was nice to see some backstory – but ye gods can we move the main plot forwards please, rather than just dancing with a new fae monster of the week?