Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Resurrection, Season Two, Episode Four: Old Scars


A man with a leg brace rushes through the woods and he is being followed by a posse armed with a hanging rope, dogs and guns.  As he runs, he trips and falls repeatedly, clearly due to his disability.  When the posse catches up with the disabled man, they waste no time lynching him, as a young girl watches. Flash to present day where Margaret now stands beneath the same tree.  Was the young spectator a young Margaret?

Lucille gets out of bed, while Henry lies in bed looking at old family photos. Lucille sits at her dressing table to brush her hair as Henry watches.  Lucille makes her way silently towards Henry now dressed completely in black for him to do up her zipper.  Now outside, a clearly sad Lucille holds a G.I. doll in tears.  Lucille is joined by Margaret, who tells her to sit down and relax, reminding Lucille that she would not want Jacob to see her like that.  Lucille admits that she and Margaret didn't always see eye to eye and adds that this is the day Jacob died 32 years ago. Lucille says that each year on this date,  she takes flowers to Jacob's grave and walks by the river where Jacob died. While Lucille is happy to have Jacob back, it doesn't erase what it felt like to lose Jacob.  Margaret assures Lucille that nothing would make a mother forget this and suggests that they turn this day of sadness into a day of celebration by hosting a large dinner.

Bellamy is up and dressed and he and Maggie make small talk.  Maggie is curious how the government knew that the bones belonged to the returned and she questions whether or not Bellamy had any interactions with the still unnamed government agency.  Bellamy of course denies knowing anything about what went on.  Maggie then questions if her office is under surveillance. Bellamy suggests that they can still identify the remains because one was Black and the other had a knee problem which would have made him walk funny.  Aww isn't it nice that Bellamy is so helpful after he sabotaged Maggie?

Rachel and Janine run into each other at the market. Rachel tells Janine that Tom is planning to help her get her own place and that she won't have to worry about her anymore.  Janine then helps Rachel pick her prenatal vitamins and quips that she has never gotten as far in any of her pregnancies as Rachel.  Rachel then thanks Janine for allowing her to stay at her home, before collapsing on the ground in pain clutching her stomach. 

Fred is at Twian's Bar and Grill, when Margaret joins him complaining that the grill is as dirty as she remembers it.  Fred brings up the bones he found at the river and Margaret is quick to say that she has no idea where they would have come from.  Fred says that he believes the bones were originally buried beneath the old factory and questions Margaret again about her knowledge on the bones. Margaret suggests that there was an old cemetery under the factory but Fred is quick to nix that idea because the factory was already built when the bones were buried. Margaret then invites Fred to the family meal adding that Maggie has already been invited.  Fred tries to back away but Margaret makes it clear that she could be gone tomorrow and that this is what she wants.  Margaret refuses to take no for an answer.  Fred changes the topic to ask how living with Lucille is working out and Margaret replies that they are getting along famously.

Lucille and Jacob are washing the "good china" when Margaret enters to demand they use the Royal Dalton dinner plates and not the Wedgewood. Margaret then asks Henry to get the rest of the groceries out of the car while she has a shower and Henry asks Margaret not to drive alone because she doesn't even have a license.  I guess when your son is the sheriff that is something one need not be concerned about. Margaret then confirms that Fred and Maggie have both agreed to attend and a worried look crosses Lucille's face.

Bellamy is busy searching microfilm files (who the hell still uses microfilm?), while Janine and Tom stand over Rachel at Maggie's office.  Maggie explains that what happened to Rachel was perfectly normal. Maggie checks the baby's heartbeat and declares it strong.  When Maggie looks at the ultrasound however, a concerned look appears on her face.  Maggie declares the baby healthy but the measurements don't make sense because the baby is growing twice as fast as a normal fetus. 

Lucille and Jacob are setting the table and Jacob questions who came to his funeral.  Lucille confirms that the entire family showed up for Jacob's funeral.  Jacob then question if his aunt Barbara had a funeral as well, as Henry listens in the other room.  Jacob questions why Barbara isn't coming to dinner because he wants to apologise for not saving her.  Lucille tells Jacob that he has nothing to apologise for and when Jacob insists that he wants his aunt Barbara there, Lucille calls him petulant. Jacob then breaks a dish and Lucille orders him outside, when he offers to clean up the mess.

Henry rings Barbara's doorbell but quickly turns to leave; however, before Henry can get off the porch, Barbara opens the door. Barbara and Henry sit on the porch and Henry makes it clear that he is not judging her for her decision to cheat on Fred. Henry goes on to add that the Returned have a remarkable power to heal old wounds.

Janine, Rachel and Tom are back at the house and Rachel goes to lie down.  Janine tells Tom that it is not necessary for Rachel to find a new place to live, given everything that Rachel is going through before walking away.


Lucille is at the table folding napkins, when Margaret enters, saying that it is not easy to raise a little boy.  Lucille is worried that everything she does lately is wrong. Margaret responds that she and Fred were always at odds when he was little until he met Barbara.  Margaret feels that Fred slipped away from her for good when he met Barbara.  Lucille calls it ancient history but Margaret is not convinced.

Fred is in Bellamy's office, where he sees the hardcopy results of Bellamy's microfilm results.  Fred starts to question what Bellamy is up to and Bellamy points out that since he has been given a closet as an office, the least that Fred can do is stay out of it. Fred apologises for invading Bellamy's space and again asks what Bellamy has been investigating.  Bellamy points to a photo of the person he believes to be the victim and adds that the story Arthur Holmes gave them about his death does not add up.  Outside of Bellamy's office, Fred pulls out the one bone he was able to save and then flashes back to the day the skeletons were found by the river.

Maggie is at Lucille and Henry's when Fred arrives.  Maggie expresses her shock at seeing her father and Fred responds that when Margaret wants something, it's hard to refuse.  Barbara knocks on the door and is greeted by Jacob with a big hug.  Henry welcomes Barbara into the house and the tension between Fred and Barbara is thick.  Jacob apologises for not being able to save Barbara and we get a flashback to the two of them drowning in the river.  Margaret makes her way downstairs to see Barbara standing in the doorway and she is clearly not impressed to see Barbara.

We then see Margaret in the kitchen frying some sort of schnitzel and Fred enters to ask if Margaret remembers Arthur Holmes from the factory.  When Margaret claims ignorance, Fred pushes again, reminding Margaret that Arthur would have been there when her father was simply a foreman at the factory.  Margaret says that she was just a girl back then and cuts the conversation short.  Margaret tells Fred that he has an over active imagination and that she does not believe the bones were ever at the factory.  Margaret then brings up Barbara but Fred assures his mother that it is over between him and Barbara. Margaret snarks about having heard this before. They are joined by Henry and so Barbara sends her sons to get extra chairs from the basement.

Janine brings Rachel a glass of water and inquires as to her health.  Rachel says that something strange is happening inside her body.  Janine assures Rachel that she was born to do this and that it's the most natural thing in the world.  Janine assures Rachel that she is not alone in any of this and promises to help her every step of the way.  The two women embrace, as Tom watches from a distance.

Henry and Fred discuss the traffic and then Henry brings up the detail work on the old chair. Fred questions how Henry feels about having Margaret back and Henry replies that though he has been alive much longer than Margaret, he still feels like the child in the relationship. Fred smiles saying that nothing will ever change that.  Henry reminds Fred that they are brothers and Fred heads upstairs with the chair. Fred finds Maggie checking her messages and she asks if Fred has heard anything knew about the bones.  Fred reveals what Bellamy had to say regarding Arthur Holmes. Maggie let's the cat out of the bag by telling Fred that Margaret visited Arthur before he disappeared because she remembered him from the factory. Fred simply promises to ask Margaret about Arthur but does not reveal that Margaret has already denied knowing Arthur.

Everyone is now at the dinner table and Fred is clearly uncomfortable. Lucille excuses herself to get another bottle of wine and she is joined by Margaret, who goes on a rant about Barbara being invited.  Lucille tells Margaret that what Fred did was no different, given what Fred did to the Returned and points out that Margaret invited Fred. Margaret however is concerned that Fred is a victim in all of this and blames Barbara for all of the family's problems. Besides, Fred is family.

Back at the table, the family talks about how much things have changed.  Margaret changes the topic to question what Barbara and Sam have been doing since Barbara has returned. Barbara points out that a lot of time has passed and Margaret snarks about Babrara not bringing Sam to dinner. Jacob questions if Henry has ever built a house and Henry replies no and suggests that Jacob start helping him in the woodshop.  It seems that Henry has decided to reopen the factory. Margaret stands to make a toast and skips Barbara's name, forcing Jacob to include her. Margaret suggests that because the family has survived so many difficulties, she has been brought back to bring the family back together to overcome dark times.  Margaret finishes by saying that the Langston's must always protect their own, with her hand on Fred's shoulder, while staring at Lucille.

Bellamy calls Fred and leaves a message about Arthur Holmes and how it all leads back to the factory.  At the table, Fred ignores the call.  Barbara tries to make nice by talking about how much Maggie laughed as a baby.  Lucille says that she didn't hear her son laugh for 32 years and then accuses Barbara of killing her son. Henry tries to intervene but Lucille tells him to shut up. Barbara tries to say that it was all an accident but Lucille points out that it was no accident that Barbara went down to the river to screw Sam.  Maggie tries to intervene but Lucille tells Maggie to shut up because the adults are talking.  Lucille tells Barbara that if Barbara had ended the affair when Lucille told her to, Jacob never would have died. Barbara says that she is sorry but Lucille tells Barbara that all of the I'm sorries in the world will not erase what Barbara did.  Lucille then turns to Fred to say that she remembers exactly what he did. Lucille slams the table telling Barbara that Jacob should be sitting at the table with his wife and his own children and isn't doing that because Barbara stole her son from her. Barbara starts to cry but Lucille tells her that she has no idea what it is to be a mother.  Barbara drops her napkins and leaves and when Maggie moves to follow, Fred indicates that he will handle this. Maggie gets up in disgust and a very smug Margaret takes a drink of her wine.

Fred catches up with Barbara, saying that Lucille didn't have any right to say what she did at the table. Barbara however is convinced that Lucille was right and that she does not deserve Lucille's forgiveness or anyone's.  Fred tell Barbara that he knows how she feels.  Barbara asks if Fred found her body and Fred says that he let it all go. Barbara kisses Fred on the cheek tearfully before walking away. 

Bellamy has arrived at the factory and begins his search by flashlight.  Why is it that no one ever seems to have the good sense to search the factory during the day?  Bellamy finds Fred waiting for him and both men confirm that they haven't found anything.  Suddenly, they ear a car crash outside and when they rush outside, they find Mikey barely conscious in a truck.  Fred calls Mikey a nasty son of a bitch and Mikey reveals that he is sick. The two men bring Mikey to Maggie's office, where they find it filled with sick Returned.

Margaret is putting Jacob to bed and he asks why Barbara left without saying goodbye.  Margaret replies that manners were never Barbara's strong suit. Jacob says that he is not sleepy Margaret tells him to try while she tells him a story.  Margaret talks about a family who employed all of the villagers, until a demon arrived who spread fear and panic. We get a flashback to the same disabled man from the beginning of the episode being set upon by yet another mob. In the present, Margaret calls it a dark time and says that a little girl banded together with a brave few to stop the demons.  We move to another flashback, where the man is having gasoline thrown on him, as in the present, Margaret says that even though the demons were slayed again and again, they kept returning. In another flashback, we watch as the young Margaret toss a torch on the poor Returned man.  In the present, Margaret says that after the years passed, only the little girl was still alive to remember the demons and the secret of how to kill them and so the responsibility fell to her to protect her family no matter what, even though the little girl became a demon herself.

Margaret could clearly give Mommy Dearest a run for her money.  Margaret is controlling, manipulative and deceptive as all get out.  Lucille played right into her hands by telling Barbara off, though I can understand her rage.  Yes, Jacob died trying to save Barbara but there were clearly problems between Fred and Barbara which caused her to make the decision she did.  It feels very like Resurrection is walking a very thin line when it comes to the slut shaming of Barbara.   I do however believe that Margaret sanction, nay encouraging Lucille's attack on Barbara is going to backfire and bring Fed and Barbara back together.  This would also be given problematic because it is clear that Fred was at the very least emotionally abusive towards Barbara in their marriage.

We have Janine and Rachel boding over Rachel's pregnancy.  I don't like the idea that suddenly all of the issues have disappeared between these two women because of a baby.  Yes, Janine has long wanted to have a child but her response, or should I say change of heart makes me highly uncomfortable.

As far as the meta plot is concerned, we now know that people have Returned before and that Margaret not only knew this information but as a child she participated in their destruction.  Considering that this happened in the 1930's I understand the fear and suspicion, even if I don't support the violence the townsfolk committed against these men repeatedly.  It makes me wonder how long this has been going on?  Why are so many of the Returned getting sick like Caleb did and like Caleb, will they disappear soon?  Though Barbara is suspicious, it is highly unlikely that she has anything to do with the illnesses given that Caleb Returned and disappeared before Barbara returned. There is clearly some sort of force at work and while Resurrection is focused on the inter-personal relationships, the development of the mystery surrounding the Returned has been sketchy at best.  Yes, I love the characters and all of the inter-personal interactions but I want to know more about the Paranormal aspects of this show.  If Resurrection does not move forward soon it risks becoming a show like Lost, which asks many questions with no idea of how to provide any answers.