Saturday, January 10, 2015

Resurrection, Season Two, Episode Ten: Prophecy


In the past, a young Lucille checks the calendar and heads outside looking for Jacob.  In the present, a storm is brewing outside while Lucille frantically calls out for Jacob. Henry and Lucille struggle to find a flashlight and when Henry looks out the window, he realises that their other car is gone.  Henry tells Lucille that Margaret took Jacob.   Lucille grabs the phone but discovers that it is not working, so Henry tells her to try the emergency radio.

Preacher James sits outside praying in the storm and it looks like he is hit by lightening.

Maggie and Fred tell Bellamy that Jacob is missing and explain about the people who showed up at Tom's vigil.  When Fred says that it seems as though Jacob disappeared, Maggie rushes to check Jacob's blood sample.  When Maggie finds Jacob's blood, she informs Fred that Jacob didn't really disappear, adding that they have to tell Lucille and Henry.   Fred tries his cellphone but does not get a signal.

Elaine is at the bar  and Preacher James stumbles in mumbling that he has to find the boy and save him.  When he doubles over in pain, Elaine questions if has been hurt.  Deciding to check on James, Elaine opens his shirt to find what looks like a tree burned into his body. Elaine grabs the first aid kit but when she returns to the bar, James has left the bar.  Elaine heads outside with a flashlight but James is nowhere to be seen.

Henry struggles but is unable to get the radio to work. Lucille announces that she cannot sit around there doing nothing and is headed out.  Henry reminds Lucille that Fred promised to meet them there if he couldn't contact them by phone.  Right on cue, Fred, Maggie and Bellamy show up. Lucille quickly tells them that Margaret took Jacob but when Bellamy asserts that this is a good thing because it means that Jacob is not alone, Henry informs them that the last time he saw Margaret, they had a horrible fight.  The power suddenly comes back on as Bellamy questions whether or not Margaret could hurt her own grandson.  Franks admits that he confronted Margret when Barbara disappeared and Margaret didn't deny having something to do with it. Lucille starts to gather her things and Henry tries to encourage her to stay behind in case Jacob comes back but Lucille screams that her son is missing.  After making eye contact with Maggie and Bellamy, Lucille asks them to call her if they hear anything.  Fred interrupts to inform them about Elaine meeting a stranger in the bar who said he had to save the missing boy.  Maggie volunteers to stay behind with Lucille and the men head out into the storm.

Margaret and Jacob are in some kind of barn. 

Frank and Henry are driving and he suggests checking the factory but Franks says that he has already checked every inch of that place.

We get a flashback to young Margaret sitting and crying in a wedding dress.  In the present, Jacob asks Margaret if it will hurt when they go away and if it will be like when they died.  Margaret says that she doesn't remember much of what happened when she died and that she imagines that it will be like a wonderful adventure, where all the people you've ever loved will think well of you.  Clearly, Margaret is still stinging from her fight with Henry. Jacob says that he will miss his parents and hopes to see them again after they die.  Jacob asks what Margaret was thinking about and Margaret admits that she was hiding here on her wedding day the last time she was here.  When Jacob asks for more information, Margaret suggests that Jacob should get a little more rest.

Frank and Henry continue to drive together through the storm and Henry admits that he was blind all this time about Margaret. Fred simply says that Margaret has a way of making people see what she wants them to see, causing Henry to add that Frank always understood that about her.  Fred tells Henry that he is a different person now than before Margaret died.

We get a flashback to young Lucille calling Henry to say that Jacob is missing and something is not right.  Lucille hangs up and agrees to wait for Henry's call.  In the present, a panicked Lucille stares into space while Maggie tries to assure Lucille that they will call as soon as they get any word on Jacob and that Margaret probably took Jacob somewhere to stay out of the storm.  Lucille says that she has to sleep or will be useless and Maggie assures Lucille that she will be there with her.  Maggie suggests they have some tea and try and relax.

Fred runs back into the car and reveals that another location is empty.  Henry says that Margaret wouldn't leave Arcadia because that is all she knew.  Henry then says that Jacob's death changed both him and Lucille and adds that he doesn't know if they can survive another blow like that.  Fred assures his brother that they are going to find Jacob.  A call comes through the radio, giving a lead to Preacher James.

In yet another flashback, Jacob comes across baby Maggie down by the lake.  In the present, Lucille tells Maggie that they never talked about the day that Margaret and Jacob died.  Lucille says that the evening of Jacob's death, she had a biology exam and was pursuing her masters degree. Lucille admits that Henry was worried about her because she would stay up all night studying.  The day that Jacob died, she feel asleep with a book on her chest and when she woke up, Jacob was not in the house.  Lucille feels guilty that she was sleeping while Jacob was drowning.

The sun is shining, as Jacob gets up to ask his grandmother about what happened on her wedding day.  Margaret says that it's a sad and scary story.  Margaret tells Jacob that her father was a foreman who was supposed to watch over the workers but he worked for a bad man, who made her father do bad things.

We get a flash to the past with the factory on fire and Margaret's father trying to free the men, only to be stopped by his employer. Then we get a flash to mobs killing the Returned repeatedly.  Margaret explains that in return for her father's loyalty, he was told that Margaret could have a better life by marrying into the Langston family.  On her wedding day, Margaret cries, begging not to be forced to do this.


Bellamy is parked by the side of the road when he sees  Pastor James  walking down the road.  Bellamy confronts Pastor James, who says that he hasn't seen a little boy and that he was looking for someone but he is gone now.  Pastor James makes his way down the street, as Frank and Henry pull up.  They realise that they are not far from the farm that their mother grow up.

Back in the barn, Jacob questions if the Returned  his great grandfather had to kill were the first Returned.  Maggie replies that they were the first Returned that she has heard of and that she believes they Returned to punish their family.   Margaret says that it was the Langstons who hurt those men and it hurt the town.  Margaret adds that the family is cursed and Jacob questions if they came back to hurt people and if this is why the townsfolk don't like them. Margaret reveals that for a time, she was sure they could help the living.  Margaret's goal was to help Fred, who she could tell was hurting and to help Henry be the man he always wanted to be.  Margaret admits that all of her plans backfired and this is why she is going to go away.  Jacob declares that he is coming with Margaret. 

Fred, Bellamy and Henry arrive at the barn to see Jacob gone and Margaret standing there.  Margaret tells them that Jacob wants to be with her right now and doesn't want to be with them.  Henry demands that Margaret stop - particularly stop putting ideas in Jacob's head.   Henry declares that Jacob is his son but Margaret says that it's not that easy.  Jacob steps out from behind his grandmother and Henry begs Jacob to come with him.  When Henry begins to charge Margaret, demanding that his son be returned,  Fred grabs his hand and warns that Henry should be careful because they don't know what Margaret is capable of.  Slowly and quietly, Bellamy is starting to move behind Margaret and Jacob.  Margaret is shocked by Fred's statement.  Bellamy snatches Jacob and heads outside with the boy.  Margaret asks if Fred and Henry thought she would hurt Jacob, admitting that she has had all night to think about where she went wrong and hating herself.  Margaret adds that she now realises that it wasn't her and that everything she has done, she has done for the Langstons. Margaret says that she has given her whole life to the Langstons and that her father was a broken man because of them.  Marget tells them that their grandfather had to murder people for the Langstons and questions what she or her father got in return.  An enraged Margaret says that she got to marry their pathetic drunken father, so her children could have a life of privilege and ease.  Margaret informs them that she created a bubble around them and they did nothing but suffocate in it, adding that even after death, she tried to protect them.  Margaret says that they both hate her because she always hated the Langston in them - the weakness.  Margaret adds that it is clear to her now and now she realises that she has always hated both of them.  Henry tells Margaret that she is at least finally telling the truth before walking away.

Fred puts Margaret in his car and tells Bellamy that he will make the arrangements.  Margaret looks at Jacob, who is now sitting with his father in the back of Bellamy's car, as they head back to see Lucille.  On the way back, Henry tells Jacob that Lucille is fixing his favourite meal right now.  Henry tells Jacob that this was scary for him and Lucille, adding that  he can only imagine how scary it must have been for Jacob but Jacob is insistent that Margaret didn't do anything wrong.


When they finally arrive home, Lucille hugs Jacob and questions if he is hungry and okay.  Jacob says no and then leaves to sit in the living room.  Maggie steps aside when she gets a call.  Moments later, Bellamy questions if the Langstons are okay and Maggie suggests that they are a bit shell shocked. Maggie then reveals that the serum from the stem cells is read and questions if Bellamy is still symptom free. Bellamy replies that as far as he can tell but Maggie asks him to stop by the clinic, adding that as soon as he receives the serum, he will be full cured before leaving.

Bellamy heads to see Jacob and reminds him that his parents love him, assuring Jacob that everything is going to be okay.  Jacob offers Bellamy a fist pound and goes back to his DS, as Bellamy heads outside.  On the porch, Bellamy calls someone saying that he needs a favor.  Bellamy drives out to the edge of town and is met by Jenny.  Bellamy tells Jenny that he is her brother and she asks for proof, so he kneels down, so that she can see his birthmark.  Jenny hugs Bellamy and calls him Robert.  Jenny asks if she is going to live with Bellamy now and he says yes.  Jenny questions if Bellamy is married and if he has a family and so Bellamy says that he has her and a special friend.

Lucille is in the kitchen searching through cabinets when Jacob enters.  Jacob reveals that he went with Margaret because he didn't want to hurt her anymore but he was thinking about her and didn't want to go away.  Lucille reveals that she was thinking about Jacob as well.  Jacob heads out of the kitchen as Henry enters.  Lucille is pulling things out of the cupboards as she tells Henry that she is trying to figure out where Margaret put everything when she rearranged the kitchen, so that she can put everything back.  Henry says that he would rather not talk  about Margaret right now and that Fred is taking her away right now.  Lucille says that it doesn't matter where Margaret is because the damage has been done.  Henry questions what Lucille means by damage because though Jacob is a little shaken up, he is back home. Henry questions if Lucille believes that Jacob is screwed for life because he had one bad night but Lucille quickly turns the tables on Henry asking how long it has taken him.  When Henry tries to push for more, Lucille tries to change the conversation.  Henry asks if Lucille believes that he screwed up because he loves his mother faults and all, questioning if Lucille believes he wanted this to happen.  Lucille suggests that they should forget about this.  Henry yells that at first it was all about how he didn't know how to grieve for his son and when his mother returned, he was happy about it. Lucille screams that she warned him and that Henry was so busy trying to please Margaret with the stupid factory deal that he didn't see how Margaret was poisoning Jacob's mind. Henry asks if Lucille is blaming him for what happened, adding that he never blamed her for Jacob's death.  Lucille tells Henry to leave the house and not return tonight.  Henry concedes that this is a good idea and walks out the front door as Lucille bursts into tears.

Fred has pulled off to the side of the road and is joined by Margaret.  Margaret questions when the van is coming to pick her up and what Fred knows about this facility.  Fred says not much and asks how Margaret made Barbara go away.  Margaret reveals that she encouraged Barbara to give up and let go.  Fred questions if this was done to the factory workers and Barbara says that they did it to themselves.  The workers were all chained up waiting to be killed for the fourth time, when Barbara heard them talking.  Trying to comfort each other, one man told the other to let go and let his mind go blank and then the man disappeared.  Frank questions how old Barbara was when she saw this and if she was really going to go away herself.  Barbara replies that she was 10, adding that it is hard to choose death when you are looking into the eyes of an 8 year old boy.  Fred tells Margaret that they should go, informing her that he has a cabin a mile away from here and will bring supplies for her tomorrow. Margaret asks why he would do this for her and Fred explains that he never really felt like a Langston either.  Margaret tells Fred that she doesn't hate him and Fred says that he knows.  Margaret tells Fred that this is for the best and that she wants to go to the facility, so she can be with her own kind, before getting back into the car.

Maggie sits with Jenny and she asks if she could get some pants because she was not allowed to wear them before. Maggie offers to take Jenny on a shopping spree.  Bellamy returns with the ice cream and Jenny asks why he isn't married.  Before he can answer,  Preacher James enters the pub and Jenny runs straight towards Preacher James with arms outstretched for a hug.  Bellamy walks over and Jenny introduces James to Bellamy.  Bellamy asks if James has family here and a place to stay and James says that he will make do before leaving.

Jenny is asleep on the sofa and Bellamy gets up and heads outside.  Bellamy walks across a burnt bit of grass that looks like his birthmark and notices that there is a single flower growing in it.  When he hears a noise, Bellamy puts his ear to the ground.  Suddenly, lots of locusts burst out of the ground but disappear quickly.  Pastor James approaches and tells Bellamy that he died trying to save him in the flood.  James adds that the place is sick and together, they will heal it. 

Okay, Langston drama and more Langston drama.   Let's start with Margaret since she was the central figure of conflict this episode.  I still don't understand why Margaret didn't just tell Fred and Henry the moment she came back instead of sneaking around the way she did.  Margaret certainly was not responsible for what happened at the factory when she was a little girl.  Learning that the factory had been shut down, I simply don't understand all of this uplift the family name nonsense, especially given everything the Langstons put her through.  For the first time however, I did get a good sense of everything Margaret has sacrificed.  All Fred and Henry have known is privilege and wealth and all of it without any personal cost.  I loved the class messages in this episode.  The poor are always considered disposable but that does not mean that they don't feel pain and rage.

The scene in which Margaret tells her children that she hates them is extremely powerful.  It also once again reminded me that on Resurrection, all the women seem to do is serve the male cast members in some capacity. 

The argument between Lucille and Henry was probably a long time in the making.  Henry wanted his simple vision of the world - orderly in clean, never really paying attention to anything else.  That he blamed Lucille for Jacob's lost is telling really.  He knew that she would be tired from studying and had expressed worried, yet he still went off to work.  Why doesn't he have some responsibility for Jacob's death? Oh yeah, I forgot he is a man and his job isn't to nurture.

We were introduced to a new mystery with the introduction of Pastor James.  Is Bellamy special in some way? I fear that he will be turned into the magical negro.  I don't think that Resurrection is capable of pulling of a Black chosen one, which is a shame as the genre could really use it.  Unfortunately, I am not really excited to see where this new mystery is going because I think they are just going to drag it out like the did with the birthmark.  Resurrection has done precious little to answer the questions it has already asked and done nothing to give us some idea of where the Returned have come from and what their purpose is.  So far it's all been family drama and while the acting is good, I signed for a show that was about more than family drama.