Containment
continues to be a mix of powerful, emotional, personal moments and a whole lot
of maddeningly ridiculous moments.
On the personal side, we see powerful moments like Jake
and the Orphan, Jake burning the bodies, Jake watching his fellow police
In fact, against all of my expectations, Jake is
surprisingly becoming the most compelling character here. Overwhelmed, sad,
desperate and slowly hurting and falling apart in the face of the utter horrors
he has to deal with. And more than anyone else, he is the one on the front
lines of this horror. He is facing profiteers (in the form of a highly dubious
Black gang of profiteers. This is one time when I’d actually have prefer they
didn’t replace the white rednecks who now seem to be there more to say “look we
don’t have a racist gang!”), food shortage and the general breakdown of order
with a completely inadequately tiny police force. Yes, Jake has attracted my
attention.
Xander is also an interesting character who is clearly in
way above his head. I’m interested in him.
Jenna has my attention because she and Suzy are excellent
and them trying to hold it together sensibly while bonding is wonderful. A
shame they’re also locked up with two guys who are trying to compete for the
title of The Worst (don’t even try. Katie has that locked).
I’d like to see a bit more of Dr. Cannert because he
should also be on the front line and in all kinds of stress.
Unfortunately he is designated villain in the face of
Katie who is managing to maximise how utterly insufferable she is. And she was
already really insufferable. See she has decided Dr. Cannert’s medical
knowledge is all bullshit and, damn it, people who caught the disease first
must have caught it first! Never mind that she doesn’t even need to assume
greater knowledge than the doctor (which is already ridiculous), she just has
to use the knowledge she’s supposed to have as a damn teacher.
I hate this even more than the bullshit outside the
cordon – because Kate is literally dragging a conspiracy out of crap she knows
nothing about – but also about crap SHE SHOULD KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT. I’m sorry
doc, I’m sure you’re lying to me because my child overheard a nurse talking
about a doctor shagging in a cupboard! I’m sorry doc, you’re lying because I
know all about when lab rats are needed.
Let’s make this even worse – because she finds Jake,
minutes after he has just burned the body of an orphaned child and a friend and
colleague who committed suicide in front of him and promptly chews him out for
not jumping on the conspiracy train with her and actually wanting to wash the
ASHES OF THE DEAD off himself first. Kate you are the worst. And when Dr.
Cannert told you to back off you ignorant fool he’s trying to find a cure and doesn’t
have time for your bullshit, he was right.
And y’know what is even WORSE than this?
What’s worse is she’s fecking right. Gah! Because we’ve
seen a cop create a ruse to get inside the cordon to do something ominous at
the behest of the chief of police. Yes, conspiracy confirmed. All of these
completely irrational, ridiculous people – especially The Worst.
It doesn’t help that outside the cordon, Dr. Sabine Lomas
is making what would be he excellent point that she IS an expert in these things.
This is her field of excellence and she’s tired of Alex treating her like an
amateur. Except…
Except she is bloody inept (actually, I agree with her
about getting some food into the cordon no matter what even if a substantial
amount of that food is stolen. She works in situations where everything is so
far removed from ideal that any success is good. I like this. I like her
showing her expertise and understanding that shitty half measures are better
than nothing at all). Aside aside, her obsession with secrecy above all else
(literally, she does almost NOTHING ELSE except PR and silencing. That’s all
she does! I’m actually surprised she tried to bring food to the cordon since it
didn’t involve silencing the press!)
And, of course, Alex thinks she’s part of an utter
conspiracy, is totally ready to believe she’s lying to him because Katie passes
her suspicions to Jake who passes it to him, while he continues to take heat
from all sides for following the rules which MAKE SENSE.
This show could be great and it has moments of excellent
and characters that are excellent. But there’s so much about this show that
frustrates me.
