Monday, August 21, 2017

Midnight Texas, Season One, Episode Four: Sexy Beast

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This week's monster is a man eating succubus. We've been warned that the end might be nigh by the resident angel Joe and proof of that is the fact that more than ever, supernatural creatures are being drawn to the area. So, there the succubus is sitting by the side of the road when she's picked up by Ted, a dudebro who might as well have asshole tattoos on his forehead.  We're conditioned not to have any sympathy for dudebro because it seems that he's stolen and sold his father's Rolex. Predictably, when the dudbro is coerced into pulling over, he becomes snack food for the succubus. 

Creek and Manfred are getting all domestic though Creek is still very much adamant that their relationship needs to stay on the downlow because her father is certain that Manfred will break her heart. I'm getting kind of tired of the policing of Creek's sexuality at this point and it seems that it won't end anytime soon.  Manfred says that he's not a bad guy and that he might be entitled to catch a break after saving them all from vampires.  Yeah, I'm team Manfred on this one. When Creek leaves, Manfred checks his phone only to find some ominous messages from Hightower. Yes, Manfred is on the run but only because he's being held responsible for his grandmother's debt. At any rate, Hightower reaching out to Manfred is enough for Manfred to decide that he needs to make some cash.

Ted's sister Patsy shows up to hire Manfred, to see if she can find out where Ted is and if Ted has the Rolex.  Manfred starts to turn Patsy down but when she offers 5K, Manfred takes the job. Manfred does his thing and he sees Ted's spirit, who talks about being snacked on "like a taco" by a hot blonde woman.   Manfred decides to investigate and when he finds the succubus, she is cleaning up in a truckstop bathroom after killing yet another man. When the succubus makes her play for Manfred, he's quick to take his leave, declaring that he's just not into her.

Back in Midnight, Fiji is getting ready for a dinner date that she's planned with Bobo.  Fiji asks Olivia to join her but Olivia declines because she has a job to do. Olivia points out that this is the perfect opportunity for Fiji to get with Bobo and recommends that Fiji step away from the peasant gear for the night. Later, as Fiji is setting the stage for her romantic dinner, she gets a call from Bobo saying that he'll be over as soon as he changes out of work gear. Of course, Bobo isn't getting ready for a hot date but trying to meet up with bikers now that he knows that they've killed the sheriff. 

Olivia's job is to kill a man who has robbed people of their 401Ks. The mark tries to plead that it was only money but he doesn't get any sympathy from Olivia on this. Olivia points out that families can be ruined by having their life savings stolen.  Olivia does the deed and leaves the building but pauses when she notices a man who was watching her when she was in the building is now sitting outside in his car.  For Olivia, this is too much of a coincidence and so she drugs him and carts him back to Midnight for a little casual waterboarding. It doesn't take long for the man to admit that he was hired by her father who supposedly just wants to keep track of Olivia and ensure that she's okay. Olivia becomes emotional and asks Lemuel to feed from her.  Lemuel is happy to oblige but he's concerned that Olivia is so upset.  After Lemuel feeds, Olivia is back to her normal self and doesn't want to discuss it.

Mr. Snuggly (oh how I love that talking cat) is facing reality faster than Fiji.  Mr.Snuggly makes his bid to have Fiji feed him some Sheppard's pie because it's become clear that Bobo isn't going to show up. Fiji holds onto hope until Joe calls and finally cancels. 

It's time for a meeting of the Midnight supernatural club.  Manfred describes what the succubus looks like to Joe, who does a sketch.  They're able to identify the succubus and Joe claims that succubi are attracted to men who've harmed women. So you know damn well that this gets Creek's attention because all the men in her family are suspicious of Manfred. At any rate, this is when Creek's little brother Connor shows up. It seems that Connor has been following Manfred all over town to see what he's up to.  Yeah, that's creepy as all get out and I don't care that Connor is only 17.  Creek is quick to send Connor on his way. 


Now that the Midnighters know what they are dealing with, they have to come up with a way to handle the succubus.  Joe says that the only way he knows how to kill a succubus is with dragons breathe. Since they are fresh out of dragons, Fiji suggests whipping up a potion that will take away the glamour the succubus uses to beguile men. With potion in hand, it's off to the bar to hunt down a succubus.

Fiji is looking around the bar when she spots Bobo.  Bobo makes his way to the back of the bar and forces his way into the backroom.  Bobo is called a traitor to his group. I guess this means that Bobo used to be part of the motorcycle gang. An offended Bobo goes on the attack but Fiji shows up and uses magic to take the pool cue out of Bobo's hand before he can hurt someone.  Fiji is not impressed that Bobo put himself in this situation after everything that the gang did to get him out of jail. Bobo, believing that Fiji is at the bar for him is impressed that she would intervene.  An irritated Fiji reveals the real reason she's at the bar.

Olivia takes to the dance floor for some line dancing while she checks out all the blonde haired women in her vicinity.  Manfred approaches a blonde at the bar and when her partner gets upset, Manfred tells some story about mistaking the woman for a former girlfriend who abandoned him five years ago. It's a cheap way to get some characterisation in and works to get Manfred out of a potential fight.  Creek ignores the truth of Manfred's excuse and instead focuses on Manfred's skill at deescalating a problem.  Chuy and Joe walk through the bar and a worried Chuy talks about Joe blowing his cover. Chuy is also concerned that the veil between good and evil thinning away will have some adverse effect on him in particular. Perhaps next week, Midnight Texas can spend some time on Chuy's characterisation so that he can rise beyond being a gay sidekick. When Creek spots Connor at the door handing his fake ID to the bouncer, she's quick to intervene.  Connor and Creek head out to the parking lot where she spies the succubus prepping for her third meal.  Creek is quick to send Connor on his way before texting Manfred to give him the heads up. A brave Creek approaches the succubus and sprays her with Fiji's potion.  

The succubus doubles over in pain just as Lemuel arrives. Lemuel picks up the succubus and races her out of the parking lot and from prying curious eyes. The gang meets up with the succubus and Lemuel in a secluded area. After writhing on the ground for a few moments, the succubus stands asking what they have done to her.  Fiji explains that her glamour has been removed so that she can no longer prey upon men.  Lemuel adds that the supernatural try to fly under the radar and that open feeding will not be tolerated. The succubus decides to go on the attack and is knocked to the ground. The succubus then makes her escape, leaving the gang wondering if it's over for now.  

Of course, Connor didn't return home just because Creek ordered him to do so. The succubus gets her claws into Connor, forcing him to call out for help.  The gang frantically search the woods for Connor and the Succubus. When they do find them, one of the gang forces Connor out of the way, and Manfred gets to play hero again by burning the succubus with a propane tank with a flame thrower hack. Now that's thinking on your feet. 

Back at home, Olivia confronts the detective her father hired to follow her. Olivia explains to the detective that when she was a child, her father pawned her off on her stepmother who didn't care about her. Olivia's step mother was addicted to drugs and when her father discovered this, he cut her off. With no access to money, Olivia's step mother sold Olivia to random men in order to pay for her drugs. It's clear the memory of what happened still deeply haunts Olivia today and has shaped the person she is. Olivia explains that if her father didn't care about her when she was a vulnerable child that he doesn't care about her now that she can take care of herself.  Olivia releases the private detective but warns that if he returns that she'll kill him. 

Fiji is cleaning up the remains of her uneaten romantic dinner when Bobo finally arrives.  Bobo says that he's sorry for going after the bikers and will not make that mistake again.  Bobo brings up their relationship and the possibility that he and Fiji might just be more than friends.  Bobo seals the deal with a kiss.

I'm going to need Midnight Texas to stop ringing the bell on Hightower. We know that Hightower is holding Manfred responsible for Xylda's debts but not much more than that.  It seems to me that this would have to be personal to track Manfred all over the place for a debt that he didn't even incur.  Midnight Texas needs to do something with this. 

Since the beginning, the Lovell men have been warning Creek that Manfred is no good for her and is going to hurt her.  This policing is sexist and disgusting and made more so by the fact that Creek doesn't really seem to push back against it. Instead of standing up to her brother and her father, Creek seems content to sneak around behind their back. I'm further not impressed with the implication that Manfred hurts people because the succubus showed interest in him, thereby affirming that the Lovell men are right to keep following him. Why didn't anyone think about the fact that maybe she went after Manfred because he walked in on her cleaning up after a fresh kill. 

I like the fact that we got to Olivia's backstory but I really don't feel that Arielle Kebbel did that storyline any kind of justice with her acting.  Yes, Olivia's still in incredible pain and it makes sense to me that she would be attracted to someone who can just suck the pain away.  However, by not confronting her feelings she's not living but surviving.  Now that the writers have gone down this road, I hope that they explore the harm of not dealing with your pain. 

There's a part of me that went squee when Bobo and Fiji finally kissed and another part of me that wanted her to reject him. Fiji is so clearly his second choice and he also hasn't been honest with her about her past. Fiji is who he chose when his white girlfriend betrayed him; she's the convenient fall back.