While early the series Wayward Pines felt a lot like The Prisoner revisited, or to be more exact reimagined, the latest episode, The Truth, feels like The Matrix. Matt Dillon’s Ethan Burke may not be Neo and Toby Jones is definitely not Morpheus although he might be the Idaho version as we learn later just who his character really is.
In this segment, we learn just what those “animals” are on the other side of the fence. Last week, Ethan tells Ben somewhat unconvincingly that the animal they saw was a “wolf.” This episode proves that off all the woodland creatures they could be, a non domesticated canine is not one of them. The show takes a severe left turn in this episode.
The Truth has Ethan climbing the mountain in a desperate attempt to get help in Boise, Theresa starts her new job and Ben becomes a member of the First Generation. While it sounds like some sort of pop group, it is not. These youngsters are all learning the “truth” about Wayward Pines and finding out who the new savior of mankind is; David Pilcher, aka Dr. Jenkins, played by Toby Jones.
According to the headteacher, or is she the only teacher, at school, the world has moved on. Giving the three kids in Orientation a coin each, she asks them to inspect these “old” relics that are no longer worth anything. Ben finds it is a quarter dated 2048. The three then learn what the rest of the school kids know already, that the animals in the wood are people who have regressed to a more savage state.
As they learn that Wayward Pines is an ark in a post apocalyptic world where humans have become animals, Ethan crossed the mountain top, gets attacked by one of the “abbies,” short for abnormals, and when he gets to the edge of Boise, he finds ruins covered with vegetation and a helicopter.
Meanwhile, Theresa learns that the towns newest denizen was also in a car accident before being admitted to hospital. This new arrival needs a home and she finds that her real estate jobs does not included selling houses but giving them away. In a town where retirement means death, it is anyone’s guess who lived there before, most likely Peter.
The new addition speaks to Mrs. Burke about what he saw after his accident, a lot of what sounds like cryogenic capsules and this ties into what Ben learns at school. Apparently the world has ended except for these chosen few who have been spared to ensure the human race survives in a more civilized state.
As convincing as all this seems, one has to remember that just last week, Dr. Jenkins was in a civilized Boise talking to another Secret Service agent about the Burkes. If, as he and the teacher, Wayward Pines is all that is left of civilization where was Jenkins/Pilcher when speaking to Ethan’s supervisor.
It is taking this into consideration that makes the whole thing seem like a sort of Matrix scenario. At the very least this appears to be some sort of experiment. At one point, the man from Boise’s Secret Service agency says that Burke is not handling things well, except that he gives Ethan a number, there is that reference to The Prisoner again which this does not appear to be at all.
This week’s episode of Wayward Pines, The Truth does feel like a trip into The Matrix. Now that Ethan is on his way back to the town the rest of his nuclear family are learning their own truths after he has learned what Pilcher claims to be true. One thing is for certain, this show continues to keep the plot line twisting and turning, becoming one of the most addicting programs on television.
Agreed. I was pleased to see him in something and there are enough twists and turns thus far to keep me guessing. I’ve not read the books the show is based upon. Fans have been saying they are following the story like pretty well…
I like Matt. Pretty good actor. Has the Star Power to pull this thing off. But as I watched the trailer (for myself) I didn’t see enough there to make watch this on any regular basis. I could be wrong but …