A lot has happened since Wiley gave birth to Jason. Now, as the snow swirls and formula has passed scarce and become impossible to find, her child could starve. In Between “Hope” Gord is teaching the kids to plant seeds, Adam tries to find out more about Art Carey and Ronnie gets caught up in Renee’s world. This episode is all about survivalists and surviving.
It is also about coping with loss and having to move on.
The last episode had the disastrous escape attempt that ended with Samantha’s death. Her brother Harrison is still grieving, although her boyfriend Chuck has already moved on apparently.
Ronnie, who took Alex’s body back to Renee is not given a hero’s welcome. Instead he is questioned and kept prisoner. He learns that Renee is the leader of the only faction of Pretty Lake survivalists; a group started by her father. They have automatic weapons and a seemingly never-ending supply of food.
Harrison heads to the bowling alley and has flashbacks to his birthday when Samantha was still alive and the virus had not yet been released. He is joined by Franny who spends time bowling and having fun with him. Later, the two share a first kiss.
Franny has someone following her and taking pictures of her backpack, the one that Alex was wearing when he stabbed himself. This will later turn out to be Renee’s people searching for his murderer.
Adam questions Liam again about working with his father and the name Art Carey comes up. The young man is understandably alarmed that Cullen knows the name as the prison officer who tried to kill him last season was a colleague of the man. He orders Liam handcuffed and Adam heads to the prison with Chuck to find out more.
At the prison, they find the female prison officer who almost killed Adam and get her keys. When they try to access the security system at the prison, her fingerprints are required and the two young men have to cut off her hand. Adam finds her office and searches her laptop which has apparently been wiped clean of all files. He finds, under her desk, a satellite phone.
Before then, Adam and Chuck have an argument and after getting physical, Chuck storms off.
Earlier in the episode, Wiley’s tumor is shown to be shrinking after the injection and Liam Cullen (Steven Grayhm) is optimistic that his vaccine will save everyone in the town. Later, Chuck eagerly volunteers for an injection.
Wiley stops by the orphanage to see if Gord has any formula for Jason. The cupboards are bare but he sends the young mother to the Mennonites. On the way her car runs out of gas. Wiley takes Jason and heads out through the snow on foot.
Once she arrives at the farm, the Mennonites feed Jason, one of John’s wives still has breast milk. Wiley is told that Jason can stay, where they will raise him and “make him one of us,” but Wiley must leave. She decides to leave Jason so he can survive since she cannot feed him herself.
Gord and Franny make up, Harrison brings her to the orphanage to see her brother. Gord goes outside to see Franny and after they reunite, he invites her back to the farm. He turns to get his things so they can leave. Renee and her second in command turn up and grab Franny.
Gord intercedes and knocks the gun Renee is holding away. He struggles with her and her “minion” as he yells for Franny to run. The survivalist group leader shoots Gord twice in the abdomen. Franny screams his name and the two attackers drive off.
Between is stacking up the bodies this season with three deaths in as many episodes. (Four if you count the kindly old lady in the first episode.) Alex, Renee’s little homicidal brother, Samantha and now, almost certainly, Gord. Franny’s big brother has always been the Jiminy Cricket of Pretty Lake and his death will hurt the community.
There were some standout moments in “Hope:”
Ronnie being delivered to Renee a’la the Queen of Egypt.
Stacey bashing Mark in the back of the head with the shotgun butt.
Chuck and Adam chopping off the guard’s hand.
Gordon being shot. (This qualifies as not only a moment that stands out but the most disturbing event as well.)
Is has to be noted that Liam’s calling the vaccine he takes a prophylactic, which is another word for a safe, aka a condom, is amusing. Granted, in the world of medicine the term does mean a preventative measure against disease (i.e. a condom) but it is funny regardless of the “serious” intent.
Between season two is streaming on Netflix at the moment. Watch it all in one go or space it out. Either way watch and see who lives and who dies.
CAST:
- Jennette McCurdy – Wiley
- Jesse Carere – Adam
- Justin Kelly – Chuck
- Ryan Allen – Gord
- Kyle Mac – Ronnie
- Percy Hynes White – Harrison
- Jack Murray – Mark
- Shailyn Pierre-Dixon – Frances (Franny)
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