Van Helsing this week delivers a double dose of horror in”He’s Coming.” While we learn just what goes into the creation of feral’s, drinking too much animal blood, the truth that Sam spoke of last week is revealed. It is a case of “like sister, like brother” and it seems there is more than one kind of boogeyman in this universe.
Sam has become a new kind of threat and a new sort of monster. This vampire plays by his own rules and will no doubt continue to pop up like some horrific “Sam-in-the-box” to chase down Mohamad and Vanessa.
Julius learns the hard way that Dimitri is the Big Bad to be wary of. The vampire may claim that he does not fear death, but Julius fears Dimitri enough to do his bidding.
Of course the big shocker this week was not Sam becoming some creepy and disturbing new boogeyman but Mohamad’s betrayal of Van Helsing. Clearly this little acorn is just like the sister he so desperately wants to find.
It may well be that Sam will catch up with his former little buddy to dispense some skewed form of justice. The new vampire, who killed Julius’ confidante after she saved him from becoming a mindless feral, only has eyes for Mohamad.
“I can hear you, Mohamad,” says Sam; not Vanessa, but Mohamad. Clearly in Sam’s warped brain, Sheema’s brother’s betrayal of him is worse than his traitorous action against Van Helsing.
This week’s episode ends in an apparent cliff-hanger. Vanessa being held by the throat in mid air, looking for all the world like a dead savior of humanity. We know, however, that Van Helsing is too much like the vampires that she turns; she cannot, apparently, die.
It would be a good time for Marine Axel Miller to show up, although he would be vastly outnumbered. While Doc has vanished from the storyline, she could turn up to save Miller. After all, the former medico and vampire cannot be harmed by vampires now that Vanessa changed her back and she does “owe” Miller something.
Sure she has been banished by Van Helsing, but the very fact that she cannot be turned may make her useful. Since the doctor has proven that she places her own safety so highly, she may well try to use Axel, if he is alive, to keep on living.
“He’s Coming” also showed us how the resistance was working to overcome the vampires. We know, however, that this will fail as Sheema is still working for Rebecca. As Vanessa learns, betrayal comes easy in this new world and Sheema is clearly very good at setting up her fellow man.
The majority of the episode looked at Vanessa and Mohamad running away from Sam. There was, though, another look at the vampire hierarchy and a chance to learn just how effortlessly powerful Dimitri really is.
Tossing Julius about like rag doll reminded him and the audience of just what Vanessa Van Helsing is up against.
This penultimate episode of Van Helsing has set things up very well for a season one cliff hanger ending. The small pocket of resistance may be gathering itself for a full-on attack but the odds are against them. Sheema and Mohamad have seen to that.
Vanessa and the small group of survivors from the hospital have been decimated and Brendan showing up has opened up some new and interesting possibilities.
Overton earns huge kudos for her evolutionary portrayal of Vanessa. The woman is becoming more bad-arsed by the episode. She has, however, proven to be somewhat flawed in the area of character judgement. Jonathan Scarfe is sorely missed but Christopher Heyerdahl has proven to be a show stopper. His vengeful, and damned scary, “Vampire Sam” is to die for.
Van Helsing airs Fridays on SyFy. Tune in and catch the next installment of this blood curdling season one finale. Will Sam somehow inadvertently aid Vanessa in his quest for revenge?
Cast:
- Kelly Overton – Vanessa Van Helsing
- Jonathan Scarfe – Axel Miller
- Rukiya Bernard – Doc
- Christopher Heyerdahl – Sam
- Trezzo Mahoro – Mohamad
- Paul Johansson – Dimitri
- Vincent Gale – Flesh
- Aleks Paunovic – Julius
- Naika Toussaint – Sheema
- Hannah Cherry – Dylan
- Hilary Jardine – Susan
- Laura Mennell – Rebecca
This show kills everyone off! I like the actors, but they keep leaving! If Christopher Heyerdahl goes, hardly anyone’s left, and let’s face it, the vampire actors are pretty bad.
No worries! I enjoy the atmosphere and the tale. Now if I can just stop calling Susan Karen. 😮
thanks again, michael, for your careful and interesting review. hope that you enjoy the season 1 finale–i hope it’s exciting and feels like it was worth the wait!