After Josh learning that he is an “Adept” “Where the Dead Men Lost Their Bones” shows that whatever else he might be, Joshua knows something important. Aftermath manages to up the stakes quite a lot in this episode. The disquieting nature of Josh’s ailment, fighting off the effects of the fever, and that huge vortex in the sky manage to increase the goosebump quotient quite a lot.
Initially, it seems that Josh’s visions are specific to his experiences and the recent events that have affected his family. The re-appearance of Audrene, the TV reporter last seen in Seattle, adds another interesting aspect of the end of days.
The woman who traveled to the town the Copeland’s are now in is captured and inspected by the local “Doc.” He decides she is not a threat, no signs of the plague, and Audrene is released. The reporter knows something. “Many are the one, ” she says.
Josh has been murmuring “The one is many,” something that was written on the wall of the hospital in episode 10. This mantra is half of the equation and later when the two meet up, Audrene is convinced that Joshua knows “what all this means.”
This episode of Aftermath is unsettling. The family splitting up, twice (the second time when Brianna leaves Dana alone with their father, as well as the very nature of the town keeps the viewer on edge throughout. The two men who snatch up newcomers for the town’s veterinarian to inspect for fever are disquieting as is the news that “fever heads” are executed.
Brianna runs into trouble when she breaks off on her own. A group of teens jump her, take her gun and make her their prisoner. She tricks the trio into taking her back to the house where Josh is meant to be. Brianna tells the leader; Maize, that there are drugs back at the house.
Levi, finds a teen hanging by her neck, the girl tried to commit suicide after having to shoot a friend. Sarah is connected to the small group who have taken Brianna prisoner. The two converge at the house when Levi returns with Sarah who has Tetra.
There is a brief standoff that ends when Karen returns. There is almost a repeat of the wholesale slaughter of the camp but Dana stops her mother from killing the trio of street kids.
Josh is rescued from execution by Audrene. She recognizes the mantra that Copeland is repeated over and over. Later she will be sucked back into the vortex as Karen holds her husband down.
The small amount of Tetra starts Josh on the road to recovery. The family listen to Bob “Moondog” Black and he mentions “the one is many” and Josh realizes that the D.J. seems to know something.
Meanwhile, the debris from the moon is drifting to the earth and will soon be caught up in the planet’s gravity. Moondog transmits that the after effects of the explosion will reach the earth in two days time.
So far this series has managed to keep things interesting. The inclusion of mythological creatures and deities from other cultures has broadened the scope of “the end of days.”
The focus of each episode has been more “within” than “without” and this episode of Aftermath has zeroed in on some of the more peripheral events. The “destruction” of Seattle, or rather, the de-population of the city’s inhabitants, now has more significance than just the news segment where Audrene freaks out before the signal is lost.
It will be very interesting to learn just what Moondog knows. There are two episodes left of the series with next week’s episode being the penultimate one of the season.
The vortex, which seems to be consuming and regurgitating people somewhat randomly, is impressively scary. Clearly this is not part of the “rapture” as one character believed in this episode, if it were, no one would be returned.
Aftermath airs Tuesdays on SyFy. Tune in and see what befalls the Copeland family next.
Cast:
- James Tupper – Joshua Copeland
- Anne Heche – Karen Copeland
- Levi Meaden – Matt Copeland
- Taylor Hickson – Brianna Copeland
- Julia Sarah Stone – Dana Copeland
Guest starring Crystal Balint as Audrene, Sarah Dugdale as Sarah, Murry Peeters as Maize, Milo Shandel as Doc and the voice of Louis Ferreira as Bob “Moondog” Black.
Mikes Film Talk 