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Lost Girl 3.02 “Subterrfaenean” TV REVIEW
Episode 3.02
Written by: Stephen Cochrane
Directed by: Steve DiMarco
THE ONE WHERE Bo and Kenzi investigate the disappearance of innocent tourists in the subway tunnels under the city, uncovering a crocodile man and a naughty Pied Piper. Meanwhile, Dyson gets a Dark Fae partner.
VERDICT While not quite as gripping as last week’s episode, “Subterrfaenean” (pun alert!) still provides plenty of laughs and some gorgeously icky or unsettling moments, mainly in the underground sequences. First there’s the bit when a guy bites the head off a rat and the rodent’s neck ghoulishly squirts blood for a few seconds – gross! Then Bo and Kenzi are surrounded by blind, lumbering Fae lit by nothing but their torches… brrrrrrr. And when the “Pied Piper” uses his mind whammy on them, his outstretched arms are horrible. But these scary bits are offset by the show’s usual sense of humour, such as when one guy pees himself, or the women start quipping (Kenzi: “We got croc-blocked!”).
The plot about Atticus and his undesirable Fae – who were all rounded up and “quarantined” many years ago – feels a bit rushed, particularly when Jordan Pettle gives such a lovely performance as the tortured crocodile, but barely gets anything to do. He would make a fabulous recurring character (hint!). Oh well, perhaps we’ll see him again.
The most important thing to happen this week is the introduction of Rachel Skarsten as Dyson’s new partner, Tamsin. With Hale now off doing Ash things (hilariously, he’s told his human ex-co-workers that he’s won the lottery!), it’s obvious that Dyson needed some back-up, and making his new colleague a Dark Fae is a cool idea. However, it’s hard to know what to make of Tamsin at first glance: she enters the show all guns blazing and only one step short of wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the words “I’m a bitch!” It feels a little like overkill – some more subtlety might have been nice.
Skarsten does seem to have some chemistry with Kris Holden-Ried, though, and the fact Tamsin recognises almost instantly that Dyson is in love with Bo, whom she hates on sight, may prompt a later episode with a humungous Bo/Tamsin smackdown. That can’t be a bad thing. Here’s hoping…
LOVE TRIANGLE LATEST Bo and Lauren have a very steamy sex scene and seem blissfully happy together. Meanwhile Dyson is clearly pining in his own reserved, man-wolf way, and doesn’t follow up a kiss from Tamsin which could have signalled some interesting power sex.
KISS COUNT Bo only kisses Lauren this week and doesn’t feed on anybody. Monogamy in action.
VEXING ISSUES Vex (Paul Amos) appears to have moved in with Bo and Kenzi – Lord only knows how they cope with the annoying oaf. However, there is the odd reward, such as the sight of him in fluffy slippers.
WHO’S THE BOSS? When the terrifically twitchy Ted Atherton was introduced at the police station as Dyson’s boss, my first thought was, “Great, they’ve introduced a character who is the guy responsible for explaining away all the Fae action in the precinct. I’ve been wondering who’s been doing that. Let’s hope we see more of him!” Unfortunately, by episode’s end he’s revealed as the Pied Piper villain… which would have been way better if he’d been in the plot for more than five minutes. And now we won’t get to see him fretting about explaining away Fae antics as “gas leaks”. Awww.
DARK TIMES Bo’s having nightmares about being a bad girl, and we discover that the man she fed from last week was a Dark Fae who is now in a coma. Oops. And what was with the Weaver reading her mind and then running away with a flea in her ear straight afterwards? She didn’t look scared – more as if she was determined to tell someone important what she’d seen…
EH? Bo and Kenzi go exploring the subway tunnels, but Bo’s able to talk to Trick on her phone while they’re underground. They must have amazing cell reception in Canada.
YIKES Trick’s expression when the Weaver tries to come onto him is priceless.
DÉCOR Nice lampshades!
FAE OF THE DAY* (*Kind of like “Monster of the Week”) Atticus, a crocodile man who steals the entire episode simply by talking in a glorious Southern accent while wearing a crocodile-skin coat with knobs on the back.
BEST LINES
As with last week, I simply can’t decide which is the best line. So here’s a selection…
Kenzi (about Vex, in a faux British accent): “Mother, may I kill the freeloader?”
Or
Aussie telling Vex: “Has anybody ever told you that you look like Robert Smith from The Cure?”
Or
Bo: “Know this: if you go near my girlfriend, the little balls hanging from the Christmas tree next to you will have a certain panache.”
Vex: “Hook up illegal cable and what do I get? Threats against my junk. Typical.”
Jayne Nelson
