06.26.07
Episode 6.2: “Ego”
Written by Matt McGuinness
Directed by Rachel Talalay
We’re two episodes into the new season, and thus far, I’m impressed. I wouldn’t say that the new sheriff has grown on me quite yet, but I definitely see a lot of potential in the portrayal and the direction of the story. It’s been quite some time since Johnny found himself under sustained suspicion, and he’s had the support of law enforcement for a long time. That adds a new wrinkle to the formula.
Also interesting is the idea that Walt is under investigation. One might wonder if this has something to do with whatever Walt was dredging up regarding Johnny. Whatever it is, it adds to the tension that already exists in the wake of Walt’s death. Things are far from hitting a new equilibrium, and that’s more interesting to me than endless iterations of the same dynamic.
Speaking of which, anyone worried about Sarah and Johnny getting together again had their fears assuaged. Sarah may be willing to let Johnny be a friendly shelter in the current storm, but whatever they had is over. This opens the door for Johnny to find love elsewhere (perhaps Alex, now that the actress is available, or Nina from this episode?), which would make it very clear to the audience that the past is the past. There’s also the potential for Sarah to look available, which could have some interesting implications where Greg Stilson is involved.
While it’s still not clear whether or not Stilson was just a victim of scheming benefactors (it would be interesting, but perhaps too much of a diversion from expectation), the lack of a future apocalypse leaves Johnny with somewhat questionable motivations. There’s no denying that Johnny is motivated to help others, but the underlying thrust since the first season has been a desire to save the world.
So now is the right time to get the audience wondering, once again, why Johnny does what he does. Perhaps the new writing staff wasn’t particularly convinced by the insights of previous episodes, but whatever the reason, Johnny’s decision to help Nina was as much about him as it was about her. Between Sheriff Turner and Nina, Johnny’s tendency to act without permission from others gets a pounding in this episode. He turns out to be right, but he’s not let off the hook in the end, and that’s why I enjoyed the episode.
In the end, it’s too early to tell if the new showrunner and writing staff has given the series a shot in the arm, or if the massive shift in status quo has been enough to break the series out of its former malaise. Right now, I’m inclined to believe it’s a little bit of both.
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4
Final Rating: 7/10
