Let The Games Begin–
This is definitely one of the better episodes I’ve seen, with a good mixture of action, drama and sci-fi, exactly what this show is supposedly all about. It was starting to become a bit of a soap-opera in a soap-bubble, but this episode was well written and directed. Junior Rennie might not be just as crazy as he originally appeared to be and it would also appear that confession is indeed good for the soul, because no one is getting their comeuppance as I was expecting the claws to come out and fur to fly. I believe we get to see that in episode 11. Last time saw Angie, Joe and Norrie needing a fourth hand to activate the mini-dome and ya gotta love who it turns out to be. Perhaps Junior will turn out to be a saint (I haven’t read the book) or something, but that would be just like Stephen King to do a twisted thing like that, to keep us on our toes.
The trio of Angie, Norrie and Joe have slept in the barn beside the mini-dome, but Joe is handcuffed to Norrie to prevent any wandering. There appears to be a caterpillar trapped inside, that is identified as belonging to the Monarch butterfly family. Dodee Weaver decides to investigate but she foolishly touches the mini-dome, causing her to be thrown back unconscious. The kids find Dodee out cold and take her to the hospital, where Angie finds out from a nurse who else had ever suffered a seizure like theirs. Junior Rennie is guilty as charged.
Big Jim and Barbie discuss Max (“enemy of my enemy”) and agree to look into her possible hiding place, but before they can act, Max appears and takes Barbie away. Jim decides to go out on his own (as was his plan in the first place) to track her, not very humble abode, down and hits pay-dirt first time. He meets a woman claiming to be a cleaner, by the name of Agatha, but all is not as it seems. Jim is held at gunpoint by the woman, who tells him who she really is and just why Max is doing what she’s doing. Jim doesn’t recognise her but she certainly knows him and has held a grudge for a long time.
Linda and Julia go snooping at the bank after Linda finds a key in Sheriff Duke’s hat. They both have keys for safety deposit boxes and both make startling discoveries. Barbie is forced to fight in Max’s “brave new world” of bare-knuckle fighting where patrons pay in salt at the door (salt Mr King, really?) I believe they can use other items but that was the one used a couple of times. Max has him fight an old enemy, who he had previously muscled for money on Max’s behalf. Junior runs down a man who has stolen salt from the store and learns what is going on in the old cement factory, and attempts to get in. He ends up knocked on his butt by the “doorman.” The kids end up at Junior’s home to look at the painting of pink stars, and after Junior arrives, they explain their theory to him about how he is probably the fourth hand. They all go to the mini-dome to test their theory.
Grade: A
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