Killjoys (SyFy)

Killjoys Season 3 Episode 10 Finale Review: Wargasm
Dutch and Aneela make an unexpected choice in the Killjoys season 3 finale, and it left us breathless!

Killjoys Season 3 Episode 10
“Let’s go see a bitch about a war.”

The Hullen-centric Killjoys rollercoaster ride continues, and despite the fact that there’s a wealth of story still to mull over, the wait for next summer already feels interminable. The aptly titled “Wargasm” opens with a reflective scene devoid of dialogue at the Farren camp, as the tension and pace gradually gather steam, culminating in a virtually perfect season finale. Penned by showrunner Michelle Lovretta, season 3’s final installment certainly plays like a show that knows it’s returning to continue its tale without suffering any major character casualties and a sublime twist to explore.

Where to begin? Whenever a show employs the “dueling twins” approach, a number of traps and pitfalls lie in wait ready to snag lazy writers, and after Aneela murders Alvis while posing as Dutch, the signs pointed in that direction. Fortunately, that doesn’t happen. With last week’s mention of tropes, I admittedly became a little nervous watching Aneela continue her ruse, albeit this time with a much more formidable foe named Johnny Jaqobis. But what comes out of this scene more than anything is that sometimes a narrative device becomes a trope because it works. Will she be able to fool Dutch’s best friend? Not so much.

Snappy dialogue and witty banter have been a staple of Killjoys’ scenes, and though we momentarily worry that Johnny might fall prey to Aneela’s posturing, the timing of this scene could not have been better. We may never know how long Aneela planned to carry out her play acting, but it’s a good thing her aim isn’t better. Does she intentionally miss Johnny’s heart? If her intention is to hurt Dutch as much as possible, killing Johnny seems a good start. So if her intent is to only wound him, we have to wonder why she doesn’t finish the job. Is there something deep within her psyche that prevents her from taking this drastic step knowing the impact it will have on Dutch?

Before getting too far into the story analysis, the episode’s structure, while perhaps not its greatest strength, certainly drives the narrative with impeccable timing as it moves among Pree and the Farren camp, the RAC ship, and Kendry and the Hullen. Too often, a show’s editing becomes frantic as a means of conveying tension, but here, even though both sides ramp up their war efforts, director Stefan Pleszczynski (“Boondoggie”) stays with each location long enough for viewers to become emotionally invested.

However, the highlight of the episode’s construction finds the opening scene in the Ferran camp bookending with Dutch and Aneela on the green plasma’s serene beach at the end, bringing us full circle while nevertheless headed in an unexpected direction. And finally, the haunting image of Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper,” with Dutch in Jesus’ place, poignantly sets the stage for her face off with Annela in an attempt to save the human race. A bit heavy handed? Perhaps, but I like it nonetheless.

In a carryover from last week, it’s clear that the imminent war has led to a lot of soul searching, and the realization that there’s no time like the present to act on long restrained feelings and impulses. Yet as fascinating as this aspect of the narrative is, there’s no denying that “Wargasm” also chooses to focus on the unbridled innate heroism that the men and women on both sides exhibit.

Sure it’s endearing to see Zeph try to connect with Dutch and later tell Johnny that she loves him, but to witness how she operates under the intense stresses the team incurs says a lot about this young woman’s moxy. Does she really love Johnny in that way or is she merely trying to prevent the severely wounded Jaqobis brother from throwing himself back into the fray before he’s physically ready? We’re not sure, but I was so afraid that Zeph would not survive the season, that to now have this subtext to explore next summer makes me very happy.

Where have all the heroes gone? They’re right here fighting off the Hullen, and the fact that Fancy Lee and Turin can put aside their differences in pursuit of a common enemy tells us not only how formidable the foe appears, but also puts on display the power of the brothers-in-arms ideology. It may be true that Fancy is the bigger man in this situation, but his RAC commander’s willingness to die so the others can escape begins to address Turin’s desire to square accounts with all of his men. And there’s no question that it’s totally satisfying when Fancy puts a bullet into the Hullen about to kill Turin.

Leave it to Delle Sayeh Kendry to disrupt a perfectly good war. “Every proper villain is somebody else’s hero,” she tells Dutch early on. So when we later learn that her role in this operation appears to be greater than previously thought, it really should come as no surprise. And speaking of villains, despite Aneela’s megalomaniacal tendencies and Kendry’s self-serving ethics, both pale in comparison to the not-quite-dead-yet Hullen officer Gander. Will someone please cut off this man’s head?

Then again, the problem here is that Kendry is the consummate actor, and while it appears she’s surprised by the revelation that Aneela will die if Dutch dies, there’s no telling what she actually knows. Of course Johnny has no idea if their deaths will be reciprocal, but he banks on Kendry’s allegiance to Aneela. And what of her allegiance? Is there a real relationship there or simply two women posturing for power?

Nevertheless, as important as Kendry is to the story, it’s the inevitable Dutch and Aneela summit that’s had us on edge the entire season, and their meeting does not disappoint. Admittedly, it’s easier in 2017 to film a fight scene in which a single actress squares off against herself, but that fact doesn’t make it any less challenging to execute a meaningful and watchable sequence. Director Pleszczynski nails it when the two meet and presents a compact, believable scene that ends with a beginning. Just as Dutch momentarily gains the upper hand, she plunges Zeph’s needle device into Aneela’s temple.

And then something unexpected happens. Even though both Dutch and Aneela have vowed to kill the other the first good chance they get, the flashbacks we’ve seen with Khlyen and his two girls certainly lead us to consider that an alternative might exist. As we, along with them, learn about shared experiences and memories, the situation facing both becomes much more complex. And though each goes into this final showdown with guns blazing, because of their shared DNA, the expectation that there might be another way remains in play. At the end of the day, both women are victims, and we hold out hope that they might recognize that about one another.

Nonetheless when Aneela utters the words, “You’re what’s been missing in my head,” both women’s protective walls begin to come down just a bit. Even though we know how Dutch was created, this sudden thirst both have for answers leads to a recognition that this encounter might not end as badly as expected. We’ve known that Dutch was born, in part, of Aneela’s loneliness, but that knowledge might not be enough to excuse what she perceives Aneela has done to her.

For all her flaws, this powerful exchange shows that Aneela still has a lot of little girl left in her, and the fact that she sees Dutch as the favored sibling makes this state of affairs that much sadder. Can these two reconcile? It seems they may have a common enemy, but whether they can work together to contain the Lady will have to wait until next season.

Regardless, at least for the time being, Dutch and Aneela pledge to stop killing each other long enough to put up a fight, and we learn a bit more about Dutch’s “birth” in the Green Space. Given where we thought we’d be by this point, we’re unexpectedly treated to a stirring moment as the two enter the green together and find themselves on the familiar beach as Khlyen approaches. It’s this scene of a united family standing together that furnishes the belief that something positive may come out of this experience, and when he hands them identical daggers with which to kill the Lady, things seem to be moving in the right direction. Of course Khlyen’s dead, and we’re back in this metaphysical scenario that stretches the bounds of comprehension, so who knows?

Also lost amidst the laser focused battle between Dutch and Aneela is the baby that Kendry is carrying. There’s no question that “Wargasm” has been an episode fraught with anxiety as the war gets underway, but leave it to Michelle Lovretta to use two unlikely bedfellows (pun intended) to lighten the mood just a little. “We didn’t like do it, did we?” D’avin asks an equally confused Kendry, but he saves his best line as a baby name follow up. “How do you feel about apostrophes?” Is D’av simply yanking Delle Sayeh’s chain, or is he truly contemplating his role in this unborn child’s future? Fortunately, their interplay doesn’t stop here. Since he won’t let this rest, Kendry finally tells him that “I don’t want guns in the house.” Coupled with Zeph’s earlier revelation, fans have plenty of shipping subtext to wade through while waiting for season 4.

They say blood is thicker than water, and if there’s one question that the Killjoys season 3 finale “Wargasm” throws out there, above all else, is whether that proverb extends to green plasma. Either way, guys, this is as good as it gets, and we now eagerly await SyFy’s renewal announcement.

In the Green, Khlyen carries a wounded Dutch to a shelter and tells a story to heal her while Aneela stands guard. The story details how Dutch and Johnny transported goods to the Quad but were arrested for smuggling and their goods are impounded. They discover they were being used as mules to allow an assassin to steal a smuggled vial of poison which has been previously impounded. Dutch strikes a deal with a RAC agent to free Johnny if they find the poison and the assassin who wants to use it. They track the group of people who stole the poison from the impound and ascertain where the assassin will strike: a 10-year retreat on Qresh where upper class couples get to try romancing different partners as Qresh marriage contracts expire every 10 years. Dutch and Johnny get into the retreat and save the target, but Johnny ends up poisoned. Dutch captures the assassin and convinces her to provide them the antidote, saving Johnny. After, they are offered jobs as RAC agents. In the Green, Dutch faces "The Lady" and is knocked off her feet by an unknown force.

Killjoys Season 4 Episode 3 Review: Bro-d Trip
Johnny's Hullen psychosis worsens, but Dutch's emergence from the green plasma temporarily saves the day on Killjoys.

Dave Vitagliano
Aug 3, 2018

Killjoys Season 4 Episode 3
“Being Hullen hasn’t improved your taste in music.”

It’s often said it’s not how you start the race, but how you finish, and while that’s certainly not meant to imply tonight’s episode of Killjoys gets underway slowly, the intensity of the conclusion almost makes us forget how much emotional energy it took to reach that point. Though Dutch has returned, Hullen Johnny’s restrained, and Delle Sayeh has started going into labor, the further effort required to put the team back together will be immense and not without its complications. Of course, that’s half the fun now isn’t it.

War inevitably changes people, and now that she’s been separated from Aneela for an extended period of time, Delle Sayeh Kendry has undergone a notable transformation from the evil ice queen to a woman who recognizes the uncertainty of her future despite her pedigree as head of The Nine. It’s possible impending motherhood changed her, and even though we know that she and D’avin did not create this child in the traditional way, there’s a developing closeness with the Jaqobis that’s difficult to miss. That she’s about to give birth to a hybrid child can’t help but color her view of the Hullen/human conflict.

Nevertheless, “Bro-d Trip” puts on display a lot of the Delle Sayeh we’ve come to know, and when she takes out Clay and two of his henchmen with one hand resting tenderly on her pregnant belly, it’s an opportune reminder that this is not a woman to be trifled with, change or no change. Granted, she is plasma powered and ever defiant, but seeing her strapped to the exam table as Clay plans to induce labor and take her baby, generates a fair amount of empathy despite her horrible past. Still, she’s a woman left on her own who refuses to play the damsel in distress, and when her plan to bring down Juno Clay succeeds, our view of her rises exponentially. Will she accept a slot on Team Awesome Force? “My killjoys will come,” she tells Clay.

Watching Zeph awkwardly address Pip’s questions about their personal status does not at all detract from advances she’s heretofore made. In fact, her defensiveness about whether the two will continue the sexual relationship that began when both thought they were about to die, only adds to her endearing nature. Unlike many contemporary television series, Killjoys continues to adhere to a “less is more” approach when it comes to characters hooking up, and the fact that we don’t actually see their liaison adds to the mystery of this perfectly matched pair. When she tells him that sex helps her think, Zeph seems to be making her own overtures, reluctant to say or do anything that might resemble a desire for a relationship commitment. Does Pip want a girlfriend while Zeph aspires to a more casual connection, or are they both simply afraid of being rejected by someone close to them and thus dance around the issue at hand? Naturally, this tension abates when Turin’s displeasure that they haven’t been able to track Lucy lights a spark. “Pip. My room now!”

Their sex life aside, that one of the mechanical bugs from the Necropolis scratched Pip now becomes more of an issue when we see his reaction to the one Zeph has on her table for study. He hasn’t mentioned any after effects from the incident, but the finger twitches that seem to occur in close proximity to the bug indicate some kind of link that will likely manifest itself down the road. While not easy to miss, this reaction takes a back seat to the jolted “doll” Zeph brings back to life only to have it point a gun at its own head and announce, “She’s coming. She’s coming.” Okay. She who? The Lady makes the most sense since she does appear to control what goes on inside, and to a lesser extent, outside the green.

And how great is the scene in which Zeph uses the Hullen doll to access the Armada’s navigation system, and once she does, basically orders Turin to deputize her along with Pip and Pree. As the RAC leader swears in the trio, Zeph can hardly contain herself, uttering the pledge in unison with Turin. Not only is it funny, but Zeph is absolutely correct in anticipating possible problems they might encounter on the journey to track down Lucy.

Once the team finds and boards Lucy, their problems begin in earnest, but to its credit, Killjoys does not resort to one of the most overused tropes in television of all genres: the digital countdown to zero. What makes their attempts to access the reset ship’s AI so amusing is that they do think like Johnny would think, and though it’s a bit disappointing that Pree gives up so easily, you can’t help but love his decision to go out on his terms. Eventually, Pip figures out that Johnny has chosen a song as Lucy’s login, and after calling up the tune on his phone, Lucy comes online, and the team avoids full purge. “One Jaqobis sandwich for pickup!.” The scene perfectly balances the threat of the clock running out with the futility and helplessness they all feel while trying to save Johnny and D’av.

However, the heart of “Bro-d Trip” naturally revolves around the Jaqobis brothers’ road trip to find Johnny’s green plasma and their deteriorating relationship. “Just two badass bros and whatever the road throws their way.” Even though most of their squabbles result from John’s hullenesque behavior, there also seems to be some deep seated residual feelings that both brothers cling to. Is Johnny suffering the effects of neuropurging? He easily loses his temper and D’avin bears the brunt of these incidents. The fact that Johnny’s older brother still has it in him to at least superficially forgive these outbursts speaks to his love and understanding. “You just need to hold onto real John a little bit longer. He’s worth it.” And while the two continue to spar, Dutch’s increased presence seems to coincide with Johnny’s lapses of control. The Dutch that John and the audience see is clearly not happy with how things are progressing, implying that he instinctively knows what he’s doing is wrong but either can’t or won’t fight these urges.

Fortunately, things take a positive turn when D’avin manages to handcuff Johnny, apparently just in time. “I’m all that’s left of you, Johnny, but not much longer,” Dutch’s apparition tells her friend. As the plasma tightens its grip, Dutch does her best to save Johnny, but ultimately, he finds his green grail, shoots D’avin, and tells Dutch that he plans to go full on Hullen. We can overlook the body armor trope that saves D’avin because it does allow the brothers to go toe to toe in leading Dutch to finally emerge from the plasma pool to which Johnny’s device leads him.

All of this points towards the powerful slow-motion sequence as Zeph leads the reunited team back onto Lucy. With Johnny in handcuffs, D’avin carries an unconscious Dutch on board, and since someone has to take charge, Zeph explains that their best chance to cleanse Johnny is on the Armada. Of course, returning there doesn’t necessarily feel like the best option, but as she’s so often been of late, Zeph is probably right. However, the crystallization of the plasma pool after Dutch surfaces and climbs out remains unexplained. And just as things couldn’t get any crazier, Delle Sayeh’s water breaks, and it shouldn’t be too long until another little Jaqobis will cry for attention.

Though things seem to be heading in the right direction for Team Awesome Force, there are significant hurdles to overcome, not the least of which is Johnny’s worsening psychosis. With Delle Sayeh going into labor, we have to wonder whether she’s going to be up to the task of reversing the process and return John to the human race. Who’s going to deliver Delle Sayeh’s baby, and once it’s born, what of her relationship with D’avin? And will the baby’s name contain an apostrophe? Of course, none of that matters if Aneela takes the child.

While all of this is important, Dutch remains unconscious after coming out of the green to prevent Johnny and D’avin from killing each other. What happened in there, and did she and Aneela take down The Lady? Given the appearance of the mechanical bugs it might be wise to assume they didn’t, and quite simply, Aneela’s either still in there or she’s not. Will we find her back on her ship, or will Dutch eventually come to and demand to be allowed to help her sister/mother?

Though there are no real fireworks in “Bro-d Trip,” three threads are deftly pulled together, and putting TAF back together sets the stage for the inevitable clash between Johnny and Dutch. Though D’avin can intellectualize the changes his baby brother is going through, eventually, enough can sometimes be enough. Is that the case here? Has the brothers’ emotional connection been damaged too much? Time will tell. In the meantime, is there a baby doctor in the house?

Delle Sayeh finally gives birth to the hybrid child, but his growth spurts force the team to seek outside help on tonight's Killjoys.

Dave Vitagliano
Aug 17, 2018

Killjoys Season 4 Episode 5
“If it’s beyond me, then Johnny doesn’t stand a chance.”

Well, I guess we can forget about buying that cute little baby blanket. Though the latest installment of Killjoys lacks the urgency at the core of the season to this point, “Greening Pains” nonetheless returns Lucy’s family to some semblance of normalcy which is no small feat considering everything each member has experienced. However, there’s no rest for the weary, and now that it appears The Lady’s influence stretches far beyond the green plasma in which she’s trapped, little D’avin’s well being now becomes paramount.

For now, let’s refer to him as the child, and it’s his rapid aging and the physical complications that accompany this condition that dominate “Greening Pains.” From a narrative perspective, having the child age so rapidly conveniently prevents Dutch and the crew from having to cope with a newborn on board Lucy, but now that he’s a well developed teenager, certain aspects become necessarily more complicated. Asking for food at every turn is a nice touch, and the realization that non-alcoholic beverages apparently don’t exist on the ship lets everyone know that sweeping changes will need to be made to accommodate the newest member of the crew if he is to remain on board.

It’s also no surprise that it’s Zeph who determines what needs to be done to stop the Hullen cells from viewing the child’s human cells as a degradation that needs to be repaired. After her repeated successes the past few weeks, it makes sense to allow someone else to step into the fray and save the day. Though he’s been narratively quiet the past few weeks, when it’s posited that the child may be some sort of artificially engineered bioweapon, Pip’s suggestion that he go to Utopia to enlist the aid of an expert in the field brings his character back to the forefront. The priceless looks on the faces of John, D’avin, and Dutch clearly indicate they’ve previously enjoyed the decadence that this entertainment space station has to offer.

While Dutch, John, and D’av have certainly carried out their fair share of operations, tonight’s Ocean’s 11 nod is delightfully executed in its simplicity and brevity, neither of which detracts from the enjoyment the scene exudes. “We’re not going to rip him off; we’re going to kidnap him,” Dutch tells a distressed Pip just before the team leaps into action. Watching D’avin enter Kravn’s office under the guise of initiating a heist as Dutch and John crawl through ventilation ducts takes us to a place we’ve been many times, yet the classic heist movie element still seems fresh and decidedly entertaining. Even the actors seem to be having fun as they descend on ropes from above and set out to snatch Kravn and ultimately force him to address the issues facing the child.

However, in a clever storytelling twist, Kravn turns out to be an AI rather than a human being, setting up the eventual confrontation with Lucy that is the source of the wickedly amusing exchange between the ship’s AI and Johnny. But even before that takes place, D’avin’s brawl with Kravn’s receptionist continues to keep the mood light as they each repeatedly inject themselves with stimulants that not only enhance their fighting skills but also produce uncontrollable fits of laughter. Once they return to Lucy with Kravn’s mainframe modules, Johnny approaches Lucy like an anxious lover. “I want you to want this,” he implores, trying to convince her to allow him to insert Kravn’s modules into her mainframe. Humor aside though, it’s The child’s “rapidly evolving genetic anomaly” that may be the most important detail in the episode, and when Pip absconds with the teenager to return to Utopia, it’s not immediately clear why he takes this action though it seems to have something to do with that scratch he received back on the Scarback Necropolis. It seems a foregone conclusion that he’s being controlled by the plasma bound Lady.

One of the dangers of dramatic irony is that it can be carried to the extreme leaving the audience frustrated and ultimately feeling a bit manipulated. Fortunately, we get our moment when D’avin tells the kid, “I’m your dad,” and though it’s a heartfelt moment, it’s not overly sentimental. I’m still a bit torn about the hands pressed against the glass sequence, but it does set up a situation we’ve anticipated for some time now – D’avin’s desire to play a role in his son’s life.

And while we know D’avin plans to be there for his son, Delle Seyah’s intentions remain somewhat murkier, though we do get to see a side of her that has heretofore remained hidden. She confronts Johnny about the boy amidst the unexpected feelings she’s experiencing, and though John explains it’s related to her transition back to being human, it’s possible it’s more than that.

I’ve speculated that redemption could be in the cards for Delle Seyah should she choose that path, and when the single greatest obstacle within this small circle suggests a solution to her dilemma, it appears we might be going down that road. Johnny tells her to make amends, “stop being a shitty person,” and “do the work,” which certainly sounds as if he’s willing to give her a chance. Whether she’s willing to take that chance and join the good guys may be a bit of a stretch especially when her reaction to Johnny’s suggestion is to ask “who do I pay to do that?” Is this the same old entitled rich girl who teamed up with Aneela to bring down The Quad in return for even more power? It’s certainly possible and maybe even likely, but it’s still an interesting dynamic to watch moving forward.

Of course the child’s rapid rise from baby to famished teenager garners much of the focus, but it’s the news that children are being kidnapped on Westerly that gets the team’s attention and sends Fancy there to learn what’s going on. As much as Fancy and Turin ordinarily add to the mix, here they seem to be spinning their wheels even though the story unfolding around them bears watching. The Hullen dolls have awoken, presumably at The Lady’s behest, and now armed and ready, leave the Armada. It’s not clear why Weej appears immune to The Lady’s commands, but he continues to help Turin learn about the disappearance of the children who seem to have been taken in a Herod-like maneuver to locate the hybrid child.

The Jaqobis’ relationship with Dutch has always been complicated, and while no new ground is broken here, we are reminded that she sees each brother differently. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking John represents the brains and D’avin the brawn, especially when we see her invite D’av into her bed in the episode’s opening scene. But all three seem to understand and accept the dynamic that has evolved, and amazingly no hurt feelings appear. Now it’s up to Dutch and Johnny to make sense of Khylen’s story and its meaning in relation to The Lady and Aneela who both remain trapped in the green.

Even though it may not have been the showrunner’s intention, “Greening Pains” works well as a sort of mid-season finale. Dutch and Johnny have regained their bearings and now have a more concrete plan to bring down The Lady. Kendry gives birth to the Hullen child and returns to her original state, but for now, it’s up to Dutch and Johnny to figure out Khylen's subliminal messaging and how it will help them in the coming confrontation.

Killjoys Season 4 Episode 7 Review: O Mother, Where Art Thou?

Killjoys reveals Khlyen's plan for Dutch after she meets Aneela's mother and learns the truth about bringing down The Lady.

“If you can’t do the impossible, do the honorable.”

For the briefest of moments, it appears the woman Dutch and Johnny seek as they head toward the pulsar might reveal herself to be The Lady, but in true Killjoys fashion, the reality of her identity turns out to be even more intriguing. “O Mother, Where Art Thou?” helps explain many of Khlyen’s past actions as he attempted to safeguard Dutch and Aneela, and while these glimpses don’t necessarily justify his treatment of both young women, our view of him and his intentions can’t help but change.

The focus tonight centers on the long game Khlyen has been playing for the last 250 years, and after we’re presented a disturbing view of Aneela’s physical reaction to a “neuro-parasitic infection,” the pieces of the puzzle begin to fit together. From the start of the Arkyn flashback, it becomes clear that Khlyen may not have been the man we thought he was, and he’s become as complex in death as he was in life. However, now that we have a more complete picture of his activities related to Dutch and Aneela, a number of questions bear addressing. We know that Khlyen rose to an elevated position within the RAC, but what did he do before that to try to save his daughter, and more to the point, how did Aneela emotionally survive all of that time in the cube?

Killing off Khlyen during season three and then bringing him back through the plasma pool visions and flashbacks we see here tonight could be interpreted as a narrative cop out, but it’s handled so skillfully and provides so much relevant detail that the decision to keep Rob Stewart in the mix makes a great deal of sense. When Yalena tells Khlyen that he’s “kept his charm but lost his heart,” we completely empathize with her assessment of her husband. And even with Khlyen’s explanation to Yalena about the voices in Aneela’s head, we’re still not any closer to understanding the true nature of The Lady.

Given everything we’ve experienced with Khlyen, it’s natural to wonder whether everything he’s done has really been about curing Aneela’s infection. We learn the origin of his connection to what seems to be the original source of the green plasma and finally hear him lay out the problem and his plan to fix things. “Plasma pools exist within a temporal web,” he tells his wife and fills her in on the communicative properties that we’ve come to know. While we’ve pieced much of this together already, it’s still nice to hear him articulate it.

He wants to inject a “targeted prion” that will infect the linked pools presumably killing, or at least eliminating The Lady’s far reaching influence. But Yalena refuses to give Khlyen the compound since she realizes his plan amounts to a suicide mission for him and the death of their daughter. Though he’s willing to sacrifice himself and Aneela for the greater good, Yalena is not. Not for a second do we doubt the veracity of her argument, and we see a much different side of Khlyen here. The trust he places in his wife after she begs him to take a different approach reveals a side of him that has previously remained hidden. They have faith in each other, and these new details paint a vastly different picture of an ill fated family we thought to be relatively dysfunctional.

Systematically set against the flashback sequences, Dutch and Johnny head to the pulsar, a trip that allows Lucy’s terse humor more time to shine. After telling them that she’s lost control and is being pulled into a black hole, Dutch and Johnny question her about the outlook. “Theoretically, it does not get worse than dying in a black hole,” she tells them, reinforcing an air of superiority with a deadpan reality check that can’t help but lighten the dire mood. However, we get a quick shift when John sends his brother a farewell message recognizing that it’s likely he and Dutch are about to die. The subtle brilliance of these exchanges reminds us of the dangers the team faces virtually every second of every day.

After averting the black hole crisis, the narrative moves quickly with a sense of wonder and familiarity, and though we still don’t have a clear explanation of the faux RAC patches that seem to appear around every corner, when Dutch identifies herself as Khlyen’s daughter, the spear wielding guards’ deference to her is touching. But touching isn’t enough, and after Dutch comes face to face with Aneela’s mother, answers begin falling into place. Once we get past the “you look just like her” reaction, Dutch’s continued confusion about her purpose here takes control of the scene. Having always assumed Khlyen means for her to kill Yalena, Dutch realizes that there’s something else going on here, a situation crystallized by Aneela’s mother’s reticence to trust her daughter’s lookalike. “He would have told me,” she tells Dutch just before disabling her. “If Khlyen is dead, it’s time to destroy it all.” An apocalyptic pronouncement for sure.

On the one hand, these revelations should provide more insight into why Khlyen raised Dutch as he did. Assuming Dutch is in her mid to late twenties, are we to assume he searched fruitlessly for over two hundred years and turning Dutch into an assassin turned out to be the best bet to save his daughter?

I have to admit that I’m a bit surprised at how Gared’s rescue is handled, and even though we get an amusing look as Turin and Fancy watch the operation on monitors and bet on the result, accepting that Pree and Gared choose to leave the abducted children behind is difficult to accept. Though they agonize over the decision, in the end, they leave and promise to return. That said, Turin’s Hullen buddy Weej (Ish Morris) and his inherent naivete continue to yield positive results particularly with Zeph, Pip, and Jaq temporarily out of the picture. When Weej knocks out Turin because the RAC leader admittedly has no concrete plan, Turin’s admonition that “we’ll come back to human school later,” leaves plenty of room for interpretation and plot development.

Nevertheless, in the end, it all comes down to Dutch, and while family has been a recurring theme throughout Killjoys run, the poignancy of her plaintive response to Yalena as they debate what to do about the canister speaks volumes. “She’s my family, just like you,” Dutch tells her, finally verbalizing an emotion that has recently begun begun to take on new meaning. At one time it seemed impossible to think that Aneela and Dutch could ever peacefully coexist let alone become friends, but now with this recent turn of events and their partnership in bringing down The Lady, anything seems possible. Of course, it’s unlikely that showrunner Adam Barken will want to ask Hannah John-Kamen to run double duty the rest of the way, but the possibilities are simply fascinating should Killjoys go that route.

It’s probably natural that we rarely stop to consider the physical and emotional toll the Aneela affair has taken on Dutch, but when Yalena asks her if she’s happy, her response is not totally unexpected. “I’m fine,” a response that is as heartbreaking as it is revelatory. For a brief moment, Dutch experiences what having a mother could be like, and when Yalena implies that Dutch should put Aneela out of her misery if she’s not able to save her from The Lady’s control, the pressure placed on Dutch is immense and patently unfair. Still, Dutch leaves with the canister intent on freeing the only family she has outside of the Jaqobis. It’s a lot to ask, but there’s no one mentally tougher than Dutch. “I may be damaged, but I’m not broken,” she tells Johnny as they prepare for the next phase of the war to stop the Hullen.

After working through Dutch’s emotional journey with Yalena, the episode reminds us that The Lady will not be giving up without a fight, and we see that this evil figure is assembling a new plasma pool by cutting and hanging upside down some of her Hullen followers. Though it begins as a drop in the bucket, it undoubtedly will give her a foothold toward keeping Dutch at bay, and the bodies piled nearby provide a grim reminder of The Lady's ruthlessness. It seems D’avin has done the expected and taken his son to his home planet of Tellen where he has been tracked by the Hullen who are headed directly for them. It’s difficult to blame him for this act, and we can only hope that he recognizes, sooner rather than later, that his son’s importance to the Hullen dwarfs anything he’s encountered of late.

Though we receive some truly meaningful information regarding The Lady’s origins and Khlyen’s plan to save his daughter, “O Mother, Where Art Thou?” comes full circle and lays the burden to save the world at Dutch’s feet. To ignore the emotional impact of Dutch’s internal struggles because of the urgency of the external physical battles she faces on a daily basis would be a huge mistake. Whether Dutch can do what Khylen was unable to and save her “sister” may be the most compelling obstacle she’s yet faced. It's about time Dutch completes Khlyen's quest.

Killjoys Season 4 Episode 9 Review: The Kids are Alright?
Killjoys says good bye to a Team Awesome Force member, while Dutch and Aneela make a move to bring down The Lady.

Killjoys Season 4 Episode 9
“Take the RAC. Free the kids. Kick some green ass.” It seems simple enough, but the best laid plans often go awry, and now Turin and Team Awesome Force must regroup and find another approach in the fight against the Hullen. Unfortunately, the victory comes with an unexpected loss, and Killjoys says goodbye to a character who struggled to earn respect right up to the very end.


I’m not sure a perfect hour of episodic television is even possible, but “The Kids are Alright?” comes awfully darned close. After handing off their newborn son to his father, Delle Seyah Kendry (Mayko Nguyen) leaves for Qresh, presumably to bring The Nine back under her control, so it definitely comes as a surprise when we learn there’s an academic side to her, and she’s actually been hiding out and reading Khlyen’s studies on the chemical properties of plasma. Granted, her study is born of the anguish and helplessness she feels regarding Aneela and The Lady, but it may be time to accept that she is changing. That she must now care for and protect her son will be her next big test.

Though we see her only briefly, Kendry’s powerful screen presence reminds us how much we miss her when she’s absent. The image of her holding a massive cannon as Johnny, D’avin, and Dutch cut their way into her emergency ship puts on display the fearless woman now tasked with protecting a young man who’s not only her son, but also the key to a still unknown evolutionary development. Is she looking forward to this new responsibility? Nope. Is she up to the task? Hells yeah. “Just let the bitch try to take him.” And while this opening sequence sets up the first of several emotional partings, there’s still room for some light moments. D’avin labeling all of Jaq’s belongings like a father sending his son off to summer camp is priceless as is Johnny’s final admonition to Kendry. “If you use a cryopod for a babysitter, we will have words.”

Nevertheless, there’s more to this scene than Jaq ignoring his father’s extended hand and going in for a heartfelt hug as they prepare to part. Johnny and Delle Seyah still have unfinished business regarding Pawter Simms, and even though she hands over all of her plasma research to him, we understand that her fact-finding has been motivated by a desire to save Aneela. And in a precursor to a later exchange he has with Lucy, Johnny, while not forgiving Delle Seyah for her role in Pawter’s death, promises to overlook that part of their history and bring Aneela home to her. It’s an understated moment that addresses the pain both feel and the compassion Johnny musters despite residual feelings. Like it or not, Delle Seyah’s part of the family, and of late, has begun to earn her place in House Jaqobis.

There’s no denying “The Kids are Alright?” delivers a number of poignant moments, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty of room for some good old Killjoys fun. With Turin (Patrick Garrow) back at the helm, Dutch and the boys return to their good natured, disruptive behavior, and when she questions his plan in front of the troops, he orders a quick trip to the principal’s office. There are the requisite jokes about Turin’s Hullen pet Weej, but Dutch truly does worry that something may go wrong if he’s involved and prevent her from saving Aneela.

Posing as hippies, Dutch and a ponytailed D’avin head to Leith to obtain a Regressor that will enable Johnny to bring down the shield the Hullen have erected around the RAC, but it’s the sight of them in pastel robes that produces the most laughs. But D’avin’s not done yet. Once the firefight on the RAC starts, Fancy and D’av’s competition to see who can take out the most Hullen highlights the operation. “You were more fun when I could shoot you,” D’avin tells him and eventually gets the last laugh when Fancy believes he’s won the contest. D’avin cheats of course, but that doesn’t make his refusal to give Fancy his prize any less funny.

Nevertheless, it’s not all fun and games on tonight’s Killjoys, and there’s no sense delaying it any longer. Losing Pip hurts. Despite that fact that his skillset fit neatly within the context of the team’s quest to bring down The Lady and the Hullen, Pip never quite feels secure in either his role or his place in the family. Even though his relationship with Zeph can be seen as a parallel to that of Dutch and D’avin, he often feels like an outsider looking in. So when we learn that the RAC self-destruct codes must be keyed in manually and that this individual will not survive the explosion, the first bombshell drops. Dutch immediately volunteers, but let’s be honest. Like the viewer, she instinctively knows that she is not about to embark on a suicide mission, and someone else will step into the breach. And that someone is Pip. “Heroes gotta hero.”

It’s easy to say that Pip’s heroic act may have something to do with his feeling the spider will kill him sooner or later anyway, so why not go down in a blaze of glory. But that’s neither fair nor accurate. Despite Zeph’s pleading to the contrary, Pip signs onto the mission to take back the RAC feeling that he can’t continually let others put their lives in danger while he hangs back in the safety of Lucy or the Armada. And while we’ll certainly miss Atticus Mitchell’s portrayal of the knavish Pippin Foster, his impact reverberates and will undoubtedly alter Zeph’s motivation moving forward.

Zeph’s future notwithstanding, Kelly McCormack takes her character to a new level with some intense, emotional character work we don’t often get to see in Killjoys. Though reticent to admit her growing feelings for Pip, it’s clear she’s concerned that he decides to join the fight for the RAC. McCormack’s Zeph has routinely displayed confidence in her intellectual abilities while at the same time exuding a certain pathos relative to the natural insecurities she does her best to obscure, but tonight we see a broken young woman, devastated at the loss of her best friend and lover. McCormack’s performance is raw and necessarily painful to watch, and when she tells Dutch that “you were supposed to bring him home,” we feel for Dutch nearly as much as for Zeph.

It’s going to take some time to recover, but there are some feel good moments that offset the dark times. Fittingly, Gared and Pree liberate the children, one of whom gleefully addresses her buddy Gared, and the two do look great in their dress whites. Albeit briefly, Fairuza (Anna Hopkins) appears to help interpret the meaning of Dutch’s scar, and with Alvis dead, there is an opening for a Scarback liaison. And though Johnny feels a bit like a third wheel now that D’av and Dutch have taken their relationship to another level, Lucy stepping in to help him cope provides a nice touch. Is it too soon to ship Johnny and Zeph?

While the team certainly makes great strides tonight, The Lady and Aneela remain in the green, both waiting to be freed from their restraints. Nevertheless, heading into the season finale, it’s Dutch’s revelation that puts the next phase of the mission into motion. She tells Johnny and D’avin that her scar is a message from Aneela and reads “send elixir to solve.” And while that initially stumps everyone but Dutch, her selfless act turns the story upside down. Drinking the plasma allows her to switch her consciousness with Aneela and take over the fight to bring down The Lady from her weakened opposite. Whether Dutch knew how this was all going to play out doesn’t matter. What matters is that The Lady will now face a fully energized, pissed off individual who has a score to settle and a life to avenge. “Hey, Lady. Miss me?” We know Pip’s death is not her fault, but saving Aneela’s life and eradicating this scourge should at least put Dutch back on a path out of the darkness that invariably follows her.

The culmination of “The Kids are Alright?” finds Team Awesome Force as ready as it’s ever going to be in the fight to rid The Quad of the Hullen. Penultimate episodes often, by necessity, function as set ups, and to a certain extent, that’s true here. But we get enough resolution and enough narrative momentum that it feels more like the first part of a multi-part episode. We’re more than ready to watch Dutch bring down The Lady, but the uncertain reaction of Aneela to her freedom is nearly as compelling.

Killjoys Season 4 Episode 10 Review: Sporemaggedon
The Lady escapes the green, and Killjoys sets the stage for a paradigm shifted season five.

Killjoys Season 4 Episode 10
“I think I prefer regular, bitchy Dutch to creepy, nice Dutch.”

Killjoys showrunner Adam Barken takes a bold step with the spellbinding season four finale “Sporemaggedon,” leaving viewers simultaneously thrilled and a bit confused heading into the show’s final run. Nevertheless, in this case, the startling final sequence sets up an intriguing paradigm shift that not only shuffles the relationship deck but establishes an impending good vs evil showdown within the context of a strikingly changed set of circumstances. With The Lady now free to roam The Quad, the world needs a hero. Can Team Awesome Force successfully follow the breadcrumbs and return the universe to its natural order? Well, now that’s going to be half the fun, isn’t it?

At first glance the virus infecting Westerly figures to provide Zeph, Pree, and Turin something to do while Johnny, D’avin, and Aneela rescue Dutch and put an end to The Lady’s threats. However, once we learn that the children rescued from the RAC are, in fact, the viral carriers, this tightly plotted sequence reminds us that the The Lady’s insidious scheme for ultimate control leaves no one safe. Having firmly regained control of the RAC and his acerbic wit, Turin correctly assesses the situation, calling the virus an act of war, which gives The Nine an opportunity to re-enter the picture under the guise of providing assistance against the infection spreading through Old Town.

While it’s always refreshing to watch characters stand up to Qreshy royalty, the decision to nuke Old Town and its contagion doesn’t reveal anything we didn’t already know about The Nine. It does, though, put Turin in the unenviable position of making the call he’d hoped to avoid. “I know how to stop the one who started this,” he tells The Nine representative while wrestling with the repercussions of dropping the cylinder into the green pool. After her tour de force performance last week, Kelly McCormack’s Zeph buries herself in her work, and though her reaction to Pree’s kindness reveals a deep emotional wound, her muted temperament makes clear that this is an individual still in a state of shock.

There’s rarely a shortage of heroic volunteers whenever Team Awesome Force does battle, and after losing Pip in the RAC explosion, it’s understandable that Zeph insists on testing the antidotal serum on herself. For a number of reasons it makes a lot of sense to have Pree step in and gently explain to her why she should allow him to receive the first injection instead. In many ways, his relationship with Gared mirrors that of Pip and Zeph, and while he’s in no hurry to die and leave Gared behind, our favorite bartender knows that his partner would do the same if the situation were reversed. Thom Allison continues to breathe life and breadth into a character whose journey has taken a decisive direction and will undoubtedly play a key role towards re-assembling the pieces in season five.

Obviously, memories play an integral role in understanding The Lady and the impact and power of the green, and when we learn that Zeph’s cure comes with a price, Turin’s initial reaction becomes even more prescient. Of course, it’s not Zeph’s fault that even though the infected recover physically, they lose the memory of those with whom they’d had the most powerful bonds, but we understand this is precisely the outcome The Lady planned. As we learn at episode’s end, she traffics in memories and seemingly sits in the driver’s seat as a strange new tale unfolds and sets the table for next season.

The action sequences are kept to a minimum, and while the call back to D’avin’s physical attack on Dutch is somewhat painful to watch, the scenes are so deftly executed that we momentarily forget that they’re byproducts of The Lady’s power. That said, the best line of the night occurs as Aneela and D’avin hold off the Ferran warriors The Lady conjures from their memories. “Enough magic bullshit. Let’s shoot stuff.” We can’t forget D’avin’s power over the green, a result of the experimental procedure on his brain conducted by army doctors and later Khlyen to some extent. This power continues to pay dividends, and after he’s had enough of the shooting, D’avin quakes the Ferran to put an end to the skirmish. He’s clearly learned to harness this ability which leaves open the possibility he’ll call on it more in the future as a key towards defeating the escaped Lady. Of course, that does beg the question as to whether he’ll even remember that he possesses this ability?

Still, “Sporemaggedon” primarily focuses on the mission to save Dutch and eliminate The Lady once and for all, or at least leave her forever trapped in the green. Hannah John-Kamen moves seamlessly between between Dutch, who confidently challenges The Lady, and Aneela who now finds herself in a position in which she has to convince the Jaqobis that she’s on their side. Look, we all love Dutch, but Aneela has really grown on me, and after Johnny reminds her that she tried and almost succeeded in killing him, her response reminds us that this is a woman who’s missed out on the value of deep personal connections. Driving that final stake through his heart (pun intended) she’s clear about her intentions. “I told you Johnny Favorite; we don’t need you.” At first, it’s a bit surprising that she doesn’t show more interest after learning that she has a son, but realizing the knowledge can only be used against her, opts to know as little as possible. There’s time for meeting the kid after the operation. Also interesting is that the boys now acknowledge Aneela as Jaq’s mother rather than Delle Seyah.

“What if everyone could get what they wanted, and no one had to win or lose anything?” Coming from anyone other than The Lady, this compromise offer seems perfectly reasonable and worth pursuing. I’ll be honest; I loved seeing Miyako Nguyen (Delle Seyah Kendry) and Sarah Power (Pawter Simms) return in this episode, and who better to tug at Johnny’s emotions than Pawter. However, once we get past The Lady’s shapeshifting abilities or ability to cause others to see what she wants them to see, her origin story doesn't ring completely true.

If she truly is the last of her race, then The Lady’s megalomaniacal quest for control of real world memories must be viewed within its context. Like Aneela, she’s been alone with limited memories for a long time, and lacking basic human contact, appears unable or unwilling to properly assimilate into a new situation. That said, her claim that her race is “driven by instinct to dominate and rule,” puts into focus what she plans to do now that her restraints have been removed. Interestingly, the more time passes, the more redemptive Aneela has become, while The Lady, on the other hand, has been set up to take her place as the Big Bad, primed to be taken down hard.

So what exactly takes place in the episode’s final act? For starters, we still don’t know whether The Lady exists in corporeal form or is simply a metaphysical entity with the power to take over and control an individual body. We do know, however, that she’s made her way out of the green and into the real world leaving Aneela behind. Ordinarily, I’m not a big fan of voice-overs, but given the circumstances, The Lady’s pronouncement lays out clearly where we’re headed in Killjoys final season. “Memories aren’t just where you’ve been, they’re who you are, and if I own that, I own you. And now that I’m out, I’ll run everything.” The Lady views love as a weakness and apparently plans to exploit that most basic human quality.

We’ve worked through issues related to the lookalike nature of Dutch and Aneela, but this new situation may take that complication to a new level. While it immediately becomes clear that The Lady bests Aneela and leaves her behind, for a moment, it appears the team is successful in killing the green and The Lady. The jump scare works beautifully leaving us with a clear view of impending conflicts to come. Thinking this is Aneela, will Dutch work to convince her to stay and become part of the family, or will The Lady take the first opportunity to leave and begin her quest for universal domination?

Okay, that’s the easy part. Now what about the final scene? We first need to go back to The Lady’s comment to Aneela after Dutch inserts the spores into the pool. “If the walls come down, it opens the passageways in and out.” This seems to imply that though The Lady escapes through the green pool, Aneela may not be restricted and able to eventually make her way back to the real world. Given the benefit of centuries to hatch a workable plan, that seems like something for which The Lady should have accounted. Unless of course Aneela’s dead though that doesn’t seem to be the case.

Let’s assume for a moment that The Lady controls the memories of everyone in her purview. That would certainly explain the upside down world that features Johnny and Yala as a married couple working to make ends meet in their frighteningly humdrum world. There is no “Dutch” because that’s been wiped from their memories, but are we to accept that this is the relationship that both secretly desire or has The Lady simply misread the signals? It’s one thing to possess “universal memory,” but it’s quite another to understand its nuances out of the proper context. Has The Lady severed the personal connections she thinks are critical towards maintaining control, and if so, has she focused her efforts on Team Awesome Force and its sphere of influence? Or, is she omnipotent and able to execute this across the board?

While we don’t have to worry that this is all a dream, the Oz-like stroll through the street, featuring Turin as a vendor and Gared as one of Johnny’s drinking buddies, provides more context to support this new world order. We know that the key to getting things back to normal will be the ability to remember, to re-establish the severed connections, and it seems The Lady may have made several critical mistakes. Why keep Johnny and Dutch together in the first place? Granted, The Lady sees their love as weakness waiting to be exploited instead of a strength that often arises out of a noble, selfless attempt to do the right thing and put someone else’s interests ahead of his or her own. And why keep D’avin as a RAC agent? We see he has a Level 2 Escort Warrant for Jaq Kin Rit and have to assume this is part of The Lady’s plan to find the young man, but isn’t there a danger that in his search, he’ll stumble across enough bread crumbs and begin putting the pieces of his past together?

And what of Aneela? What role will she play in this new narrative since it’s reasonable to think she not only has her memories intact but also possesses freedom of movement. Now that The Lady has made it safely to the real world, there’s no real incentive to continue with Aneela’s visage, but it will present an interesting conundrum if and when the real Aneela finds her way back. Still, someone has tasked D’avin to find Jaq, and since Delle Seyah may be hiding herself and her memories, perhaps she’s one of the bread crumbs to which Khlyen refers in his story about the family that gets lost in the woods.

“Sporemaggedon” does everything a season finale should do, and while it’s a bit of a risk to break up the team this late in the game, Killjoys has, at its heart, always been a show about family finding its way home to each other. Now that the core group has expanded to include Aneela, Jaq, and maybe even Delle Seyah, the complexities that will undoubtedly present themselves open a wealth of narrative possibilities. On the one hand, it’s sad knowing that the forthcoming season will be Killjoys last, but if the final scene is any indication, we’re going out with a mindbender.

Killjoys Season 5 Episode 2 Review: Blame it on the Rain
Johnny and D'avin recover their memories, and Khlyen negotiates with The Lady on Killjoys.
REVIEW
Dave Vitagliano
Jul 26, 2019

After a season premiere that leaves viewers still a bit confused as to the intricacies of The Lady’s master plan, “Blame it on the Rain” brings the alien entity’s agenda more clearly into focus. Pacing has never been an issue for Killjoys, and tonight is no exception as Zeph and Dutch perform surgery on a gunshot wound, wake the Jaqobis brothers, and put into motion a plan to foil The Lady’s attempt to make Westerly the new home for her body snatching species. Just another busy day at the office for Team Awesome Force.

Though she’s not at full strength, Zeph determines they have just twenty-seven days until The Lady’s terraforming plan takes hold eliminating the breathable air. On the one hand, it’s excruciatingly painful watching her operate at less than optimal intellectual power, but Zeph’s refusal to lie back and allow The Lady to roll over the human race on Westerly simply reinforces what we’ve known for some time. She is an integral card carrying member of Dutch’s team.

However, before they can execute their plan to eliminate some of the chemical factories The Lady has prepared for her terraforming endeavor, Dutch and Zeph need to test the protein inhibitor theory before employing it in the field. It’s a forgone conclusion that Zeph will test it on herself, and it’s her visceral reaction to the crushing loss of her best friend Pip that reminds us experiences both joyous and painful make us who we are. “Make this bitch pay,” she implores Dutch. With duct tape holding her body together after the surgery to remove the bullet and sheer force of will directing her mental focus, Zeph helps Dutch wake the Jaqobis brothers, and it appears the team is one step closer to stopping The Lady. There’s room for another character to step forward, and Zeph continues to make the most of the opportunities presented.

Though Pree, Fancy Lee, and Turin appear briefly, their limited roles serve merely to add a bit of narrative flavor to the tale. Dutch’s priceless exchange with Turin when she procures antibiotics and painkillers for Zeph ends as we know it will with Dutch stealing the drugs and running back to her friend. Fancy’s appearance seems to be more about reminding us that the RAC agent is still around, and while Pree’s encounter with D’avin plays into the manhunt for Dutch, his role is minimal at best. Still, it’s always great to see these three no matter the limited scope, and as Fancy points out, “Sexy people have feelings too.”

Khlyen’s appearance last week with The Lady on Aneela’s ship raises more questions than it provides answers, and now, with a new corporeal host, The Lady’s body jumping ability presents a new narrative wrinkle. Though she’s loathe to admit it, Khlyen’s confidence that his girls will find a way to stop the alien’s insidious plan to take over and control Westerly produces a noticeable impact on her. “Still think I fear your Yala? Perhaps I’ll wear her next,” she tells him, but it’s clear she’s losing patience and maybe even her focus. Has The Lady committed a tactical blunder by bringing Khlyen out of the green allowing him to get inside her head at the same time Dutch moves ever closer to saving Westerly?

To this point Killjoys has deftly navigated the science fiction trope waters, most notably with its handling of the Dutch/Aneela doppelganger plot point, and hopefully, the writers will resist the urge to have The Lady jump from body to body as Dutch and her team increase the pressure on her. Of course, that presupposes that Team Awesome Force has one more escape plan left in its arsenal now that The Lady’s forces have taken them into custody just seconds before executing a clean getaway. Does this mean starting over from scratch, all recovered memories lost once again?

But let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves here. Once Zeph and Dutch wake Johnny and D’avin, their memories of destroying the green plasma return, and they learn that The Lady escaped to create this alternate world on Westerly. It’s here that we’re treated to a visual science fiction television trope that never seems to lose its effectiveness. With a pronounced J. J. Abrams Alias vibe going on, the camera gives us the ubiquitous slow motion shot of Dutch striding down the street flanked by Johnny and D’avin who tease each other about D’av’s admission that Dutch is his girlfriend. Classic. Unfortunately, it’s short lived, and it appears we’re back to square one after Zeph loses communications with the team, and the rain begins to fall.

In many ways this season’s principal narrative arc follows a well worn science fiction approach as an alien race seeks a new home for itself on a less than welcoming planet. However, the physical and metaphysical powers of The Lady keep the team and viewers on alert that things may not always be what they seem. As she prepares to blow up one of The Lady’s factories, Dutch notices and then torches the eggs/babies/whatever The Lady has clearly stored and prepared for the next phase of her mission triggering an immediate physical and emotional response that leads to the team’s capture.

After the writers wisely bring Dutch, Johnny, and D’avin back to full strength without significant delay, hopefully the rain doesn’t send them back to memory square one, further postponing the next of several confrontations leading up to the series’ finale. It remains unclear exactly why The Lady wants Jaq, but he does possess a sort of hybrid genetic makeup that may appeal to her for some reason. Still, it’s the Sophie’s Choice dilemma The Lady presents to Khlyen that stands as the next hurdle the team must face. Given the opportunity to save either his daughter or his grandson, Khlyen somewhat cryptically tells her “You know who I choose.”

Given their long and storied relationship, it seems highly improbable that Khlyen will choose Jaq over Dutch. Even though we’re not quite sure what we actually have in Khlyen, he does seem confident that he’ll play a role in finding a crack in The Lady’s armor. So while it appears that it’s Dutch, Johnny, and D’avin who need rescuing, their situation opens a perfect opportunity for the secondaries to step up and be counted. Kendry will likely search for reasons to avoid the fight, but Zeph, Gared, Pree, Fancy Lee, and Turin remain available even if they don’t yet know it.

“Blame it on the Rain” spends the bulk of its time bringing Dutch’s team back to the real world, and while Killjoys typically avoids the back and forth narrative traps to which many shows fall prey, that danger seems evident. Nevertheless, The Lady presents a fascinating and formidable foe for whom it will take a total team effort to defeat. As always, the question is at what cost.

The Killjoy trio must figure out a way to break out from an inescapable maximum security prison.

Dutch and Team Awesome Force recover their memories, and The Lady must deal with disappointment on Killjoys.

Dave Vitagliano
Aug 10, 2019

“When you remember where you have been, you dream of where you might go.”

Any concern that Killjoys might fall prey to a capture/escape/capture narrative trap quickly dissipates as “Ship Outta Luck” returns Team Awesome Force to full on fight mode, and the season’s strongest episode brings further into focus the conflicting forces jockeying for position. Dutch, Johnny, and Zeph gather their wits and re-enter the fight to stop The Lady from overrunning Westerly, but it’s Khlyen’s role in this undertaking that provides some of the most intriguing possibilities.

Though The Lady and Khlyen appear sparingly throughout the season, that does nothing to diminish their importance. And while evil children typically rank high on the creepiness scale, the transition to an adult version of this alien being makes for an even more frightening experience. We don’t see her often, but Alanna Bale makes the most of her screen time infusing The Lady with a terrifying persona that speaks to her desperation in the endeavor to find a home for her children.

Khlyen’s discussions with The Lady typically address the human race’s shortcomings, and it seems likely that her hubris will eventually play a role in her downfall. Dutch’s 436 year sentence in Herks Supermax Prison may serve to lure Jaq into the open, but it quickly becomes clear that this inferior human woman adroitly manipulates the alien into mistakes she doesn’t even realize she’s making. And while Khlyen doesn’t know precisely how Dutch and the team will take her down, The Lady’s violent reaction to the news that 30% of her Black Root fleet has been destroyed sets him up for a concise assessment of her failings. “You still don’t understand us.”

From the delightful opening scene during which Johnny and D’avin make amusingly feeble attempts to convince the warden of the dire circumstances taking place on Westerly, to Khlyen’s final admonition, “Ship Outta Luck” moves seamlessly among the various character groups as each prepares for the approaching clash. It’s been excruciatingly painful watching Zeph carve clues into her arm, so it’s a welcome relief that here she resorts to the less invasive, yet highly effective approach of leaving herself an explanation video. She first wakes Turin whose immediate gruff response reminds us why we love him so much. “How did we let this happen?” he barks, but when she revives Pree, who rightfully acknowledges that he does make a badass RAC agent, the decision to leave Gared behind doesn’t sit well. At times his childlike innocence feels out of place, but Gared’s proved his worth over the years, and while it makes sense to stay under The Lady’s radar as much as possible, he will be missed.

On the one hand, twenty-five days to stop the terraforming of Westerly feels like an eternity, so it will be interesting to see how Killjoys moves time in the coming weeks. Pree guides Zeph’s group to The Lady’s Black Root ships, but it’s Zeph’s leadership and unflinching approach to solving this doomsday scenario that shouldn’t be overlooked. “We came here to stir shit up and blow shit up,” and that’s certainly what they do. With her squad on the move and Gared and Fancy in reserve, it seems a foregone conclusion that Zeph and Johnny will blind The Lady with science while Dutch and D’avin perform the heavy lifting. We have only to wait for the fun to begin.

While the side story inside the prison doesn’t specifically serve the main arc, it nonetheless gives our heroes a chance to get back up to speed after weeks spent in The Lady’s alternate reality. Of course, D’avin must first find a way out of the psych evaluation ward, and while the sage advice he receives from Calvert (Anastasia Phillips) makes sense, it seems unlikely that D’av will be able to avoid an electro-shock treatment. But it’s the near escape that sends the narrative into an unexpected direction. Instead of merely throwing Dutch and the boys back into their cells, the warden recognizes that these three possess skills that just might benefit her. We’ve seen the team prevent assassinations before, and stopping a hit on an inmate seems almost too easy.

However, things inside the supermax aren’t quite as simple as they first appear, and the job gets trickier once Dutch learns that an unforeseen player enters the picture complicated an otherwise pedestrian affair for the killjoys. Initially, displeased with Dutch’s progress, the warden sets Dutch up for the episode’s most prescient line, perfectly crystallizing the past five years with Team Awesome Force. “It looks like we’re failing until we don’t.” That the warden gives Dutch and the Jaqobis some rope in this endeavor is a nice touch, but perhaps it’s the brutally honest acknowledgement that assuages the prison head’s concerns. “We’re used to people wanting us dead.”

The real twist though takes place after Dutch unmasks Calvert as the assassin, and even though the warden is prepared to follow through with her end of the agreement with Dutch, Ms. Yardeen has something else in mind. Regardless, the relationship triangle necessarily receives some space, and any concerns that Johnny might want to pursue a new direction with Dutch quickly disappears when he suggests Dutch and D’avin share a cell leaving him on his own. Killjoys continues to skillfully steer its way through these difficult waters employing humor even as its characters contemplate serious personal issues. Dutch tells D’avin that Johnny blames her for the loss of “the love of his life,” and while that may or may not be true, it’s clear the two aren’t on the same wavelength.

Johnny survived the horrific loss of Pawter Simms and came to terms with the knowledge that his marriage to Dutch lacked any true conviction, but his real test rests with his new relationship with Lucy. How great is it that Lucy mishears John introducing himself and now addresses him as Shawn as the two get to know each other for the second time. On the other hand, it won’t be a surprise to learn that Lucy possesses residual memories and is merely messing with Johnny.

“Ship Outta Luck” gets the team back on track with a terrific episode that brings together all the elements that makes Killjoys great. It’s difficult not to lament the absence of so many fascinating characters for long stretches, but the narrow focus on Dutch, John, D’avin, and Zeph allows these intimate relationships to blossom even further, adding to an already rich subtext. Getting off the prison ship won’t be easy, but once D’av clears out the cobwebs and the team returns to full strength, it’s probably best if The Lady loses the condescending attitude before she finds herself just another trophy on the Team Awesome Force wall.

Killjoys Season 5 Episode 6 Review: Three Mutineers

An unexpected power shift takes place on the prison ship and forces Dutch to change her plans on a surprising Killjoys.

Dave Vitagliano
Aug 23, 2019

“Did you just throw forest filth at me?”

The ability to forge relationships often drives success within a chosen field, and sometimes those relationships must withstand threats from all angles if they are to endure. Despite the fact that the core of “Three Mutineers” properly focuses on the intricate plan to escape the prison ship and facilitate a return to Westerly, there are a number of personal connections that deserve and receive attention as Killjoys moves into the back half of its final season.

While it’s certainly entertaining to watch Johnny reacquaint himself with Lucy, the ship’s AI is a machine, and to this point theirs is strictly a relationship that functions within the parameters of her programming. Yes, it appears a trust develops between the two, but that’s just as much a function of her zeroes and ones as it is anything truly sentient. However, after Lucy detects the fusion bombs placed by the Qreshy kill squad and he reunites with Dutch, the two killjoys now face uncomfortable truths about the direction their relationship has taken. He’s angry she negotiated his release from the prison ship, and Dutch feels betrayed by what she perceives to be his attempt to “ice me out.” Of course, they’re both wrong and must ultimately confront the true source of the trouble - their marriage in The Lady’s alternate reality.

Despite the unrelenting danger in which Team Awesome Force typically finds itself, Killjoys has always featured an upbeat tone so it seems unlikely that we’re headed for a dark series ending. That said, it’s about time Johnny and Dutch clear the air, and the awkward reminiscence of their time together in Westerly finally leads to a truth that shouldn’t be that difficult to accept. “I love you, but not like that,” Johnny tells her in a warm scene that contrasts against her severely beaten and bruised face. It’s really not clear whether Dutch is disappointed or relieved. However, the unexpected revelation here comes when Dutch questions John’s commitment to their task as killjoys.

When we look back at the events leading up to this point, it’s not surprising that each of the three teammates re-evaluate how they see their futures unfolding. Whether Dutch’s relationship with D’avin will lead to anything permanently meaningful remains to be seen, but it’s clear that Johnny is not only ready to move on from Pawter’s death, but understands the need to find an intimate companion. Dutch recognizes that John requires time away from their hectic lifestyle and suggests he take a year to clear his head, but more importantly, “find someone.” It appears we’re being prepared for the Jaqobis brothers to go their separate ways at some point during the series finale, and the only question here seems to be whether Dutch and D’avin move forward as a couple.

Spending this much narrative capital aboard Herks Supermax Prison runs the risk of resorting to a number of well-worn jailhouse tropes, but Killjoys avoids this with some fascinating character pairings, a diplomatic side of D’avin that we don’t see often enough, and another unexpected prisoner plot twist. It’s never a good sign when the resident psychopath wants to renegotiate the deal he made with a fellow inmate, and Coren’s decision to murder Sparlo as Dutch tries to diplomatically change the current dynamic comes as a bit of a shock.

That Dutch questions the motives of the Qreshy representatives who’ve come to rescue the Robbel siblings makes perfect sense and sets up a brief, yet effective firefight sequence that culminates in Coren’s death at the hands of prisoner Mace. And while we might, like Dutch, question the ease with which this standoff works itself out, it prevents this plot thread from getting bogged down in the details. There’s a lot of ground to cover, and most of it needs to take place on terra firma.

It’s always nice to watch D’avin operate outside his comfort zone, and his scenes with Evie Robbel speak not only to his oft ignored ingenuity but his charm as well. Evie is not the first princess he’s had to cajole, but even Davin’s surprised when her response to her rescue is to hold a gun on her brother, presumably to complete the job she asked D’av to do for her. His attempts to mediate the family dispute leads to the revelation that an uncle ordered the hit on them, but also gives Johnny and Dutch a chance to make a dramatic last second rescue. This is likely it for the minor house of Land Rabbel, but Sylas and Evie provide another view of how intense dysfunctional family squabbles can become and point out that any worries about Dutch and Johnny pale by comparison.

However, it’s Johnny’s burgeoning relationship with the warden (Rachael Ancheril/Star Trek: Discovery) during the chaos following the prisoner takeover that provides some of the best dialogue exchanges. In fact, he tries to charm her during most of their encounters including their initial encounter in her office. Watching them work together to disarm the fusion bombs reveals an electric chemistry that begs to be explored further. Can he convince the warden to allow them to take her ship now that they understand its capabilities which include the perfectly timed cloaking technology? It’s the final scene, however, that shows the warden at her best when she addresses the remaining prisoners and explains that it’s because of the killjoys risking their lives that they all survived the Qreshy kill squad. One prisoner begins clapping and the others follow. Dutch may have her army after all.

And last but certainly not least we dive more deeply into Delle Seyah and Aneela’s story that features Jaq at its center. Though it’s clear he represents more to the world at large than he does to his two mothers, that fact does not get in the way of their jockeying for the dominant role in this three way relationship. As they walk through the woods, it’s difficult to ignore the lush greenery that dominates the scene, a reminder of their past, even though now they must confront the fact that Kendry has reverted to her original human state. We’ve always wondered just how real their relationship is to Aneela, and while she provides some insight here, a hint of doubt remains regarding her commitment. Is it possible Aneela’s a bit intimidated by Kendry’s new huntress persona and isn’t yet certain how to proceed?

That we’ve watched Jaq grow up quickly might be the understatement of the millenia, and though he occasionally exhibits ordinary teenage idiosyncrasies, his developing moral center reveals a well grounded young man who’s overcome plenty to arrive at this critical juncture. Though he’s still intent on finding and saving his father, the fact that he’s willing to enter the mirror cube shows a level of maturity that belies his chronological age. And while Jaq appears temporarily safe from The Lady’s clutches, Aneela’s admission that she knows what The Lady wants and how to obtain it, but doesn’t know how to stop her keeps the necessary element of danger fully in play.

“Three Mutineers” skillfully brings Aneela and Kendry back together to protect Jaq, but it’s time for Dutch, D’avin, and Johnny to leave the prison ship and reunite with Zeph and the rest of the team on the ground. Khlyen remains an enigma as The Lady’s advantage wavers, and it’s only a matter of time until the two forces come face to face. It won’t be long now.

Killjoys Season 5 Episode 8 Review: Don't Stop Beweaving

Zeph's homecoming does not go smoothly, and D'avin worries about his baby brother on a revealing episode of Killjoys.

by Dave Vitagliano
Sep 6, 2019

“How exactly do you plan on turning these violent felons into freedom fighters?”

Let’s be honest; “Don’t Stop Beweaving” probably doesn’t make the list of best Killjoys’ episodes. That said, as usual, there’s still a lot to like about a chapter that flounders a bit with its prison story and then rebounds nicely with Zeph’s homecoming and D’avin’s matchmaking. Though some scenes feel as if they’ve been included merely for effect, despite this minor flaw, Killjoys succeeds because of its richly drawn and wonderfully charismatic characters.

Even though the spectre of war looms in the background, Johnny’s opening musical number underscores the importance of trust earned over time. Yes, it’s a goofy scene played brilliantly by Aaron Ashmore, but the joy Johnny derives dancing around the ship suggests that not only is the team ready for action, but is functioning at its peak. There’s a sense that, like the audience, the team members know their lives as they’ve known them will irrevocably change one way or another in the coming days. These are characters who’ve rarely had the opportunity to consider their own futures and any dreams and desires they might possess, and now understand that this final conflict may be the catalyst that propels them into entirely different lives. It’s both terrifying and exciting.

The Warden’s willingness to assess a situation and then make a decision she understands might come back to haunt her remains a strength not only of her character, but of the prison arc as well. Clearly it’s a risk putting weapons in the hands of dangerous criminals, but what choice does she really have at this point. Despite the seriousness of the situation, watching Johnny and D’avin draft their respective teams for the laser tag team-building exercise injects a bit of humor into a situation that ends up turning deadly. The writers do a solid job misdirecting viewers, but the irony of the killer psychiatrist seems a bit out of place. Still, the practice mission allows several subplots a chance to develop.

At this point there’s no longer any confusion as to the sincerity of D’avin’s relationship with Dutch, and though the signs have been apparent for some time, they do seem perfect for each other. Still, we’re a bit thrown off when it appears he’s flirting with not only Calvert but the Warden as well. It doesn’t take long to recognize that he really is “asking for a friend,” and though the Warden is clearly the more stable individual, there’s something magnetic about Calvert that makes her so intriguing. In the end, big brother D’avin’s heartfelt concern that Johnny won’t find love again dominates the touching moment that unfolds in a classic Killjoys manner. Proposing the brothers go on a double-date when all of this is over, D’avin merely suggests that Johnny choose between Calvert and the Warden. It’s a great scene, but the feeling that both won’t survive persists.

There’s no question that Zeph comes across as an odd duck from the moment we meet her in “A Skinner, Darkly,” and it’s not only appropriate that we finally learn more about her past but necessary as well. Since the farming community on Leith from which she originates houses the “most comprehensive agropedia in The J,” her reticent return home serves multiple purposes. At this point in the narrative, her insistence that this digital tapestry holds data about The Lady’s race and why it went extinct appears well founded. Of course the image of Zeph and Dutch wearing stark white outfits as they make their way to Zeph’s home offers the first clue to why she fled her family in the first place.

The cult-like atmosphere of Zeph’s village and detailed background of the farming community’s initial arrival on the planet add some interesting flavor to the mix, but it’s the appearance of her pitchfork wielding sister Zaia that ends up driving this sequence. Played by Kelly McCormack’s real life sister Hilary McCormack, Zaia exudes a sanctimonious disappointment in her sister’s life choices but also resentment at having been left behind with their domineering mother. Zeph has become such an integral part of the team that cramming her backstory into one episode seems a bit unfair. The pit, her obsessive thirst for knowledge, and the leadership succession plan feel forced, but they do serve to explain Zeph’s career path. Unfortunately, she verbalizes it through the episode’s most cringe worthy piece of dialogue. “The only god I answer to is science.” Yikes.

Khlyen’s actions continue to confound, and it becomes increasingly evident that he may be playing the double agent in a long con designed to crush the alien race The Lady is attempting to resurrect. He’s taken Turin prisoner, the terraforming seems to be working, and the hatchlings have survived for 36 hours outside their box. We could say everything is going according to plan, but the beauty of this aspect of the story is that we still don’t know what Khlyen is up to. He still believes that Yala died in the explosion, and now that The Lady suffers some serious affliction that impacts her body as well as her mind, it’s time to consider the revenge factor in this scenario. Taking Jaq’s body remains her plan, and though Khlyen continues to treat her physical form, it’s clear that time is running out for her. He has a chance to take her out, and as he’s fond of doing, tells her a story that draws out her twisted sense of human love’s intricacies. Is it not enough for him to simply kill her?

And in a well executed call back to the Last Supper allusion before the team goes into war against The Hullen, we’re treated to a smaller, more confident group ready to save their planet. Dutch understands the importance of trust, and Killjoys once again drives home the value of a strong core family. “We have this; she has no one,” Dutch reminds everyone, and before any viewer emotions can rise to the surface, we notice the tee shirts. Zeph’s adorned with the single word BRAIN; Dutch wearing BRAWN. Classic.

Throughout its nearly five full seasons, Killjoys has avoided getting bogged down in romantic relationships designed to appease the shipper contingent that seems to often lose sight of the core narrative. Now that we’ve reached the end, it appears viewers may receive the best of both worlds, and “Don’t Stop Beweaving” sets the table for what looks to be a satisfying conclusion no matter which angle you view. I still like Johnny with the Warden.