The Following, Episode 3: "The Poet's Fire"
What a chilling final scene. Claire was sort of relegated to the background on last night's episode, sleeping in her son's bed and only popping up to call Ryan and tell him she needed her son back. I sort of feel a little bad for Natalie Zea. She is a great actress and I just wish that they would give her a little more to do. In the episode's final minutes, Ryan meets up with Claire to watch a video that she received from Emma. In the video, Jacob is talking to Joey about killing fireflies and beetles. Joey has questions. Why? Jacob's answer is simple, because we can. "If we kill the bug, it dies, and that means your life means a little bit more." Jacob then produces a jar with a field mouse inside. He lets the field mouse suffocate while Joey watches. They then let Joey and the camera know that they are just getting started. Emma then directs Joey to wave to the camera and tell Ryan hello. Claire is hysterical and voices what everyone is thinking. "They're teaching him!" I had a feeling that part of Joe's plan was trying indoctrinate his son. I think that will be part of Ryan's redemptive arc, saving Joey from becoming his father's son.
The focus on Carroll's followers are what really makes this show so fascinating. It is something you don't really see on other shows that focus on serial murderers. Shows like Criminal Minds don't ever delve into the motivations or what makes them tick. Emma is shaping up to be the real threat, while Joe is locked up. In flashbacks, you see Emma directing Paul and Jacob about their parts in Joe's plan, specifically playing gay. There is a sadistic light in Emma's eyes as she encourages the boys to practice. It is interesting to watch Emma's transformation. She's become the tormentor rather than the victim. She doesn't really understand what her machinations have wrought. It seems that one night after a few too many drinks and comments about being touchy feely, Paul and Jacob act on their feelings for one another. It seems like being forced into this pretend relationship awakened feelings or affirmed feelings that Paul had, but maybe was afraid to face. Did Carroll know this about Paul already? Is this the reason that Carroll chose this particular mission for Paul? Paul is having a hard time watching Jacob and Emma's intimacy and he kind of goes off the deep end, kidnapping a girl and bringing her back to the house. It seems like he is going to blackmail Jacob into revealing the true nature of their relationship to Emma. This is a really distinct and unique love triangle that I'm sure will not end well. Especially since Paul's pretend apology to Emma was met with a slash to the forearm. I can't imagine this being able to continue for very much longer.
We were introduced to two more of Carroll's followers in last night's episode. Phil Kester is the man in the Poe mask who set the man on fire at the end of the last episode. It turns out that the Human Torch was one of the most aggressive of the critics who panned Carroll's book. In flashback, we learn that Kester's "thing" has always been fire. He's not a fan of knives, but he promises he'll pull his weight. Agent Parker goes to talk to Joe and he mentions three people who were instrumental in his downfall. Hardy quickly identifies himself and the critic. The third he deduces is the professor at Carroll's former college who denies him tenure due to his lackluster book.
At the college, the dean is confronted by Kester. He seems to have gotten over his problem with knives because he repeatedly stabs the writer.
When, the FBI agents go to Kester's house, they find his wife, Maggie hiding in the closet. She spins a story about how she was trying to leave Phil and yadda, yadda, yadda. It was pretty obvious to everyone except the FBI that Maggie was another one of Joe's followers. That being said, it was still a shock when Maggie drove a knife under Agent Riley's chin. It was also shocking when in flashback it was revealed that Phil practiced his knife skills on Maggie, by stabbing her in the gut. Ryan chases Maggie and Phil down, but even after shooting Phil a couple of times and struggling with him, Maggie is able to get away. This is a blow since Maggie knows the location of Joey.
Parker is not happy that she fell for Maggie's act. Hardy lets it slip to her that Joe fooled him. When he first went to the college to investigate the murders, he fell completely for Carroll's act. It was pretty convincing and it was interesting to see Carroll and Hardy's relationship when it was less contentious than it is now. It was nice to get a little more insight into Hardy and know that he wasn't completely infallible. It also helps you understand why he is so personally invested in the killings.
Another first rate episode, but what did you guys think? Let me know in the comments.
The focus on Carroll's followers are what really makes this show so fascinating. It is something you don't really see on other shows that focus on serial murderers. Shows like Criminal Minds don't ever delve into the motivations or what makes them tick. Emma is shaping up to be the real threat, while Joe is locked up. In flashbacks, you see Emma directing Paul and Jacob about their parts in Joe's plan, specifically playing gay. There is a sadistic light in Emma's eyes as she encourages the boys to practice. It is interesting to watch Emma's transformation. She's become the tormentor rather than the victim. She doesn't really understand what her machinations have wrought. It seems that one night after a few too many drinks and comments about being touchy feely, Paul and Jacob act on their feelings for one another. It seems like being forced into this pretend relationship awakened feelings or affirmed feelings that Paul had, but maybe was afraid to face. Did Carroll know this about Paul already? Is this the reason that Carroll chose this particular mission for Paul? Paul is having a hard time watching Jacob and Emma's intimacy and he kind of goes off the deep end, kidnapping a girl and bringing her back to the house. It seems like he is going to blackmail Jacob into revealing the true nature of their relationship to Emma. This is a really distinct and unique love triangle that I'm sure will not end well. Especially since Paul's pretend apology to Emma was met with a slash to the forearm. I can't imagine this being able to continue for very much longer.
We were introduced to two more of Carroll's followers in last night's episode. Phil Kester is the man in the Poe mask who set the man on fire at the end of the last episode. It turns out that the Human Torch was one of the most aggressive of the critics who panned Carroll's book. In flashback, we learn that Kester's "thing" has always been fire. He's not a fan of knives, but he promises he'll pull his weight. Agent Parker goes to talk to Joe and he mentions three people who were instrumental in his downfall. Hardy quickly identifies himself and the critic. The third he deduces is the professor at Carroll's former college who denies him tenure due to his lackluster book.
At the college, the dean is confronted by Kester. He seems to have gotten over his problem with knives because he repeatedly stabs the writer.
When, the FBI agents go to Kester's house, they find his wife, Maggie hiding in the closet. She spins a story about how she was trying to leave Phil and yadda, yadda, yadda. It was pretty obvious to everyone except the FBI that Maggie was another one of Joe's followers. That being said, it was still a shock when Maggie drove a knife under Agent Riley's chin. It was also shocking when in flashback it was revealed that Phil practiced his knife skills on Maggie, by stabbing her in the gut. Ryan chases Maggie and Phil down, but even after shooting Phil a couple of times and struggling with him, Maggie is able to get away. This is a blow since Maggie knows the location of Joey.
Parker is not happy that she fell for Maggie's act. Hardy lets it slip to her that Joe fooled him. When he first went to the college to investigate the murders, he fell completely for Carroll's act. It was pretty convincing and it was interesting to see Carroll and Hardy's relationship when it was less contentious than it is now. It was nice to get a little more insight into Hardy and know that he wasn't completely infallible. It also helps you understand why he is so personally invested in the killings.
Another first rate episode, but what did you guys think? Let me know in the comments.
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