MISFITS Season 2 Episode 4 – The transition at the very beginning of the episode, from Simon and Alisha seductively getting it on to a shot filled with ugly toes was a brilliant way to introduce the new guy Ollie.
The promos set Ollie up as a sort of ‘hero of the week’. The promos were genius. Ollie dies, bullet to the brain, within minutes of introducing himself. The villain of the week was a man literally living in a video game. Remember when anal parental committees set about trying to ban games like Manhunt and Grand Theft Auto? Let’s all thank bloody chainsaws that this episode was not about at that time.
This episode was a perfect example of why Misfits works so well and why it’s probably one of the best television shows airing right now.
It takes conventional cliche and genre devices and flips them on their head. For example, Nikki, the sublime addition to the team and a worthy love interest for Curtis. She could have been introduced as the cool girlfriend, an obstacle between the pseudo-real love of Curtis and Alisha. Sometimes, in order to wedge a character into the show, the character will become more awesome than anyone else on the show. This trap leaves the character open to a major downfall when their introduction is complete and the story has to get on. With Nikki, she’s not some invulnerable ass-kicking girlfriend.
She was ultimately unable to help the Misfits in their time of need and not, just to get political, because of some sexist agenda whereby Curtis summons some awesome unknown strength and saves his one true love (puke). She’s fierce, independant, flirty, vulnerable, and exceedingly entertaining to watch. Plus, the way in which she received her powers-a heart transplant courtesey of Ollie-means that she’s already set apart from the main five. I would not be surprised if her heart became a source of ailment to her. I must commend her initial teleporting scene. That was awesome.
Alisha, who has been the magnet for all sloppy writing on the show, finally got some material worthy of her fellow hooligans. Her quick and passionate affair with future Simon was impressively convincing and her final act of burning him to preserve whatever chance they might have at a future was sickly sweet. The photo of Las Vegas was a gem of a moment.
There was less Nathan and Kelly than I’m usually accustomed to, but there were plenty of wisecracks and story lines between the two of them, so I didn’t feel completely deprived.
I love how rushed and messy the show can sometimes feel as a single episode deals with multiple and major character arcs. However the show is rarely boring and manages to avoid incredualty. This episode is easily my favorite of the second series.
I just wish there weren’t only two more episode before the end.
What did you think of this episode? Sound off in the comments below!
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