WMC - An Emotional Ride - Episode 7
Once upon a time, I indulged in a little reverie, and imagined an alternate universe where ABC executives had grown brains and guts. They had hired Riley LaShea
and asked her to pen a November sweep episode like only she could do it. Well as it turns out, there is no need to dream or imagine because this week, with Humility Before Honor, the seventh installment of the Woman’s murder Club Virtual Season 2, she has created a November “sweepesque” episode which could rival any dramatic series currently on the air.
Someone told me long ago there’s a calm before the storm, I know; it’s been comin for some time. Actually, no one told me that; it was John Fogerty signing. The last few episodes have been somewhat calm, this week, lightening crashes and thunder rolls in San Francisco. With her second episode of the season, Riley reintroduces Hallelujah Man, the serial killer hunting down sinners in the City by the Bay. Within minutes of the episodes, we are informed that he has committed another gruesome murder, and soon after, we are led down the darkest recesses of his mind. In order to empathize fully with the characters and especially understand Lindsay’s behavior, through out this episode, the reader must be made more aware of HM’s abominable methods.
Riley effectively achieves this difficult task by describing, in meticulous detail, the way the killer tortured and eventually disposed of the victim. None of it is gratuitous, mind you. Every account is necessary and given what the characters are facing, inescapable. However, the act becomes even more difficult to take when the reader is essentially shown the scene as the characters watch HM commit his unimaginable deed. Yes it is horrific, HM is a serial killer after all. But it is very gripping.
The entire episode is gripping and also very emotional; as characters revisit old fears and confess new ones. The grievousness of the situation weighs heavy on the Club. Despite the very dark nature of Humility Before Honor, we are treated to glimpses of light at cleverly spaced intervals. And mercifully, Riley doles out a few equally well-timed moments of levity.
Halfway through the season, and on the cusp of rejoining Lindsay in the very first scene of the very first episode, a storm is moving in over San Francisco. It has started to rain and it is about to pour. So I wanna know have you ever seen the rain coming down on a sunny day? Stay tuned.
wmc_vs
1- Dark is good in a thriller, so is angst but having a happy resolution is very good. That’s why, even after a second read, my favorite part is still the last scene of the last act. It’s not just my shipper’s heart talking. Lol. The character development of both Cindy and Lindsay is exceptional. Lindsay’s primary instinct is to protect Cindy but realizing that she can rely on her for emotional support and being able to admit it is very telling. Cindy shows a lot of maturity in this, too. This relationship is a two-way street. I’m paraphrasing here but yeah, if neither one of them fucks this up it could go on a while. At the risk of repeating myself, Soulmates! Again, it’ll be great when Claire and Jill “officially” find out.
2- Jacobi likes Cindy. He really likes her. :) And I like Jacobi.
3- Like this line. “As if she possessed the power of Moses, the sea of employees parted before her.”
4- A well-timed levity moment: “Want to take a ride?” she asked him.
“Want to take a shower?” he countered.
5- I like the addition of new tertiary characters: Asha the computer tech. and Paul the intern.
6- I love the way each character ( Claire, Jill and even Denise) is used and has a lot to do in each episode I love that it is an ensemble show. Even if L/C are tops I enjoy the others as well.
7- And as always continuity is top-notch. Every member of the crew is to be commended for that. I don’t need to repeat how badly Post-strike producers fucked it up.
8- And a couple of times in the episode when referring to the crime characters mention that -“this could be any one of us.” Chillingly ominous…
It’s a good thing I gave myself a 5-item rule.