Look, this show is not perfect. In fact, I'm not even certain it can be considered good. And this episode was far from perfect as well. The main plot wasn't exactly original, the dialogue still annoys me and the action, while it was good to have some, was far too brief. But I'll be damned if anyone says this show doesn't have heart. Cloak & Dagger genuinely cares about its characters, and really wants to make you care too. With episodes like this one, it's pretty difficult not to.
"Lotus Eaters" is entirely centered around one A-plot, which may not be the smartest narrative decision but does make it easy for me to review. Tandy and Tyrone, which we're back to calling him, enter the mind of Mina's father, Ivan, to try and revive him from his coma. From here, we're treated to a classic time loop, as Ivan cannot remember anything before the rig explosion. This is the type of plot that a lot of shows and movies have used to success in the past, and while it may not be the most interesting story, it works here as well. Tandy discovers that her father was calling Ivan, and is now able to talk to him, albeit one cobbled together from Ivan's memories. It's pretty straight forward, plot-wise, from here; Tandy stays behind to talk to her father, she and Tyrone fight but eventually end up waking Ivan up in the real world. Again, not the most interesting story, but one easy to mine for emotional depth.
And mine it they do. In a lot of ways, this show works because it keeps its plots simple, rather than in spite of it. Because this is ultimately an extremely linear story, the characters come to the forefront, and Cloak & Dagger is able to showcase everything that makes it great. Every conversation here is laden with emotion, but nothing ever truly drags. So much of this episode's logic in terms of character decisions is spot on; of course Ivan has given up hope, of course Tandy become obsessed with hearing her father's voice, of course Tyrone wants to save her. The first few episodes of this show dragged, because it became too interested in character building rather than actually showing those characters in action. But here, it all comes together and it's all perfect. Tyrone is not one to wallow in the past, and I'm sure he's become obsessed with anything relating to Billy in the past. In many ways, he's the only one who could reach Tandy, who could force her to confront the reality of her loss. And once she's discovered the ability to move on, Tandy becomes the emotional rock, able to find the humor in Tyrone and Billy's old tape. And all of this is without mentioning Ivan. His emptiness and lack of emotion is easy to empathize with; how else could you handle a situation like this? Ultimately, his parental responsibility is what brings him back. He doesn't remember who Tandy and Tyrone are, because although they helped him, they're not what's important. Tandy shows Ivan what it's like to grow up without a father, and he can't let Mina experience that reality for any longer.
I think the reason why I personally like and enjoy Cloak & Dagger is because of how realistic so many of these characters are portrayed. They're not caricatures and they're not cliches, they're honest to goodness human beings how you could probably encounter walking down the street. There's beauty in that, and true substance that's hard to find.
8/10
"Lotus Eaters" is entirely centered around one A-plot, which may not be the smartest narrative decision but does make it easy for me to review. Tandy and Tyrone, which we're back to calling him, enter the mind of Mina's father, Ivan, to try and revive him from his coma. From here, we're treated to a classic time loop, as Ivan cannot remember anything before the rig explosion. This is the type of plot that a lot of shows and movies have used to success in the past, and while it may not be the most interesting story, it works here as well. Tandy discovers that her father was calling Ivan, and is now able to talk to him, albeit one cobbled together from Ivan's memories. It's pretty straight forward, plot-wise, from here; Tandy stays behind to talk to her father, she and Tyrone fight but eventually end up waking Ivan up in the real world. Again, not the most interesting story, but one easy to mine for emotional depth.
And mine it they do. In a lot of ways, this show works because it keeps its plots simple, rather than in spite of it. Because this is ultimately an extremely linear story, the characters come to the forefront, and Cloak & Dagger is able to showcase everything that makes it great. Every conversation here is laden with emotion, but nothing ever truly drags. So much of this episode's logic in terms of character decisions is spot on; of course Ivan has given up hope, of course Tandy become obsessed with hearing her father's voice, of course Tyrone wants to save her. The first few episodes of this show dragged, because it became too interested in character building rather than actually showing those characters in action. But here, it all comes together and it's all perfect. Tyrone is not one to wallow in the past, and I'm sure he's become obsessed with anything relating to Billy in the past. In many ways, he's the only one who could reach Tandy, who could force her to confront the reality of her loss. And once she's discovered the ability to move on, Tandy becomes the emotional rock, able to find the humor in Tyrone and Billy's old tape. And all of this is without mentioning Ivan. His emptiness and lack of emotion is easy to empathize with; how else could you handle a situation like this? Ultimately, his parental responsibility is what brings him back. He doesn't remember who Tandy and Tyrone are, because although they helped him, they're not what's important. Tandy shows Ivan what it's like to grow up without a father, and he can't let Mina experience that reality for any longer.
I think the reason why I personally like and enjoy Cloak & Dagger is because of how realistic so many of these characters are portrayed. They're not caricatures and they're not cliches, they're honest to goodness human beings how you could probably encounter walking down the street. There's beauty in that, and true substance that's hard to find.
8/10
Comments