It’s Late – The episode opens with Dylan Campbell (Emjay Anthony) working to free himself from a wooden box. He breaks the seal and dirt seeps through the crack. He curses and sobs. Looking at his reflection in a mirror, he asks if it was worth it. He becomes even more frantic when his flashlight batteries die. Hearing a shoveling noise, he pleads for help. Spud (Kezil Curtis) asks what he thinks they are doing and pops open the lid. Dylan stares in horror at Spud and Goat Girl, Ingrid (Milly Shapiro). Spud claims Judith Sanders (Jessica Treska) and Cliff (Elijah Richardson) insisted he stay in the box for several hours. Ingrid says 30 minutes was long enough. Dylan embraces Spud, apologizes, and thanks him. Ingrid explains how Judith forced them to do it to prove themselves. Done with the cult, Dylan stresses the need to stop what he started to keep someone from getting hurt. Judith smiles at her reflection in the mirror.
At Gilbert’s (Kevin Saunders) bedside at a hospital, Happy Hollow Police Chief Dandridge (Bruce Campbell) scans his file. In a flashback, Gilbert removes his white mask to reveal a face covered in blood. Back in the present, Dandridge doubts Gilbert is a Satanist and looks at his file to see Bob (Eric Tiede), a mechanic shop owner, is his boss. Gilbert comes to and demands to know why Dandridge isn’t searching the killer’s house. He claims they slaughtered Ryan and the evidence to prove it is in the girl’s bedroom. Dandridge yells for help. In a demonic voice, Gilbert asks why he is there and a flat line appears on the ECG. Officer Olsen (Allison Scagliotti) arrives and asks if everything is all right. Dandridge turns to see Gilbert unconscious on the bed. She says they have a warrant to search Jordan Stanwyck’s (Chiara Aurelia) property. He asks her to speak with Gilbert and Bob’s boss. At the church, Father Mathis (Jamie Flanagan) warns the congregation of a potential demonic infestation. The church fills with gasps. He explains the first stage of demonic possession and claims the first case has been confirmed. Rex Hudson (Drew Waters) complains about Ryan Hudson’s (Brandon Butler) unsolved murder case and the lack of protection for the people. Standing up, he blames the Satanic band and insists they take matters into their own hands. The congregation, excluding Abigail (Jennie Page), gets behind Rex.
Seeing a Happy Hollow Gazette article about her crusade, Tracy Whitehead (Anna Camp) proudly smiles. Faith Whitehead (Nikki Hahn) says Tracy is right about Ryan and Gilbert’s deaths and Jordy going to jail being her fault. Tracy vows The Reverend (Garret Dillahunt) can fix Faith like he fixed her. Faith reluctantly agrees to go. Tracy is thrilled. Elsewhere, Dylan prepares breakfast but Gene Campbell (Nolan North) is in no mood to eat or go to work. He confesses to and apologizes for sneaking out to be with Judith. Gene says his teenage rebellion is the least of their problems. Dylan asks about Linda Campbell (Julie Bowen) when a moaning noise emits from upstairs. Elsewhere, Abigail warns Tracy that Rex is forming a mob and pleads with her to do something before someone gets hurt. Tracy asks why her. Abigail says Tracy’s prophesies are coming to pass before describing what Satan looks like. Tracy has a flashback of seeing Satan when she was a young girl. Abigail tells her that Mathis said Happy Hollow has its first demonic obsession. Tracy agrees to talk with Mathis.
The Reverend is suspicious of Faith who recently called him a hypocrite. She pleads for his help in forgetting she killed someone. He asks if she really wants it. She says yes. Upon arriving at the church, Tracy finds Mathis preparing to leave to present evidence of the obsession to the Archdiocese of Detroit. She tells him that the people are getting angrier. He blames her for instilling fear in the people. She asks for advice on what to tell people who ask for her help. He urges her to warn them of false prophets before leaving. At school, Judith tells Cliff that she told the police who is probably responsible. Dylan accuses them of nearly killing him and says the cult is done. They ignore him. Dylan grabs Cliff’s shoulder. Cliff punches and threatens to bury him in a deeper grave if he doesn’t leave them alone. Spud helps Dylan to his feet. Ingrid gives him a tampon. A tampon shoved up his nostril, Dylan calls Jordy to apologize and say the cult is off. She tells him that Dandridge is searching her house and ends the call. Jordy confidently professes her innocence. Dandridge finds Ryan’s inhaler under her bed. Holding it up, he arrests her. Laughing, she points out that it is hairspray. He tells her that someone reported hearing her brag about killing Ryan and she was in possession of a token. He asks if she knows who would report her to the police. She remembers Faith’s recent visit. Elsewhere, The Reverend receives an urgent voicemail from Bob about a problem at the garage. Seeing Faith through a two-way mirror, he races out the door. She removes Ryan’s inhaler from her waistband.
Principle Cleary (Swift Rice) informs Judith that her letters of recommendation have been withdrawn because of her involvement in cult activity. She voices concern about getting a scholarship without them. He suggests community service to show personal growth. She stares at Tonya (Aline O’Neill) while walking down the hallway. Rex and a group of locals hold a protest outside the police station. He demands Dandridge arrest Ryan’s killers or turn in his resignation. Dandridge admits to being in denial for two weeks and now, the town has its first demonic possession. Olsen argues that the last possession was decades ago. He says the devil tricked him into believing he didn’t exist. She informs him that The Reverend, Beaumont Hicks, has three false imprisonment of a minor on his record. At the garage, Bob claims the police never found the evidence and their plan is safe. The Reverend stresses the need to find Gilbert before the police. Bob says the police found Gilbert comatose. Irate, The Reverend beats him with a lug wrench. At Cassie’s pub, Tracy hesitantly swallows her bourbon before apologizing to Cassie Dandridge (Jessica Luza) for insulting her when she challenged her. She tells her about the demonic possession, claims to have seen the Devil, and empties her glass. Cassie claims Linda attacked her.
While Gene is asleep, Dylan goes into Linda’s room. She asks him to turn on the light, so she can look at his face. They apologize to each other. Flipping on the light, he sees what appears to be a possessed Linda. Gene races into the room and forcibly removes Dylan from the room. Linda fights against the restraints and demands to be released. Dylan claims their cult rituals were fake. Gene says Linda believes Satan is real. Reporter Susan Branch (Jennifer Yun) reports from the active demonstration where people are burning evil records. Holding up a devil-worshiping brochure, Rex attributes it to the virus spreading through their town. Elsewhere, Ingrid explains how animals respond to a threat. Spud is telling her how he was close to his parents when Jordy arrives. At the police station, Dandridge reads a document about The Reverend’s troubled youth service. Marge McCarthy (Barbara Crampton) and her husband swear he saved their daughter, Tracy, from a hippy cult. Tracy returns home to find The Reverend waiting for her. Realizing she has been drinking, he drops a box on the table. Opening the lid, she reveals a human hand and screams in fear. He identifies the hand as belonging to Bob and demands to know what Faith did with the inhaler. He vows to not go back to jail for a promiscuous Faith or naïve Tracy. The Reverend hides before Dandridge enters and asks if she knows a deprogrammer by the name of Beaumont Hicks. She denies knowing him. The Reverend listens as Dandridge says Hicks may be linked to Ryan’s murder and the McCarthys praised him for saving their daughter, Tracy. She assures him that it has nothing to do with her. Upon leaving, he sees a photo of Faith wearing a cross necklace. The Reverend orders Tracy to end this before he leaves town at dawn.
Tonya admits to giving Judith’s name to the police. Judith blames her for being stuck in Happy Hollow when Cliff arrives. She holds up a roll of duct tape. Elsewhere, Tracy convinces Gene to let her perform an exorcism on Linda. Dylan asks how Linda got possessed. She says evil feeds on fear and he has given Linda a lot to fear. He agrees to help her. She claims to be doing it to make a better world for Faith. The three of them shake on it. At the police station, Dandridge compares a cross with the one Faith is wearing in a photo. Jordy and Spud tell him that they know Ryan’s killer.
Faith tells Jordy that Tracy wanted her to plant Ryan’s inhaler on her. Jordy insists she reports Tracy to the police. Faith explains her plan to put the inhaler in a vent inside The Reverend’s house. She asks her to call the police if she doesn’t contact her by tomorrow night. Faith executes her plan and finds herself trapped in The Reverend’s house. The episode ends.
Hysteria Review
The execution doesn’t complement the plot. It doesn’t help that the directing is subpar. It’s a wonder the filming was ever completed with this mess of an execution. The performances starting at the top down are hardly what one would call acting. Bad acting and the lack of story development create a barrier between the audience and the characters.
What teen would risk walking around with a bloody tampon stuck up their nostril at school?
The loud head-banging music should be a crime against humanity’s ears. Tedious, contrived, and underwhelming with implausible scenes. The episode deserves a 4.4 out of 10.
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Jay Skelton is a fan of all television shows and movies. He tries his best to keep up with the latest foreign television shows and movies. Jay loves skinny dipping in the dark too.
