The Other Woman – As the second episode of Wilderness begins, Liv Taylor (Jenna Coleman) rides with Will Taylor (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) while thinking about revenge. They reach the trailhead and snap a selfie before Cara (Ashley Benson) calls for Will from nearby. Will formally introduces Liv and Cara. After Will explains how they know one another, Cara hugs Liv and says it is nice to meet her. Cara’s boyfriend Garth (Eric Balfour) comes over and says hello. Garth hopes they have tools because they might get hit by a storm.

Cara and Garth invite them to join them on the river trail. Will finds an excuse to stay behind until Cara and Garth leave together. Liv asks Will about not mentioning Cara earlier. Then, she says it would be churlish not to spend time together. Will says otherwise because they came there to escape everyone including work colleagues. When he says it is supposed to be the two of them, Liv says they have the rest of their lives to spend together. They end up catching up with Cara and Garth. While walking over a bridge, Liv looks back and notices Will and Cara speaking privately.

Liv asks Garth if Cara has said anything about Will. Garth says he came in kind of high and mighty so he reminds Cara of some of the guys she grew up with. She ended up with a carpenter who had more ink than qualifications. Liv reveals that Will’s family didn’t hang out the bunting for her either. Garth doesn’t see that and instead believes Will is doing the punching. He doesn’t think she should worry about them because she won. Liv thought she had. After that, Liv begins keeping an eye on Cara including following her during her run and watching her get her nails done.

Once Cara leaves, Liv goes inside and asks the worker to do the same thing to her nails. Caryl (Claire Rushbrook) calls Liv and complains about not being able to get in touch with her. She believes that means things aren’t going Liv’s way. Caryl asks if Will is behaving himself. Liv tells her mother that Will is not cheating. Caryl recommends coming home before mentioning a divorce. Liv says she isn’t getting a divorce. Later, Liv speaks to Ash (Morgana Van Peebles) who tells her to leave him. Liv admits she loves him although she wishes she didn’t. Ash urges her to back herself. While they dance, Liv keeps an eye on Cara. Later, she receives a message from Will saying the stag is getting messy so he is going to crash at the motel.

Liv tells Ash she has to go before stepping outside to watch Cara get in a taxi. Liv follows her and hears her telling Will that she is coming over the phone. Cara says she doesn’t want to get caught by Garth. Once Cara steps away, Liv looks at her stuff and finds lingerie. Liv confronts Will and says she didn’t want him to get lonely in his motel room. Back in the present, Garth tells Liv it is starting to feel like they’ve been abandoned just before Cara and Will catch up. Cara says she got nervous on the bridge so Will had to coax her over. Will and Liv talk about how they first met. Liv admits she made the first move.

She discusses the beginning bit where it’s pure blinding lust and how it can be so intoxicating. Garth says he gets the idea that they choose each other, they’re a team, and nothing can get in the way of that. Liv says it becomes about need and not want. Once they reach the water, Cara decides she is going for a swim. Will ends up getting distracted while watching Cara get undressed. When he falls and gets hurt, Cara runs over to check on him. Will insists he is fine. Garth thinks they need a plan because they’re a couple of miles out with no signal and a storm is coming. Liv offers to go get help. Cara and Liv end up going together.

Will tries to talk Liv out of going with Cara because of the risks involved. Cara apologizes to Liv and suggests she must hate her. Liv asks why she’d hate her. Cara admits she is far too nice to hate anyone. She gets a sense of people and she believes Liv is nice. Liv asks if Will talks about her at work. Cara says they’re just colleagues so their personal lives don’t play into it. She eventually reveals that Will says she is a good wife. Cara says Will needs her. There aren’t a lot of women who’d give up their careers and lives just because a man told them to. As they continue walking, Cara becomes concerned that they’re lost.

Liv isn’t concerned because she has learned that the idea they’re in control of anything is a joke. They eventually find a park ranger. After Will’s leg is tended to, Garth and Cara say goodbye. Once Will and Liv make it to the parking lot, they notice that their car is missing. Will suggests the ranger moved it for some reason. He confesses to leaving the keys in the car. They end up having to hitch a ride with Cara and Gareth. At the motel, Will tells Liv to shout or do whatever she must to feel less furious. He knows this was supposed to be the perfect trip, but he is confident he can fix it. She reminds him that rum and Advil aren’t good bedfellows.

As she cares for his leg, Will says he counts himself lucky. Garth knocks on the door to offer them clothes. Cara gives Liv some clothes and says she doesn’t do casual. Liv thinks it is messed up that she always wears makeup in front of Garth to keep things fresh. They talk about how no one ever expects men to be nice. Cara blames her mom for teaching her to never be anything less than presentable. Liv recommends giving Garth the benefit of the doubt because he can cope with seeing the real Cara. Cara claims he is set in his ways. Liv hopes she realizes she isn’t any kind of object before they get a drink. She asks if Cara has ever felt comfortable enough to be herself with anyone.

Cara says yeah or she was just beginning to. When Liv questions what happened to him, Cara says she doesn’t know if she was enough. They join Garth and Will moments later. Will says he’d like to have dinner with his wife alone. In private, Liv tells Will she thinks he should apologize, but he says they spent the whole day with them. They end up arguing with Will cursing Liv. She says she isn’t hungry so she leaves. Cara checks on Liv when she comes out of the bathroom. Garth invites her to sit with them and leaves them to chat alone. Liv tells Cara that she is fine. Cara tells her to keep the dress because it looks better on her anyway.

Cara gets emotional before telling Liv she is sorry. Back in the room, Will asks Liv why she won’t tell him what she was saying. He finds it odd that they’re all over one another despite not really knowing each other. They discuss their jealousy. Will asks if she is going to hold that over him for the rest of his life. He goes on to say she has never let him forget it. Will says she needs to let it go for her sanity. Liv says she is trying, but he has never told her why. Will says she is enough although she can be too much because of all the pressure. Liv argues he shouldn’t have made her leave everything and everyone in the pursuit of his dreams.

Will believes she couldn’t wait to leave her crappy life. As they continue arguing, Will tells Liv that she doesn’t want the truth. Instead, she wants someone to make everything okay for her like her dad used to. When Liv asks why he hasn’t left, Will says she is his wife. Liv yells that he was supposed to say he loves her. Will says she needs professional help. Once he leaves, Liv begins chugging alcohol. In the bar, two men tell Will that he doesn’t want to lose his wedding ring. One man says he doesn’t have many relationship rules. One of them is not to go to bed on an argument. On his way back to the room, Will runs into Cara.

Liv wakes up and begins yelling for Will. She finds Will’s phone. There is a message about leaving tonight and meeting at 1 at the waterfall. Liv rushes out into the rain while talking about revenge. She sees someone in a red jacket. Liv pulls off her necklace before pushing that person over the edge.

 

Wilderness Review

The second episode of the Wilderness slowly built up to the climax at the end with Liv pushing someone over the edge. The first two episodes likely could’ve been condensed and the series could’ve been four episodes without missing anything important. The show gets the basics right, including the performances, camerawork, and the lighting.

With such a good cast, the series could’ve been a lot better though. The writing isn’t spectacular although the characters are probably the biggest issue through two episodes. Truthfully, the characters are very inept to the point that they’re pretty much detestable.

They’re getting lost on a marked trail and leaving their keys in the car to get stolen. Hadn’t the writer or writers ever been out in the wilderness on a marked trail for God’s sake? While the story may end up being enjoyable as a whole, these small issues will take a toll on many viewers who will find more frustration than enjoyment out in the wilderness.

This episode scores a 5 out of 10. Recaps of Wilderness are available on Reel Mockery here. Find out how to support our independent site at this link. Learn more about advertising on Reel Mockery here.