REVIEW: BATWOMAN - SEASON 1, EP. 5: "Mine Is a Long and a Sad Tale"
Insight into a troubled mind is what we primarily focus on in this installment of our Lady Crusader. We get more in depth into the mind and madness that is Alice, meanwhile, Jacob and Sophie are on the hunt, and Catherine fesses up to Mary.
One of the more fun villains of the Arrowverse has been Beth Kane---or Alice, as she prefers. She has all the trappings of dear Alice in Wonderland---but twisted and evil. Her story has been an interesting one since the series debuted. We see her and her sister Kate involved in a car accident involving one of Batman's foes, and even though Bats did what he could to save them, Beth never made it out of the accident unscathed...much like Kate, and the loss of their mother. Catherine decided on her own that both Jacob and Kate needed peace, so she lied about finding Beth's remains. That has now come back to haunt her...and Jacob, as Beth...now wanting to be ONLY Alice...is seeking revenge.
Kate gets very little time as Batwoman this episode, as she ends up going on a road trip with dear old sis, only to end up becoming her hostage. All the while, Alice spins her tale of the events following the accident...and the consequences that have occurred since then. We also see a very distraught--and drunk---Mary trying to talk to Kate, and let her know what her mother did. Luke is worried that he can't get ahold of Kate, and Jacob and Sophie are on the hunt for both Alice and Kate as everyone is trying to figure out just what Alice's game is.
We see Alice raiding a morgue, and cutting skin off of dead bodies, and taking them somewhere. Kate and Luke are scouring security cameras for the "skin thief" that's been hitting the morgues, and low and behold---they discover Alice. Alice also talks to her little boytoy, to see if he spilled the beans about her plan, to which he said nothing. Alice notices the mark on his neck. Kate takes off to take her down as Batwoman, and manages to take down her little Wonderland Gang. Kate and Alice have a heart to heart, and threatens Alice with a call to dear old Dad if she doesn't cough up the goods. Alice tells Kate that the only way she gets the story, is that they need to go on a road trip. So, Alice leads Kate off the beaten path to a diner out in the sticks. While there, Alice retells her story about being found by this man and his son, who had been born disfigured, but had an uncanny ability to mimic the voice of anyone he listens to. She refers to this young boy as "Mouse", and tells the story about how the man and is son kept her captive from the world, while the man had been using human flesh as an experiment to cure Mouse's disfigurement. Kate's handling the full story, but as she takes a drink of the beer her sister ordered, Kate gets knocked out. It's a trap set up by Alice.
Jacob has been brooding in his office when he gets the call from Kate about being with Alice. tries to pinpoint where they are at, and Sophie comes along for the ride. Jacob recalls his story to Sophie about looking for Beth, and how they came across this house with a man and his young son. He thought he heard Beth on the phone when she called him at a moment when her captive wasn't around. It WAS her, but the father catches her, and threatens to kill anyone that comes for her. As he and Kate arrive at the house, he storms in, and the father recounts that it was his son playing a prank on him. He heard about Beth's disappearance on the news and was "obsessed with the story". Meanwhile, young Kate was looking about the house, when she thinks she "feels" Beth. Being twins, they would have that connection, but Beth says nothing, not wanting to see Kate and her father hurt. They leave, leaving Beth behind to suffer unknowingly.
Back in Gotham, Catherine and Mary are having a chat, when Catherine decides to fess up about how she lied to both Jacob and Kate about Beth's death. Mary's repulsed by her mother's admission and leaves, eventually stumbling into Wayne Enterprises looking for Kate, to tell her what she found out, but bumps into Luke instead. We see Mary feeling bad for not willing to be closer to Kate, and bugging Luke as he tries to discover why Alice needed the skin parts. Once Mary sobers up a little, she and Luke manage to find out that there was a man named Johnathan who was in Arkham Asylum that was recently an escapee. They determine that HE is the one who needs the skin. Mary tells Luke to have Kate contact her when she gets back.
Kate hears the rest of Alice's story, as she's chained up. Alice vows to get revenge on their father for abandoning her, and locks Kate away in the same space she was in, seeing as how they are in the very house Beth was captive in. While Jacob and Sophie reach the diner, they get out, and are attacked by Alice's men. They take them down using the propane tank by shooting it, causing an explosion. Jacob beats down Alice's boytoy trying to get info from him, but he just laughs at Jacob. Sophie has to restrain the Commander, and they're off to find Alice. Thankfully, that's when Jacob realized he knew where they were at, and headed towards the house. They reach the house and split up looking for Kate. Sophie is attacked by Mouse, and scratches his face, making her escape. Jacob runs into Alice, and tries to reason with her, as she holds her switchblade to her wrist..wondering why it's all about Kate, and not about Beth. Jacob begs Beth to put the knife down. She relents after hearing her name, only to stab her father when he got close enough. Kate at this time had escaped, and met up with Sophie. Beth is about to shoot her father when Kate comes in with a gun to Mouse's head. It becomes a Mexican Standoff when Sophie arrives. Alice and Mouse make their escape, as Sophie and Kate tend to her father.
As the episode concludes, we see Jacob and Kate meeting up, talking about Beth. Jacob finally accepting the truth that it's his daughter. And we have Alice...with her Mouse...looking to make him better, and proceed with her master plan....quoting Alice in Wonderland the whole time.
This show just keeps things moving...no real downtime. Now, while we didn't get much Batwoman in the show, this was more a story of two sisters---who are twins, and polar opposiites as can be. Alice was upset when she said she didn't feel that "connection" that she had with her twin sister. Kate wanted to help her, but Alice is too far gone at this point. This episode further drew the battle lines in the sand...especially once their father got involved, and was nearly killed for it. Alice's connection with Mouse is much tighter...seeing as how he is like a brother to her. They looked out for each other as they grew up. But it also makes me wonder just what DID happen to Mouse's father? I wonder if Alice had a role in that as well. Either way, they are joined at the hip, and with his unique abilities to mimic, he becomes a great weapon for Alice to use against the Commander and the Crows. Alice had HOPED that she could take Kate off the chessboard, but she should know that this will only embolden Kate to take her down as Batwoman.
Mary had a little breakdown today, but I think her time with Luke will finally give her insight into Kate's "nightlife", and how she might end up being brought into the fold. Mary has value as both a doctor, and something of a scientist, so expect her to be part of Team Batwoman very shortly. And the bond between both sisters WILL grow, as Kate will feel the need to protect Mary from Alice down the road.
We got the plot moving at a very quick pace, and I don't even know what more Catherine's involvement will be. But I have a feeling she's going to be doing what she can to win back Jacob AND Mary...even if it's questionable. I also expect her to put down Alice once and for all.
This show is finding its legs, and has a great foothold to work with. Now we see what the long term effects are, and we haven't even reached CRISIS yet. Expect another gear to kick in the next few episodes.
That's it for this week. Be sure to leave a comment, and subscribe and pass the good love around...I'd dig that.
Until next week...the Signal is OFF!
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