So, we now know a few things. We know that Benedict and L.D. Curtain are orphaned twins that were separated at a young age. L.D. excelled at everything he did while Benedict, still highly intelligent, just didn’t thrive like his brother. I don’t trust either one of them but clearly, Curtain is a bit more diabolical. We know that L.D. seems to have the technology to not only send subliminal messages but sweep minds, and if you fail to perform well academically, you are kicked out of the institute and barged off the island. He also harbors a childhood grudge that may possibly be fueling him. The kids now know that the only way for them to find out how and where the transmitter is located is to become Messengers. The only problem is that Kate and Constance’s grades have them placed towards the bottom of the ranking system and are now on the verge of being barged if they fail to do better by the following Thursday. After being told by Benedict that they should cheat in order not to be kicked out, will the kids go through with it? Especially knowing the toll it will have on Sticky’s moral code. And what are the voices that Constance keeps hearing?
Episode 4: A Whisper, Not a Shout
“… If I don’t know you, I knew you.”
Some say, cheaters never win. Others would argue that, if you’re not cheating, you’re not trying. Well, in this case, the latter is probably true. In this episode, we find out that there is only one option for a plan of attack but it doesn’t go quite as planned. This time around, the story focuses much of its attention on Sticky. We know that the young Mr. Washington is all about following the rules and doing the right thing, which is why is episode has him sweating through his clothes. While it may feel like filler, this episode is full of information and more clues as to what is going on. Initially the kids hatch a plan to catch a peek into a journal that L.D. Curtain keeps on him and writes in constantly. Using Sticky’s eidetic-like memory, he is able to reproduce what they were able to see. While the kids try not to get caught, Number Two and Rhonda are at odds due to Rhonda’s suspicious behavior. Also, Benedict and Milligan take a hike in order to get a better vantage point to see what Curtain is up to. While hiking, we get more insight into what kind of person Milligan was before he lost his memory. Back at the institution, the kids must find a way for Kate and Constance to get their grades up before they are kicked out. They have a plan, but it puts Sticky in a moral dilemma, challenging everything that stands for. He eventually ends up in the “Waiting Room” where time tends to take its time. Soonish after, Sticky has his own run-in with Curtain and where he proves to know more than lets on. A list of names is revealed, a trapdoor is witnessed, and one of the kids is kicked out for being in the red, there’s a ton to unpack. This episode, like the others, is fun but this time there is an extra dash of suspense. While this may not be my favorite episode, the show keeps getting more interesting. Its rewatchability is medium-high.
Final Thoughts
Still, the most intriguing storylines to me are that of Milligan and his jumbled brain and Constance hearing voices. Are they connected to each other in some way, perhaps Curtain’s plans, or both? Last but not least, what is “The Improvement”?
Runtime: 53m
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Senior Critic. Observing the human race since 1988.
