S04.E03: Part 3

[snarts]

Quote

While Hank leads the search for Clark, Navarro and Danvers get a tip about another former Tsalal worker

Original air date: January 28, 2024

 

[Penman61]

That last 10 minutes turned into True Detective: The Exorcist Blair Witch Project Heretic.

[Joan van Snark]

Wow no replies the morning after?  I think there is way too many different threads for this 6 episode show. Also I am really not grasping what the big overall mystery is, besides why the guys were frozen.

[kay1864]

Finally we see some sunlight! Noon maybe? 

Show warning said “coarse language”. I guess frozen dead nudity doesn’t count? 🙄

What is “homebrew”?

I’m guessing Danvers is the one that made the murder into a murder suicide?

[iMonrey]

52 minutes ago, Penman61 said:

That last 10 minutes turned into True Detective: The Exorcist Blair Witch Project Heretic.

It's getting awfully convoluted. Somebody needs to do a murder board. 

What's really frustrating is that when I look around for recaps to see what I might have missed or to see explanations for things I didn't get, they are all obsessively bringing up Season 1 plot points and characters that apparently tie into this season. I feel like I'm following this well enough without really remembering anything about Season 1 but then I see these recaps and it's all Season 1 this and Season 1 that. So if I get to the end and don't understand wtf just happened because I don't remember enough about Season 1 I'm going to be really pissed.

[12catcrazy]

39 minutes ago, Joan van Snark said:

Wow no replies the morning after?  I think there is way too many different threads for this 6 episode show. Also I am really not grasping what the big overall mystery is, besides why the guys were frozen.

I think that people are watching this show at different times (rather just on Sunday night when it first airs), so maybe the lag time in posts?                                There seem to be a number of weird things going on and my guess is that they are all going to be tied to the mine.   The town's water turning black, stillbirths and newborn deaths among the Native population, the deaths of the scientists and of the original female victim (cold case murder).  

My guess is that the first victim (or known victim, anyway) was killed in regards to her mine protests.  I don't think there is anything "supernatural" there.  I think that the other deaths will be tied to the "She is Awake" the "she" being Mother Earth (or Gaia, as somebody else put it on another post) or some Native Female Mother of Us All Deity. There seems to be quite a bit in the show about mothers (and birthing).    But we the viewers may "see" that but I don't know if the detectives will - in other words, the murders will be blamed on something "human"  (and again, probably somebody tied in with the mine or it's parent company) even if it's just a lab experiment gone wrong (ancient frozen viruses or bacteria causing brains to go haywire).  

As much as I'm enjoying this show, I'm beginning to wonder if the basic story could have been edited into a 2 1/2 hour movie.  There seems to be a lot of filler to pad it out to 6 hours.  

[peeayebee]

27 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

What's really frustrating is that when I look around for recaps to see what I might have missed or to see explanations for things I didn't get, they are all obsessively bringing up Season 1 plot points and characters that apparently tie into this season. I feel like I'm following this well enough without really remembering anything about Season 1 but then I see these recaps and it's all Season 1 this and Season 1 that. So if I get to the end and don't understand wtf just happened because I don't remember enough about Season 1 I'm going to be really pissed.

Me too. I also read recaps, though I haven't yet for this ep, but I will also be pissed off if we need to remember S1 stuff in order to put things together.

Was it the mother we saw giving birth who died along with her baby? No, I guess not, because they said it was a stillbirth. 

I'm not sure if when Lund sat up and spoke to Navarro if that was real. I'm thinking it was the spirits talking to Navarro.

When Navarro threw the orange into the darkness, I expected it to come back. Just like in ET! 

That shipwreck on the ice... I'm assuming that has something to do with Navarro's  mother's death. Navarro told Qavvik that her mother was killed, but I don't think we know if someone killed her or if there was an accident -- like falling thru the ice? -- that killed her.

When Danvers has earbuds in, it sounded like static. Maybe she listens to white noise sometimes in order to concentrate?

 

[thuganomics85]

Finally got an episode thread!  

So, we got our first glimpse about what caused Danvers and Navarro to initially be at odds: they were working a case with a known abuser and his victim, but they couldn't legally prevent it or haul him back to jail.  Eventually, it ends in a murder suicide and Navarro feels like they could have done more.  Or at least that is what Danvers said to Peter because the actual clip shows that the abuser was clearly still alive when they showed up.  The most obvious answer is that Navarro kills him and Danvers covers it up, which is why she seems to be the most hostile out of the two.  But I guess it's possible that Danvers did it but blames Navarro for whatever reason.  Or maybe something completely different will happen!

Definitely leaning into the horrible elements again, with the one (barely) survivor suddenly acting like he's possessed and telling Navarro about stuff only she would know/the afterlife.  Also, Hank's huntsmen buddies seem to be randomly going on a rampage at the hospital: perhaps that is what happened to the scientists as well?

Anne's death likely seems connected to all of the protests and stuff that was happening with the mine.  I know they are really making us see how horrible Hank is, but I'm going to stick with him being the run of the mill asshole for now and he won't end up being involved with the actual murder.  Him not telling anyone about the phone call might just be a simple case of him not caring about it and not a full-fledge cover-up.  Either way, dude is a dick and he needs to be booted out of the force by the end of this.

Leah is now getting involved with the protest group.  Danvers is clearly not happy!

Vince the Vet will probably like to just go back to only working with animals now, thank you very much!

[Penman61]

21 minutes ago, peeayebee said:

I'm not sure if when Lund sat up and spoke to Navarro if that was real. I'm thinking it was the spirits talking to Navarro.

I think this is possible, and I really hope you're right, because if it was real, that is just outright demon possession shit that is beneath this show.

[Lassus]

33 minutes ago, peeayebee said:

That shipwreck on the ice... I'm assuming that has something to do with Navarro's  mother's death. Navarro told Qavvik that her mother was killed, but I don't think we know if someone killed her or if there was an accident -- like falling thru the ice? -- that killed her.

I think it was just a set piece.  I'd  be stunned if it's anything at all.

[tennisgurl]

I need a murder board and hot chocolate every time I watch this show, its so cold and so confusing. The pieces are coming together more and we are leaning more about the characters, filling in their backstories and connections, but there is still so much going on, I am really not sure what is going to be a red herring, character stuff, local color, or what is actually relevant. 

The mines apparently poisoning the water could be what we need for a logical explanation, the water is being poisoned which is causing hallucinations, seizures, violent outbursts, and that's what killed the scientists and is causing people to see weird stuff everywhere, but I don't think that explains everything. We will probably get an officially logical explanation, maybe we find out that Annie was killed by someone connected to the mines because she was about to expose how the locals were being poisoned, but also there is something more mystical going on as well and that is what has been driving people to find the answers. I like the idea of it being some sort of mother spirit with all of the emphasis on child birth and motherhood, but it could also tie into the earths ancientness, with the emphasis on childbirth and how the scientists were looking for ancient bacteria. 

Danvers seems really uncomfortable with Leah being involved with her native heritage, I am really not sure now if its because she's worried about her ending up like Annie, if its some form of prejudice, her just being uncomfortable with her step-daughter being part of something she isn't a part of, or a combination of all three. 

People online are really hung up on the idea that this is connected to season one, and I can get why to some extent. The mysterious circles, the weird hallucinations that seem to be connected with ancient powers, even the flashbacks to Danvers and Navarro finding the guy who killed his girlfriend reminded me of when Rust and Marty described how they engaged in a firefight with their suspect when really Marty executed him on the spot, whereas in this one Danvers said that they found both the killer and victim dead when it seems like one of them probably killed the guy and they said it was a murder/suicide, but I am not so sure. We assume this takes place in the same universe as the rest of the show but I don't see this being so overtly connected. 

Its sad how connected everyone is in this town is and how everyone knows everyone but there is also so little people can do to help each other. Substance issues, domestic abuse, and all kinds of things are widespread and known but there is a lot of "well what can we do?" 

Edited January 29 by tennisgurl

[12catcrazy]

29 minutes ago, thuganomics85 said:

 

Definitely leaning into the horrible elements again, with the one (barely) survivor suddenly acting like he's possessed and telling Navarro about stuff only she would know/the afterlife.  Also, Hank's huntsmen buddies seem to be randomly going on a rampage at the hospital: perhaps that is what happened to the scientists as well?

 

I think you're onto something.  Kind of taking it back to the first episode with the Caribou running off the cliff.   So will it be "Earth Spirits" behind the madness (and the spiral) or some crazy-making "bug" or chemical? 

[Snazzy Daisy]

This episode opens and closes with scenes of Annie K.

Now we know why Liz hates The Beatles. William Wheeler was whistling “Twist and Shout” after he killed his gf.

Hank slut-shaming Liz by mentioning Mrs. Robinson isn’t surprising. He’s jealous of Liz’s relationship with his son.

Liz goes on Tinder when she’s lonely and Navarro will watch Netflix. Why Netflix and not Max??!

The mine is obviously poisoning the town’s water - the black water from the tap, series of still birth and also the hallucinations.

The caribous jumping off the cliff - they have frozen corneas like the frozen Tsalal scientists and also Travis.

Anders Lund does the pointing gesture just like what Navarro’s mom did in the flashback. It’s all in Navarro’s concussed head.

The breathy throat singing voices, Lund’s gurgly voice and Annie’s scream fading away - they’re creepy AF. 🫣

[RedDelicious]

The big question mark I took away from this episode was:

Spoiler

I wonder if Oliver Tagaq is somehow connected to Peter's wife Kayla and he is feigning ignorance to protect her.

Otherwise this was somewhat of a connect the dots episode for me. Some of the interpersonal connections now make more sense. I feel there is much more to the Priors than meets the eye. 

Spoiler

I also wonder if Hank is in any way connected to Danvers' husband and son's death (unbeknownst to Liz at this time). Was Jake a mine protestor also? Is that why Liz is so against Leah getting involved with the indigenous peoples' activism?

 

[peeayebee]

1 hour ago, thuganomics85 said:

Also, Hank's huntsmen buddies seem to be randomly going on a rampage at the hospital: perhaps that is what happened to the scientists as well?

Geez, I was way off. For some reason (like I'm stupid) I was thinking there was a confrontation out there betw Hank's "hillbillies" and the natives, and they were all brought to the hospital. (Why? Because I'm dumb.) So anyway, that's an interesting guess that the hillbillies have gone wild because of ... contamination?

And yet, that doesn't seem to be what happened to the scientists. So I guess I'm keeping my options open. :)

 

38 minutes ago, Lassus said:

I think it was just a set piece.  I'd  be stunned if it's anything at all.

Wasn't that the same place that Navarro imagined right after she hit her head on the ice?

 

34 minutes ago, Snazzy Daisy said:

This episode opens and closes with scenes of Annie K.

And again, geez. I completely missed that this was a flashback. I wondered what Navarro was doing going in to arrest the midwife. Yes, I saw her name was Annie. Maybe I hit my head on the ice.

Quote

Now we know why Liz hates The Beatles. William Wheeler was whistling “Twist and Shout” after he killed his gf.

Looks like I need to rewatch. I didn't recognize what he was whistling. Makes sense that this is why she hates The Beatles.

 

Quote

Hank slut-shaming Liz by mentioning Mrs. Robinson isn’t surprising. He’s jealous of Liz’s relationship with his son.

Earlier Liz strokes Pete's face, saying he needed to put ice on it. I thought it was an inappropriate, intimate gesture. I hate to think she's sexually interested in him. I hope it's just that he's a kind of an emotional substitute for her dead son.

[kay1864]

1 hour ago, thuganomics85 said:

The most obvious answer is that Navarro kills him and Danvers covers it up, which is why she seems to be the most hostile out of the two.  But I guess it's possible that Danvers did it but blames Navarro for whatever reason. 

My money is on Danvers. Navarro is too “by the book but compassionate”. Danvers is more “eff him, serial abuser, let’s not wait for the courts.” And maybe Navarro came close to reporting her.

Edited January 29 by kay1864

[Snazzy Daisy]

4 minutes ago, peeayebee said:

Earlier Liz strokes Pete's face, saying he needed to put ice on it. I thought it was an inappropriate, intimate gesture. I hate to think she's sexually interested in him. I hope it's just that he's a kind of an emotional substitute for her dead son.

It looks maternal to me. Liz loses his son and Peter’s mom walked away from him. They’re dealing with their emotional voids.

[Penman61]

Yup, I thought that gesture was both maternally-intended AND inappropriate from a boss. 

Edited January 29 by Penman61

[RedDelicious]

That was my take as well, maternal but also inappropriate. A boss is not a mom. I don't get a Mrs. Robinson vibe from her at all and I don't know if Hank was just being a dick because she is mentoring his son.

On another note: 

Spoiler

My guess is that the mine is deliberately trying to poison the indigenous people to get rid of them so they can take over the whole area. Maybe the mine bought off Hank so he has a vested interest in covering for them, and that's how he can afford his catfish bride. Peter can't stop what's happening but if he hitches his wagon to Danvers/Navarro and solving the Tsalal case, he can save his dad and his wife.

 

[snarts]

Was the humming/chanting we heard at Iñupiat rally real or just in Leia's head? I feel like we also heard it at another point in the episode but I can't remember where.

My logical brain trying to weed through all the “voodoo, E.T., cosmic, choompa-loompa bullshit” brings me to who would want the scientists dead? What did they uncover? Combining that with who wanted Annie dead, I'm lead to the mine. Have I missed background info on who runs/owns it?

[peeayebee]

27 minutes ago, snarts said:

Was the humming/chanting we heard at Iñupiat rally real or just in Leia's head? I feel like we also heard it at another point in the episode but I can't remember where.

Was it at the house where Liz went, where the women gathered for the stillborn baby?

There are a lot of eerie ambient sounds in many scenes, though like you I'm not always sure what's ambient, what's the soundtrack, what's supposed to be in someone's head.

Quote

Have I missed background info on who runs/owns it?

A character did talk about that in a previous ep. I had to google to refresh my memory: Silver Sky Mining is funded by an NGO, which in turn is owned by a company named NC Global Strategies. It is actually a shell company that belongs to Tuttle United.

How long ago was the Wheeler case?

[aghst]

Why would Annie film a selfie video of her reacting to whatever she was seeing, telling whoever was suppose to watch the video that it's bad?

Instead of switching the camera and actually showing what she was seeing?

 

Also, something happened to her after she made the video so how did the phone survive whatever happened to her?

Interesting use of technology as a storytelling device.

I guess it was suppose to build up a sense of dread or horror at what they will eventually discover.

She wasn't live streaming so recording the video does what exactly?  She was counting on the police to get into the phone and see the video, which doesn't seem like it would advance the case.

[peeayebee]

I assume she, like lots of people who do videos, recorded herself talking and then planned on switching the camera to shoot whatever she was seeing. 

Her body wasn't found there, so whoever (whatever?) moved her body took the camera also. Don't know why she/he/it would do that.

[lovinbob]

Yeah, I definitely thought Danvers killed the abuser and then cut Navarro loose (or Navarro quit) because they couldn't tolerate each other. 

re Danvers and Leia--I lean toward Danvers trying to protect her from being targeted. Danvers is hardly progressive, but I think her go-to instinct is as a protector and that's what motivates her actions. 

She may not be hot for Prior, but her boundaries suck. She is sucking him dry and using him.