That’s what I call getting the most out of your water tank! I knew that “Next Tuesday” would be another one of those Will-and-Helen-get-stranded-together episodes. I worried that it might be too much like “Kush” or “Requiem,” but this episode actually features some great character development and ends on a cliffhanger instead of wrapping things up tidily.
Helen and Will go back and forth between bickering and working together to escape an abandoned oil rig that their helicopter has crashed inside. I expected them to explain away the arguing (i.e., maybe the vampire squid is so docile because it transfers its negative energy to others), but thankfully the writers did what I was hoping they would do and addressed the ongoing grief that Helen and Will both must feel after losing Ashley and Clara.
I was beginning to think Helen was impossibly inhuman to get over her daughter’s death so completely, but the truth is she’s a reserved person who does not like to show her emotions. Instead of admitting to Will that she wants his company on Ashley’s birthday (next Tuesday), she acts completely unreasonable and derides his interest in taking a vacation and pursuing his relationship with Professor Sigrid. I didn’t buy any of her reasons. Obviously, if she were really so anti-vacation, she wouldn’t have let Henry and Bigfoot go on one. But when she finally admits what’s bothering her, the testiness revealed Helen’s vulnerability and loneliness. Like I said, great character development. I hope we continue to see how Ashley’s death has affected Helen.
So, let’s talk about that vampire squid vs. sea scorpion match-up. Who would you put your money on? Helen hoped to take the rare, normally docile squid into captivity “for it’s own good” but ends up blowing it up while it is locked in battle with the also rare scorpion. Despite her good intentions, it may have been wiser to leave them alone in the first place.
Of course, the mission gave her an excuse go all bossy and possessive on Will. After this, she really owes him a weekend at her villa, assuming they get out of the water tank … I mean, oil rig. When they decided to sink the helicopter, I hope they realized that they might be treading water for days. I actually like the fact that the story was not tied up in forty-odd minutes; I look forward to seeing how this story carries over to next week, when Michael Shanks comes to visit.
Clacked by Ruby T.
on Dec 05, 2009 @ 10:20 EST5EDT
I think the idea was that, as the abnormals were in the water and on the tail of the helicopter, and are both quite resilient, neither would be killed by the explosion of the fuel tank. Remember that fuel was visibly leaking down into the water, so the explosion would not be as powerful as usual, and that the vampire squid’s best chance for victory was sinking the helicopter to take the fight into the water. I assumed that they would recapture the squid once transport arrived from the Sanctuary.
Ah, you may be right, Ryan. Since there was no longer any movement in the water, I assumed that both creatures had been taken out by the explosion. If they were still alive, I’d expect to see or hear something that indicates that they are still fighting, but if they sank really fast, I guess that could explain it.