Faced with competing priorities, Batwoman must make a choice which could have serious ramifications for her and Team Bat going forward.

Last week’s instalment of Batwoman felt like a bit of a letdown in so many ways, and I’d love to report that this week things pick up to the usual high standard. Unfortunately, despite this definitely being a little better, there are still elements here which feel like certain potential plot elements have been wasted.

Mary and her new bestie are making the most of their powers, Mary by meting out punishment to a crooked medical insurer and Ivy by, well deciding to finish what she started all those years ago when Batman finally stopped her last time. Turns out there may well be limits to what even Mary’s new personality will do, and the two have a bit of a tiff that emphasises just how uneven this ‘friendship’ is.

Meanwhile, having found out that Jada has the joy buzzer (pinched from Montoya’s office), Team Bat elect to try to get this last piece of the Bat Collection back. Jada has a price though – her son for the buzzer, which is the only thing supposedly able to cure him. Batwoman obviously also wants to take any possible shot to cure Marquis and agrees to Jada’s demands, but then her attention is dragged elsewhere when a chance to get Mary back arises. With time running out on Jada’s deadline, she’s faced with a hard choice which will have repercussions either way.

And then… Well, then it all gets a little silly. Alice is eager to provide whatever help she can, mainly because she actually holds affection for Mary, but that doesn’t stop her wanting to mess around with everyone on the way. Ryan and Sophie keep having awkward moments and pauses which just frustrate after they finally actually kissed last week. Montoya performs some serious changes of character direction for various unsatisfactory reasons.

But perhaps the worst served here is Mary. I’ve really enjoyed this plot thread, with all that pent-up (and legitimate) frustration Mary has being finally vented through her new Poison Ivy-esque person. It’s felt grounded and believable (apart from the plant magic of course) and set us on course for a great villain/frenemy unique to the show. Nicole Kang has clearly been having the time of her life with it and having the accidental killing of the hunter last week was set to add a whole new dimension to that.

But the way things play out here again feels frustrating. We do have a glimmer of hope before the credits roll that things may develop in an interesting way going forward but for now, I am concerned.

The interesting things all happen towards the end of the episode, as Jada’s determination manifests itself in a whole new, potentially devastating way, and the impact of Poison Ivy’s actions starts to be felt in the city in general and in one place in particular where Team Bat really needed it not to. As the credits roll, it becomes clear that one thread I’d feared was being prematurely tied off still has legs, even as another whole set of potential seems to get wasted. We will see, because things get hinted at which may see more depth later but for now, it’s difficult not to be left feeling a little disappointed.

Verdict: Is the show finally hitting a slump? I hope not. Prove me wrong, Batwoman writers! 6/10

Greg D. Smith