The Entity and Leland both make their moves as the assessors look into a cult headed by a surprising leader…

Spoilers

As executive producer Rockne S. O’Bannon promises in his recent interview, the focus of the show is becoming increasingly serialised, and while one of our core trio is affected by the case of the week in terms of their future developments, the investigation into someone apparently lured into a cult is more of a distraction for the other two.

I have to say I was wrong-footed completely by the scene between the Entity priests, David and Kristen – everything up to this point has suggested that the last thing that the Vatican would want is Kristen’s direct involvement in their investigation of Lexis and the other children, but when Kristen pushes things, they read her in completely, revealing exactly what it is that they fear Leland is up to, what Lexis’ future may be, and what they want to do about it. That’s after some suitable cloak and daggery antics in a darkened church where someone’s doing organ practice (very well – it almost sounds like a recording!) and David doing his level best to get in the way of the Entity’s plans. But then again, their attitude may well be: better to have an enemy inside the tent… This builds to a wonderful final scene for Kristen and Lexis that very much works on the less is more level.

Ben, meanwhile, discovers that one of his science society buddies – the one who actually beat him – is Yeshua, the leader of the cult, and she has some plans for him. The carnal ones he enjoys considerably more than the more overtly cultish, and there’s a jaw-dropping final moment for Aasif Mandvi in this plotline. I was getting a little concerned that we weren’t getting as much attention on Ben, but this is focusing things very nicely.

And as for Leland? Well, he’s found a new target, and one of the most chilling scenes follows as Kurt Boggs follows his instructions on how to clear writer’s block. (A side shoutout to the animators in this scene too – simple and very effective work.) And then Leland explains what he needs to do next… Kurt Fuller has been one of the strong supporting actors on this show from the start, and this thread promises to give him some standout moments.

Verdict: Another episode that flies by, maintaining the strong run this season. 8/10

Paul Simpson