With Tobin returned at the head of an army, it’s more important than ever that Talon and her allies stop Yavalla’s infection spreading before it’s too late.

Even by the standards of this show, there’s a lot of exposition this week, as people try to figure out exactly what’s happening and why. Strap yourself in for lots of out loud musings on gestation periods, rates of spread etc as the least exciting coup ever continues.

Tobin of course has multiple issues on his mind, not the least that he’s just married someone for an army to rescue the woman he really loves who now apparently doesn’t need rescuing. And of course Gwynn is keen to get him alone so that she can share her new ‘gift’ with him so that makes for a few awkward moments. Though not quite as awkward as Talon and friends grabbing him to see if they can work out whether or not he’s infected.

And it’s rather difficult to say too much more without just recounting the whole thing, because it’s very basic and quite repetitive. Old favourites like ‘watch, these people have been locked up, I wonder how long it will be before they easily escape once more’ are mixed in with tiny bits of plot. Zed is well on the way towards that character redemption arc I predicted a while back. Wren and Janzo continue to be the most predictable rom-com arc inserted into a fantasy series for some reason ever, although I’ll give them that they are still quite an adorable couple.

But there’s very little action or even drama. It’s a lot of endless conversations and theorising and of course the spread of the Kinj themselves which doesn’t make for much in the way of excitement. There’s one vaguely affecting moment involving a character death but the character always felt disposable anyway and the way in which it happens, complete with a classic ‘I’ve been stabbed, honest, I haven’t just tucked this fake sword under my arm’ visual just leeches away any emotional resonance it might have.

Verdict: Dull even by the usual standards of the show, with some occasional moments of levity, some of which are even intended. 5/10

Greg D. Smith