It’s time to buckle up for Absentia Season 3 Episode 1 and overlook the usual seatbelt. We’re going to want a 5-point harness and maybe a helmet to outlive this journey!
Stana Katic returns because the indomitably fierce Particular Agent Emily Byrne, however her Particular Agent standing is in query as a result of Byrne’s FBI psychological analysis got here again inconclusive.
This shouldn’t shock anybody. What kind of check can probably measure the quantity of trauma this girl has endured?
The title of this episode, “Tabula Rasa,” is the speculation that we come into this world as a clean slate and that what we “know” comes solely by way of our expertise and perceptions.
I am certain Emily Byrne needs she might flip her life right into a clean slate and begin over as a result of what she’s realized has been horrific.
To rapidly recap, Emily was kidnapped, tortured, and held captive for years whereas her household believed she was useless. Then she got here again to seek out her husband married to a different girl and mentioned girl elevating her son.
Emily bought in contact along with her organic mom just for the lady to be killed. Then Emily’s lover/off-the-books companion, Det. Tommy Gibbs was murdered, all whereas she tried to determine the heinous conspiracy that wasn’t solely endangering her life, but in addition her son’s.
As if that wasn’t sufficient, Alice, who she not less than thought was step-mom to Flynn, turned out to be planted to verify Flynn’s blood was available for some experimental testing.
Given all of that, Emily’s paranoia and PTSD appear completely affordable. I believe I might discover it extra worrisome if she was one way or the other capable of stroll away from all of that with out psychological repercussions.
However I do want that Emily would chorus from ingesting to take care of her stress. Alcohol helped gasoline a few of her disasterous encounters with Det. Tommy Gibbs earlier than he died, and I might hate to see Emily go down that highway as soon as once more.
That Byrne was capable of let Flynn out of her sight in any respect, by no means thoughts letting him go away for the weekend to a swim meet present’s how a lot of her sanity she’s held on to.
However I ponder what she would have carried out if she had gotten caught breaking into Mr. Rizzo’s house. Would she have begged forgiveness, or bludgeoned him with that baseball bat? I might prefer to suppose it will be the previous, however I am not solely certain.
It is curious how Flynn is drawn to the water, maybe as a coping mechanism after his time within the tank, whereas Emily is repelled by it. Perhaps it is sensible provided that Emily went by way of that water torture over and over, for years.
On the upside, Nick, Emily, and Flynn have discovered some form of home equilibrium as the 2 adults dwell collectively platonically whereas elevating their son.
However, on some stage, that is bought to be extremely unusual for Flynn.
First, he loses his mother, then he features a step-mom who raises him as her personal for years, then his actual mother comes again from the useless, and now his step-mom is killed and his actual mother has moved again in.
Strive explaining that one to your pals in school.
And it seems that Flynn does not even know the entire sordid fact about Alice, not less than not but.
He deserves to know the entire fact, not just a few half-assed lie.
Emily
Flynn is away on a swim meet, which appears a little bit of handy writing to permit each of his mother and father to be brutally attacked of their residence.
One other plot level that notably bothered me was Nick’s supply displaying up at his residence. Emily had a proper to be involved.
What FBI agent offers out their residence handle? Or did she monitor him down at residence after doing a google search?
When his supply bolted from the diner, Nick took his time going after her. If getting the knowledge she had and conserving her secure have been so necessary, you’d suppose he might have moved a bit faster.
Elsewhere, Emily’s obsession/investigation into Julianne Gunnarson was each comprehensible and exhausting.
One thing has felt off since Julianne arrived throughout Absentia Season 2, and the best way she shot and killed Alice was questionable at greatest.
That Gunnarson continues to be Nick’s speedy supervisor is mind-boggling. How do you proceed to be somebody’s boss after killing his spouse?
And is an FBI agent allowed to easily cease going to obligatory remedy periods with out consequence? After all, contemplating that Alice began out being Nick’s therapist after Emily “died” might make his aversion to counseling extra forgivable.
Nick: Em, I’m simply making an attempt to determine what’s occurring.
Emily: Yeah, good luck with that.
Let’s face it, nothing about Emily’s life or household is ever simple. Even inviting her brother over for dinner turns to sudden drama when she catches him crying over Alice’s garments and realizes the 2 had been having an affair.
Emily: After every thing that this household has been by way of, what the hell have been you considering? Fuck. Flynn has been by way of sufficient, perceive? Inform me you perceive.
Jack: I’d by no means say something.
Hopefully, neither Flynn nor Nick ever discover out as a result of that may make future vacation dinners actually awkward.
On the finish of this primary installment, Emily’s life has already fallen again into chaos.
Nick’s investigation into an organ-harvesting ring has led to a workforce being despatched to his residence to beat the crap out of him after which abduct him. Emily is overwhelmed and stabbed, whereas we hope that Cal is coming to her rescue.
Talking of Cal, we noticed little or no of him. Does he know that Emily has little interest in returning to the FBI? Is he the trusted companion Emily wants or one more individual she should not belief?
If Emily Byrne is ready to belief one other residing being ever once more, it will likely be a miracle. If anybody has the precise to be paranoid, it is her.
So inform us TV Fanatics, what did you consider the return of Absentia?
Is Flynn as unscathed as he seems after shedding his second mom?
Will Julianne develop into one other a part of the conspiracy?
And can Emily bodily and psychologically survive this newest deep dive into violent turmoil?
Let’s discover out as we transfer on to Absentia Season three Episode 2!
And do not forget to hit that BIG, BLUE, SHOW COMMENTS button down beneath and share what you concentrate on the return of Absentia.
C. Orlando is a TV Fanatic Workers Author. Comply with her on Twitter.