Previously on The Mist – we had a really good episode! Kevin’s not the baby daddy. |Eve used to have loose morals. Leeches were everywhere!

Why Ditch The Formula?

This week we’re back to jumping between the action. If the show hadn’t done a flashback episode last week, this wouldn’t be an issue. However having seen the potential the show had when it focused more on a single group of the characters, it was hard to go back. The story in the church this week about challenging faith and touching on the more zealot side of religion would have made for a fantastic episode. Focusing on Nathalie would have given Frances Conroy a chance to sink her teeth into something. Her character and development through the season are a wasted opportunity. At present, she’s simply being under used. The parts we did see were brilliant. However, I just wish that a little more time had been devoted to the story.

Who dropped the fliers?

That was certainly a twist! Although after six weeks of watching I don’t even remotely trust those fliers. The mall has been slightly underwhelming as a location so far. The rape storyline with Alex just doesn’t seem to sit right. The writers are trying to show Jay as a good character at every turn; everyone know’s he’s not the one that raped Alex. At this point, especially with Eve foaming at the mouth every time he is on-screen, it’s a dull storyline.

The fliers story-line might bring some hint of danger to the mall setting. Admittedly this week someone tried to set Alex on fire, but again as the main character, there was no chance she was likely to get harmed. (She didn’t – Jay saved her.) I’m not sure what it is, but nothing that is happening in the mall is either interesting or original. Maybe it’s because malls are a mainstay of the horror genre. I know the show isn’t the movie or the book, but in both cases, they turned an ordinary supermarket into a downright terrifying place to be.

Who the hell is Bryan?

One of the biggest reveals last week was that Bryan isn’t actually who he thinks he is. After a bit of a cryptic confrontation with the real Bryan that resulted in… well it led to murder. Now only Mia and Fake-Bryan know the truth. It became quite clear that Fake-Bryan has got a history that is ripe to be explored, whether the show manages to do that is another story. The hospital setting has been a saving grace, especially after last week’s Kevin and Co. centric episode. I found that these are the only characters I have any real connection with.

Will Mia Be The Last One Standing?

Mia was the saving grace of this episode. Her fleeing the hospital and getting to face her demons was genuinely tense. Considering her character has had a lot of secrecy following her, it was nice to get some insight into her. The issue’s with her mother fed into the mist, and it was good to see it addressed. The Mia that returned to the hospital wasn’t the same woman who left; she’s stronger and more in charge now. It’s going to be interesting to see how that plays out in the rest of the season.

Verdict

Slightly less entertaining than last weeks, but you can see the foundations for a couple of future story lines. As always with this show, I’m expecting the worst for the characters. I doubt that the fliers are going to be a good thing. Mia’s decision to lead Kevin and the gang into the mist filled psyche ward won’t play out well for them. After surviving her attack in the church, it’s going to be interesting to see how Nathalie will react. I never thought I’d say it, but I’m quite excited for next weeks episode.