As always, this is spoiler-free for the specific episode, not developments in PNW to date. If you don’t want to be spoiled for episode 8, particularly, go no further…!
A wandering triceratops leads to a chance encounter for Evan with a possible future…
Back after a break (and given the amount of exposition in the early scenes, one has to assume that the writers were aware that the season would be split like this on initial transmission), New World pushes forward on a number of fronts in this episode written by the Canadian show’s creators Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens.
Niall Matter is given some material to get his teeth into, as he appears with his former Eureka colleague Colin Ferguson. Their scenes together are the most powerful of the episode – Ferguson’s character has crossed swords with Evan in the past, and there are some serious hurdles for the two to overcome before they realise the similarities between their current situations, and their potential futures. Hopefully we’ll see more of Ferguson down the line. His character certainly gives Cross something to think about!
Sara Canning also has some key moments: she has quite a few scenes on her own with the triceratops, and it’s a tribute to her that you’re never pulled out of the moment by a false reaction to the visual effects that are put in later. (And kudos to Mark Savela’s team – after the clever reflections earlier in the season, they’re now dealing with the refractions in puddles of water as well!) The final scene between Evan and Dylan is a close second for my favourite moment of the episode.
That’s not to play down the input of the other cast members: Danny Rahim and Crystal Lowe have their own subplot, and it’s good to see that Mac hasn’t just taken his bat and ball home after discovering the Secret in the Basement. There’s a nice tension between the two characters that will hopefully be exploited further.
Interestingly, the episode ends on Geoff Gustafson. Ken Leeds gets quite a lot to think about in this episode: his arc this season is bubbling under the surface but progressing nicely. Shame that there’s no progress regarding Ange – no Miranda Frigon this time around (which meant no interview for Sci-Fi Bulletin, as this episode was in front of the cameras the week we were on set!)
Verdict: There’s not the balls to the wall action of some episodes, but some very promising forward movement. 7/10
Paul Simpson
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