Reviews
[TV Review] “Salem Episode 2.08: ‘Dead Birds’
Well, you can’t say Salem doesn’t know how to keep its promises. “Dead Birds” had a lot of dead birds in it. Apparently, they like to fly into Baby John’s window when he’s angry. It doesn’t look like much but Tituba is extremely freaked out by it, so it can’t be good. Anyway, “Dead Birds” was kind of a slow burn episode, the bulk of which was spent trying to find Countess Marburg’s weakness (though Lucy Lawless was absent this week). It wasn’t one of the season’s strongest episodes, but it was necessary as we head into the final third of the season.
Much of this episode was devoted to Cotton, as he finally received closure from his father. I’m assuming this is Stephen Lang’s final episode, and if it was it was a sweet send-off for him (who would have thought the word sweet would ever be associated with Increase Mather?). This episode and last week’s episode will probably stand out as “The Increase Mather Variety Hour” when this season is discussed later, but I’m okay with that. It was a fun way to bring Lang back, and seeing his final scene with Cotton (and Mary) was very touching.
Cotton went on his own little adventure with Wainwright as well. After finding the Malum and seeing the crags-turned Hellfire pits, Wainwright puts everything together and links it to Mary. In one episode, Wainwright has become one of the most interesting characters on the show (and its biggest wild card). Mary is in desperate need of an ally, and while Wainwright wouldn’t have been my first choice, his speech to her to let him in was a great one. It was surprising (at least to me) to hear him side with her. Then they had drug-induced sex, so there’s that.
Mary got to show a truly vulnerable side with Baby John this week, once Mercy had turned him against her. Baby John is has not been my favorite part of this season, as he seems to be following many of the standard “creepy child” tropes we all know so well. He draws creepy pictures, causes birds to commit suicide, uses foul language, might be possessed by the devil, etc. Now that he is in Marburg’s grasp, he (like Mercy) might become significantly more interesting.
Finally, we have Anne, who has become real adept at killing animals this season. After an impressive moment of showing a backbone to Sebastian (let’s she if she can do the same with Marburg, though), she doesn’t give a second thought to ripping the head off of a chicken (seriously, calm down Anne) to open up her father’s secret room. After killing Brown Jenkins (AGAIN) to open her father’s Book of Shadows, her desperation becomes very apparent.
Anne’s arc has been one of the more interesting aspects of the season. Last season she came across as a whiney brat, so it’s good to see her taking charge of her own life. Also, she grew a brain this episode! After cutting herself and realizing that her blood would not reveal the book’s secrets, she scraped her father’s dried blood off of the wall (ick) and rubbed the flakes on the pages, only to see words and images start to appear.
“Dead Birds’ wasn’t a spectacular episode of Salem by any means, but it had enough going on to make it entertaining. Since this is the episode leading into the final third of the season, a lot of set-up is expected. Hopefully next week gets to the good stuff!
Random Notes
- The Countess was apparently alive when Lucifer fell and has died and been resurrected many times. So this basically means Lucy Lawless will always have an “in” with Salem, right? RIGHT?
- John does absolutely nothing this week except stay tied up and fuck Tituba. It’s an undeniably hot scene, though. I had to have a glass of wine after.
- “I gave you leave to spy on the Countess. Not haunt the streets of Salem like some ghost from a cheap ballad.” -Not Mary’s best singer, but it made me chuckle nonetheless.
- “Give me the book or I will bathe my mother in your blood.” -You’ve got to give Salem points for originality. I don’t think these words have ever been said on TV (or film for that matter).
- “If you were so concerned about my son, here’s a task most suited to your skills. I’m sure one as cunning as you can find a way to remove bird shit from his linen.” -Poor Tituba. Mary really does treat her terribly.
- “Oh it is not death, man. Merely marriage!” -Wainwright, ever the wordsmith.
- “My friend doesn’t like you very much. She says underneath your pretty face you’re a horrid old hag, and that you kill people all the time. And she called you…what was it….oh yes…a filthy whore.” -For some reason, I just think “whore” is a funny word. So hearing a child say it made me guffaw.
- “Open your eyes woman. It is me, Wainwright. I’m not a Puritan. Indeed I’m not a Christian. No, my religion is science.” -All hail Wainwright!
Batman is an iconic superhero, but he’s also a lot more than that. He’s been a constant in pop culture and a figure who always leaves audiences hungry for more, despite everything that’s already been done with him. When Batman: Caped Crusader was first announced, it seemed like a true dream team of creatives, bringing together Bruce Timm from the foundational Batman: The Animated Series, Ed Brubaker from Gotham Central, and The Batman’s Matt Reeves.
Batman: Caped Crusader’s first season was an artistic masterstroke, albeit one that left some general audiences wanting more. Season two is a satisfying extension of its predecessor that also fills in some of its gaps and does even more with the series’ mission statement. It’s a soothing blend of Saturday Morning Cartoon nostalgia and hard-hitting supernatural detective noir that feels very much in line with Matt Reeves’ recent take on Gotham and Batman.
This season fully embraces the overall theme of duality and how not to let one side overpower the other. This may seem a little on-the-nose for a superhero series, let alone a take on Batman, but it fits well with the retro 1940s alternate Gotham City that’s been meticulously cultivated. Additionally, this season repeatedly explores codependency and the ability to put trust in others, whether it’s Nygma’s bond with Thorne, Bullock’s partnership with Flass, Renee’s ties with Barbara, or Bruce Wayne’s camaraderie with Alfred or even Carrie Kelley.
There’s also a lot to unpack on the subject of belief and faith, which informs this season’s storytelling in creative ways that also chip away at Batman – and Gotham’s – image. It’s one big sprawling crime saga in a hyper-stylized noir world where nobody is beyond betrayal or corruption if the price is right. This feeds into the season’s grander storyline where Rupert Thorne’s trial provides a strong introduction to this universe’s Eddie Nygma (Ronan Raftery). Thorne and Nygma are the season’s central antagonists as the latter takes advantage of the massive power vacuum that’s opened up after Thorne’s incarceration.
Batman: Caped Crusader has plenty to say about its heightened, masquerading criminals, but at the core of all this is Gotham’s internal corruption, and if it’s reached a point in which it’s too far gone to be saved, who is responsible for its desolation, and the people who want to take advantage of this vulnerability and own the city. Gotham, and its festering nature, becomes the true main character of Batman: Caped Crusader. Its ability for redemption or the possibility that it sinks deeper into the abyss are integral to each of these ten episodes.
This season adopts a propaganda angle that’s critical of the GCPD and Batman that feels particularly appropriate and timely. There’s a vilification of Batman and a compulsion to turn him into a dangerous vigilante who is feared, rather than the antidote to Gotham’s crime. It’s a take that’s been presented plenty of times before, but in this case there’s a sliver of truth to this budding Batman’s early crime-fighting efforts that helps it hit harder and connect. This also leads to one of the season’s strongest and most disturbing episodes in which Mad Monk (Blythe Melin) leads a team of Batman impostor acolytes who are determined to further tarnish the Dark Knight’s name.
These episodes are also having so much fun with the obscure corners of Batman history that it’s pulling from. There’s a great Matches Malone undercover episode where Bruce Wayne has to infiltrate a prison as an inmate in order to get intel. After the first season provided creative takes on many of Batman’s more noteworthy rogues, season two has the freedom to dig into considerably more fringe figures, such as Barbatos the Bat-God and Roxanne “Roxy Rockey” Sutton, a Bruce Timm and Paul Dini deep cut from 1994’s The Batman Adventures comics and The New Batman Adventures.
This season uniquely tackles Poison Ivy, Scarecrow, Mr. Freeze, and Calendar Man. There’s also an extremely chilling version of the Joker whose presence heavily looms over the season’s events. Matthew Needham gives such an unusual interpretation of the Clown Prince of Crime that’s borderline Shakespearean. It’s a really effective restrained subversion rather than some of the Joker’s broader and more jovially unhinged renditions. It feels more like Moriarty’s dynamic with Sherlock Holmes, if anything.
It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone, but Batman: Caped Crusader absolutely excels with its animation, art design – the lighting and shadows in particular – and the 1940s Art Deco aesthetic that permeates through every frame. Each episode features sublime action sequences, many of which showcase a shocking degree of vicious brutality and a hefty body count. This includes one of the most gruesome Christmas fatalities this side of Batman Returns.
Batman: Caped Crusader features some incredibly moving, thought-provoking storytelling that’s on par with some of the most memorable episodes of Batman: The Animated Series. In some ways, Batman: Caped Crusader is even better than its ‘90s counterpart because it’s been allowed to ground itself in time and grow up. Batman is one of DC’s most popular and reimagined characters, with even more iterations on the way.
Batman: Caped Crusader still makes a strong impression and shines brightly – like the Bat Signal on a dark night – to give fans hope and let them know that they’re in safe hands. This hopefully isn’t the end of Batman: Caped Crusader, but if it is, then it can rest easy knowing that it’s created such a special, passionate love letter to this iconic character.
Batman: Caped Crusader Season 2 premieres on Prime Video on July 31.
You must be logged in to post a comment.