Episode Title: AKA Freak Accident
Originally Aired: March 8th, 2018
“Maybe I am a freak, but someone made me this way. And this lab rat’s got some complaints.” With Jessica’s anger management issues, you definitely won’t want to be the one on the receiving end of those complaints.
One thing I really liked about this episode is that it merged the themes of season one with this season’s storyline. Trish has a background that is unexpectedly similar to Jessica’s. They both have past trauma with sexual abuse caused by charismatic men who are used to getting everything they want. What’s worse in Trish’s case is that she was essentially pimped out by her mother so Dorothy could continue to live vicariously through Trish’s fame. It would be easy to read this episode as a #MeToo inspired but it is important to note that pre-production on this episode started almost a year and a half before Harvey Weinstein was outed. I think that fact makes the episode even more commendable for its decisions to tackle a subject that wasn’t widely addressed. I am interested in seeing if they tell us that this incident was the cause of Trish’s obsession with powered people and the idea of saving people.
Jessica spends the episode following the clues left by the Whizzer to figure out who killed him and who is responsible for what happened to the two of them. Unfortunately, her first lead Dr. Koslov turns out to be a dead end, leaving us to wonder if he was an innocent man who maybe knew too much or an evil doctor who was taken out by his bosses. Malcolm spends all of his time trying to help Jess and avoiding his addiction, supplementing drugs for construction work and casual sex, an act his boss also finds comfort in. After her recent medical news, Jeri takes a day off fueled by drugs and hookers while she tries to come to terms with a yet unknown diagnosis. Her bender is only going to last a day as she eventually kicks the women out of her home and plans her next move. You can see Jeri’s strength and determination, you wouldn’t want to be on the opposing team, but she may lack focus leaving herself vulnerable.
I think that the major theme of this season will be the past coming back to haunt you. Trish has to relive her experience with Max her abuser, Jessica is still battling the effects of Kilgrave, the loss of her family and now, how she was experimented on. Sometimes it’s not the long-forgotten past coming back on you. Jessica is visited by the police over what happened to the Whizzer but the most notable example of the recent past coming back on them is the return of Will Simpson. I can’t wait to see what else will come out of the dark recesses of IGH and Jessica’s psyche, when she begins her anger management classes, as the season continues
Channel: Superhero 