There’s got to be a name for this episode’s narrative device; splitting the cast, so half are offscreen dealing with one plotline, leaving the rest of the cast to deal with their own. Then next episode, you get the other half of the story. Or, I’m somewhat confident has been the case with “Legends” before, you don’t. So next episode will not be Tala Ashe, Olivia Swann, Shayan Sobhian, Nick Zano, and Adam Tsekhman trying to contain a rapidly growing alien creature, which happens offscreen or down the hall or in the other room throughout this episode. It’s a bold move since it’s the first time this version of Ashe (the original character she played on the show) has interacted with long-lost brother Sobhian; we don’t get to see it.
Instead, it’s a pregnancy crisis for Dominic Purcell and daughter Mina Sundwall, with the action plot going to Matt Ryan and Lisseth Chavez. They are trying to get Ryan’s magic back in thirties Spain during the Civil War. It’s always Ryan’s episode—he’s plotting at the beginning with the portrait of Aleister Crowley (voiced by Matt Lucas)—and he gets some good scenes with Chavez trying to locate his moral compass, but the Sundwall and Purcell stuff is good too. Both are pregnant, something Purcell’s not too happy about, and Sundwall’s worried about him. For timey wimey reasons. Sundwall’s always been a welcome guest star—she gives Purcell shit with impunity, and it adds something to the character; he’s better with her around, like the character moments they’re able to get. Purcell’s got like four things he does really well on “Legends,” but with Sundwall, they sort of triple.
So good enough plot for Ryan, with some twists and turns and a good monologue for both he and Chavez. She maybe doesn’t hold her pistol seriously enough but is working out to be a fine addition (something they even comment on at the beginning of the episode). There’s also solid acting from Spanish Republican fighter Leo Rano, who’s got the key to the magic fountain Ryan’s looking for. Grainne Godfree gets the script credit; the script does a great job with that plot thread, which sort of drags Ryan along while Chavez runs to keep pace and make sure he doesn’t crash into anything. They’re a good team-up.
Caity Lotz and Jes Macallan aren’t on the episode much either; offscreen looking at wedding venues. Will next episode be their misadventures and then half the cast fighting a giant alien? I think the former’s more likely but also, maybe not. “Legends” is very assured in its narrative choices, and this many episodes in, I default to trusting their judgment. Plus, the cliffhanger with Ryan is going to be a bitch to wait through an episode on.
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