“Be Angry At The Sun”

Another episode, another quote.

This episode we start at the Center for Disease Control, where Lommers is questioned by the press over the extreme containment measures and political agendas. Reporter Leo Green, introduced  last episode, getting more screen time with his fear mongering ‘exposure’ videos makes for an interesting new storyline.  A viral video has exposed Zone 6 to be unruly and far more deadly than reported, resulting in Lommers requesting Carnahan to defuse the situation by addressing the press.

We see a hint of Aimee, looking a little worse for wear, in the containment corridor, and again we see the cleaning staff disinfecting another bloodied room.

Dr. Cannerts reveals to Riley that the virus dies a few hours after the host body dies and ropes Riley into cremating the dead. Not sure that’s part of his job description, but Cannerts does try justify his asking by telling him he’s not only physically strong but mentally strong enough to handle it. Riley shows us his caring, sensitive side as he identifies and cremates the deceased before placing their remains into DIY urns.

Caranahan goes to Green to plead with him to consider the information he’s revealing, insisting it isn’t censorship but protection. Green acts as a great mediator for the viewer here, posing questions that we have, giving the show an opportunity to explain certain aspects; like how quickly the shipping containers were in place.

With increased aggression shown throughout tonight’s episode we see the public begin to lose grasp of their humanity. In all narrative threads we see someone in a group break down and revert to more primitive behaviours. For Jana and her friends, a trip to the grocers equals a 48 hour cordon for the men who made the trip, who furious, resort to tearing apart loaves of bread with their teeth in some crazed display.

More displays of anger can be seen in Teresa’s mum’s grocery store, who has taken to severely over-charging customers to make a quick buck. A woman refusing to purchase the over-priced goods comes back locked and loaded with her acquaintances, ready to take whatever she fancies. It’s here Teresa learns that there is no law and order ready to protect them. There is no 911. This makes the appearance of Riley and another cop at the shop, right after Teresa gives up trying to call, quite strange. They save the day and demand the robbers leave.

It’s also interesting considering an article I read today about a man who stole food in Italy from a supermarket. He stole just enough food for himself to not to starve and was arrested. Several court dates and sentences later, Italy recognises that to be so desperate for food that you would steal should not be considered a crime. How interesting to see the officers upholding the law despite the severity of their situation. And let’s face it, it’s getting to be dire.

With the whole zone now realising infection, the hospital is open to those in the cordon. We see the spread of the disease as more people record and upload the bodies of those who have been infected, and more arrive at the hospital. Katie is still stuck at the hospital, now looking after just a handful of kids. One of the kids comes across an infected worker, who naturally coughs blood all over the kid’s hand. The boy’s father  forcibly removes him from quarantine by pointing a gun in Katie’s face. It takes Bert, (one of the hospital workers trying to find a cure using rats the children saw on Day One, and also confusingly Teresa’s Granddad) to make the boy’s father realise the extent of his actions. Almost apologetically he puts his gun down and removes his boy.

With Katie blaming herself she turns to Jake Riley. Katie realises that they are utterly abandoned; no one will be coming to help them. We don’t see much of their relationship this episode, in fact, we don’t see much of anyone’s relationship this episode except for Jana and Carnahan who go from talking about censorship to emojis. Really. I love emojis, but do I think this is something his character would do? Nope.

Tonight we finally discovered that Riley is not alone, with 11 cops to the 4,000 cordoned, but they’re going to need more than that. The public get even more aggressive when they learn about a potential escape route from a video posted by Green. It would seem that despite the meeting with Carnahan, he has gone ahead and published the information for all to see. After a man makes it onto the border of the cordon, there is a great bit of tension as the cops question what they’ll do. But they must act for the greater good and reduce risk of infection, by any means necessary. The man is shot and killed, with a nice little twist, by a cop from inside, who’s wife and kids are on the outside.

After being inspired by Jana and stumbling upon a container, which just so happens to allow people in from each side (we see this at the start of Episode One – it makes sense now), Carnahan goes to Lommer to suggest using it like a sluice. Lommers dismisses this and Carnahan returns to suggest they use it as a way to get law enforcement inside, again Lommers dismisses him; who would want to put themselves in? It cuts to Carnahan meeting Riley in the container passing on gear and weapons, seemingly unnoticed by the guards outside.

The episode closes with Green realising his two sources have been compromised, with one of the girls now showing signs of infection. And then the signal is cut. No internet. No phones. Closing on a tense note, Lommers informs Carnahan this is his fault for not shutting up Green, and we learn Dr. Cannerts will be the only one who’ll have communications restored on a restricted line. Scary stuff. Somehow the idea of being left unable to communicate with those we love is scarier than the risk of infection. They are now completely isolated. Although I have a feeling Carnahan will have something to do about that.

Verdict

A good episode for building on various narratives, but continues to be at a frustratingly fast pace. Carnahan very quickly finds himself gaining access to the container, which, if it had been stretched over another episode, would have been great to watch, instead of the acceptable mediocrity it seems to be becoming.

After the terrifying episode last week, this one feels a little bit duller, even despite the increased breakdown of the society, it seems a bit predictable. If they could draw out the tension in the right places it would make for a much better watch.