“Nothing Gold Can Stay”

Day 17.

Thrusting us back into the political side of things we see Lex and Leo outraged at Lommers blaming everything on Dr. Cannerts. We finally see Lommers’ husband who looks like a dick. The writers have been clever introducing him so late in the series, and are quick to hint at the power control of their relationship, which doesn’t appear to be in Sabine Lommers’ benefit.

Leo and Lex are angry as they can’t seem to use any of their ill-gotten gains to swipe at Lommers, exposing the truth behind the people responsible. With a furious Lex talking with his dad, he again has some sound advice. I didn’t really pay attention though, I was wondering if Bert was going to make it home (see next paragraph). And by Lex being furious… what I really mean is, he’s really good at sounding furious/angry, and it’s taken me a while to realise what wasn’t sitting right with me about Gyasi; his voice is on point but where’s the emotion in his face, his eyes? It’s nowhere. I’ve seen enough America’s Next Top Model and Rupaul to know how important it is to use your eyes to convey your emotions. Unfortunately, David Gyasi doesn’t have what it takes. Now, it may just be this episode as I do remember he’s good at pouting. Oh, and Leo has now disappeared but you don’t need to worry as Leo has sent a mystic pizza to help Lex track him down. But to be honest no one really cares about them, so, moving  on!

Bert though. How nice is he? And his lovely wife. Last time in all the commotion, Bert was injured and spent a day in a wee car sleeping. Fashioning a splint out of wood and medical tape for his weirdly injured leg (not sure what’s going on there) Bert begins his epic mission to get back to his beloved. This is a common theme this episode – physical journeys, mental journeys, all to make it back to their partner’s side. It is beyond romantic. We also have Jana considering breaking out. After visiting the Paisley Gang for more baby stuff, considering their generous offer last time, Jana hears from Lex’s treacherous workmate that with $5,000 you can break free of the cordon. This could spell the end of the world, but people are keen to get out. Pandemic.

Discussing their options with Sam (that guy who was the roof hobo and electrician), he shows Jana that he can cover the cost of himself and half of another, and with Jana only having $2,500 they could go together. With Jana already questioning her morals, I’m not convinced she will opt in. But for her to be considering it shows us that she has given up on Lex being able to provide a way out. And he’s stopped checking up on her after that one time with a drone.
Anyway, back to Bert for the moment. He is so lovely. And lucky. After taking a wee break he happens upon a fully stocked Jana, just casually wheeling about a shopping cart. After a wee chat Bert reveals she’s the only person to have acknowledged him for 2 days. Sad times. Jana provides Bert a vital life line, providing him with food and the cart to use as a walker, he can continue with his journey back to his worried wife. They could probably have made the whole season just about Bert in this moment trying to get back to his wife. It would be beautiful.

What we really care about is Katie and Jake. And yes, there will be spoilers.

So here we are again. Last week was a devastating blow and this episode offers a small chance to save Katie. But honestly, we know what’s going to happen. With Thomas the Kid still trapped in the hospital (he’s immune but still a carrier for the virus), Cannerts has been working on singling out various strains that he think may result in a) a cure or b)a death even worse than the original virus death. Interesting developments.

We see Katie continue to give her son life lessons whilst also spending some time enjoying a romantic starry date with Jake, all from behind the glass wall. Quentin isn’t the only one to be getting schooled, as Katie confronts Cannerts who reveals the real truth behind the virus. Looking emotional he convinces Katie he is telling her this, not because he thinks she is on her deathbed but because he wants her to live. I’m feeling bad for Cannerts now that he has become this scapegoat. But Katie reminds him that he must accept full responsibility for his actions.

The episode toys with us a bit, giving us glimmers where it looks like Katie might be getting better, she’s coughing but without blood. She’s having some gruesome nightmares though, and for some bizarre reason we have to deal with some dodgy effects which is supposed to give an insight to Katie’s brain. They haven’t had anything like this for the whole season and I’m not sure what the benefit of using them now is. It doesn’t add anything and is quite jarring to the rest of the episode. Having this at the start of the episode and again towards the end, if anything, is detracting from the emotion of the episode.

Now, I have to be honest, this episode could have made me cry. If I was in on my own and my partner wasn’t here to judge me, I would have cried.

Katie had asked Jake to not be there to see her get worse, but Jake the Hero tells her he won’t leave her. When Cannerts informs an on-looking Jake that she is now haemorrhaging and it won’t be long, we begin to see that this death is a bit more grisly and gruesome than the already grim, gruesome deaths we’ve had on-screen. But this one is personal. We’ve gotten to know her. And now, when the camera pans out, we see Katie make it out of her bed to come to the glass, looking for someone, but they’re not there. For that moment we think Jake has abandoned her. Katie collapses alone, covered in blood.

But don’t worry dear reader,  Jake, in a hazard suit rushes in to sweep her up in his arms and despite her screaming from the pain, the convulsing, the blood covering her face, he tells her he loves her. Repeatedly, until we see her acknowledge his presence. We are rewarded with this awareness by seeing the flashback from when they ignored the rules and showered together and we see them kiss. And it is romantic. The last five minutes of this episode has this lovely depressing song as we see Bert finally reunite with his anxious wife as Katie dies in Jake’s arms.

It’s become quite a mainstream topic now in romantic films where one half of a couple is sick or ill, Restless, for one, and currently Me Before You, just as an example. This show seems to be a very long-winded version of one of those, with, ok, quite a different angle, but one that you can’t deny exists.

It’s just a  shame we still have to try give a crap about the other side of the story. Will Jana leave? Will Lex and Leo be okay? Nice to see the show showing a bit of awareness that we only have two episodes left using Lommers  as the one who is ‘tying up loose ends’. Nice.

Verdict

We finally get to know that they got to know each other, intimately. Showing this as a flashback is a really nice, haunting way of showing the viewer how close this relationship was, even though they have only known each other a little more than a fortnight. Katie’s death scene was traumatic, and bloody, and more. The rest of it (Bert aside) is pretty meh.