If you would like to read my review of last week’s episode, click here.
Synopsis: As the men make new attempts to find rescue, a series of shocking events underscores how vulnerable and exposed their situation has become. (IMDB)
“Horrible from Supper”starts off with a flashback to when the crewmembers were preparing to board the ship for the first time. They are eager, excited. That is until it jumps back to present day where the men are preparing to journey on foot. The men are nervous about the lack of communication with the first caravan that was sent to explore the tundra. Goodsir tends to one of the men experiencing symptoms of lead poisoning as they can’t seem to find a way to cure it. The crew starts to question if they are making their own choices or if leadership is sending them on a suicide mission.
Crozier instructs the officers as to what the plan is: they will travel on foot in different groups to try to find land and help. He gives the final order to abandon ship and says farewell to his beloved ship. On their travels, some of them start to succumb to paranoia and thoughts of cannibalism, Collins, while others to the lead poisoning, Morfin, as Dr. Goodsir tries his best to keep order. Dr. Goodsir brings his concerns to Crozier, who brushes them off as secondary issues as the priority is getting to Sir William Land. He asks Dr. Goodsir to keep this from the men and he agrees. Unfortunately, this secret is not kept as Hickey deciphers the lead poison issue when he sees Dr. Goodsir stop Lady Silence from eating some of the food. The crew has bigger fish to fry.
Crozier and Fitzjames are brought over the ridge to find the remains of the first caravan, the men frozen in the ice. They made it 18 miles before they died meaning there is no rescue party out searching for them. The crew continues on their journey until they are blocked by a large mountain of ice, causing them to slow down and carefully move their supplies over it to the other side. Crozier and Fitzjames scale the mountain first where they spot Sir William’s Land. They made it!
As they set up camp, one of the few remaining marines suggest they arm some of the men, but when he lists Mr. Hickey as one of them men, Crozier quickly rejects the idea. Mr. Goodsir looks over the monkey’s body when he hears someone shouting. He races out to find Morfin who has gone mad and hostile. He grabs a gun and points it at Crozier, asking him to kill him like the other men they found. Dr. Goodsir and Crozier try to talk him off the ledge discussing the remedies they could give him. He misfires as one of the marines takes him down. Dr. Goodsir retreats to his tent and has a panic attack, blaming himself for what just happened. Lady Silence joins him and spoons him for comfort.
Crozier questions Hartnell about how Morfin knew about the dead caravan and Hartnell explains Armitage, a close friend of Hickey, was present. Jopson informs Crozier that the dog is missing, but Crozier wants a meeting with the officers. He discusses the discovery of lead in their canned food leading him to set up hunting parties. When the officers question their lack of Lieutenants, Crozier and Fitzjames promote Jopson for his service. Meanwhile, Mr. Hickey has a secret meeting about what happened to Morfin and explains that the officers are hiding the knowledge of the compromised tins. He discusses the lack of meat for the men and suggests killing and eating them for survival rather than following Crozier’s optimistic plan offering the body of the dog to Lt. Hodgson. He needs an officer’s support and sees Hodgson as the most corruptible.
In the morning, the hunting parties divide to conquer more land when Lt. Irving and Mr. Hickey stumble upon an Inuit party. Irving approaches them to communicate and receives seal meat in exchange for his telescope. He returns to Mr. Hickey who sits over top of the other party member. Mr. Hickey stands up, shirtless and stabs Irving repeatedly in the chest before covering his mouth until his dies. In a flashback we see Mr. Hickey board the ship as he interacts with Irving discovering that Mr. Hickey has never been part of a crew. The episode ends as Mr. Hickey stands in the cold tundra, shirtless, surrounded by bodies plotting his next move.
Captain’s Log
- What will Mr. Hickey’s next move be for the mutiny?
- Will Mr. Hickey turn one of the officers?
- Will someone stop the mutiny?
- How will Dr. Goodsir take on his new role as lead doctor?
- Can Lady Silence control the Tuunbaq?
- Who is next?
Overall, this is a great episode. The story continues to move away from the fear of the Tuunbaq and focuses on the dwindling loyalty and sanity of the men as they do whatever they need in order to survive. As the men venture onto the ice, the claustrophobic atmosphere is replaced with a colourless tundra that still brings a feeling of hopelessness to this crew. With the lead poisoning slowly sending the crew into madness mixed with the suggested solution of cannibalism, mutiny is inevitable; it’s all a matter of when and who comes out of it alive.
Score: 8.5/10
