This week ZOO successfully shakes up the group dynamics in a better than average episode.
After three episodes of fairly stagnant development, it’s refreshing to see the show mix up the group pairings and introduce some new characters for the group to interact with. We’re still no closer to knowing what the hell is going on, but I feel like the shows story line will only continue to become even more convoluted and unnecessary, as what normally happens when any show introduces a worldwide conspiracy as we’re seeing here.
While these past couple of episodes haven’t done much to propel the plot forward, ‘Pack Mentality’ at least attempted to develop the team and help establish the group dynamics, if we’re to stick with these people for another nine episodes. Taking the old pairing of Abraham and Jackson, the show split them up, letting Mitch and Abraham team up to hunt a wolf, while Jackson, Chloe and Jamie investigate the prison from the previous episode.
Mitch and Abraham were a good pairing, both bringing a charismatic presence to the proceedings and Mitch’s doubts over the teams purpose, or more importantly Jackson’s fathers research, caused some well needed conflict. A scene in a hunting store, where Abraham helps Mitch get out of a potentially dangerous confrontation with some stereotypical rednecks was good; I fully expected the hunters to cause some problems for our protagonists but we don’t see them again until one of them turns up dead at the end of the episode.
Jackson, Chloe and Jamie’s investigation at the prison offers some absurd revelations about Evan Lee Hartley, the memorably creepy convict who seemed to be connected to the wolf attack somehow. Jackson comes to the conclusion that Hartley was the wolves alpha and the wolves were helping him escape. Hartley was just an average citizen before suddenly snapping while out in the forest and slaughtering an entire hunting party; something changed him and Jackson’s father is involved somehow, as they learn after Jamie finds a picture of the two together.
Talking about Jamie, the character is an odd inclusion in the group. Everyone adds some kind of skill to the group or knowledge of animals that they can use in their investigations; Jamie however largely remains useless this episode, instead serving as a way for Jackson to explain his work to her and the audience so that we understand. just what it is he does. Still, hopefully the show will find a use for Jamie soon, as Kristen Connolly is a charming actress but the show as been stringing along the ‘nosy reporter’ character type since the first episode, without adding anything else to the character.
Bringing Marcus Hester back as Hartley was a good move, seeing how he was memorably creepy last episode and the show is in desperate need of some kind of opposing force for the team to face off against; we have Reiden Global but so far they have been more of a faceless corporation being talked about then an actual threat. Still, the continuing involvement of the Hartley character promises some answers and hopefully some actual dramatic stakes for the team.
