12 Monkeys Review: “Bodies of Water”

“You don’t know how exhausting it is being crazy.”
–Jennifer Goines

Just when you thought Twelve Monkeys couldn’t get any more bananas….

Title: “Bodies of Water”

Directed by Mairzee Almas
Written by

Amanda Schull as Dr. Cassandra Railly
Emily Hampshire as Jennifer Goines
Aaron Stanford as James Cole
Kirk Acevedo as José Ramse
Barbara Sukowa as Dr. Katarina Jones
Todd Stashwick as Deacon
Tom Noonan as The Pallid Man
David Dastmalchian as Kyle Slade
Alisen Down as Striking Olivia
Grace Lynn Kung as Stacy
Michael Hogan as Dr. Vance Eckland
Noah Bean as Aaron Marker
Sarah Murphy-Dyson as Caroline Markridge
Nicolas Van Burek as Clem
James Murray as Garrulous Desk Clerk
David Dantes as The Foreman
Jordan Claire as Anita
Boyd Banks as Joe the Bartender
Murray Furrow as Dr. Lasky
Ayisha Issa as Emissary
Julia Story Young Jennifer
Andrew Lee as The Witness

Premise

“Look. It’s Time-Jesus.”
–Deacon

While a double-cross takes place in the future, Cassandra tries to unleash the dark side of a now relatively stable Jennifer Goines, as the Army tries to destroy time.

High Points

In a show with several strong, if stylized, characters, Emily Hampshire continues to stand out in a role that could easily devolve into pure camp. She balances the craziness with humanity and depth, and her thrash Mary Tyler Moore sequence is highly entertaining.

Can craziness, in fact, ever be a form of awareness?

Low Points

I realize that Deacon is too interesting a character to kill, but surely the people who want him dead would just shoot him. You don’t play James Bond Villain with someone that dangerous, and the trope is overused in genre media.

The Scores:

“Try not to shoot anyone in the face on the way out.”
–James Cole

Originality: 2/6 I see echoes of the source material, The Shining Girls, Psycho, and Ringu, but there’s no denying the show has its own edge as well.

Effects: 5/6 The Witness’s communication involved simple but effective visuals. These walls really can talk.

Acting: 6/6

Story: 5/6 The ability to weave a coherent story out of these elements is nothing short of amazing. It would be interesting to watch the reaction of someone seeing the show for the first time and starting at this point.

Emotional Response: 6/6

Production: 6/6

Overall: 5/6 “Bodies of Water” is one of the strongest episodes to date.

In total, “Bodies of Water” receives 35/42