It’s tough to come up with a metric by which to judge a show likeRaised by Wolves, wherein things that would feel out of place in a distracting way feel out of place in an engaging way. “Good Creatures,” the newest episode of the HBO Max series has so much going on that it should please every kind of fan.
After a slightly slow start,Raised by Wolveslaunches into its ongoing plot with an episode directed by Sunu Gonera, best known for 2007’sPrideand 2020’sRiding with Sugar. This episode was written by series co-executive producer Julian Meiojas, who also wrote on USA’sWhite Collar.
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“Good Creatures” sees Lamia and the Atheist collective continue and conclude their hunt for Number Seven,the horrific flying serpentspawned under mysterious circumstances. Upon finding the massive leech, Lamia makes a shocking discovery; Number Seven is a herbivore. Now that she can be sure that the creature is innocent, Lamia peacefully captures her child and allows it to live in a cave. This causes some friction with the rest of The Collective, who remain deeply afraid despite her assurances. Lamia and Campion’s relationship with the newest addition to the family is a fascinating element for the ongoing narrative, and it further complicates Father’s place in the family. However, Father finds himself busy withsome very different material.
Father’s main narrative struggle throughout most of the latter half of season one is his difficulty feeling useful. Now that Mother has lost access to her eyes and therefore mostof her war android power, Father has made it a point to become a defender of his family. This desire has been stunted at every turn as he is continuously defeated and knocked out. Father leads a contingent of enslaved Mithraic members as bait in an attempt to catch the serpent but is stopped by and swiftly defeated by Marcus.
After being repaired by his children, Father returns to work on a decommissioned android, only to discover that the secret to its repair might be within himself. This leads Father to something akin to a straight-up cage match against a chainsaw-wielding robot in front of a roaring crowd. Father’s storyline is all over the place this episode, he’s intensely questioning Mother one minute, then he’s throwing down with Marcus, then he’s discussing his successes as a parent. The android he’s repairing and the way he goes about it might be the single most fascinatingly unnerving visual the show has ever presented. The fight against the robot feels like a scene straight out ofBeyondThunderdome.It’s that kind of bizarre storytelling that makesRaised by Wolvesengaging.
The big bad guy looming over the horizon provides Season 2 an interesting ticking clock element, and Episode 3 put new importance on that concept. Marcus continues growing his insurgent forces by freeing the captured Mithraic being used as slave labor by The Collective. Marcus fights Father head-on and wins, in a way that should’ve been impossible. Campion comments upon it, and it’s clear that the show is setting up something big for the character. As his number grows, his unique take on personal charisma makes himfeel more like a cult leaderwith every episode. It was always clear that he’s dangerous, but Marcus is quickly becoming a more serious threat. The episode ends on a cliffhanger that could completely recontextualize his role in the narrative, raising the stakes for the next few episodes.
It’s not currently clear how many episodes will be in this season ofRaised by Wolves, but the plot is ramping up in a hurry. Even though everything connects back to the main narrative, bits of it feel disconnected in a way that keeps everything engaging. The stranger aspects of the story still make sense on an emotional level, the audience still learns things about the characters or the world. It all hangs together well enough, but the fact that anything can happen is important to the series' energy. The story is constantly teasing bigger conflicts, The Trust’s inscrutable actions clash with Mother and Father’s emotional programming, the Mithraic are quickly downshifting from religion to cult, everything feels electric and dangerous. Meanwhile, the kids divide themselvesamongst the larger storylinesand the impact the narrative makes on them is palpable and intriguing.
Campion’s evolving understanding of the world, Hunter’s newfound humility, and wholesome relationship with Father, Paul’s conflicted religiosity, it’s all ramping up. A lot is going on, but a savvy fan shouldn’t have too much trouble keeping up. Episode 3 of Season 2 was both very fun and extremely significant to the rest of the series. With building blocks like these in place, the remaining episodes have a lot to live up to, and a ton of interesting ways to go.Raised by Wolvesisavailable on HBO Max, new episodes premiere every Thursday.
