4.4 Innocent Might Be A Bit Of A Stretch Maybe that’s why the sudden reveal of the killer as a Satanist cult seems kind of jarring. On paper, it should work; this is a universe where violent Native American tribes, an Amish community, Neo-Nazis, corrupt Navy SEALS and a drug empire all operate within kilometres of each other, and each new addition to Banshee’s growing roster of ludicrous factions has generally been a delight. A murderous cult ought to fit right in. Yet somehow, it doesn’t. Maybe it’s because Banshee has always been fun and watching young women tortured and murdered isn’t fun at all. Or maybe it’s because there are only four episodes left and revealing that Rebecca’s apparent killer is no-one we know or not in any way connected to any of the characters is a really odd move this late in the game. Think about it; Rebecca’s death was a great narrative choice because, taking place two years after we last saw her, it created so many questions while providing the catalyst that would bring all of these characters back together. I’ve enjoyed the slow unfolding of reveals about the intervening two years in the last few episodes, and the puzzle box narrative seemed like a great idea. But now that’s all flown out the window because the series looks to be wasting precious time dealing with a subplot that has nothing to do with anything else. Look, the fact is the writers of Banshee have earned a tremendous amount of trust, and I don’t doubt that I’ll be eating my words in a couple of weeks’ time. What seems a little frustrating now might actually pay off beautifully down the line in interesting and unexpected ways. As a storytelling choice it’s questionable mainly because the story isn’t finished yet. It’s just hard to ignore the fact that the end is very close, and while I don’t think the show is treading water, now at the halfway point of the final season there are bigger stories that need to take priority over a murderous cult. Also something of a late arrival is Eliza Dushku’s Veronica Dawson, but she’s a far more welcome one. As a wisecracking, irreverent FBI agent who enjoys clearing out meth dens just so she can sample the goods herself, she’s possibly the most Banshee character ever and looks to be a great foil for Hood coming on to the home stretch. Again, there’s a very distinct risk that the addition of such a colourful character at this late stage might detract from the conclusion for our pre-established characters, but purely by virtue of being a fun, interesting, engaging character Dawson gets a pass, at least for now. Like anything in serialised television we’re watching a story in progress and the ultimate success or lack thereof in any of this can’t be fully judged until the credits roll on the series finale. Read Gabriel’s review of the previous episode, Job, here.
