Misfits S02E07

Nathan’s reaction to meeting himself, only with lady-parts.

My husband says that a guy he works with, who lives just across the street from us, is a real-life Nathan.  This is terrifying to me on several levels.  The man has three children. But, perhaps I can look to him when I’m curious as to how on earth a child raised by Nathan would turn out.  Didn’t we just go over why this was a very bad idea (and how Nathan would never want it) last season?

Not that any of it matters.  Sorry if I’m disconsolate this week, but I’m in a state of mourning over Nathan’s departure (that, and a state of shock, because: holy crap, a female Nathan! ).  This truly is the end of an era for Misfits.  I feel like I should be talking about other things, but all I want to focus on is to have a moment of silence for dear Nathan.

For although Nathan’s character wasn’t killed off (a possibility now that he sold his immortality for a measly £2000) actor Robert Sheehan left after the end of season 2.  Howard Overman wrote a short detailing what Nathan’s up to now he’s no longer on the estate, and you can check it out on Hulu.

Ugh, and Nathan had to go just as Simon and he were really starting to kick off that bromance I’ve dreamed of since the second or third episode.  For the first time they were really starting to have some give-and-take, back-and-forth banter, just a touch of it, and approaching each other as real friends.  Then Nathan leaves.  Sob.  You’ll have to give me a minute.

Ahem.  All right, now I can move on.  This episode was classic Misfits all over: great one-liners, wackiness in relation to the villain (in this case him claiming to be Jesus reborn): goofiness with a dark edge.  However, I really wasn’t happy about that dark edge in this episode.

While I’m glad for Alisha, and for the world, that her power is gone for good, I’m mad about the way they got rid of it.  I was not happy to see fake!Jesus (aka Elliot, supplanting Brian as the show’s creepiest villain) raping girls with it.  I’ve always been extremely wary of Alisha’s power, but I thought it was dealt with well enough in the first season (I did like the reference Curtis made this week to how serious it was, how Alisha raped him with it).

What I especially didn’t like about it is that Elliot as a villain seemed lazy.  How many times have we seen the secretly evil, predatory pastor trope?  It was cool when Night of the Hunter did it, but that was over 50 years ago, and it’s rarely been done as well since.  My personal interpretation of events, (and yes, I’m sticking my fingers in my ears and “la-la-la-ing” over Elliot’s line whining about the years he spent devoting himself to God) is that Elliot was a con artist from the beginning, just pretending to be a priest.  The gig didn’t work out for him, so he moved on.

Second-guessing selling their powers.

So, I’m angry that the show had a lazily-written villain bring back violence against women.  Combine that with what tattoo guy Vince did to Kelly a few weeks ago, and I am very not amused.  Boo, Howard Overman.  This is not cool.  Stop it now.

I was surprised to discover that Simon still knows that he’s Superhoodie.  The version of events that led him to discovering it was erased with Curtis’ rewind last episode.  But, in the three months that took place between this week’s episode and last’s, Alisha must have filled him in.  The revelation and their cohabitation feels like it comes a little out of nowhere, but I appreciate that the show is trying to move its plots along at a fast pace (and also, I still don’t care about romance on this show).

Worst moments: Elliot being horrible with Alisha’s power.  Everyone being dumb enough to sell off their powers.  It was smart of Alisha to get rid of hers, but everyone else?  They claimed they got into trouble because of their powers.  Except that most of the things that have happened to them would have happened regardless if they had powers or not — Tony the Rage Monster, video game guy, crazy Lucy — and their powers were almost their only assets in those situations.  I can’t really give you the side eye, Nikki, because you’re dead, but seriously: try learning to control your power.  Simon did it, so can you.

Best moments: Everyone teaming up to get rid of Elliot (“I’m going to kill Jesus”), Nathan and Marnie’s meeting, and Marnie calling Simon “Barry.”

One last light moment together, with horrible sweaters and lockers full of cash.

Well, that’s it for the season. Where will the show go from here?  This week worked without the characters being in probation, but I wonder how they’ll sustain the premise beyond one episode.  What are we going to do without Nathan?  In his absence, will the show finally utilize Kelly and give her a decent story line?  While we wait to find out, let us know what you think about it in the comments.

Nathan quote of the episode: Aw, so bittersweet.  I’m going for a joint Nathan-Marnie exchange here, it seems appropriate:

Nathan: “What’s all this?”
Random Lady: “Our Lord Jesus Christ has risen again.”
Nathan: “Right, good for him.”
Marnie: “It’s nice that he’s come back in time for Christmas.”