Sanctuary Kali Part III: The Return of Team Magnus!

United Kingdom Sanctuary Team Reporting

What do you get when you combine Helicopters, Boats, A Tsunami and a Giant Arachnid abnormal?

The beginning of Sanctuary Season 3……

Let me set the scene slightly. You have been listening to the build up for weeks. You have been watching the adverts and Squeeing with utmost delight when you have glimpse what you are going to be seeing. You have been tantalised with count downs, thrown titbits’ from interviews, and finally, FINALLY the long wait is over. It’s Here!!!!

Bring on the Popcorn. Or in my case, chewing through my own hand in excitement.

As season openings go, the story arch in this is absolutely huge. And to be honest, I was more than a little worried about how this was going to go. The Sanctuary production team, cast and crew have set the bar SO high that one expects big things. And one is rarely disappointed. We all have episodes we love more than others. And we all find something sometimes we feel could be done better.

But on the whole? So far no failure in delivery.  AND BELIEVE ME they deliver that high quality we have come to love once again with Kali part 3. Somewhat speedily I will admit, but they definitely deliver. This was one of those episodes I was literally bursting to talk to someone about. So contacting a fellow Worm Hole Riders Reporter, the poor love having not long been awake, had no choice but to rally her thoughts quickly, as I began my onslaught barely pausing for breath. What you read is a collaboration of ideas. Not just my own. And this was also after watching for the second time.  I was just far too excited the first time through.

Kali Part III

After a brief synopsis of where we left off, you are barely left to gain your footing before the ride begins. And to be frank, seeing Helen Magnus (Amanda Tapping) back on my screen was worthy of applause on its own. For me, whilst the conclusion to the devastation is the episodic story. The Characters is what Kali 3 is made of for me. Kali 3 shows us, that as a team how deep that level of intrinsically felt trust goes. How they seem to know that the other member of the team is pulling in the same direction, even when no communication has been given.

That even though they are at one point, all working as individuals, you can feel that they are still a team. A family.  And the characters themselves have gone through some major developments.  I’m going to dive right into the one who stood out for me in terms of development and that’s Kate Freelander (Agam Darshi). She especially in this shines brightly for me.

Gone is the stand alone, singular, ‘Hit for Hire’ persona. And in its place is someone who has integrity, a willingness to help. Someone who has a sense of ground, a home and morals. Penance as we saw, was the turning point for Kate. And since, she has shone brighter for me with a defining place in Magnus’s team. Helen has a way of bringing out the best in people. Of seeing what others don’t.  In Kali 3, we see Kate putting her life on the line for people she doesn’t know as she aids the evacuation.

We watch as she tries her best to move heaven and earth to save people. And you can feel the genuine care coming through as she tries in vain to help everyone in peril. It’s an unachievable target and the sorrow in her face as she discovers a family still in their homes with the Tsunami imminent is tangible. She knows, and they know that the end is about to swallow them. And taking the young boy and running, you can see this is hurting her beyond what we have seen before. Kate, it appears, has a heart. A rather large one at that……

Now moving on (I’ll come back to Kate later) and switching to Magnus, Henry (Ryan Robbins) and Wexford (Paul McGillion). Wexford quite frankly, since appearing on my screen, well I have just wanted to watch the Big guy wollop him round the back of the head. Or I at least have the chance to punch him. (Grrrrrr) Focus, Vampi, Focus…..(I digress) Back to Magnus. Ah Magnus. Our favourite kick arse, slightly eclectic dark haired heroine is back. And I’ll tell you now; I felt her teeth in this one. For the record? Never piss off the British. It’s not a terribly sensible idea….

When we see Magnus for the first time in this episode, she is in full action stations mode. She is switched on to that shouting out orders, logical, ‘got to get this sorted’ frame of mind which just makes me smile. Because it is sooo quintessentially British in its delivery. (Give us a crisis…. etc…) Henry, having just looked like he has taken a baseball bat to the skull, is floored by the devastation around him. It looks like Armageddon has hit. And in a way, it has.

Wexford (Grrr) on the other hand is stomping around with little man syndrome. Now he is an interesting little man. Annoying but interesting. You feel as if there has always been a hidden agenda with him. Taking over the Sanctuary network perhaps? Was that your little game plan Terrance? Yet even though I will admit he drives me nuts, because he grates my cheese, I can’t help feel that he originally came into this with good intentions.

For all his bluster, pomp and appalling people skills, he is trying to do what he sees best for the Sanctuary network.  Ok the ‘angering a powerful abnormal and causing devastation to millions of people’ aside…… *ahem* I do wonder how Helen has managed to not plaster him across the nearest wall. That said if I had over 158yrs of practice coping with people like him, maybe I would have the patience to.

Although by this point it is blatantly obvious that Wexford (Grrr) has clearly let the power of the recent appointment in the network go to his head, and inflate his already over inflated ego, you would have thought that with the impending Tsunami and the devastation around them, that containing the situation and starting rescue efforts would be at the top of the list. Well No.  Because Wexford (grrr) is still stomping around with little man syndrome and is hell bent on going after Bertha. (*sigh* you know, sometimes, some people NEVER learn). And in Magnus’s own words……’Bloody Hell…..’

Now, the production team are a little mean I feel as we have only just got Magnus back onto our screens….. One of the parts of this episode that is vividly still in my mind, was when Magnus bravely (or insanely, I can never tell with this woman after Veritas… bloody frogs) Jumps into a helicopter and decides to try and herd Big Bertha back into the water. Exactly how does one herd a giant Arachnid???? Apparently with not much success. Because Bertha is not particularly pleased with what appears to be a Gnat flying around her head, and sends out an EMP pulse.

Which is never a good thing. Especially when you’re flying a Helicopter at the time.

And Yup. You guessed it. Magnus takes a nose dive into the drink. However on the way downwards, we are treated to one of my favourite sentences in the whole episodes. A very simple, very Magnus, ‘Oh dear….’

Now……. on the back of this was a reaction that moved me to tears. And that was from the Big Guy. Christopher Heyerdahl hands down to me is a phenomenal actor. To be able to act with that much prosthetic makeup on and still be able to produce the emotions that he does, I feel is amazing. When biggie gets the news that Magnus is effectively presumed dead……The look on his face? Oh my word. The depth of the loss, the shock and the way you can see him struggling to wrap his head around this news being delivered by Wexford (Grrr) is just beautiful in its complicated simplicity. And Henry is just devastated. You can see how deeply tied they all are to Magnus. The depth of respect they have for her, and the faith in her ability to pull off the unimaginable. You can feel the world has been tilted for them. Especially I feel this is so for Henry.

And Wexford pushing Henry to help him is just so unnatural you really do want decapitate him, the further into the episode you progress. It’s interesting though because I feel you can see Wexford (Grrr) starting to un-hinge slightly here. It’s almost as if the pressure as the head of the network is taking its toll. Big shoes to fill – aren’t they Wexford….?(Grrrr, I will say though, the reason that Wexford is so easy to want to punch is because Paul McGillion does a fantastic job as him.)

Changing track slightly before I end up down a one Way Street of Wexford pain, one of the other things that got me in this episode was the humour. In some places it’s very subtle, but Kali part 3 is litter with snippets of humour. Especially, for one character in particular.

Oh Mr Forsythe (Callum Blue) I believe the floor is yours.

Now to begin with, I really didn’t understand the sudden shift to the Lasifair attitude. He had been so driven and so focussed in Kali part 2 that for a moment, I was completely thrown.  However, upon fishing a very cold, very vulnerable Magnus out of the water we discover that the Macri is dead. And therefore, so is Forsythe. Almost every line that Forsythe delivers in Kali 3 is dripping with Frat Boy Humour.

Even when Magnus is beating the crap out of a guard, which is done so powerfully, for a moment I was slack jawed with awe. Upon grabbing the gun and pointing it into Forsythe’s face saying in a deadly tone of voice ‘This is not a social call.’ He is stood there saying. ‘Really? Why do I bother hiring these people…..’ *grins*

After I realise that he is effectively a ‘dead man walking’, his whole attitude and demeanour snaps into place. And as my fellow WHR reports pointed out, this frat boy attitude has really been there all the time, it was just a lot more focussed in a particular direction in Kali parts 1 & 2.  Still, it is a delightfully funny juxtaposition. When all around him people are trying to save the world, and he is happier playing with his squeaky stress ball and lounging on the sofa and waiting for his end to come.

You see an almost Mother – annoying Teenager relationship balance appear between him and Magnus. My favourite part, is when he drops the ball. You see it roll to under Magnus’s foot, and he asks for it back. Magnus, levels a force 10 steeley glare in his direction, picks up the ball, and throws it out the nearest port hole. From the squawk of a seagull you can guess it’s smacked the poor unsuspecting bird in the process. (Honest to god, how much did I laugh……)

A Magnus force 10 glare……..

Now Henry. Our loveable, sometimes highly strung geek. Currently unaware that Magnus is alive he is trying to balance out the loss he is feeling with continuing to do his job for Wexford (Grr) who is still stomping around with little man syndrome. (Frankly I’d have gone wolf and had myself a snack….) Henry has been tasked with getting the systems back online in order for Wexford (Grrr) to go and kill some giant Arachnid butt. However, he instead our nippy little geek is banking the much needed information on Bertha’s whereabouts and simultaneously blocking and delaying Wexford’s (Grrr) attempts to do the same.  All this whilst slipping the odd piece of tech into his pockets at the same time…… Ponderous no?

Magnus makes contact with Wexford (grr) and Henry learns that she is indeed still with us. The relief on his face is palpable and Wexford, slightly shocked. The following exchange just goes to show how far down the rabbit hole Wexford’s sense of reality appears to have dived, and upon ending transmission with Magnus, you just know that he is slowly loosing the command chain with the people around him.  Removing Henry from working on the ships computers, Wexford treats us to a display of his abnormality. Which, in Henry’s words….Is just gross as he hocks one into Henrys face. In fairness this was retaliating to Henry going Wolf. But, there is never a right time to hock into someone’s face. Ever.

Henry, of course knowing Magnus is alive uses the tech he stashed to get the information to Magnus. To be honest the lesson here is…..never piss off your system administrator. It will only ever end in tears.

I’m going to leap back to Kate here. Whilst the story line continues towards contacting Kali again and convincing her to stop the wave, Kate’s relationship with Will here really touched me deeply. Gone is this cocky, slightly arrogant, defensive Kate. And here we see A Kate intrinsically woven into the everyday lives of the Sanctuary team. And with Will, this is something not previously seen. We discover that Kali will appear to a host one last time at the Gates to the Spirit Realm. Now there is an interesting transaction that goes on here between Magnus and Will, with Kate as an outsider on this particular point.

We all remember Requiem. We know that Will had to Kill Magnus to save her and bring her back. And we all had that heart stopping moment where we thought that this wasn’t going to work. So, between Magnus and Will, is this such a big ask? Will knows that he is basically dying. Magnus knows it too. They have literally walked this path before, but the roles reversed. However Kate doesn’t know this. Her reaction, one of disbelief that they are even entertaining the idea. Which is why I feel Will asks for the room. Ravi respects this immediately, but Kate, you can see her wanting to object strongly. The discussion ensues, and true to Magnus’s character, she is honest and direct with him on the risks and the gamble they are taking. But resolutely refuses to let Will go completely.

When we enter the room, where Will is to be shocked into Cardiac arrest, he starts to tell her about a letter in his bottom draw. Kate Freelander is a woman whose eyes do the talking, and to me they are shouting in this scene. The depth of anguish, pain and love you see in them for Will is breath taking. And although it’s such a small scene it carries such weight. She point blank resolutely refuses to even entertain the idea that Will is not going to come back from this.

As much as Will knows in his heart he is going to die, Kate is almost at the polar opposite end of this scale in her conviction that he won’t. He goes under, Is met with a cornfield – note the sly smile, this is to Magnus’s reference of field of dreams……And takes his leap of faith to the bottom of a gulley, where he meets what I feel is the Abnormal version of a high council. 3 Formidable Abnormals including Kali….. *Ponderous……*

And so the twists of the stories start to intertwine as the story reaches it’s conclusion.  Will is down for the count of 5 mins to talk to Kali one final time. Kate stands watch like a guardian hovering, keeping him tied to the world of the living. Magnus once again places herself squarely between Wexford (Grrr) and Bertha by utilising Forsythes boat. Terrance who is hell bent on destroying Bertha will not budge an inch and this just puts Magnus’s back up even further. The Tsunami is bearing down on all fronts poised to create maximum impact when the report comes over the radio to Magnus from the Big Guy, who ‘for the record, wasn’t worried’ that the one of the waves has been neutralised. Yup,

Will, who is currently clinically dead, has managed to convince Kali to try. By this point Kate and Ravi are desperately performing CPR trying to pull him back to the land of the living and once again Kate is just beautiful. Ravi wants to call time, as they are now on 8 minutes with no brain activity. Kate just eyeballs him pointing and saying ‘Push’. And they continue CPR. You can feel the whole episode gearing, and climbing towards its finale, humming on the final top note as Magnus takes the rest of Mr Forsythes crew (and Meme) and abandons ship. Mr Forsythe (Edward) giving his life to enable the rest to get away. It’s the Magnus effect I swear….

Meanwhile Wexford (Grrr) having lost the plot by now through sheer blind anger orders the captain of the sanctuary ship to fire. Which by this point they find out the ship they’re firing on is now a Civilian ship and the captain won’t do it. Wexford relieves him of duty and screams at someone else, who dutifully fires blowing the ship to smithereens. Magnus manages to bring down the guidance system with a well aimed RPG (This woman is seriously cool) but does this halt Wexford……um, no. He punches the buttons regardless of the fact the missiles have no guidance system……. And Kali goes down…….

(Yes I was chewing through my pillow by now)

Magnus storms on board, her steely gaze never faltering. And comes head to he with Wexford and she just owns the word battlefield. A few well placed sentences and we see Wexford (Grrr) deflate like a balloon with a puncture………

The wave hasn’t been stopped on all fronts yet. There is no time left, and Will who is still clinically dead is pleading with the others in the nether world he is in. Suddenly what should appear……..Sentient mist…… Coinky Dink? Hmm perhaps not. 3 Earthquakes are detected sending a wave in the opposite direction neutralising the third wave front.

Annnnnnnnnnd Will comes back from the dead……

All together *Breathe in…..Breathe out*

Now. If you think reading it sounds good. And you haven’t watched it. Leave now, and go and do it. Because the Sanctuary Team once again fly you through their world holding on by your fingernails and flying by the seat of your pants.

The wind down is sudden. Will remembers nothing. And the final scene in Magnus’s room is filled with unanswered questions, and a weight of something far greater to come. The best bit? Watching Helen Magnus do her famous chin tilt right at the end. *Beaming grin*

Welcome back Sanctuary. You were sorely missed………

*In Memory of one no longer with us, the season opener was dedicated to Cynthia H Semon.

For further details on this remarkable woman…. http://www.artistdirect.com/entertainment-news/article/publicist-cynthia-semon-dies/04HRdrS1efg79

I hope you have enjoyed my second review for WHR. I will be back in the future with more Sanctuary review and analysis! In the meantime the WHR Sanctuary Team will be working together on more Sanctuary surprises for you to enjoy!

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SurrealVampi