If you think video games are aggravating, this week’s episode of The Librarians teaches us that a live, real life version is even worse. Also, fairies are jerks.
A Magical Quantum Computer
The episode starts with Jenkins summoning a fairy. For anyone who read or watched Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, you might already be nervous. Summoning fairies is risky business because fairies are jerks. Jenkins asks the fairy to investigate what Prospero is up to, and the Groot looking green wisp obliges. Let’s just say when the fairy returns, he delivers some unpleasant news.
Unaware of the fairy summoning, the gang departs for DARPA, a government lab that is secretly utilizing a materiel that caused the destruction of Atlantis. Also secret, is the fact that at least one employee of the government agency utilizes government property to play video games during work hours. If this is true in real life, it could explain a lot.
DARPA is experiencing a quantum system meltdown.
Fearing that the lab is about to blow, the crew race to get back to the Library, only to find themselves back in the lab. The problem, only Ezekiel knows that they have been in the lab before.
Having recently watched the movie The Edge of Tomorrow, I wasn’t sure how up I was for more time looping. Yes, I get it, you’re stuck and the same things are happening over and over again. The writers, director Jonathan Frakes, and the actors, handle The Librarians’ time loop brilliantly.
All of the humorous moments make it thoroughly entertaining. The list of things Ezekiel does not lose to, Ezekiel purposefully shocking Jake, and of course “some master thief.” Time loop episodes can get pretty heady, but The Librarians handles it with a down to earth, what would a normal person like you or I do if we were in the situation approach.
“The Best Way Out is Always Through”-Robert Frost
It’s not all laughs however. The goal for The Librarians is too escape the time loop, but the scary, killer, rage people keep thwarting them. Over and over again, Ezekiel must watch his friends perish at the hands of these rabid, feral monsters. The three are otherwise unaware of their constant demise. Ezekiel tries and tries again to save his friends. He burns himself a multitude of times, he tries new approaches, but getting out appears impossible.
Even more impossible, is having to convince the other three, each time, that they are in a time loop, that is until Ezekiel discovers that they are not in a time loop, but actually trapped in a video game.
Jake is adorably excited to be in a video game, the ladies not so much.
I thought the video game concept was fun. I especially loved Ezekiel’s backpack that he loads up with health packs and weapons. You would think that after the video game reveal, it would be easy to finally get the heck out of there, but for anyone who has ever played a video game, you can understand the immense frustration of trying to get through an impossible level. It’s the I –want- to- throw- this- controller- on –the- ground –and- pulverize- it frustration, and you aren’t watching living, breathing red eyed killers chewing up your friends. Ezekiel does what I am sure we have all done once or twice, or three times while playing video games, he cheats. The problem with cheating is that he creates a glitch.
In a digital, Tron like, collapsing environment, Ezekiel uses grenades to help the gang rocket jump. As soon as the first jump took place, I assumed there would be no grenade left for Ezekiel. It only made sense that the new, mature Ezekiel, would sacrifice himself to save the others. It was a touching moment, but being early in the show’s career, and knowing the show is not written by Joss Whedon, I was pretty sure the gang would find a way to bring Ezekiel back. Of course they do.
Safe and sound back in the Library,Ezekiel claims that he cannot remember any of his do-gooding, but his smirk coveys otherwise.
Conclusion
John Kim’s performance was spectacular. He brought such an emotional depth to the normally conceited, playful Ezekiel Jones. Watching Ezekiel’s helpless desperation was heart wrenching and heartwarming. His complete turnaround could have felt forced or false, but it was completely believable that the self-serving master thief developed into a caring, mature young man by the end of this experience. Emotionally, I think this was the best episode so far. It produced lots of feels, but it wasn’t too intense. It’s what I like best about the show. With a weekly watching line-up of super intense shows, The Librarians is like taking a television vacation. It’s fun, relaxing, and filled with happy. Speaking of happy, it appears that next week, Prosepero has found a way to confound The Librarians by giving them each their own happy ending. I can’t wait to see what the endings will be.
I am not liking this budding romance-y thing between Ezekiel and Cassandra. It’s a bit too reminiscent of that final never-to-be-forgiven season of W13 … otherwise great character growth for Mr Jones. 😀
I agree. I like a little romantic tension in shows, but it often ruins things once couples get together.