‘Savage Night’ Plot Summary:
The resistance crew of Seg-El, Lyta-Zod, Nyssa-Vex, Jayna-Zod, and General Zod split up to diverge their efforts into both defeating Brainiac and saving Dev-Em. Meanwhile, Daron-Vex is still serving under Brainiac by choice and eventually teams up with Adam Strange once he reveals more about Brainiac’s intent.
There are some noticeable flaws within the episode, no question about it, but the strengths of the episode save it from mediocrity.
The standout from ‘Savage Night’ is Adam Strange. It truly is his episode to shine. The episode explores his character more in-depth and not in the villainous way the previous episode lead-on. We see a few flashback moments to him convincing the people/forces in charge of the time-traveling device to let him go to Krypton and help save Superman from being wiped from existence. Strange is met with constant obstacles that become more difficult to overcome each time and by the episode’s end, he reveals his character’s true loyalty, bravery, and heart.
As great as this episode is for Strange, that same quality is not met by the writing and directing of the other characters. This episode suffers again from narrative convenience that feels forced and not always earned or believable. However, I can understand how this can be unavoidable with restrictions on budget and a limited number of episodes to bring the story full circle.
Despite the narrative convenience, there is a lot of good that comes out of it. It allows certain characters to be in situations with other characters that challenge them and help them grow. For instance, having the trio of Seg, Lyta, and Nyssa trying to find and save Dev while enduring the awkward, tense love triangle vibes is a lot of fun to watch unfold. Alternatively, seeing Jayna-Zod and General Zod working together and talking to each other about their past is not only intriguing, but grows the characters and is also important to the overall plot of the season.
In terms of performances, the acting is wonderful as it has been in nearly every episode. The casting for this show has been spot-on and every new episode convinces me of just how incredible this cast is. The show’s two casting directors, Priscilla John and Wendy O’Brien, deserve a lot of credit.
The cliffhanger, much like they have been all season long, provides a heartfelt, bizarre, and jaw-dropping sequence of events that brings up only more questions to be answered in the next episode.
The best way to describe this particular episode goes like this: if the previous episode feels more like a breather from reaching the top of a long uphill climb, this episode sees the wheels beginning to turn and near the end, the wheels begin picking up some momentum before taking off downhill for the final two episodes of the season.
Although there are minor weaknesses within the framework of this episode, the strengths that come out of it make those flaws worth it. It might not be perfect, but it shows the dedication from the cast and crew to deliver the best episode possible despite the drawbacks.
Rating: 7.5 / 10
-Daryn Kirscht
