I had been fairly non plussed by this series since the start, it has struggled to really find its footing and get going, I only really stuck with it this far because I was late finding it and had a block of 5 episodes to binge. This episode has renewed my faith in the show and is everything I hoped Cloak and Dagger could be when I first heard about it. The two lead actors ooze chemistry and the episodes emotional heart really made me feel for the characters. If the series continues at this level I would recommend everyone to watch it, the show is well worth sticking with for this episode alone, at the risk of gushing, Lotus Eaters is pure art and it is beautiful.
7 Reviews
"Can you play it again?"
LegendaryFang565 November 2023
Warning: Spoilers
(1,012-word review) There is absolutely no doubt that this is the highest point the season has achieved so far. My recollection of feeling the same way the first time I watched it is vivid. The only difference between the past and the present is that my evaluation of it in the past was, more or less, ever so slightly higher than now, and that says plenty. That goes to show how splendid this episode is. It was perfect from every angle - from start to finish. A 9 out of 10 rating was necessary to fully express that sentiment, as an 8 has been the highest I've gone until now. There was an instantaneous moment of contemplation between an 8 and 9, but the choice was an easy one to make.
Additionally, it was somber in tone and direction, with no score cues or songs playing for most of it. There were two songs, though the first one is less relevant given that it was at the beginning up to the title card, at the end, and during the credits. The second song, amid the main chunk of the plot, didn't detract from that different-than-usual feel - the usual being the teen drama feel, accompanied by multiple songs and consistent score cues. I still like that primary identity of the show, but this different, one-off approach was an excellent one, especially considering what a big deal it is due to the show being one that greatly prides the use of music. The few score cues were composed wonderfully for their purpose and enhancing/complimenting the tone. The overall subdued background noise, besides the necessary sounds within almost every scene, was the icing on top, as it propped up the effectiveness of everything happening on screen - or extra icing atop what was already there from the only-two-songs usage and the tone-complementary score.
Tim Kang gave a terrific performance. He had a particular and distinctive way of acting that landed well, specifically in a comedic undertone way. That's likely a signature of his, having applied as much to other roles or stemming from a typecast situation. I know for sure that subtle comedic delivery was prominent with his role, playing Kimball Cho, in The Mentalist; it may've been presented to a way lesser extent through Gordon Katsumoto in the Magnum P. I. reboot, which I saw - the first two seasons and an appropriate amount of time has passed since then for me to be uncertain about the level of that signature characteristic he displayed in that role - acting-wise, Olivia Holt also gave a splendid performance. She and Tim were leading on that front, though Aubrey Joseph was a close or tied second.
As far as the specifics of this episode are concerned, I particularly liked Tyrone's attitude of bewilderment at Tandy and her exploits - a complete ball of bewilderment and astoundment towards the pure audacity she, at times, exhibits, coupled with a hovering effect of feeling done being involved with her and whatever she's doing the very second he gets the total picture and fully processes it, not only at the hospital but also in a general sense in previous episodes. He's at his wits' end, courtesy of her absolute tomfoolery; that state of his immediately goes on high alert whenever they share the screen - ready to spike to a proper activation.
Moreover, as far as they're concerned - them together - I also liked the emotion-filled, voices-raised back-and-forth between them after he went back into Ivan's head. It was an impactful scene from each angle: the emotional weight behind Tandy's side of the situation and Tyrone's desperation and desire to make her snap out of it, showcasing a worthwhile payoff and superb execution of all the build-up/establishment and slower, methodically characterized development, separately but specifically together, of these/their characters up to this point, through his present, cultivated care for her - and vice versa in a more subtle way, though their conversation over the phone at the end changed her side of that, rising it to the surface in a conspicuously expressive way.
Speaking of the ending, the parallel of her telling him in their back-and-forth that nobody called her and nobody cared with how he called her at the end, solidifying that he cares - well, solidifying it further, as that had already been shown and illustrated; it was for her sake most of all, not only something for us to observe and connect - was lovely. He's her friend. He's her platonic - but tinged with romantic/s**ual-coded colors - partner.
That ending was incredible, by the way. It was even topped with some potential flirtation on her part, which he may've discerned and receptively accepted, depending on your interpretation. After all, these characters are shipped together heavily by many, not to mention their original counterparts in the comics were/are a couple. You could see their shared moments and the ending in a different light or also in this light - one that depicts a slow burn between them beyond mere individual and collective character development. Considering this show was on Freeform, which primarily deals in teen drama-y shows, meaning romance and shipping by most of the audience/viewers is prominent, it's an appropriate move to glean romantic vibes between them, especially the clear-as-day chemistry that Olivia Holt and Aubrey Joseph have with each other, as any scene could have that intended connotation.
What else is there to say besides what's already been said? Season 1 hit its peak with this one, rivaling the premiere - so much so that there's a plausible chance that, even from my perspective in the past of a non-review, thought-lacking, void-of-feelings-and-opinions mindset beyond the basic, limiting choices of "I liked it" or "I disliked it" due to my brain's "capacity" and "sentience level" being inefficient concerning what to write about the television episodes and films I watched, any of the final three of this season may not have surpassed this one for me. That's certainly where my thought process is right now - what I'm predicting will be the case this time. The finale could come close.
Additionally, it was somber in tone and direction, with no score cues or songs playing for most of it. There were two songs, though the first one is less relevant given that it was at the beginning up to the title card, at the end, and during the credits. The second song, amid the main chunk of the plot, didn't detract from that different-than-usual feel - the usual being the teen drama feel, accompanied by multiple songs and consistent score cues. I still like that primary identity of the show, but this different, one-off approach was an excellent one, especially considering what a big deal it is due to the show being one that greatly prides the use of music. The few score cues were composed wonderfully for their purpose and enhancing/complimenting the tone. The overall subdued background noise, besides the necessary sounds within almost every scene, was the icing on top, as it propped up the effectiveness of everything happening on screen - or extra icing atop what was already there from the only-two-songs usage and the tone-complementary score.
Tim Kang gave a terrific performance. He had a particular and distinctive way of acting that landed well, specifically in a comedic undertone way. That's likely a signature of his, having applied as much to other roles or stemming from a typecast situation. I know for sure that subtle comedic delivery was prominent with his role, playing Kimball Cho, in The Mentalist; it may've been presented to a way lesser extent through Gordon Katsumoto in the Magnum P. I. reboot, which I saw - the first two seasons and an appropriate amount of time has passed since then for me to be uncertain about the level of that signature characteristic he displayed in that role - acting-wise, Olivia Holt also gave a splendid performance. She and Tim were leading on that front, though Aubrey Joseph was a close or tied second.
As far as the specifics of this episode are concerned, I particularly liked Tyrone's attitude of bewilderment at Tandy and her exploits - a complete ball of bewilderment and astoundment towards the pure audacity she, at times, exhibits, coupled with a hovering effect of feeling done being involved with her and whatever she's doing the very second he gets the total picture and fully processes it, not only at the hospital but also in a general sense in previous episodes. He's at his wits' end, courtesy of her absolute tomfoolery; that state of his immediately goes on high alert whenever they share the screen - ready to spike to a proper activation.
Moreover, as far as they're concerned - them together - I also liked the emotion-filled, voices-raised back-and-forth between them after he went back into Ivan's head. It was an impactful scene from each angle: the emotional weight behind Tandy's side of the situation and Tyrone's desperation and desire to make her snap out of it, showcasing a worthwhile payoff and superb execution of all the build-up/establishment and slower, methodically characterized development, separately but specifically together, of these/their characters up to this point, through his present, cultivated care for her - and vice versa in a more subtle way, though their conversation over the phone at the end changed her side of that, rising it to the surface in a conspicuously expressive way.
Speaking of the ending, the parallel of her telling him in their back-and-forth that nobody called her and nobody cared with how he called her at the end, solidifying that he cares - well, solidifying it further, as that had already been shown and illustrated; it was for her sake most of all, not only something for us to observe and connect - was lovely. He's her friend. He's her platonic - but tinged with romantic/s**ual-coded colors - partner.
That ending was incredible, by the way. It was even topped with some potential flirtation on her part, which he may've discerned and receptively accepted, depending on your interpretation. After all, these characters are shipped together heavily by many, not to mention their original counterparts in the comics were/are a couple. You could see their shared moments and the ending in a different light or also in this light - one that depicts a slow burn between them beyond mere individual and collective character development. Considering this show was on Freeform, which primarily deals in teen drama-y shows, meaning romance and shipping by most of the audience/viewers is prominent, it's an appropriate move to glean romantic vibes between them, especially the clear-as-day chemistry that Olivia Holt and Aubrey Joseph have with each other, as any scene could have that intended connotation.
What else is there to say besides what's already been said? Season 1 hit its peak with this one, rivaling the premiere - so much so that there's a plausible chance that, even from my perspective in the past of a non-review, thought-lacking, void-of-feelings-and-opinions mindset beyond the basic, limiting choices of "I liked it" or "I disliked it" due to my brain's "capacity" and "sentience level" being inefficient concerning what to write about the television episodes and films I watched, any of the final three of this season may not have surpassed this one for me. That's certainly where my thought process is right now - what I'm predicting will be the case this time. The finale could come close.
The infamous Cloak and Dagger team is finally formed.
noahsmithmichael13 July 2018
Warning: Spoilers
In this episode, Tandy and Tyrone have to work together to free the survivor of the Roxxon Rig Explosion from his own mind.
After 8 years, they see that the man, Ivan Hess, is repeatedly living the events leading up to the explosion: Grabbing a cookie made by his daughter, Mina Hess, taking a phone call from an angry man, and watching as the red distress signal blasts through the rig. In a matter of minutes, the first explosion goes off and then comes the explosion that kills the crew blows everything up. It all repeats again.
Once Tandy and Tyrone enter his mind, they do everything that they can do in order to piece together everything that went down right before the explosion, but Tandy soon realizes that the angry man on the phone is her father, Nathan Bowen. She also realizes that Ivan was the last person he talked to in the car the night of the explosion. She is overwhelmed with emotions and forgets the mission that she came here to accomplish. She then refuses to aid Tyrone in their quest to stop the explosion but instead tricks Tyrone into exiting Ivan's subconscious and leaving her their to talk to her father.
Once Tyrone realizes that he has been tricked, he jumps back into Ivan's mind in order to convince Tandy to help him. Once inside, he finds Tandy alone and seemingly bored, waiting for her father to call. Tyrone asks her how long has she been their, but she suddenly conjures a dagger from her hand and kills one of the monsters/crew workers attacking them. Tyrone, confused by Tandy's actions, asks again and she answers that she has stopped taking count after about 200 repeats of the explosion. This means that Tandy has been trapped reliving this experience just like Ivan has been. Tyrone also realizes that the only thing tethering Tandy to this world is the phone call that she receives from her father. In order to break Tandy from this, Tyrone interrupts the phone call and pleads for her to stop. The explosion occurs and they are back to where they started, with Tandy waiting for the call. Tyrone threatens to hang up the phone every time her father calls until she snaps out of it, but Tandy, fed up, conjures a dagger and threatens Tyrone as well. She throws a dagger but Tyrone cloaks away. He tries to reason with her but she keeps throwing daggers until finally he gives up and makes a proposition. He will leave her there to keep talking to her father as long as she answers the phone and asks him one question only her father would know. She reluctantly agrees.
The phone rings as the distress signal is still blaring and Tandy picks up. She asks her dad the question: who is in the backseat of the car with him. If it really is her father, she knows that he would answer Tandy, but instead he answers that no one is in the backseat. Realizing that Tyrone is right, she hangs up and the explosion occurs once again.
Tyrone and Tandy decide to snap Ivan out too, by reminding him that the cookie he always picks up at the start of each repeating event was made by his daughter, Mina. He denies this at first but Tandy convinced him by saying that Mina put a secret ingredient in the cookie for him to find out. He remembers. He recounts that morning and how she made it for him. Once they convince him that Mina is waiting in the real world, they go down to the core of the rig to stop the explosion. They realize that only Ivan is the one who can shut off the valves and stop the explosion because it is his mind. Tandy and Tyrone fight the attacking rig workers in order to buy time for Ivan to shut off the valves. They hear the giant explosion coming just as Ivan turns off the last valve and suddenly...
Tandy and Tyrone appear in Ivan's hospital room, right where they started and Ivan has finally woken up from his catatonic state, although he doesn't remember Tandy nor Tyrone. They inform Mina that her father has finally woken up and she runs to give him a big hug as Tandy and Tyrone look on from the door. Tyrone knows the loss that Tandy feels because of what happened to her father and the same thing that happened to his brother. In the night, Tyrone calls her and plays her a tape of young Tyrone and Billy, Tyrone's deceased brother. They find solace in each other as the episode ends.
I particularly liked this episode because it demonstrates the bond that has developed between Tandy and Tyrone and I also think it was very well written. This is a smash hit and I believe that Cloak and Dagger are here to stay!
Once Tandy and Tyrone enter his mind, they do everything that they can do in order to piece together everything that went down right before the explosion, but Tandy soon realizes that the angry man on the phone is her father, Nathan Bowen. She also realizes that Ivan was the last person he talked to in the car the night of the explosion. She is overwhelmed with emotions and forgets the mission that she came here to accomplish. She then refuses to aid Tyrone in their quest to stop the explosion but instead tricks Tyrone into exiting Ivan's subconscious and leaving her their to talk to her father.
Once Tyrone realizes that he has been tricked, he jumps back into Ivan's mind in order to convince Tandy to help him. Once inside, he finds Tandy alone and seemingly bored, waiting for her father to call. Tyrone asks her how long has she been their, but she suddenly conjures a dagger from her hand and kills one of the monsters/crew workers attacking them. Tyrone, confused by Tandy's actions, asks again and she answers that she has stopped taking count after about 200 repeats of the explosion. This means that Tandy has been trapped reliving this experience just like Ivan has been. Tyrone also realizes that the only thing tethering Tandy to this world is the phone call that she receives from her father. In order to break Tandy from this, Tyrone interrupts the phone call and pleads for her to stop. The explosion occurs and they are back to where they started, with Tandy waiting for the call. Tyrone threatens to hang up the phone every time her father calls until she snaps out of it, but Tandy, fed up, conjures a dagger and threatens Tyrone as well. She throws a dagger but Tyrone cloaks away. He tries to reason with her but she keeps throwing daggers until finally he gives up and makes a proposition. He will leave her there to keep talking to her father as long as she answers the phone and asks him one question only her father would know. She reluctantly agrees.
The phone rings as the distress signal is still blaring and Tandy picks up. She asks her dad the question: who is in the backseat of the car with him. If it really is her father, she knows that he would answer Tandy, but instead he answers that no one is in the backseat. Realizing that Tyrone is right, she hangs up and the explosion occurs once again.
Tyrone and Tandy decide to snap Ivan out too, by reminding him that the cookie he always picks up at the start of each repeating event was made by his daughter, Mina. He denies this at first but Tandy convinced him by saying that Mina put a secret ingredient in the cookie for him to find out. He remembers. He recounts that morning and how she made it for him. Once they convince him that Mina is waiting in the real world, they go down to the core of the rig to stop the explosion. They realize that only Ivan is the one who can shut off the valves and stop the explosion because it is his mind. Tandy and Tyrone fight the attacking rig workers in order to buy time for Ivan to shut off the valves. They hear the giant explosion coming just as Ivan turns off the last valve and suddenly...
Tandy and Tyrone appear in Ivan's hospital room, right where they started and Ivan has finally woken up from his catatonic state, although he doesn't remember Tandy nor Tyrone. They inform Mina that her father has finally woken up and she runs to give him a big hug as Tandy and Tyrone look on from the door. Tyrone knows the loss that Tandy feels because of what happened to her father and the same thing that happened to his brother. In the night, Tyrone calls her and plays her a tape of young Tyrone and Billy, Tyrone's deceased brother. They find solace in each other as the episode ends.
I particularly liked this episode because it demonstrates the bond that has developed between Tandy and Tyrone and I also think it was very well written. This is a smash hit and I believe that Cloak and Dagger are here to stay!
Cloak and Dagger: The Forgotten Two 1.7
ThunderKing616 August 2022
I guess it's a solid ep.
It was a very abstract episode of Cloak and Dagger before the for Heroes for Hire. Ops Wrong team.
Well this was the first episode where they really worked as a dynamic duo to save someone's life.
The acting and the story overall was good. Likely the best episode.
It was a very abstract episode of Cloak and Dagger before the for Heroes for Hire. Ops Wrong team.
Well this was the first episode where they really worked as a dynamic duo to save someone's life.
The acting and the story overall was good. Likely the best episode.
Motion sickness
earthwear22 July 2018
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