‘Lisey’s Story’ Recap: ‘Blood Bool’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Two of ‘Lisey’s Story’.
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Stories that focus heavily on the trauma that results from loss and grief tend to focus on one thing and one thing alone: The raw pain that a person experiences during that difficult time in their lives. Focusing on this pain makes sense because stories are entertainment through and through. Watching a character struggle with their emotions does indeed make for good and engrossing drama, the kind that genuinely moves us and stays with us—for a time. And while that struggle might generate some tears on our end, we know a dramatic sting when we see it, and that kind of endearing dishonesty lets us easily forget the moment in question as we search for a story that is more impactful in nature.

This is why it's paramount to celebrate stories that truly take the time to explore exactly why we hurt when we lose someone. These kinds of stories not only take us through the emotional wringer, but they also try to help the audience heal or prepare for the dark day when they will have to say goodbye—and that's precisely why Lisey's Story on AppleTV+ is of note. Lisey's Story is a series that offers a deeper and more visceral exploration of why we hurt when we say goodbye, as evidenced by the second episode in this fascinating journey. ‘Blood Bool’ spends a great deal of time taking us through an important Landon family memory; a memory that helps Lisey to realize how true love is filled to the brim with bittersweet memories and that it's the toughest memories that make us hurt. We hurt because we feel as though we failed our loved ones by running out of time to provide them with the healing peace and genuine joy that we always wanted to bring to their souls.
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This realization was personified in this episode by way of a grand reflection on the day that Scott Landon sold his first novel. In his excitement, Scott neglected his love and went out celebrating without her, which, in turn, led to a fight and then self-abuse on Scott's part because that's the only way that he knew to how cope with bad moments in his life. This revelation helped the audience to understand how much Lisey wanted to heal Scott, help him, and show him what life looked like without anxiety and pain—a goal that some might consider to be impossible because it's up to the afflicted to leave such matters behind or dealt with. This also speaks to the power of love and how badly we want to make our loved ones' lives right when we see them hurt. It was a beautiful way to demonstrate to the audience how memories like that are what run through our heads when someone we love leaves us and how such memories devastate us through and through—if we had just one more day… it might have been the day that we gave our beloved the peace that they so desperately sought.

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However, as was the case with the series premiere, this particular tale had more to offer than a simple lesson on grief. Scott's actions following his cutting incident and a tie-in sequence with Amanda more or less confirmed that there are other worlds than the one we know and love, and that Boo'ya Moon is a thriving place that can heal souls and bodies if one handles their business there just right. We also learned that Scott did indeed travel often to Boo'ya Moon to explore its wonder, and that Amanda is half in that world now and potentially in danger because it isn't always safe. This fascinating twist opens up the story to all kinds of incredible possibilities—a world this powerful could bring about wonders in our own world, if its power is harnessed just right. Plus, Boo'ya Moon's existence undoubtedly relates to Scott's unhealthy fans because they might have visited it too, and its strange nature and inhabitants could, in fact, change the mental makeup of people who spend too much time under its twilight sky.

Alas, a solid investigation of this magical place didn't get underway in this particular tale because Lisey had other proverbial fish to fry by way of Jim Dandy, who we learned is really named Jim Dooley. Because Jim made every effort possible to ignore Professor Dashmiel's desperate pleas to call off his plans for obtaining Scott's unpublished works, and because he felt empowered and alive in doing so, he certainly came quite close to his goal. Jim was able to infiltrate the Landon home and leave a warning for Lisey before heading off to heaven-knows-where. Although this should have been utterly terrifying, one particular decision on Jim's part made his journey far more intriguing than horrific. After all, he was in the Landon home alone and could have easily grabbed the manuscripts with minimal fuss and been on his way no problem… so why didn't he?
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Perhaps Jim believes that he must be gifted these particular treasures out of respect for Scott. Or it could be related to something more negative and scary, such as a deep, dark need to break and punish Lisey before he whisks Scott's stories away to safety… or his own private collection. Either way, it was an interesting twist to include in what turned out to be a surprisingly tense tale. Early on, it seemed as though this story was going to be slow-burning and methodical in nature before shifting gears and moving the plot forward while setting the stage for some grand conflicts. Just like that, Lisey and Jim appear to be on a collision course, and we seem to be closer than ever to stepping into Boo'ya Moon. We're compelled to continue this wild and moving journey so we can see what powerful moments await us as Lisey continues her quest to heal and preserve the legacy of her beloved husband. Until next time, dear reader.
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The first two episodes of ‘Lisey’s Story’ are available to stream on AppleTV+.

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