‘Slasher: Ripper’ Recap – ‘Backbone’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 503 of ‘Slasher’. To revisit the Season Five Premiere, click here.
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It is definitely safe to say that once the monster begins its killing spree in a slasher story, all bets are off. For it has the bloodlust at that point in the story and will do whatever it takes to satiate it, and that is why audiences are treated to intensity and gore and nightmares galore when the cutting begins in that type of story. Which is why, Slasher: Ripper, continues to impress. Because the next episode in this storied and gory saga should have featured just that. After all, the Widow had a taste for blood now and she was working her way through whomever she deemed guilty of whatever crime the story has yet to reveal. But instead, ‘Backbone’ was a story that managed to surprise us through and through… by slowing things down a great deal, to give us an honest mystery story to enjoy.
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For shortly after Enid’s body and the latest message was discovered, the story shifted gears and allowed for Detective Rijkers to investigate the case at hand and really dig deep into why the Widow was targeting a specific group of people and what he uncovered was indeed unsettling. In that, a party twelve years ago was host to the very people that were now dying, and a picture confirmed this as well, since several of the victims were in that very photograph. Alongside the town’s new resident magician. A move that prompted Rijkers to treat dear Georges as a principal suspect. But what mattered more here, is that this sequence defied convention and really added depth to this story and kept it engaging and free from potential clichés, and it wasn’t the only storyline to pull off that feat in this tale. 

Because while the good detective was conducting his case work, some unique moments played out. The kind equally as unique as shifting the story to a mystery narrative. In that, we spent a great deal of time with the more unsavory characters in this story and tasted their fear. For those targeted hadn’t a clue how to respond to being the focus of someone’s ire instead of being revered and that led to infighting and harm to those not in upper management, such as Eddie. Plus, it also allowed for some backstory to play out to help us understand Margaret’s plight and the darkness she endured at the hands of Basil Garvey and some other surprise people in this story and well… this too was refreshing. Since this type of story rarely slows things down to examine the impact of the killings or explore backstory in detail, and it was wondrous to see that here.

But of course, this is a slasher story at its core and, the blood and guts and ugly stuff was here as well. Because eventually Eddie also took the time to visit Georges to get answers right before Rijkers arrived, and in doing so, may have revealed that our resident Magician might be the Widow. Since her outfit was present at the theater and she did appear and make life hell for Rijkers for a bit, before leaving him behind to go after her prize… big Eddie. Because despite him trying to make things right for killing Daisy and for trying to be some modicum of decency twelve years ago, the Widow cared not. He was involved, he was guilty, and he needed to pay and pay he did. Courtesy of a gruesome murder that would have made Annie Wilkes proud, and well… all of these elements brought forth one amazing tale.

For this was just a refreshing slasher story. One that really leaned into more traditional storytelling, and in doing so proved… that a slasher story can be more than hard music stings and jump scares. It can be human; it can be tense and engaging on a whole new level. And it accomplished that without reinventing the wheel. Since we did get some scary and dark moments and the quality kills, we know and love from this franchise. But what matters most, is that the storytelling choices here have reeled us in. For now, we simply must know what happened on that fateful night twelve years ago, and whether or not real justice can prevail or if an eye for an eye is the only way this sorrowful story about terrible acts committed in the name of money and power can end. Until next time.

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