‘SurrealEstate’ Recap: ‘Set Your Flag On Fire’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

SURREALESTATE -- "Set Your Flag On Fire" Episode 206 -- Pictured: Tim Rozon as Luke Roman -- (Photo by: Duncan de Young/Blue Ice Pictures/SYFY)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 206 of ‘SurrealEstate’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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It is definitely safe to say, that experimental storytelling is the name of the game in season two of the hit SYFY series, SurrealEstate, and that’s a wonderful thing. Because it’s brought forth some bold moments for certain. Where Luke Roman now works to function and solve hauntings without his gift, and where his best agent is now missing from the central story. Not to mention, unique cases are the norm by going the experimental route. Ones complete with refreshing monsters and stories that pose some philosophical questions, and the show is showing no signs of slowing own regarding swinging for the fences, as evidenced by this week’s brilliant tale.

For ‘Set Your Flag On Fire’ forced Luke, and his team, to ponder upon the very real possibility, that they were about to deal with a genuinely human problem. One where it seemed there would be no fix. Because Luke was contracted to sell the house of an everyday American family, simply because they could not get along with their neighbors. In fact, the Hasan family’s problems with the Massey family, were getting downright scary. For physical violence was coming to bear, and that meant Luke had to move post haste to stop this before it got out of hand. But as he worked to seal a sale, he couldn’t help but notice that the anger these two neighbors harbored toward one another… made little, if any, sense.

Simply because, there was no foundation for it. Because each side’s complaints were stupid in nature, and aside from a few blow ups, they tended to stay out of one another’s way. Which didn’t jibe with people just having a fundamental disagreement and that prompted Luke to dig deeper. Which meant August and Zooey needed to spend time with each family to learn more about the genesis of this madness, only to find that they in turn, gave into the hate and bickered with each other upon finishing their respective investigations. Which meant, a spirit HAD to be the cause of all this chaos, but even then… there was no evidence to support that. For the house had no suspicious owners or ghostly history.

Instead, it took a very long and slow slog through history to finally understand what was happening here. One that came forth while Father Phil was dealing with some personal family matters regarding the family plot. But in between that, he finally found something critical to the investigation, and as it turned out… there was something spiritual here. Just not what anyone expected. Because in the end, it wasn’t a ghost… but an impression of negative emotions. One born from two feuding families that hated one another way, way, wayyyyy back in the day. And the fence that was erected between these houses, was erected by those families, atop blood no less. Giving rise to a haunted artifact that spread that hate amongst any two families that lived in proximity and well, the cure to this was simple.

Wherein… the fence had to come down, and it did… and peace was made, and we were left, with an amazing story. One that really did offer up a vastly different type of supernatural element to keep things lively and unique, and that really did make for a refreshing and original story that leaned into the power of the hate we produce, something that is relevant now. And of course, it offered more quality character growth courtesy of Phil, and Zooey as well, since she decided real estate sales were not her theme song. But above all, this episode informed us that season two will continue to be a playground of sorts. One where amazing stories will be told, and new ideas will be posed, and it will be interesting to see what other experiments await us as season two rolls along. Until next time.

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