Written by John Edward Betancourt![]()
Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 302 of ‘Harry Wild’. To revisit the Season Three Premiere, click here.
For the most part, crime stories that explore the nature of murder when it involves love and money, tend to offer up… a male villain, and rightfully so. Because more often than not, crimes of passion and/or riches are committed by jackass men. Who sometimes go so far, as to deem it necessary to manipulate a poor woman to her death in an effort to strike it rich and well, what better way to inject realism into a story than by having the world reflected. So, we see those men do their thing, and feel shame and disdain for their actions. Which is why it is always surprising when we see a crime story, where the gender roles are reversed and the villain in question happens to be a woman. Because it just catches one off guard, and that’s why the next episode of Harry Wild on Acorn TV is of note. Because it flipped that script in a supremely unique manner. A feat that ‘Too Many Harrys Spoil the Murder’ accomplished, by giving Harry and Fergus one quirky case to deal with. One that appeared to be committed by a man and was complicated by a man. For a waitress named Maria died terribly. In fact, her head was quite literally served upon a platter and that seemed to relate to revenge and a need to showcase one’s power over the victim. Which prompted Harry and Fergus to look at two rival chefs who apparently both vied for Maria’s affection, only for them… to find little. For while they were both competitive dudes, they didn’t seem to be killers, and any other leads merely showcased chauvinism over bloodlust, and of course… those leads were often roadblocked by another rival private investigator named Harry. Who did everything within his power to steal from Harry and Fergus since they were far more brilliant and far more resourceful than he was and well, that left the case in chaos for a time. That is until the uncomfortable discovery of Maria’s body, and some outlandish clues, allowed for Harry and Fergus… to piece this all together. In that, it wasn’t a man that did these acts, it was in fact, Maria. Who killed a doppelgänger so that her ‘death’ appeared to happen at the hands of a jilted male lover so she could easily escape scrutiny and capture, from her own crimes. Which extended far beyond mere murder. For she was involved in the criminal underground and stole some valuable things from the people she used to keep company with. Which in turn, prompted Harry to make a power play to capture her and bring about justice for the fallen, and teach the other Harry a lesson. One that did the trick, since Maria went to jail, and Harry 2: Investigator Bugaloo was outright embarrassed in a manner befitting his charm and his skillset. Which allowed for a fine ending to come forth, one that truly flipped the script in a wonderful manner, since that was a refreshing and pointed way to involve a woman as the killer. Mainly because, it did not lean into tropes or the nonsense argument that some make, that murder is an act that is heartily shared by all genders. Because while yes, crimes are committed by people from all walks of life, the vast majority gender wise that do it, are men. Plain and simple. And Maria using behaviors embodied by guys that would commit such acts, reinforces that unfortunate reality and gets some conversation going for certain. But that aside, this was quite the episode, one complete with some fascinating twists, such as the arrival of Harry 2.0 and that amazing twist from Paula. Since it would seem Harry did reach her and in doing so, saved Fergus from years of heartache and pain, and well… all of this simply leaves us hungry for more. Because this was a complex and powerful tale as well, one that truly captivated us and left us wondering what other surprises and new characters await us as season three of this dynamic series rolls along. Until next time. Watch ‘Harry Wild’
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
June 2024
|