‘Lodge 49’ Recap: ‘Circles’

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

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As time goes on and I consume more and more television shows in this magnificent era of peak television, I’m starting to notice that some shows are missing an important mark when it comes to something that is supremely paramount to storytelling as a whole; in that, they’re just not connecting with their audiences on an emotional level. Which is understandable because so many shows want to rise above and be seen, and gimmicks and big names make that happen. But what these shows often forget, is that the ones that are beloved and talked about and remembered in timeless fashion are the ones that resonate with us on a fundamental level and in essence, speak to our souls, and that’s precisely why I’m such a fan of AMC’s Lodge 49.
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Because this is a series that understands the importance of connecting with its audience and it has accomplished this particular feat by holding nothing back when it comes to its examination of the human condition. For the best and worst parts of life are on display in this tale and our character’s responses to the trauma and triumph of life is what makes this series so compelling and so powerful because they handle it in flawed fashion, like the rest of us. But what also allows for this series to stand out above the rest, is that it consistently focuses on finding the good in the world, something that it inadvertently asks the audience to seek out as well, and it just so happens that last night’s episode of the series took this examination to a whole new level by offering up a unique and bittersweet tale that hammered home some powerful messages.

But before we dive too deeply into all of that, let’s celebrate the fact that ‘Circles’ took the time to confirm something important when it comes to the mythos surrounding this series in that, the Scrolls are real and Jackie Loomis was the one responsible for retrieving them from London all those years ago and that’s quite cool to know. But that’s really the only plot point we need to cover in great detail in this recap, because we need to celebrate what this story accomplished when it comes to Jackie’s journey, and Liz’s for that matter as well. Because these two ladies kicked off a grand and beautiful exploration when it comes to the messages I made mention of a moment ago, and the first big one that it dove into, is one that has permeated the fabric of this series from the get-go, in that, it’s damn important that we have something to believe in. 

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Because both Jackie and Liz were lost at various points within this story. For Jackie was trapped in a world where her genius and tenacity were constantly overshadowed by the fragile ego of men and Liz has been searching for something more for as long as we’ve known her on this show and seeing them both find something inspirational to latch onto in their lives was magnificent for certain. For believing in the Scrolls and the possibility that they might provide Jackie and Larry with a better life unlocked her potential like never before and brought out the best in her and Liz’s discovery at Orbis allowed for her to realize that there’s true magic and beauty in this world and that gave her clarity and focus and it was lovely to see her start a journey of discovery and it was equally as wonderful that we were able to share in Jackie’s strength, and I also enjoyed how the message present here was handled in subtle and smooth fashion.
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Which is quite important since the second message in this story wasn’t subtle in the slightest. In fact, it was a little tough to swallow since this episode took the time to remind us in blunt fashion that the world is sometimes a rough place, one that takes us down paths we don’t always want to go. And that people are the key to surviving this difficult part of the journey that is life, because our family and our friends and the friends we call family are there to prop us up and keep us going when life is rough and we saw that everywhere in this tale. For Larry kept Jackie going and everyone at the lodge kept Dud rolling and Liz’s restaurant buds propped her up time and time again in this story, and even Scott tried to make it clear how much Connie makes his life better by putting on a one man show for her. If anything, this was just a wonderful reminder to cherish the people we have in our lives and this particular message made the closing moments of this tale all the more relevant and powerful.

If anything, this might be my favorite episode of the series to date. Because you just don’t see television shows work this hard to remind us of the beauty of the world that’s right in front of us and offer up ways for us to find a little direction when things are going rough and I won’t lie, the beauty and the power of this tale definitely brought some tears to my eyes. Which means that kudos have to go out to writer Peter Ocko for putting together this layered and brilliant screenplay, and director Althea Jones for masterfully bringing it to life, all while helping the actors to refine their incredible performances since Sonya Cassidy and Cara Mantella put on an acting clinic in this one, and I simply cannot praise this episode enough. Because it is just rare to enjoy a story this intelligent and relatable, but this one pulled such a feat off with minimal effort and I really cannot wait until next Monday, so I can lose myself in this powerful series once again. 

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