Written by John Edward Betancourt THE HUNTING PARTY -- "Denise Glenn" Episode 108 -- Pictured: (l-r) Nick Wechsler as Oliver Odell, Melissa Roxburgh as Rebecca 'Bex' Henderson -- (Photo by: David Astorga/NBC)
Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Eight of ‘The Hunting Party’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
One particular goal that each and every one of us hope to accomplish in our lifetime, is that we leave behind a powerful legacy. For there is a part of us that fully understands that life is short and that the end is an inevitability, and if we are able to leave our mark upon the world… we can live forever and be remembered in a wondrous manner. So, we push toward making that happen, and so many support that. Because it is at its core, a positive goal to push toward. One that oddly, we don’t bother to acknowledge is sometimes used in the darkest ways possible. Because some individuals understand their souls are so rotten, they’ll be forgotten when they’re gone, and because of that… history is littered with sour legacies as well. Ones so bad that we sometimes wonder… what the world would look like if someone stepped in, to stop them before they could cause harm, and that is why we turn to fiction. Since that’s a place where catharsis for such matters lie, and that’s why this week’s episode of The Hunting Party on NBC is of note. Because ‘Denise Glenn’ offered that catharsis through a harrowing story, full of twists and turns. For at first, it seemed as though this story was going to offer up a little status quo. In that, another monster from The Pit was back in the saddle again. Because a body that harbored the work of Denise Glenn, a serial killer who paid tribute to Greek icons/muses through her artful murders, popped up in her old stomping grounds. But there was just one problem with that assumption. In that, Denise did not do it. For she was found in the rubble, and she was placed behind bars, and that meant… a copycat of sorts was poking about. Someone who was clearly looking to complete her mission since she originally planned to offer nine tributes to nine muses and was stopped at six. But that seemed impossible, since it would require someone to intimately know a killer who was locked away, and the only close interaction she ever had, was through silence and sight. Since some of the killers and monsters in the Pit were tasked with watching her create art, for their own therapy. Which meant, in order to get answers and to stop this copycat/’hero’ worshipper, Bex was going to have to come face to face with Denise and that led… to some amazing storytelling.  THE HUNTING PARTY -- "Denise Glenn" Episode 108 -- Pictured: Janet Kidder as Denise Glenn -- (Photo by: David Astorga/NBC)
Simply because, we enjoyed another tribute to Silence of the Lambs, plus… we were up close and personal, with a fascinating psychopath. For Denise loved to play games with people and see their reactions and see how best to best them mentally. Because she was depraved. But she also understood… that having someone else finish her work, would give her that sour legacy and let her be poured over for all time. But alas, she simply did not count upon dealing with Bex. Who was able to match Denise mentally, and discover, that a brief interaction after the Pit collapsed, allowed for Denise to anoint her successor. But since the team was now one step ahead with a name and a face, that never came to pass, and that monster was denied a legacy of any sort… and more… courtesy of a surprise ending.
But what mattered more, was that this story correctly pointed out, thanks to the brilliant writing of Keto Shimizu and David Loong, that legacy is something we all crave, be us good or rotten people and that when the right people stand tall in the face of those who want to leave a bloody mark to write theirs… true wonders can be accomplished. Which made for a brilliant episode, that still had more to offer. Granted, it was a little lighter on the Silo storyline, since all that came forth was an understanding that the Pit also has ties to a private pharmaceutical company, but that’s okay. Because in lieu of that… we got answers regarding Shane and his quest. Since we learned that he was adopted, and that he had deep ties to Dr. Dulles, who spent time counseling Shane in his youth and believed he could find Shane’s parents. So, Shane was sticking around and told that lie to find answers. Which was a relief to discover, since it means Shane remains noble and oddly… answers might be coming his way since Sarah was nice enough to hand over tapes that her father recorded of their sessions. All of which brought forth, just a magnificent episode when all is said and done. Because this one really did offer up an epic cat and mouse game between Bex and Denise and it was a real treat to watch Bex carefully read her and figure out how to best her. Not to mention, this is a story that saw little internal tension for a change, as though this team is now more than a motley crew squished together, but a well-oiled machine that is starting to respect one another and work with a flow that can only do good down the line, and that’s a good thing. Because with only two episodes left in the season, this team is likely waiting to face its biggest challenges and unity always helps in such matters, and it will be fascinating to see what hideous monsters and struggles lie ahead as season one inches toward its end. Until next time. Watch ‘The Hunting Party’
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