Written by John Edward Betancourt THE HUNTING PARTY -- "Tom Beecher" Episode 109 -- Pictured: Sara Garcia as Jennifer Morales -- (Photo by: David Astorga/NBC)
Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Nine of ‘The Hunting Party’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
Over the course of the past few weeks, we’ve basically been privy to a reinvention of the serial killer subgenre of storytelling by way of the magnificent new NBC series, The Hunting Party. For this show has taken every single concept that we love from this type of story and put a unique spin upon them. Adding newfound depth to this type of story, alongside moments that have us buzzing and well, that has left us wondering… if this will continue heading into the final two episodes of the season. After all, there are still mysteries involving the Pit to be solved and Shane’s storyline continues to grow, and well, last night’s episode of the series let us know… this wonderful aspect of the show isn’t going anywhere. Because ‘Tom Beecher’ offered up the balance this show thrives within. After all, this is a story that saw Bex finally get her wish and meet Oliver’s contact in the flesh, in a cliffhanger fashion no less. A moment that will push the Pit plot line forward, and this story also answered some more questions regarding Shane’s story. Since he learned that Dr. Dulles spent a lot of time watching over him as a child as well. Something that Shane did not recall, which might have significance because of this episode. But more importantly, those tapes not only revealed that childhood surprise, but that his mother knew of him, saw him, during these sessions through glass, but was told she could not interact with him, for reasons that were not made clear. Of course, in between all of that… was the case in question, and this was engaging and so compelling, simply because… it took the most important element of a serial killer story and toyed with it in a magnificent manner. For power is the end all, be all need for the monsters that kill with impunity in our world, and they thrive upon having the upper hand and controlling the narrative and the lives of their victims. But his story pondered upon what might happen, if the power dynamic between a killer, his victims, and those that were hunting him… was thrown in to disarray? Would that help the heroes? Would that give the killer a new angle to work with? Well as it turned out, the answer was not a good one when all is said and done. For chaos would be the end result, andthat would require someone to step up and take control. Because it turned out that while Tom Beecher… was out of the Pit and going back to his old M.O. Which involved torturing twenty-something women that were brunette and truly at the start of their lives, before killing them in front of a second victim so the cycle could begin anew, something was different about his work this time. Because this time around, he made a lot of rookie mistakes, such as calling the parents of one of his victims, a true staple of patterns, from an unsecured line that allowed the team to trace the call and arrest him at a hotel and save the second victim he had lined up for his special brand of cruelty. All of which was made possible, because Dr. Dulles subjected Beecher to some weird experiments. The kind that Oliver had to use his contact to learn more about, and it turned out, the many brain surgeries he underwent, shattered his memory and left him unable to form new short-term ones.  THE HUNTING PARTY -- "Tom Beecher" Episode 109 -- Pictured: (l-r)Melissa Roxburgh as Rebecca ‘Bex’ Henderson, Josh McKenzie as Shane Florence, Patrick Sabongui as Ryan Hassani -- (Photo by: David Astorga/NBC)
Which meant he did not remember where he left his primary new victim, named Lily, and that left both Beecher and Bex powerless here, and well… that gave Bex a bold idea. Wherein, the team would put Beecher to sleep, because sleep would reset his shattered brain and its memories, and they would return him to his room and restore it to the way it was the day he was arrested, with cameras and sound and a planted victim. To give him the illusion he was on track with this routine, and then of course they could follow him to Lily’s location and end this. A plan that everyone agreed to, and that Morales wanted a part of, as the victim no less. For there was little data for her to decrypt thanks to the nonsense that took place in the Pit and that led to one stunning ending for this particular tale.
One that truly… allowed for Morales to be the hero in this story. Because the plan eventually went south when Beecher came to slowly realize, this was all a setup. Since a hint of graphite left in his van clued him into the fact that someone dusted the van for prints. So, he pulled the team away and threatened Morales and paid the price. Since the team had her ready to fight back and she did, and sadly… because Beecher knew he was cornered, he took the easy way out in this story. Which left the team listless and worried they had no way to save Lily. But the fact that Beecher was humming a particular tune, something Shane pointed out, clued Morales into the fact that such a habit would be how they find their victim. Since that meant he was using the song as a code that she could decipher, and she was right. For embedded in the conversation he had with Lily, one that he scripted, were clues to help him find Lily when he woke in the morning and that helped the team, save another life. But what mattered more here, was that… this was indeed a fresh and delightful spin on the power struggle that often happens in these kinds of stories, that we’ve seen in this series. And it was just amazing to see the killer have no power here and see our heroes be without it as well. Because that did lead to chaos and confusion and the need to figure out how gain it and that left us guessing as to what was going to happen here, and if by chance our heroes would lose out because of Beecher and Dulles’ machinations. Which brings us to the other real gem in this tale, Morales. Because she was the hero of the story, plain and simple, and she used some of her own ties to the very town where Lily went missing as fuel to do something good, to give back when it wasn’t a place, she had the best memories of. Not to mention, she showcased her bravery, her strength and how much she can contribute to the field work in this story, and it would be amazing to see her out with the team down the line. But for now, we can celebrate, just an utterly brilliant and complex episode. Because this one was deeply detailed and stunningly engaging. All courtesy of a simple spin on the power dynamic and truly… this episode leaves us eager for next week’s finale. In part, for the answers that await Bex and Shane, but also… because clearly the writers’ room are saving their best stories for the end of the season, and that’s quite the accomplishment, when one considers the majesty, we’ve been privy to, courtesy of this refreshing new show. Until next time. Watch ‘The Hunting Party’
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