‘The Mosquito Coast’ Recap: ‘Talk About the Weather’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 203 of ‘The Mosquito Coast’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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One particularly difficult challenge that we deal with in our youth, is disappointment that stems from a broken promise from a parent. For we trust our parents implicitly when we are young, so to have them promise us the world, only to not deliver on that, is unsettling for certain, but it does teach us a great deal later on in life. Specifically, how we should never put all of our hope into a singular concept or destination, so that we don’t experience the wholesale disappointment we do as a child. But what is truly fascinating about this lesson, is that it tends to be far more subtle than we give it credit in the moment. Since disappointment for a child, tends to be related to experiences that aren’t quite as devastating as one might expect, because of how our expectations, and needs and wants in our youth, do not mirror those as an adult. 
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But there are folks in their youth that are devastated by this. Courtesy of parents that aren’t good at their job or who outright disappoint their children in an impactful and hurtful manner and that can have a profound impact on a young mind and put them in a tough place mentally or physically if the disappointment is that bad. If anything, that uglier and harsher side to this lesson is top of mind today, because it is precisely what Dina and Charlie experienced in the next episode of The Mosquito Coast on Apple TV+, shortly after they finally arrived at their destination in ‘Talk About the Weather’. For they finally set foot in the colony their father promised them would give them everything they could hope for and more and well… it didn’t take that long for disappointment to settle into their minds and hearts over finally coming to the end of this journey.

Because… all they dealt with in this place, was hard labor. For that was what the colony’s leader, a woman named Isela, wanted from the folks that settled in this place. All so they would understand the value of a hard day’s work and how it impacted a community in need. But that wasn’t what Charlie and Dina, or Margot needed in the slightest. For Charlie needed mental health care because of the horrible things he’d experienced recently, and Dina needed her freedom and a chance to forge her own path and quite frankly… so did her mother. So, it didn’t take long for devastating disappointment to settle in. For their new home didn’t provide any of them with what Allie promised, and that put Charlie in a tough place mentally and everyone else for that matter as well. Which in turn, prompted a bold plan from Margot and Dina. 

Wherein they quietly worked to gather gasoline and other supplies to restock and refuel the trawler. All in the hopes of escaping this place and finding their own way, and it wasn’t a bad thing that they were taking part in such an act. Because not only was Charlie teetering in a manner that made it clear he needed to be away from this colony, but somewhere safe and stable… but Bill was still searching for them to settle that old score. But also, because… it was apparent now to all of them, that Allie no longer cared what they wanted or needed. It was all about him and his needs and wants and that was not acceptable to Margot and Dina and unfortunately for them… their hopes for escape were dashed in this tale by their father. For he agreed to have the trawler sold and when he came to discover that it was being refueled and restocked, he opted to just… sink the old gal and make a show of it. To exert power over his family and to further force compliance, and that was stunning for certain.

Since it only further complicated an already bad situation. Which was a powerful way to close out a cerebral tale. One that truly hammered home the episode’s central theme on the devastation that can come forth when a parent truly lets their child down. Because the family was simply besides themselves over learning that this place was for dad and not for them, and the emotional damage that stems from that, sets the stage for a very different type of season of storytelling. One that makes Allie Fox the heavy of sorts, because of his selfish nature and it also makes him powerless now to stop the conflict he’s created. For there’s no way his family believes in him beyond this moment, and it will be fascinating to see how quickly the divide grows and how the family treats Allie going forward now that the ultimate disappointment has been gifted to them. Until next time.

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