‘The Peripheral’ Recap: ‘The Doodad’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Seven of ‘The Peripheral’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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It is definitely safe to say, that the Prime Video series, The Peripheral, has offered up a masterclass in slow-burning storytelling. For over the course of the past seven weeks, we’ve only received a handful of answers regarding what’s going on and why Flynne Fisher is so critical to the devastating future that awaits humanity. So that the series could take its time in building its rich and magnificent world, and truly help us to get to know the characters and connect with them. But eventually, answers do have to come our way and lingering plot threads have to be resolved and well, it just so happens that the penultimate episode of season one of this series, opted to begin to bring answers and resolution into focus. 
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For ‘The Doodad’ is a story that was filled to the brim with all of that, and most of our answers came forth in the future. For we came to learn that Inspector Lowbeer is looking for allies in the fight against Cherise, and it would seem that Flynne and her brother, and Connor could help her with that. Because she knew something suspicious was up, she just didn’t know what exactly. But as it turned out, Ash was the one who finally gave us clarity on a great deal of our questions. Since she eventually revealed to Zubov that Flynne’s mental and physical issues in the present, was due to her mind being full of critical data. The kind that could alter the past and give the Neoprims what they want. Making her critical to the future of humanity.

However, while that alone could have carried this episode from beginning to end, there were other plot threads in ‘present day’ that needed resolution. For instance, the whole mess with Tommy. Because something in his gut told him that something was awry with everything that was happening, and that pushed him to dig deeper and find the truth and sadly… he uncovered the corruption in this town and was asked to take part in it and deny his own morals agency. But he couldn’t stand for that, nor could he stand for a Sheriff that was on the take and that drove Tommy to do the unthinkable and take the law into his own hands. A move that speaks to what he is truly capable of and how far everyone has pushed him and oddly enough, this whole mess tied into another big problem/unresolved plot thread in ‘modern day.’

Because the only reason Tommy was dealing with both men, was because Pickett wanted revenge for what happened to his wife at Bob’s hands. Which meant, Bob did indeed escape the Pickett Estate and opted to resume his mission and he thought the best way to go after Flynne and Burton, was to go after their mother. Who had Reece take her to the doctor while her kids were in the future, because her sight had faded again and of course, Bob followed and attacked and used Reece to bait his targets into his lair, which in this case was the waiting room of the Urgent Care. But thankfully, Burton knew something was wrong and was able to use his skills to bring down Bob at last, putting an end to another threat and really… that’s the key regarding resolution in this tale.

In that, getting corruption and an assassin of the way, clears the path for Cherise and Flynne to finally handle the bad blood between them, and resolve the mess revolving around the data that is giving Flynne trouble inside of her head. Which makes this a pivotal and important tale for certain. One that did a great job of answering our questions and setting the stage for what should be an epic season finale. Because having the fate of humanity hang in the balance of an everyday person caught up in something fantastical, is about as epic as it gets and well, that means we will be counting down the minutes to next week’s finale, so we can see exactly how this grand and sweeping season is going to come to a close. Until next time.

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