“The Day That Was The Day” is a horribly titled, slightly clumsy, and yet fitting end to season one. As expected there are a great number of revelations and prominent character evolutions. And, as expected, a great many questions are both left unanswered and asked anew. The every-day issues with the character – the surface level story, in other words – feels a bit forced and contrived. But without a doubt, the episode is at its strongest whenever it veers closest to the show’s overall mythology.

We begin with Ben Hawkins’ inability to save Ruthie. With nowhere else to turn, he asks Lodz for help – who, in turn, directs Hawkins to Management, who in turn tells Hawkins that the two (Management and Hawkins) are “alike.” It is there that Management makes explicit the rules and cost and benefit of Hawkins’ gift: in order for Ruthie to be saved, Hawkins must deliberately take a life. And so Hawkins sets out to try and find someone who isn’t part of the carnival – or in other words, as Samson tells him, someone who “doesn’t matter.”

And this is perhaps the single most compelling element to the episode and the series thus far. What if you had the power to save a person’s life? But in order to do so, you had to take a life? Whose life would you take? What would your criteria or justification be? Could you even take a life at all?

At first Hawkins seems to try to take someone who plainly “doesn’t matter” – an old drunkard at the local tavern. But Hawkins is unable to complete the task – signaling that he isn’t someone who feels comfortable wielding a power over someone else’s death. His next attempt is somewhat more drastic. He decides that he wants Ruthie to live, but that he cannot take someone else’s life. His solution? Suicide.

But after Hawkins slits his throat, something unusual happens. He doesn’t die, as he should have. Instead, Scudder appears and tells Hawkins that “It doesn’t work this way. You are meant for greater things.” And so Hawkins still must choose which life to take – or to take none at all and allow Ruthie to die, forever. His final answer is to confront Management and explain that the two are not alike – that Hawkins will not undo the will of God. But when Management reveals that it was not God who took Ruthie’s life, but rather Lodz, Hawkins finally chooses his sacrifice – and Justice is done.

Or is it?

After Hawkins kills Lodz, Management explains that he and Hawkins really are the same. And though Ruthie is now alive again, did Hawkins do the right thing by committing murder? To what end will such an act lead? Is there any justification for such a murder? Certainly the scene plays out in such a way as to provide at least a measure of understanding for the motivation – if not a justification for the action itself.

The rest of the carnival plot involving Jonesy, Stumpy, Libby, Rita Sue, and Sofie comes to a seemingly deadly conclusion. After learning the truth about Jonesy and Rita Sue, as well as Libby’s knowledge of the affair, Sofie plans an act of revenge. She seduces Libby, and sets up Jonesy to walk in on their intimacy. It’s a singularly vengeful act – that is not without an almost immediate karmic consequence. Upon returning to her trailer, Sofie is grabbed by her mother, who then sets the entire trailer on fire. The episode ends with the lives of Sofie and her mother very much in doubt – as is Jonesy’s life after he dashes into the trailer in an attempt to save them.

As for Brother Justin, his story takes an explicit turn toward evil. First, he employs Tommy Dolan as a means of spreading his message to the masses. Later, Brother Justin confronts his friend, Reverend Balthus about Balthus’ plans to try and “exorcise” a demon from within Justin. During their conversation, Justin explains that every man has at least one act of evil in his lifetime. Using his powers, Justin takes Balthus back in time – back to Balthus’ act of evil.

The revelation?

Reverend Balthus’ act of evil was to save the life of a young boy, a boy who would one day become Brother Justin Crowe. Brother Justin explains that there is no demon within him – rather, he *is* a demon. Brother Justin implores his friend to kill him while he still has a chance, but Balthus cannot.

Overall Grade: B

Despite providing a bit more to the overall exposition, “The Day That Was The Day” maintains the formula as the rest of the season: just enough revelations to keep you interested, just enough questions to keep you interested – but not enough of either to make you satisfied.

Topics: TV Reviews
Filed under: Carnivàle

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