Happy Town - Slight of Hand, S01E04

Although Happy Town was pulled after only 2 episodes, we still get to watch the remainder of the season this June. I, for one, am glad because I really want to know who the Magic Man is. Unfortunately, I suspect that will be the only real answer we get. Writers really have to work harder when dealing with this kind of story. Yes, Lost was a huge success, with millions desperate to know what all the secrets were, but most shows don't have that kind of success.

You need to give enough for the audience to relate to and to grab on to before you descend into a world of bizarre insanity.

But Happy Town plunged right into the insanity. In the episode before this, new sheriff, Tom Conroy (Geoff Stults) lost his wife, Rachel (Amy Acker) to the Magic Man. Before this, the Conroy family had supported those who had lost loved ones, had done their best to find them, but now they are affected personally.

The thing I really liked about this episode was the slight of hand that the episode was named after. When a hand was discovered in the bread factory, wearing Rachel's rings, the township learnt that at least one, if not all, of the previous kidnapping victims were still alive. The hope felt by the families was overwhelming and absolutely appropriate. For years, they had been trying to accept that their loved ones were dead, but now they have the opportunity for renewed hope, a hope which they had never been able to give up on because they loved one was never found.

Searching for those missing persons, going back to the beginning, doing what the Magic Man wanted, Tommy got his wife back. Is it too good to be true? And she doesn't remember anything, where she was or how she disappeared. I hope we do learn how that works.

So 4 more episodes, 4 more chances for answers, but more likely those 4 chances will be used to complicate things even more. I remain sad that that is it, but there are a lot of shows which are about this good, but they need to be better and they need to be special.