This Killjoys review contains spoilers.
Killjoys Season 5 Episode 3
“Great. An unstoppable replicating alien clone army.”
So Khlyen may turn out to be a hero after all, and Lucy finally shows herself in human form moments before giving Johnny and the team what it needs to defeat The Lady. “Three Killjoys and a Lady” comes through with another highly satisfying Killjoys episode, but the fear is that we’re being set up for a lengthy back and forth struggle between Dutch and The Lady’s goal to take over Westerly.
Still, there’s a lot to like, not the least of which is the clarity regarding Jaq’s role in the alien’s master plan. As the first Hullen/human hybrid, Jaq becomes the narrative focal point around which all other storylines will likely converge, but there’s still room to address some of the more personal issues. Though it’s clearly more than mere fan indulgence, the quiet moments Dutch and D’avin deserve unfortunately never really gain much traction. John’s frustration as he investigates the hatchling samples interrupts any chance the couple has to open up about their feelings for each other. He doesn’t do it deliberately, but it’s impossible to ignore the residual memories John has of his marriage to Yala.
And what of those memories? There’s never been a question of the love Johnny and Dutch have for each other, but it’s always been restricted to the friend zone. The younger Jaqobis presents the face of a man who’s lost his wife and now must cope with the loss of Lucy after the ship’s AI sacrifices itself to help stop The Lady. Though they’ve all recovered their memories, it’s Johnny who’s left wondering how much of his marriage to Dutch was emotionally real. Nevertheless, the witty banter in which Johnny and Lucy frequently engage will be sorely missed, and it will be interesting to see whether we get to witness the birth of a new relationship between the crew and a nascent ship’s AI.
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While the debate about whether Lucy was a person is best left for another day, there’s no mistaking the fact that Dutch and D’avin have quite a bit to work out about their relationship. Conventional wisdom leads us to believe that this has been nothing more than a “friends with benefits” situation, but tonight that assessment seems to have changed. Of course, much of the episode is spent watching the three attempt to determine whether The Lady has moved her consciousness into one of them, and then later back away from accusations made in the heat of the moment. It’s a well-worn narrative technique that works only because of the virtually unbreakable bond these three have formed over their years together. But it’s D’avin’s awkward attempt to apologize to Dutch for things he said in the heat of the moment that feels more like an effort to tell her he loves her.
Despite the frustrations inherent in watching the team play “Who’s Got The Lady,” we still learn a lot about this alien creature and her plan to use “the first born” and cloning technology to provide hosts for her hatchlings. Though we didn’t have it pinpointed, we’ve suspected Jaq’s importance for some time now which makes it difficult to only hear about him rather than see him within the narrative’s context. Yes, both D’avin and Delle Seyah commit to protect their son, but it’s time to show us rather than tell us.
Killjoys interview: Hannah John-Kamen on Heroes and Villains
How Khlyen moves about in this ever changing world remains a bit of a mystery, but he does explain to D’avin that The Lady’s children can only live in specific atmospheres, hence her desire to find a body that can “live in all of them.” However, asking D’avin to keep his presence a secret from Dutch forces us to reconsider Khlyen’s motives. Though it appears Khlyen is playing both sides here, his allegiance has always been to Dutch which makes Jaq’s fate in all this even more intriguing. Surely he understands the significance of allowing The Lady to get her hands on Jaq, but this is Khlyen, a man whose intentions rarely become clear until they do.
What would Killjoys be without some sexual banter to break the rising tension, but tonight the writers mix things up a bit. When the boys find Dutch naked save for the towel strategically wrapped around her, we know we’re not going THERE. The puzzled expressions on Johnny and D’avin’s faces quickly disappear when the absolute beauty of Dutch’s plan here becomes clear. Lucy automatically goes into privacy mode any time there are two or more naked bodies together in a room, and since Dutch posits that Lucy may, in fact, be the problem here, what better way to discuss how to approach this dilemma. It’s a mildly titillating scene for sure, but its tactical brilliance outweighs that aspect.
Splitting up the core team for too long rarely plays well, so it’s time to bring Kendry, Jaq, Pree, and the others back together with their memories intact. Khlyen’s role in this final season has been intriguing to say the least and given that Aneela created Dutch out of the green, it’s certainly reasonable to accept The Lady can resurrect a dead guy as well. Nonetheless, with The Lady’s stormtroopers boarding Lucy and the trio marching into a supermax prison, it feels as if we’re entering capture/escape mode one too many times.
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While a perfectly enjoyable forty-three minutes of television, “Three Killjoys and a Lady” makes it feel as if we’re treading water in the fight to stop The Lady from taking over Westerly. There’s plenty of time to rectify that, and since Killjoys rarely disappoints, there’s no need to worry at this point.
Dave Vitagliano has been writing and podcasting about science fiction television since 2012. You can read more of his work here. He presently hosts the Sci Fi Fidelity podcast.
