Wynonna Earp Review: Blood Red and Going Down (Season 3 Episode 1)
On Wynonna Earp Season 3 Episode 1, “Blood Red and Going Down,” vampires stroll into town, and they kick off this season with one swanky party. It’s always fun seeing Purgatory get all dressed up, and the townsfolk have some very fancy outfits hiding in their closets, even Nedley.
The best part of the vampires is their purple fog and their ability to glamour people. Other than that, they are kind of a letdown.
They have zero fighting skills. Yes, Wynonna coming through the window like a badass Earp heir is unexpected and awesome, but the vampires don’t even try to fight back. One of them hides under a cloth, which is such a Scooby Doo move.
Nedley: It’s about time we had some vampires up in here.
Maybe it’s my love of Buffy the Vampire Slayer that makes me expect a bit more of a fight, but it’s disappointing to see the vampires basically helpless. All they do is glamour people. Get a new trick.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s fun watching everyone under the vampires’ spells. They still maintain a bit of themselves and then wrestle with what their own heart wants with what the glamour is telling them to do.
What did you think of the vampires?
Jeremy: I have to ask, thoughts on Twilight?
Of course Bulshar has a creepy cult following. He wouldn’t be the Original Demon if he didn’t!
Curiously, the cult has been active while Bulshar has been underground, and they’ve been murdering people all over.
It’s a relief that Waverly asks the logistics question, and it’s even more of a relief that Nicole figures out that she might have been a survivor of the cult.
Seriously, it is instantly obvious that Nicole has personal ties from the moment she admits that Bulshar’s name rang a bell. It would have been annoying if this was dragged out, and the twist that Nicole herself doesn’t remember is much better than the alternative that she was hiding this from the Earps.
This is a cool and creepy way to learn more about Nicole’s past. The last time we did, we learned about her secret wife, and this time around it looks like we’ll just be learning about a horribly traumatic experience.
You just never know what Nicole Haught is going to reveal next.
In all seriousness, it’s great that we are diving into Nicole’s backstory. She’s a valued and beloved member of the team, and we don’t know that much about her.
Her connection to the Bulshar cult is an exciting way to learn more about Bulshar and his followers. It was expected that we would learn about him from the Earps and the new (and apparently mentally unstable) Mama Earp, but Nicole’s connection comes out of left field.
The only remaining question is whether or not Dolls knew about Nicole’s connection to the cult. His line about there not being any survivors sets things up way too nice, and either it’s just a less than amazing writing choice, or Dolls knows a thing or two.
Nicole: I asked Dolls, and he gave me some old BBD files.
Wynonna: Dolls.
Nicole: Yeah.
Wynonna: Agent Xavier Pamela Dolls?
Nicole: Pretty sure his middle name’s not Pamela.
Wynonna: Do you know what it is?
Wynonna being shocked that Dolls gave Nicole all the BBD files suggests that Dolls knows what happened to Nicole. What’s your theory?
It’s been four months since the events of Wynonna Earp Season 2 Episode 12, and the decision to send baby Alice away is still affecting everyone.
Wynonna and Doc are not their normal selves. It’s heartbreaking to see the two of them in such a weird place. The fact that Wynonna is willing to pull all-nighters to train with Doc just so he will touch and talk to her proves how badly she needs him right now.
Waverly joked back on Wynonna Earp Season 1 Episode 4 that Wynonna was “awfully needy for a lone wolf,” and these days, Wynonna is less and less of a lone wolf.
She went through something traumatic last season, and she relied on her team, her family, more than ever.
Wynonna doesn’t want to go through giving up Alice alone. She needs her family and Doc to help her get through this.
It’ll be interesting to see how Alice continues to change everyone, Wynonna especially. It is nice to see her lean on those around her for support.
It doesn’t make her any less of a badass hero. It simply makes her human.
This is not the introduction to Mama Earp that I was expecting.
Wynonna: He put a curse on our family.
Mama Earp: No, no, he put a curse on the Earps.
Wynonna: Okay, well you married one.
She’s clearly been touched by the demon, which begs the question, is Mama Earp fully human? Maybe she underwent a traumatic cult experience like Nicole did.
Aww, this could be a way for Mama Earp to bond with her future daughter-in-law! What are your theories on what’s going on with Mama Earp?
Thankfully, Wynonna didn’t tell Waverly about what happened to their mom because she was following her father’s orders. It wouldn’t have felt right if Wynonna found Mama Earp years later and decided not to tell Waverly.
It would have been a blow to their relationship. Waverly will still be upset that she’s been told a lie, but I imagine she’ll be less angry knowing her dad made the decision, not Wynonna.
Stray Thoughts:
- Domestic Wayhaught is already my favorite.
- Doc and Contessa’s storyline is boring, but Contessa’s headpiece is amazing.
- Any theories on why the shindig is thrown at the Gardner house. Is it the nicest house around or is there a bigger meaning behind it?
What did you think of this episode of Wynonna Earp? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!
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Wynonna Earp airs Fridays at 9/8c on Syfy.
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Allison Nichols
Allison is in a love affair with television that doesn't seem to be letting up anytime soon. Slightly damaged fictional characters are her weakness. She loves to spend her free time curled up with a cat and a show to binge-watch. Allison is a Tomatometer-approved critic (Rotten Tomatoes).