I Am the Night Review: Matador (Season 1 Episode 4)
Serial killers haunt the proceedings on I Am the Night Season 1 Episode 4, “Matador,” as Jay and Fauna are finally on the same side.
It has been a four-episode long wait, but finally the two leads are working together. “Matador” is built around its middle, and because of this, it’s the bulk of what’s most important.
The “happening” (as the invitation reads, which causes humorous responses from both Fauna and Jay) is a particularly unique setting for the show, a 1960’s style art installation with great costume work and some even better music.
I Am the Night doesn’t always take the time to use its setting well, but here it does, spectacularly so.
The injustices of a different time are more prevalent, like how Nero’s death is swept aside as though it never happened when Fauna and Terrence visit where his body is found, or Terrence’s perspective on being late for work.
More of this helps really drive the social narrative around the bigger ideas, and hopefully there’s more of that in the back stretch, as it’s some of the show’s more interesting value.
There’s a level of guilt in Corinna, in the way she phones Jay in the beginning of the episode. She knows something, and it’s eating her up inside. It could be why she allows total strangers cut up her dress at the art show, as a way of penance for past misdeeds.
Perhaps it’s a metaphorical shedding of her past, to allow others to cut away pieces until she is nearly bare. It’s a striking moment that says a lot about Fauna, who does not wish to participate.
It appears to be moments of weakness, as the moment she faces Jay at the end of the episode, she quickly turns security on him. Corinna is a peculiar character, someone who can’t be read fully as she changes herself based on the moment.
The capture of Fauna by Sepp into the death of Sepp by Jay is one crazy sequence, perhaps the season’s most wrenching yet. Even though Jay is one of our protagonists, it can be hard to decipher his joy of being put through hell.
His whoops of excitement as he fights with Sepp is like he is almost enjoying it, the life or death battle at hand. Chris Pine continues to play unhinged in such fascinating bursts, the crazed mixed in with the good in him really making Jay Singletary an unpredictable force of nature in the season.
The final scene, of Jay realizing all of the paintings are of nearly similar murders, is such a great way to close out the episode. It’s a frightening idea, of an art collection being a subliminal hint to one’s true hidden life. The music really helps build the suspense of the scene.
Chris Pine has been wonderful all season, and this episode continues that trend. India Eisley, too, is great this episode. Her breakdown in the bathroom, while brief, is so effective and harrowing.
“Matador” feels like a cleaning up of loose ends so that Jay and Fauna can start to piece together where Tamar is and how Fauna figures into everything.
I Am the Night is at its best when playing to its characters and to its time. An episode with devotion to both is a solid step forward.
Some stray thoughts:
- There appears to be a trend now with threats of sharp objects close to the eye. It happens on I Am the Night Season 1 Episode 3, “Dark Flower,” to Jay and now here, with Fauna.
- Dylan Smith is excellent as Sepp. It’ll be sad to see such a mysterious character go so quickly.
- Jay sees the same devil/bull after he kills Sepp, similar to how George Hodel sees the devil/bull at the end of last episode. Could this be a sign of characters embracing their darkest demons?
- This episode didn’t sell me on happenings, but using “Play With Fire” by The Rolling Stones is an excellent music choice.
- On the plaque which signifies all of the artwork is owned by George Hodel in the club is the bull on its hind legs, like George and Jay see. It’s a blink and you miss it image, but along with the bull skull, it’s a creepy image.
What did you think of this episode of I Am the Night? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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I Am the Night airs Mondays at 9/8c on TNT.
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Kevin Lever
Kevin Lever has been following television closely for most of his life, but in starting to cover it, he has grown a further appreciation. He strives to give the blockbusters their due, and give the lesser known shows a spotlight to find more fans.