Miracle Workers: Dark Ages Review: Help Wanted (Season 2 Episode 2)
Quacks come in different forms, and they’re both equally represented on Miracle Workers: Dark Ages Season 2 Episode 2, “Help Wanted,” as both Al and Prince Chauncley learn valuable lessons about telling the truth.
The episode is marvelously low stakes with both of its storylines, a nice, welcome pace that suits the show well. The show is happy to bask in the pain of its subjects, and thankfully, the show captures a lot of fun on that front.
ph: Stanislav Honzík/TBS.
Chauncley’s lesson of guilt comes rather late in life, but there’s no time like the present to find some conscience. His over-protectiveness over his ducks leans toward excessive greed, but when your father has the moniker “The Heartless,” it’s to be expected that some important emotions will develop late and need a concerted effort to reveal themselves.
One of the more endearing relationships on the show is the one Chauncley shares with Lord Vexler. On Miracle Workers: Dark Ages Season 2 Episode 1, “Graduation,” Vexler treats Chauncley with dismissive annoyance, whereas here he’s more a disgruntled babysitter trying his best to appease a child’s wishes. This new, exasperated side is a fun little character trait, where he’s helping commit a cruelty onto Mikey, but he’s passing the blame onto Chauncley.
Chauncley appears to see the error of his ways, at least for this specific issue. He isn’t entirely rid of his disrespect for those that live outside of his means, as he shows with his jacket and Mikey’s frigidity. But he’s on a journey of baby steps, and he’s at least two steps forward from where he’s been before so far.
ph: Stanislav Honzík/TBS.
Mikey may be the victim of Chauncley’s greed, but he is rather spirited for someone who only befriends worms and ducks. It’s a credit to the writing and Jon Bass’ performance, both bringing a strange amount of heart and warmth to such a ridiculous scenario. At least Al and their father Ed have his back, although Ed’s a little too enthusiastic about castration as a means of fixing Mikey’s cold.
Al’s journey throughout the episode feels like a rehash of the previous, where she’s learning her place in the world and where potential leaves her falling flat on her face. But the doctor apprenticeship at least brings a new layer of insanity to the show, where the fake doctor’s answer to everything, including colds, appears to be genital-based.
Al’s hope of finding her place leaves her in the strange position of being good enough, and being smart enough, but the world she lives in isn’t ready for her yet. Quiz night is proving that science and knowledge do not have a place when explanations and theories haven’t come to light yet, some centuries ahead.
ph: Stanislav Honzík/TBS.
The comedy on the edges of the show continues the trend of bolstering the main pieces of Miracle Workers along the way. The prophet at the pub is such a remarkably strange character, and the way he plays himself off as Al and Maggie’s friend is a fun little way to add a wealth of character to effectively bit parts. The trio of bullies that are always there to point out Al’s failures is also so simple but effective.
Miracle Workers: Dark Ages Season 2 Episode 2, “Help Wanted,” is all about doing what’s right, even if it hurts. Al loses her prestige in town by being truthful about the fraud doctor, and Chauncley loses a friend by learning that sharing benefits others.
Though the show has them mostly separated so far when compared to the first season, Al and Chauncley are on similar paths of self-discovery, and it’s through their failures and small victories where the wealth of Miracle Workers shines.
Some stray thoughts on the episode:
- Prince Chauncley’s hair turns out to be a wig, and it’s just Daniel Radcliffe’s regular haircut underneath. It’s a clever little moment that doesn’t add much, but it’s funny, and that’s what counts.
- The crazy doctor is somewhat of a tired joke, but the manic performance and Geraldine Viswanathan’s reactions to his medical suggestions really hold those scenes together.
- The talk show in the middle of town to break the whistleblower scoop is such an oddly specific joke, but it works with how serious the show takes such a silly concept.
- The moment of Mikey losing his worm friend to the cart wheel is both the funniest and saddest moment of the episode. It’s perfect comedic timing, and becomes the best laugh of the episode.
What did you think of this episode of Miracle Workers: Dark Ages? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Miracle Workers: Dark Ages airs Tuesdays at 10:30/9:30c on TBS.
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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.