Coroner Review: One Drum (Season 2 Episode 5)
On Coroner Season 2 Episode 5, “One Drum,” Alison and Ennis have one of the most authentic relationships that we’ve seen between a city official and a witness/victim on a procedural series.
It adds a little bit of beauty to an otherwise tragic and heavy episode.
The trust that Ennis gives Alison when he tells her his foster father beat him is earned, though we must concede that bonds like this are usually formed too quickly to be 100% realistic no matter what.
But Alison will probably never see Ennis again, so they only have about 15 minutes on-screen. Given those restraints, their connection is impressive.
It makes sense that though Ennis has only sung on the episode before confessing to Alison that the mass shooter at church is his brother. I’d trust the woman who spoke my native language too if I were him.
Coroner connects its cases to the people that we see every week and care about most so flawlessly.
The mass shooting and Ennis help us learn more about Alison’s history and what motivates her to do her job. Through River, systematic racism and abuse against native people are at least mentioned.
Plus, since she fell asleep at work and tampered with a piece of evidence while sleepwalking at work, Jenny is forced to finally deal with that issue.
It’s quite concerning that Jenny waits until it’s nearly too late to address such an important problem, but we won’t deny that this is human nature. Plus, the opening scene of Jenny nearly burning her stove and house down juxtaposed with Ennis singing “Ave Maria” is downright cinematic.
It would’ve been nice to understand more clearly why Jenny is sleepwalking in the middle of the episode because her dream sequence is confusing, and it’s hard to understand how she gets the gun without anyone stopping her.
But we understand why Coroner goes for shock value here.
Scenes outside of the Coroner’s Bureau are annoying. They have a purpose, but Ennis and Jenny’s stories are more compelling.
Gordon is right that the sound of Liam’s power tools is obnoxious. But it’s Kelly who is the most unwelcome part of the episode.
She hasn’t exactly done anything to give us a valid reason to dislike her. But we’ve predicted she’s trouble from Coroner Season 2 Episode 4, “Unburied.” The way she blatantly flirts with Liam on the episode confirms we’re right.
We hope that after the sleep study Jenny can open her eyes and see that her friend is trying to steal her man. There is a good reason not to mix business with pleasure, Jenny.
We’ll only cut her some slack because she’s actually facing up to her sleepwalking problem.
Autopsy Notes
- Any mass shooting with victims is tragic. But it is at least a little bit comforting to know the shooter’s motive. Too often in the U.S., mass shooters only have destruction and pain on their minds. Ernest did this for his brother.
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Coroner airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on The CW.
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Esme Mazzeo
Esme Mazzeo is a lifestyle and entertainment journalist from Long Island. When she's not writing for work, she's writing for fun, or searching for something to satisfy her sweet tooth. She thinks rainy days are the best kind of days. Certified night owl.