Legacies Review: This Is What It Takes (Season 3 Episode 5)
Hope’s forced to face the truth on Legacies Season 3 Episode 5, “This Is What It Takes,” as she enters the therapy box in an attempt to solve her issue. Meanwhile, Josie takes a tour of Mystic Falls High, and Lizzie gets a campy makeover.
The darker the show gets with its storylines, the more intrigued I become, and this episode is the darkest I’ve seen it be. The campy slasher film vibe is played off exceptionally well by Danielle Rose Russell. The campy horror is incredible and downright horrifying.
Legacies has had its fair share of horror in the series, but I think this is the most graphic it’s been when it comes to watching murders. Ethan’s body breaking as he’s thrown against trees and the ground is not a scene that I will soon forget, but that’s not a bad thing.
This episode will be one that is re-watched by myself many times in the future. The only thing that would make it better would be cutting the episode into two parts so we’d be able to enjoy the campiness a bit longer.
“This Is What It Takes” magnificently furthers the storyline as we see the Salvatore school shut down for three weeks as a select few search for Landon. Landon’s disappearance has affected the entire school, and I think that Alaric shutting the school down to focus on the hunt for Landon showcases his importance.
It’s revealed at the end of the episode that Landon is walking in an endless void of darkness until a magical door manifests out of nowhere as the artifact Hope wishes on begins to work. It isn’t confirmed that he’s stuck in Malivore, but that’s my best guess as to where he’s been stuck since he “died.”
I don’t think that deep down, Hope will ever come to terms with the fact that Landon is gone, even if the therapy box has forced her to believe it even more. At this point, I’m not sure Landon and his phoenix self will ever truly die.
One plot point that disturbs and upsets me is the storyline between MG and Alyssa. I mean, c’mon, at this point, it’s as if these characters don’t deserve stories that will last more than one episode. We just saw Alyssa and MG talk about having a relationship, and now she’s sleeping with Jed in the next episode.
I understand three weeks went by in the show, so “technically” it’s not just over in one day, but it’s exhausting not to have any action shown. Why could there not be one episode where we see them together as an official couple before we throw sleeping around into the mix.
The constant switch up, honestly, makes me care less about the relationship between MG/Alyssa/Lizzie because it’s an afterthought that’s not seen much on screen. We’ve seen plenty of MG pining over Lizzie throughout the series, so if the love triangle is still in effect, why not show it in action?
Josie’s character development is probably one of the storylines that I’m looking forward to the most because we haven’t seen her live a completely normal life all by herself yet. She’s taken her magic away, but switching to a human school where there’s no magic whatsoever is a fresh start for her that I think will be good.
Lizzie’s character progression is a personal favorite of mine because while she may have a ways to go still, it’s nice to look back on the earlier seasons and see how far she’s come. Giving up her comfortability of having Josie away to encourage Josie to do better things for herself is a beautiful sight.
Lizzie’s sweet moment where she gifts Josie an outfit for her new school is one of my favorite moments on the episode. Also, her hair in the therapy box is a classic that I hope we get to revisit one day.
What did you think of this episode of Legacies? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Legacies airs Thursdays at 10/9c on The CW.
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Cade Taylor
Cade Taylor is a television and film critic living in St. Louis, Missouri. He is a Senior Writer for Tell-Tale TV. His love for television developed at a young age, with a concentration on queer stories, sitcoms, teen dramas, and science fiction thrillers. In addition, he works full-time as a news producer, telling the stories of Missourians and helming "Produced in the Bi-State," a segment spotlighting actors, musicians, and entertainers from the St. Louis area. He can be reached by email at cade@telltaletv.com.