Miracle Workers: Oregon Trail Review: Meet the Noonans (Season 3 Episode 5)

Somehow, Todd Aberdeen keeps making us love him with his foolish, selfish demeanor — even when we don’t want to. If anything, Miracle Workers: Oregon Trail Season 3 Episode 5, “Meet the Noonans” teaches us that we can’t be choosy in where we find our comfort while on the trail.

While Todd is definitely taking advantage of the kindness of strangers on this episode, he is merely looking out for his own comfort. Selfish as that may be, it’s also commendable in such times of struggle. He knows what he needs to be less of a burden to his party, so he takes it where he can get it.

The same can be said about Zeke, in his own way. The reverend isn’t a selfish person, but he is hurting over the loss of Prudence in his life. So, like Todd he seeks out comfort wherever he can find it.

Unfortunately, that comfort comes in a fast-paced courtship with one of the Noonan party. Understandably, Pru is very caught off guard by this sudden change, but she’s also not being fair to Zeke.

She can’t one minute tell him there is no way for them to be together so he should move on, and then hate him for doing just that the next. Yes, she can use the guise of friendship to let her jealousy be known, but in the beginning, it is just that — jealousy. 

Honestly, the most surprising moment of this whole charade is when Pru stands aside and pushes Zeke and his new wife back toward the altar. It’s clear that she loves Zeke, but she sacrifices that because it makes him happy. 

This whole affair with Zeke and Pru is hard to keep track of from day to day, but I’m thankful they were able to patch up their friendship by the end. The world just doesn’t make sense with the two of them mad at each other. 

Ideally, I want these two to figure it out and get together, but as Pru states at the start of the episode that isn’t easily done. However, this episode really shows how little Todd thinks of Pru.

She deserves to marry someone who will look at her and want to take on all her problems. Not have a person who says, “this doesn’t sound like a ‘me’ problem.” 

Todd may be entertaining to the viewers, but he’s not a good person. He only cares about himself which is fine, if he were single, but he’s not, he’s married. 

Now, that Zeke is also married the chances of him and Pru ending up together are moving further away. While I love a good unrequited love story this is teetering on sad for the both of them. Their mutual pining makes me want to scoop them up and place them in a setting where they can be together. 

Zeke isn’t the only one with relationship issues. His pal Benny has some trouble of his own with his recently returned daughter, Trig. 

One of the things I am always quick to laud Miracle Workers for is its ability to really understand human experiences. Somehow, the show can take something so innocuous as a parent/child generation gap and apply it to a couple of bandits. 

The whole time they are battling over their different views on how to “bandit,” the thought of similar growing-up battles with my own parent runs through my mind. That’s the beauty of these scenes, they are super relatable to anyone — some more than others. 

We all feel a little something for Benny there in the end because he just wants to be loved and respected by Trig and, in exchange, she throws him to the side and completely dismisses him. Hopefully, by the end of this season, these two will find a way to compromise on their views so that they can be a family again. 

Benny may act like he’s a heartless bandit but we see snippets of the man beneath when Trig leaves him again and when they are dealing with the gunslinger. If he were truly heartless he wouldn’t have dismissed Trig’s idea to immediately kill the guy, instead, he creates a torture scenario.

I know it sounds weird to say that shows Benny’s heart, but it does. By not outright killing the gunslinger, Benny shows that he’d rather the man be alive than dead. 

Once again, Miracle Workers: Oregon Trail sets out to show goodness in a person isn’t always as black and white as we’d like to believe. This season has already been severely attacking that mindset and forcing us to re-evaluate what “good” truly means. 

Stray Thoughts:

• Tim Meadows was a phenomenally fun addition as Jedidiah. He plays off the others very well.
• This show continues to be very chaotic and messy, but that just adds to its charm. 
• Once again we had barely any input from the rest of the townspeople which I feel is a mistake. 
• Every time Jedidiah comes in and tells them to leave room for God I am reminded of The Duggars and other such “famous” religious sects. 

What did you think of this episode of Miracle Workers: Oregon Trail? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Critic Rating:

User Rating:

 

Miracle Workers: Oregon Trail airs Tuesdays at 10:30/9:30c on TBS.

 Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram!

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!

15 of TV’s Most Memorable First Kisses