Big Sky Review: The Shipping News (Season 2 Episode 13)
Big Sky Season 2 Episode 13, “The Shipping News,” is a dark and violent one that manages to stay cohesive while keeping up a heart-racing pace.
It has a lot to do with Jenny anchoring it all, including some really superb side plots with Bhullar and Co.—y’all, I fear for Tonya’s life.
The family drama escalates as Daddy Bhullar wields his power as a drug lord intent on moving his operations to the mountain town. Bob continues to creepily wreak havoc and Travis unwittingly gets in deeper with the crime family.
Something Big Sky has excelled at in the past is providing legit jaw-dropping moments. “The Shipping News” boasts several of these shocking scenes which gives the episode that adrenaline-filled, fast-paced feel. A bomb, a theatrical truck hijacking, and a stabbing are a few of the surprises peppered throughout.
Although, the focus on the Bhullars and the drugs and the money, in turn, downplays the climactic denouement of the Ronald era. Yes, the syndicate is back in the mix trying to clean up Ronald and Wolf’s mess and looking for Scarlet who is now missing with her daughter, Phoebe.
But, that’s not exactly closure, it it?
The top of the episode is the most we get with a short aftermath of Jenny talking to Cassie. Understandably, Cassie is tired and deserves a well-earned break, but when she’s absent for the rest of the episode it lessens the gravity of the Ronald conclusion, making it seem glossed over.
On the midseason finale of Season 1, Episode 9, “Let It Be Him,” there was a literal In Memoriam for those that had passed since Episode 1. It set a unique tone, and it was as if the show was settling into its quirkiness.
An In Memoriam on this episode would’ve worked so well and would’ve helped Big Sky to avoid the aforementioned pitfall.
I guess I’ll have to have my own little In Memoriam for the Big Sky Season 2 In Memoriam.
This really is the only little blip in an otherwise stellar, action-packed episode of television. The story keeps chugging along even when important characters die. It will be interesting to see how the search for Scarlet plays out as well as the Bhullar’s big move to Big Sky country.
Bring it on, I say. I’m ready.
Stray Observations:
- Travis’ cowboy mumbling. Enunciate, my man, you can still have an accent.
- Katheryn Winnick has got some of the best teary eyes on today’s television.
- Loving Tonya’s boss bitch energy. Also, what is going on between her and Donno??
- I couldn’t help but make a Sopranos connection when Donno said it was Tonya’s idea to dissolve Bob’s body in acid. Aw, little Meadow Soprano is all grown up.
What did you think of this episode of Big Sky? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Big Sky airs Thursdays at 10/9c on ABC.
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Erin Allen
Erin is a former script supervisor for film and television. She's an avid fan of middle aged actresses, dark dramas, and irreverent comedies. She loves to read actual books and X-Files fan fiction. Her other passions include pointing out feminist issues, shipping Mulder and Scully, and collecting pop culture mugs.