Wellington Paranormal Season 3 Episode 3 Review: Fear Factory
Wellington Paranormal Season 3 Episode 3, “Fear Factory,” leans into our main crew’s endearing ineptitude to hilarious results.
Of course, that’s why this series works — it pokes fun at its somewhat inept, bumbling leads as they continuously muck up even the most straightforward cases. “Fear Factory” allows our cast to spread their comedic wings while kicking the humorous slapstick up a notch.
MAAKA: She’s channeling some kind of spirit. So, we’re gonna need a bit more info about this Lady Macbeth.
While Maaka Pohatu, Mike Minogue, and Karen O’Leary deliver the goods as usual with rock-solid performances, Thomas Sainsbury steals every scene, taking Parker on a well-rounded journey through the show’s 22-minute presentation.
Sainsbury showcases the layers of the typically nervous Parker, approaching the part from a place of truthfulness, never once playing the dialogue “for laughs.” Parker’s about-face turn in the episode’s final act is all the funnier because of this, especially with Maaka noting Parker’s bravery in facing his fears.
“Fear Factory” boasts some of Wellington Paranormal‘s best gags. The theme of fear opens the doors to a versatile, broadened playground, allowing the show to experiment with different comedic bits. True to form, the series knocks it out of the park.
MAAKA: It’s from Google, so you know it’s a reputable source.
Minogue’s standup set to the sock puppets is comedy gold, as is his getting chased by balloons and said sock puppets attacking him. Parker making the shapeshifter explode because he has too many fears (including toilets and buttons) is hysterical, notably when coupled with Maaka’s reaction to the scene in the background.
Minogue and O’Leary’s dynamic continues to blossom in “Fear Factory” as Wellington Paranormal mines the depths of that bond in exciting ways. While executed hilariously on the show, O’Leary’s sole fear is genuinely rational.
There aren’t that many “heartbreaking” moments in this series, but watching O’Leary’s mom embarrass and chastise her daughter is heartbreaking. It’s abundantly clear that O’Leary already harbors her fair share of insecurities, and to see the shapeshifter play on those endears us to her. Minogue’s response to the situation makes us love him even more.
MINOGUE: Freeze, don’t move! We’re the PU!
Wellington Paranormal continues to bring boisterous laughs with its dry, witty one-liners, top-tier physical comedy, lovable characters, and creative plotlines. “Fear Factory” is an endlessly rewatchable episode.
Stray Observations:
- The show writers need to craft a master list of Parker’s irrational fears because listening to Thomas Sainsbury rattle them off is hysterical.
- Kudos to Wellington Paranormal for poking fun at our tendency to take everything we find on Google as fact.
- This episode is proof positive that we need bloopers. There’s no way the actors get through each take without breaking.
- Comedy Central should share Minogue’s entire set with the sock puppet audience.
- Who wouldn’t be terrified of a massive snake with the autotune voice of Post Malone?
What did you think of this episode of Wellington Paranormal? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Wellington Paranormal airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on The CW.
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Melody McCune
Melody loves TV. Maybe too much. Besides being a Senior Writer for Tell-Tale TV, she's the Managing Editor for Geek Girl Authority, an Independent Contractor for Sideshow Collectibles, and a Senior Writer for Eulalie Magazine. Additionally, she has bylines in Culturess, Widget, and inkMend on Medium. To top it all off, she's a critic for Rotten Tomatoes and CherryPicks.