Annika Season 1 Episode 3 Review

On Annika Season 1 Episode 3, we have another decidedly flawed victim and another overwhelmingly large slate of potential killers. Even still, much of our attention is likely to be diverted.

First, it seems much of the cheerful peace between mother and daughter will come in spurts, sandwiched between struggles, frustration, and a ton of poorly-expressed feelings. Again, in fairness, this probably is truer to life.

While Annika’s moments of breaking the fourth wall are indeed still strange, it’s almost comforting to have her state for us just how awkward the various personal developments that arise over the hour are as she tries to get on better terms with her daughter.

The first is that Morgan may have a crush on Blair. It’s certainly a weird position for all involved, but it’s also an entirely innocent one. Blair is, at Annika’s encouragement, just playing the role of a friend, and in all likelihood, this little relationship will be sisterly at most.

Then there’s the fact that Annika herself definitely has a crush on Morgan’s therapist. That one’s quite a bit more of a gray area. Jake is smart, handsome, and kind, and no moves are made while Morgan is in therapy. Even still, I hesitate to get on board.

Meanwhile, all those things Morgan likely talks about in therapy raise their own heads. There’s definitely some curious backstory involving her grandfather, and her concern about her mother’s dangerous work feels ominously like foreshadowing

This episode’s victim of the week doesn’t qute rise to the level of someone who sexually assaults young teenagers (if someone can “rise” to such a position,) but as a serial adulterer financially abusing his own disabled kid, he’s also not going to raise many sympathies.

As in the previous episode, we run through a series of false leads in terms of both suspects and motives. At one point, a former lover offers her congratulations toward the true killer, and it’s kind of hard not to be on her side.

Still, running through a series of narratives that wind up going nowhere feels pointless. It also takes time away from the emotional wallop of the end reveal—our victim was killed by his own father, acting in revenge for his scorned daughter-in-law and grandson.

The hour sees multiple families torn apart by human flaws, and while it’s hard to sympathize with the idea that a father could accidentally hold his son’s head underwater until he drowns, it’s easy in this case to empathize with the circumstances that push him to do such a thing.

I am kind of hoping we’ll get a more likeable dead person soon. Of course, everyone should be given at least some form of justice in spite of their sins, but killers who are generally better people than the people they kill is a bit of an unusual track record.

Other Notes

• I legit want Blair to write a company song now. These bits are completely absurd but hilarious.
• It’s a bit of a letdown that the whole potential water contamination thing is a red herring. Shouldn’t that be of some concern to a marine-based unit?
• I love that Annika’s a literary nerd, but the references to various works are very random. Then again, they always come when she speaks straight to us, so maybe that’s part of the territory.

 

What did you think of this episode of Annika? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Annika airs Sundays at 10/9c on PBS.

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