The Mosquito Coast Season 2 Episode 10 Review: Eulogy

The Mosquito Coast Season 2 Episode 10, “Eulogy,” is certainly explosive, but the best thing anyone can say about it is that it hints that the series might be over.

Even now, after two seasons of slogging through this mess, I wish that weren’t the case. With a cast that’s this talented, production values this high, and such complicated subject matter, all the pieces were in place for a drama that was truly groundbreaking. Or, at the very least, fun to watch. Instead, we got this, and I suspect I’m not the only viewer who hopes its story ends here.

It probably won’t, though. I mean, would anyone be surprised if somehow Allie Fox turned out not to be dead? Would his miraculously surviving that explosion really be any more nonsensical than anything else we saw in this finale?

Granted, “Eulogy” is at least satisfyingly tense and propulsive as an hour of television. But almost none of it makes any sense, from specific character behaviors to the actual narrative we see unfold onscreen. Things happen because they need to happen for other things to happen, and that’s about it.

Allie and Charlie track down Dina ridiculously easily. Margot shows up at the same somehow, magically, despite being initially left behind by her husband and son, and she’s, also magically, apparently not angry that Dina ran away or that Allie told her it was fine if she did.

Despite spending the entire season longing for a return to a normal life (or at least one that didn’t require milking goats at Casa Roja), it takes approximately twelve hours of capitalism to make Dina a believer in her father’s vision again. Apparently, she’s just too weird for a normal life now.

Oh, and the hotel where Dina’s been hiding just also just happens to be the same location where Guillermo is planning to hold his family hostage with Richard’s help? And Charlie and Dina just happen to spot Richard there and follow him?

It’d be one thing if it felt like this season had spent nine episodes setting this final face-off up instead of having the family blindly stumble into it out of sheer luck, but as it stands it’s all just eye-rollingly convenient.

On the plus side, the long-needed Fox family blowup was awesome. Sure, pretending that Charlie is somehow the voice of reason in this scenario is laughable, as there are few characters on television right now who consistently make decisions that are as stupid and selfish as he does. (Maybe Danny Stevens on For All Mankind. Maybe.)

But, it’s always nice when someone manages to call Allie and Margot out on their reprehensible parenting, and as out there as some of Charlie’s arguments are, he’s not entirely wrong, particularly when it comes to his parents’ demonstrated selfishness. Of course, Margot is the only Fox family member who seems to experience anything like genuine remorse for what she’s done, well, that’s just par for the course, isn’t it?

I’m pretty sure Allie’s never acknowledged that he’s ever done anything wrong—even now, confronting the daughter he drove away, he lectures her about using pain to teach her a lesson rather than apologize or admit fault in any way.

These characters are exhausting, which is probably why they are, as a group, so hard to root for. 

It seems evident that The Mosquito Coast wants us to view the end of this episode as some kind of victory for the family. Well, as much as can be with Allie dead, I guess. Or “dead”. 

They’ve returned and packed up Casa Roja and moved everyone bag and baggage to their idyllic new paradise on The Mosquito Coast, where everyone can live safely and freely in their communal, non-capitalist, no longer beholden to drug cartels society. Dina’s tinkering with Allie’s old inventions. Charlie’s helping organize the people. Margot’s suddenly writing again. Everyone’s living happily ever after off the grid and Dina’s figured out how to make ice. Huzzah?

But, somehow, after two full seasons, there’s still so much about this show’s larger narrative philosophy that remains unclear. Are we meant to idolize or pity Allie? Feel sad for the obvious dysfunction his family lives in? Ignore the damage that’s been done to his kids in the name of some larger mission and/or message that none of the Foxes ever really signed on for?

It’s hard to say, but I’m not sure any of us still really care whether we ever find out. 

Stray Thoughts and Observations:

• One grand sacrificial gesture from Allie doesn’t make up for the many, many terrible things he’s done, just saying. He’s not a hero, but I feel like the show kind of hopes we remember him as one.
• Did anyone else find Dina’s admission that she no longer believes there’s a place for her in the “real world” just heartbreakingly sad? And, yet, the show seems to position that realization as some kind of…victory for her? Like, great, kid, your life is ruined. Have fun making ice machines out of jungle debris, I guess!
• Charlie Fox is the worst. Like…his confrontation with Richard also makes no sense. What was he planning to do, exactly? Make him feel really bad by yelling at him in a random stairwell?

What did you think of the Season 2 finale of The Mosquito Coast? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Seasons 1 and 2 of The Mosquito Coast are both streaming on Apple TV+.

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