The Power Season 1 Episode 6 Review: Sparklefingers
We see more of the aftermath of a few impulsive decisions on this episode. It leads to some interesting reveals on The Power Season 1 Episode 6, “Sparklefingers,” but overall, it feels like a filler episode.
This Prime Video series is all about planting seeds and hoping that the viewers will stick around long enough for the payoff. The Urbandox is one storyline moving a little quicker in pace than many of the other storylines. We only just met Urbandox on The Power Season 1 Episode 5, “Scarlet Minnow,” and we already see some of his ability to feed on fear.
This show has many villains but Urbandox is definitely one of the most important ones because he’s building an army to fight those with EOD. It’s setting up a battle of the sexes.
A battle that can only lead to destruction and devastation.
The Power continues to build these interesting threads, but, unlike Urbandox, they all aren’t captivating. Roxy’s storyline continues to be one of the weaker plot points of the series.
I assume that we’re following her to see her eventually take over her father’s business and become this powerful and scary crime boss. Although the idea is interesting, it just is missing something to make us care about the outcome of this situation.
This could possibly change, but with so few episodes left in the season, I can’t see how her storyline becomes more relevant and fascinating. The series also seems unsure of what to do with her as a character.
First, she’s this impulsive grieving girl who feels the weight of her actions and how they have contributed to her brother’s death. Then, she goes from being ready to burn down the world to being insecure about what to do when given the chance to use violence to help her father. Then she goes from feeling guilty to denying responsibility for her part in Terry’s death.
We can look at Roxy’s inconsistent behavior in a few ways. However, let’s assume that her decision to not shock the guy for her father is her way of refusing to be his pawn. We can also assume that she refuses to feel guilty (at least in front of her dad) as a way to command respect, and to try to regain the power to not allow him to manipulate her with guilt.
This is all fine but what’s the end goal with Roxy?
Does she want to work alongside her father? For him? With him or against him?
Truthfully, Roxy is an interesting character but her storyline just feels like an afterthought. I have not read The Power book, so maybe her storyline is more important than it seems right now, but I want more from her storyline, and I am not getting it yet.
What the Monke family lacks, the Cleary-Lopez family delivers.
Almost everyone in that family has an interesting thread to this story. Matty is basically a secondary character but he has one of the most interesting storylines on this TV series right now. He has the potential to also be another bomb in this story ready to cause an explosion.
His reaction to the man who lights himself on fire will tell us a lot about where Matty’s storyline could be heading. If he sees it as a brave thing, the Cleary-Lopez family is in trouble.
This means that Matty may already be too far gone to save. On the one hand, that will be a bold decision and help explain how people like Urbandox are threats to society. On the other hand, it just seems too tragic.
A young boy completely losing himself due to the influence of a narcissistic misogynist is Shakespearean-level heartbreaking.
Female empowerment is at the center of The Power, so women and girls are very much the stars, but the male characters continue to have some of the most interesting storylines in the show.
Ryan initially seems like a minor, just Jos’s boyfriend character. Therefore, Ryan also having EOD and being intersex is such a shocking move that I applaud. I didn’t see coming at all.
It’s an interesting development that has major repercussions for this world. It’s something that can personally alter Ryan’s life, because one can only imagine the backlash he would get from the world for having it, and it ties the powers more to estrogen.
Therefore, anyone with high levels of estrogen may develop or have them passed to them. This could easily lead to men trying to figure a way to get these powers themselves to combat the women.
The threads of The Power are very interesting, but I am just unsure if all of them will have time to develop into even more fascinating stories by the time the show reaches its season conclusion.
Nevertheless, I am willing to see this ride all the way through.
Stray Thoughts
- Darrell and Roxy’s conversation is the best part of her plot on this episode. It showcases that she is still part of this family, even if she’s also slightly outside of it.
- I hope we circle back to Roxy offering Barbara the power. I feel like there is something there that could be interesting if the two women find a way to bond and she decides she wants it.
- Jos and Margot’s development over the last two episodes have been nice to watch.
- Even though Margot passes the EOD test, anyone with eyes can see she’s in pain and distress.
What did you think of this episode of The Power? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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The Power streams Thursday nights on Prime Video.
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Jerrica Tisdale
Jerrica Tisdale is your favorite neighborhood pop culture junkie. She will annoy you with random TV and film facts, while complaining about whatever is the hottest new book. She has been a TV fan all her life but writing about it for over a decade. You may find her work all over the internet especially reality TV rants. She is a senior writer at Tell-Tale TV.