Annika Season 2 Episode 3 Review
On Annika Season 2 Episode 3, a very rich man is killed, and his body is left in his personal shark aquarium. That doesn’t stop us from caring more about the events outside the case.
Even with a victim from the headlines, the investigations largely feel like filler. There is one disturbingly relevant bit where Annika, pushed into doing a press conference, suddenly finds herself portrayed in a deep fake video instead.
Short of bringing AI into the marine crime unit of Scotland, we wrap matters up quickly. I will say that learning the man was killed by his granddaughter is genuinely bewildering for several reasons. The fact we barely hear her motive is only one.
To be fair, I think the writers devoting much more screen time to Annika and Michael is exactly what fans want. After he learns he’s Morgan’s father (and especially given how she makes the announcement), it’s hard to get as invested in anything else.
They are at least speaking to each other from the start of the episode, but this might be because a considerable amount of time has already passed. Blair’s pregnancy is now far enough along that we can only guess how many weeks of tension have passed.
Annika handles the most pressing issue of why she waited so long by reflecting on a past version of Michael who wasn’t serious about much. It’s a common explanation in both fiction and reality, but Michael’s been a different man for quite some time.
We sense that this reasoning might not be good enough for him, but their talks do at least move more towards awkwardness than distress. Learning how Morgan was first conceived winds up giving us more information than anyone needs to know.
The progress they make is also stymied by the fact Michael’s relationship with his new family grows more strained as well. It is a relief they’re taking steps forward, and doing so at a rate that will keep this from overshadowing the whole season.
The elephant in the room now becomes when Morgan will find out about her full parentage. She already has plenty to deal with between accidentally losing her mom’s boat and then having her girlfriend break up with her by text.
Still, this is a bandage that’s going to have to come off, no matter what personal circumstances Morgan faces. I hope there is a silver lining after whatever second round of fallout is to come. The poor girl could really use a good father figure right now.
Even with some moments of humor, all these developments make these one of the more depressing episodes of the series. And there’s one more thing to throw into the mix—Tyrone announces that he’ll be leaving the squad.
We don’t see his actual departure, so there’s a small chance this is a misdirection. Sadly, that’s probably unlikely, and the lack of a proper goodbye isn’t fair to him or anyone who’s watched for a season and a half. Who’s going to chase the suspects now?
Jokes aside, I am hoping for a turnaround in spite of more painful interactions to come. With the state of the world, we all use a few more positive team dynamics. If nothing else, doesn’t Blair’s baby deserve to be welcomed into a happy second family?
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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Caitlin Wyneken
Caitlin is an elder millennial with an only slightly unhealthy dedication to a random selection of TV shows, from PBS Masterpiece dramas to some of the less popular series on popular networks. Outside of screen time, she's dedicated to the public sector and worthy nonprofits, working to make a difference in the world outside of media.