The Changeling Season 1 Episode 8 Review: Battle of the Island
The Changeling Season 1 Episode 8, “Battle of the Island,” leaves many questions hanging in the air in a truncated season finale that offers an abrupt ending. It’s a baffling conclusion to an uneven season. Worse, we’re left wondering if any of our lingering questions will get answers since there’s no confirmation of a second season. After last week’s Adina Porter-starring outing, which took somewhat of a detour, we should’ve had a finale with more resolutions.
While challenging, a typical season finale should answer the basic overarching questions in a season and leave a few narrative threads worthy of exploration should the story continue. It should be able to operate as a series finale if need be. Today’s TV landscape is rocky, and more streamers are canceling shows left and right without giving them time to blossom. Presenting a vague Season 1 finale is risky, but The Changeling inexplicably takes this route.
Additionally, Clark Backo is given little to do in this outing despite having a significant role in the narrative. She’s a powerhouse performer who deserves ample material with which to work. As for MVP performances in “Battle of the Island,” LaKeith Stanfield is back to steer the ship. He and Jane Kaczmarek deliver gripping, nuanced work. The performances are undoubtedly a highlight of this bumpy ride.
William Wheeler is given an unceremonious send-off, even though his fight sequence with Cal is one for the books. It’s wonderfully choreographed. Samuel T. Herring gives it his all, making for a formidable, if misused, presence. Sure, he’s an established villain, but we don’t spend enough time with him this season. He goes out with a whimper instead of being a real threat.
As for the creature on the island, “Battle of the Island” adopts a popular storytelling device used in horror. Instead of explicitly showing the monster, we hear it, seeing an invisible force tossing trees into the air. This device can leave audiences on the edge of their seat when utilized effectively. However, The Changeling just leaves us confused.
Well, for the most part. Write Kelly Marcel successfully implements this device when The Wise Ones and Apollo are scaling down the side of that cliff, and the invisible creature tugs at the rope they’re using. There is a real sense of suspense and tension here as you sit, white-knuckled, wondering if one of them will perish during the journey to the ground.
Part of this episode’s problem doesn’t so much lie with its pacing — it’s the narrative movement of this season. It affects “Battle of the Island.” The pacing, in general, is choppy and uneven at best. While there’s quite a bit of action in this particular episode, it feels empty and unearned because there’s still so much we, as audience members, don’t know.
On top of that, we’ve spent some time away from the island narrative. Extra attention could’ve better developed Kinder Garten, William Wheeler, etc., and firmly established the threat they pose. This season should’ve had more than eight episodes. Ten or 12 episodes, at least. This would still leave room for Season 2 while fully developing and immersing us in Victor LaValle’s rich world.
“Battle of the Island” doesn’t quite live up to its potential, presenting a too-short finale ending in a confused jumble of scenes like a movie trailer. Nothing seems connected. The only true bright spot is Emma finding the carousel in the Little Norway forest. That feels like genuine narrative progress. Stanfield, Kaczmarek, and Herring offer compelling, layered performances that keep this episode afloat. However, it’s difficult to really enjoy this finale when we’re given a rushed, bumpy, and vague presentation.
Here’s hoping Apple renews it so we can get actual answers (and maybe a longer second season).
Stray Observations:
- Don’t mess with Malcolm’s mom. Jane Kaczmarek is a total badass in this finale.
- I was today years old when I learned that this is only Samuel T. Herring’s second project. He’s primarily a singer and rapper. Wild. He does a fantastic job in this series.
- Where are the women and children heading to? I’m assuming Cal has a contact that will take them in. They certainly can’t return to their former lives in the city.
- What precisely was William Wheeler? Was he a demon or a troll? We know he was an internet troll; that’s for sure. We also know the Kinder Garten, as a collective, stole babies, switching them with changelings.
- Was the large eye of that creature supposed to be the troll in the Little Norway forest?
- At least the episode references the very beginning of the pilot with the Norwegian boat, but at what cost? It doesn’t tie into the outing.
What did you think of this episode of The Changeling? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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The Changeling Season 1 is now streaming on Apple TV+.
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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.