The Continental Season 1 Episode 3 Review: Theatre of Pain

The much-anticipated finale of this limited series comes out swinging and doesn’t disappoint in the bigger scope of things, but falls a bit short within the minor details. 

The Continental Season 1 Episode 3, “Theatre of Pain,” is filled to the rafters with action sequences that are synonymous with John Wick and ultimately take this conclusion above and beyond. However, it’s among the smaller details where the writing loses its glimmer.

Sometimes stories are best looked at from the big picture perspective, and “Theatre of Pain” definitely fits that bill.

Team of Misfits Present a United Front

Somehow, bringing together a ragtag group of folks who each have their issues with Cormac O’Connor and The Continental Hotel manages to work in the end. These talented individuals manage to meld their talents together into one cohesive unit that brings down the king.

From the start of this episode, Winston makes it clear that he needs as many bodies as he can get in order to overwhelm Cormac’s established band of sympathizers.

If there is something to be ascertained from Winston during this finale, it’s that he knows how to weave words together into motivation and strength. When he convinces Mazie to side with him, he uses words of logic to frame her thoughts and convince her to collaborate.

Mazie: I’m not a big believer in the suit makes the man.

Winston: Then think of them as work clothes. With your permission I’d like to put your men to work. Besides I think we both can agree it’s not the suit. It’s what’s inside the suit that counts.

The way he jumps in to assume the position as leader of the rebellion should be commended, considering where he is at the start of The Continental Season 1 Episode 1, “Brothers in Arms.” He has gone from a more meek, and mild-mannered person to this killing machine in a matter of days.

Each of the people willing to follow him to their graves is individualistic in nature and doesn’t play well with others, and yet Winston manages to get them all on the same page. What starts off seeming like a disorganized plan ends up with Winston holding the keys to the kingdom and most of his men/women still standing.

Yen and Lou Proving Women Can Fight

Up until The Continental Season 1 Episode 3, “Theatre of Pain,” Yen and Lou were portrayed more as quiet bystanders not willing to be the center of the action. 

However, as part of Winston’s plan, these two fierce females are given a task to do — of which they both manage to trail off course. Yen is to support Miles as he attempts to get into the armory and Lou is to keep an eye on the dojo in Chinatown just in case.

Neither of these tasks gives them any sort of agency or power which places them above such menial work. Early on Yen proves that her mind is centered on getting revenge for Frankie’s death — putting her on target to deal with the twins.

Meanwhile, Lou is happy to sit on the sidelines if it means she doesn’t have to wield a gun, but that all changes when the Chinese mob decides to make their move, and she has to blow up the dojo in self-defense.

When everything is all said and done, Lou plays a pivotal role in taking out the male twin and saving Miles which allows Winston and Charon to do their parts for the end result. And while Yen does manage to take out the female twin, we remain unsure of her true purpose.

Yes, Yen is a badass fighter, and her action sequences throughout the episode are worth taking note of, but ultimately much like KD, more on that in a bit, her presence does nothing to progress the plot.

The Biggest Let-Down

Nothing ensconces me more in a finale than wasted potential. Such is the case with the downfall of Cormac O’Connor. 

All season long we’ve been led to assume that Winston will come out victorious after killing Cormac in his own form of justice. However, The Continental decides that a twist in the 11th hour is much more fun — spoiler alert: it’s not.

Winston needs to be the one to kill Cormac because the man has taken everything from him. By killing Cormac, Winston is able to overcome the shadow that has been looming over him since he was a small child and finally put his past behind him.

However, having KD come in at the last moment and pull the trigger that kills the hotel manager is not only unnecessary but enraging. Who is she to decide the fate of this man? 

Her story about how Frankie burned her family alive when the Scotts were just kids might’ve had more impact if it had been explored more clearly and diligently. Instead, KD has been relegated to the after-thought department until now, and we are expected to be shocked and awed by her killing Cormac.

Point blank, we don’t give any thought to KD, and so her actions feel disingenuous and disconnected from the story as we’ve come to know it. KD has no place in the bigger picture of this story about Winston’s rise to the top. 

Winston’s ascension to the role of Hotel Manager no longer feels earned because, in the grand scheme, he barely lifted a finger during battle. By not killing Cormac himself he’s proven to be no better than O’Connor, which is not entirely in the same vein as the Winston known in the John Wick films.

Winston: You believe in fate? If you do you know sometimes the things we seek in life are right in front of us the whole time. You see I learned a suit doesn’t make a man. No, it’s what inside a suit that counts. But a wolf in sheep’s clothing can’t rely on killer instinct alone. It’s his resourcefulness and perhaps an open heart that can turn garbage into gold and enemies into allies.

However, a case can be made for Winston because he turns around and shortly after Cormac’s fall manages to kill the High Table’s Adjudicator. It’s a move that is very calculated and shows us a glimpse of the Winston we will come to know years down the line. 

He is a wolf in sheep’s clothing that will stop at nothing to get what is best for him. Sure, he hides it well behind his perfunctory professional, rule-abiding persona, but underneath Winston is lethal.

It’s why Winston not being the one to pull the trigger on Cormac is both entirely like him and also unlike him. It’s as if that moment serves as the flipping of a switch into the version of Winston we’ve always known.

Stray Thoughts:

• The music moments during this episode KILLED. I mean, who doesn’t want to watch an action sequence set to Barracuda?
• Losing Lemmy was much more emotional than I banked on it being
• Leave it to Gene to kill a ton of Cormac’s lackeys as a sharpshooter and then end up with a date to the Botanical Gardens.
• The best fight sequence was the one inside the phone booth between Lou and the male detective.
• You all want guarantees? There are no guarantees!

 

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

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The Continental airs Fridays on Peacock.

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