Luke Owen looks at the latest episode of From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series….
Last week’s episode, Blood Runs Thick, was the first step towards making this show feel like it was heading somewhere. It wasn’t just a remake of what had come before it (like the first episode) and instead added new layers to the From Dusk Till Dawn mythos. The third episode, The Mistress, does more or less the same thing. It still feels familiar, but it features some new additions to the cast, new ideas on existing characters and a foreboding sense of terror that will descend upon our protagonists.
Before they head to the border to meet Carlos, the Gecko Brothers first need to deal with the hostage that Ritchie took during the bank robbery. While they shack up in a motel, Seth heads to the Big Kahuna Burger to grab some food – and meet an old flame. Meanwhile, the RV carrying the Fuller Family across Texas breaks down, leading to some startling revelations about why Jacob left the church and Federico continues his search for the Gecko Brothers by talking to an expert on all things Mayan.
One of the most interesting developments from last week’s episode was the expansion of Carlos played by Wilmer Valderrama. In the original movie he was just a “point of contact” that was played as more of a gag by Cheech Marin by having him also play two other characters during their trip in El Ray, but here he looks to be a pivotal role. It was revealed that he is a snake creature of some kind who has deep ties to Santanico Pandemonium and this is briefly explored further here by showing that not only is he not alone, but his trafficking empire appears to be more of an sacrifice offering than anything else. Furthermore, it is subtly hinted that he has used the Gecko Brothers to rob the bank, most likely for the same reasons – something that is bound to come into play once they reach the Twitty Twister.
Once again the stand out of the episode is Zane Holtz as the disturbed Ritchie, a part that is getting more and more interesting as the series progresses. There is a scene in the 1996 original that is a haunting example of how disgusting a monster he is and fans of the movie will be pleased to know that it’s present here. However, rather than just being a case of brutal rape and murder, his relationship with Monica the bank teller is given more time to make his depraved act all the worse. Granted rape isn’t quite so implied this time round, but the scene plays out more or less the same. But even without that disgusting addition, it has even more impact than it did back in 1996 as it ties into the rest of the story.
Also introduced in this episode is Seth’s wife who is also given her own character and back story. She tells Seth during their rendezvous about how she’s been trying to help Ritchie during his 5-year prison stretch and it paints an interesting visual that will hopefully be explored a little further down the line. Ritchie is really the catalyst of this whole series, but this is given more gravitas by a really great performance from D.J. Cotrona. His calm and suave exterior is being broken down piece by piece as his concerns for his brother grow and it’s a really interesting development. He sells every moment perfectly and you can see just how much he cares for his sibling and – more importantly – why he can’t just let him go.
While the episode wasn’t so heavily focused on the Fuller family this time around, there is an interesting progression in Jacob and Kate’s relationship which could lead to some decent conflict further down the line. Concerns are still there about Madison Davenport who, while a competent actress, is given a pretty lacklustre character that pales in comparison to the Kate of 1996. It’s a shame really as this character could have been given the same great overhaul that Seth, Ritchie and Jacob have had, but there is still time to make her worthwhile.
What started out as a fairly pointless experiment is slowly growing into a piece of captivating television. We’re 7 episodes away from its conclusion and one would imagine that the next episode will be focused on the Geckos hijacking the Fuller’s “vacation” to help them get across the border. And if that is the case, that means we’re only a couple of weeks away from the Titty Twister, where things are going to get really interesting.
Luke Owen is one of Flickering Myth’s co-editors and the host of the Flickering Myth Podcast. You can follow him on Twitter @LukeWritesStuff.
Originally published March 27, 2014. Updated November 9, 2019.
