Cleverman - S1E5 - A Man of Vision

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Previously on Cleverman, “Sun and Moon”

Cleverman - S1E5 - A Man of Vision | Hunter Page-Lochard, Rob Collins, Iain Glen, Frances O’Connor, Tasma Walton, Tysan Towney, Rarriwuy Hick, Ryan Corr, Stef Dawson, Jada Alberts | Writer: Michael Miller | Director: Wayne Blair

The end is nigh for the Hairypeople thanks to the blundering “leadership” of Waruu, lack of interest from Koen but most especially because of Jarrod Slade’s ceaseless ambition. Now able to manufacture a cure-all from Hairy genes, Slade has greater motivation to acquire each and every non-human resident within the zone before the Containment Authority eventually decides their presence brings nothing but growing unease among the masses.

“A Man of Vision” hastily wraps up the familial struggles and emotional grievances among Cleverman’s leads, while providing the emotional punch that writers Michael Miller and Jon Bell have been steadily crafting since its pilot. Concurrently, the evil genius that is Jarrod Slate (Iain Glen) has everything he’s designed and schemed on both sides of the fight turn to his favor. The consequences of Slade’s greed, however, may cost him dearly. 

Just when one thinks Waruu couldn’t sink any lower, he places the future of all Hairypeople in the hands of the man who wants their very essence for himself. Throughout the series, Rob Collins has excelled in the uneviable role of smug, self-aggrandizing yet thoroughly daft Waruu West. In short time, Koen’s older brother went from an adulterer ill-prepared to lead the residents of the zone to a murdering opportunist that has all but passed the keys over to the enemy. All of this, mind you, stemming mainly from his unyielding hatred for Koen.

Naturally, Waruu’s family will not abide to his destructive behavior. It was bad enough for the older West to confront his daughter about his infidelity and admonitions from his mother . The other shoe finally dropped when Nerida (Jada Alberts) discovered the recording of Waruu killing the prison guard while trespassing in the CA facility. In spite of potentially losing the people that care about him most, Waruu made a deal with the devil and continues to use Koen as a punching bag to release his frustrations. Of course an episode of Cleverman wouldn’t be complete without Koen and Waruu coming to blows!

After coming out of their latest scrap worse for wear, and driving away his wife and best friend because of the mountain of lies, any sliver of redemption for Waruu is presently remote. Sadly, West’s knowledge of The Dreaming and its inhabitants is essential for the coming storm that is amassing within the zone.

The very real threat that is the namorrodor continues to stalk the streets for victims, leaving Auntie Linda (Deborah Mailman) the inauspicious duty to force the boys to combine efforts in returning the creature, as well as Kora’s soul, to the dimensions they belong. Unfortunately the hate-train kept rolling along with Waruu as he casually slung epithets about Koen’s mother out of joyous spite. There were moments in the season that it appeared that the West brothers would begrudgingly join forces to take on Slade and the Containment Authority. Regrettably, in spite of the finale over the horizon, all signs point to the zone being liquidated as Minister Matthews wishes.

With hundreds of lives on the line, Koen finally got the kick in the head he needed (in the form of a bullet thanks to Djukara), accepting his new calling as cleverman while saving a Hairy child from a tormented soul. During the cleansing ceremony, Koen had the opportunity to make amends with the poor child killed in Cleverman’s premiere. After so much pain caused by his actions - and the lack thereof - all the guilt Koen bottled in finally overflowed, resulting in a truly heartfelt performance by Hunter Page-Lochard. Now that Koen had finally confronted his glaring faults, fears for his future, and the deaths that have occurred on his watch as cleverman, the anger and insecurity has been stripped from his soul. Never again will Koen slack off now that the light Uncle Jimmy saw in him for years has finally switched on. Though not entirely prepared to take on the role of cleverman, Koen is ready to accept the responsibilities, with assistance from Auntie Linda and others within the zone.

Reinvigorated in spirit and determined to protect the Hairies, Koen will have his hands full in defeating the elusive namorrodor and defending the zone from an assault by the Containment Authority in Cleverman’s season finale “Terra Nullius”, tonight at 10/9c on SundanceTV!