The Mist - S1E5 - The Waiting Room

Previously on The Mist, “Pequod”

We spent zero time at the mall or in the church this week, and The Mist was better for it. Kevin, Mia, Adrian, and Bryan once again find themselves confined to a location that’s not the mall Kevin so desperately seeks. As the stretched thin hospital staff tend to Bryan’s gunshot wound, Kevin finds his brother Mike has also been admitted after being attacked by a gang of kids.

Now, he’s not exactly the most friendliest of guys so a group of kids wanting to kick his ass isn’t that surprising, but what is shocking is the reveal that the kids knew things about Mike’s childhood bullying ways and they were looking to avenge one of his victims. Oh, and in doing so, they stab him with a piece of rebar. It’s a wound that condemns him to a certain, painful death as the wing with the operating rooms has been overtaken by the mist.

Despite not having more than a few lines between them in five episodes, the time Kevin spends with his brother is effective. Via their conversation and flashbacks, we learn about how Kevin’s need to be a savior affected his marriage to Eve. And the root of the conflict between the brothers comes to light; they had a pretty normal relationship (taking into account Mike’s macho bullshit) until Kevin married Eve. Her reputation in high school followed her to adulthood and Mike never missed an opportunity to slut sham when Kevin wasn’t around. Not until Kevin makes a last-ditch effort to save Mike’s life does he finally admit that his treatment of the couple stemmed from his own jealousy. Every guy was in love with Eve, but she chose the brother whose manhood he questioned almost their entire lives.

Kevin chose his wife, and rightfully so; however, their marriage wasn’t without issues even before the fateful night he allowed Alex to sneak off to a party. And Kevin refused to see the signs. When they moved into their current home, Eve admitted to never being happier, but also to feeling completely unlike herself. Also, Kevin isn’t Alex’s biological father - the biological father’s identity is unknown to us, Kevin, and Alex, who isn’t even aware Kevin isn’t her natural dad. Even though they both agree he is her father in every way that matters, it still must sting Eve to realize Alex has a better relationship with Kevin.

Kevin’s savior complex leads him to make a dangerous trip to the infected wing so a surgeon can talk him through removing the rebar. It’s a success, but on their way back to the safe area, Kevin and Mike are set upon by hundreds of leeches. Kevin is forced to kill his brother to spare him a more a painful death and to get away safely.

Elsewhere in the hospital, after Bryan pulls through Mia meets the real Bryan: a black soldier attacked by another black soldier at Arrowhead. So our “Bryan” not only doesn’t remember who he is, he doesn’t remember what he did before escaping Arrowhead or that he’s using someone else’s name. Either that or he’s a lying liar who lies. Mia doesn’t risk confronting him; instead she pinches the car keys from Adrian and flees.

If this show has one drawback it’s trying to mix in real-life serious topics like rape and the violence of homophobia with their horror sci-fi. It’s not really working for me. This week, Adrian runs into the homophobe who bullied him in the pilot, Tyler (Christopher Gray). Adrian kisses him in the men’s room (after Tyler once again called him vile, homophobic slurs), and Tyler beats the crap out of him after accepting the kiss. Adrian picks himself off the floor, bloodied, bruised, and clutching his kicked ribs, and kisses Tyler again. This time, Tyler passionately returns it several times. Does Adrian think his affection is all Tyler needs to make peace with who he is and be a better, non-abusive person? Or does Adrian feel so isolated that he’s willing to go along with this because it’s some attention? Whatever lies at the root of this, it was uncomfortable to watch.

Into the Mist (And Other Bits of Note)

Hands down, the most gruesome death was Mike’s. Yes, even more terrifying than Mikhail turning into a moth from the inside out was watching leeches slither into Mike’s newly stitched wound.

On the way to the O.R., the mist started to affect Mike by turning his fingernails into claws. Does the mist seek the worst in people? If that’s the case, why kill the little girl but leave Alex?