Wynonna Earp - S1E3 - Leavin’ on Your Mind

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Previously on Wynonna Earp, “Keep the Home Fires Burning”

Wynonna Earp s1e3 “Leavin’ on Your Mind” | Melanie Scrofano, Tim Rozon, Shamier Anderson, Dominique Provost-Chalkley, Michael Eklund, Katherine Barrell, Greg Lawson, David Haysom | Writer: Emily Andras | Director: Ron Murphy

It’s only the third episode and everyone is already getting on each other’s nerves. Opposing personalities working together is one thing, but the stacks of secrets and lies among family and friends and rivals alike is throwing all the leads in Earp in a tizzy.

Now that Wynonna and Waverly work under Dolls, the girls aren’t taking well to being his subordinates. They all want the same thing - protect the citizens within the Ghost River Triangle and eliminate the revenants for good - yet the rapport between the three is strained at best. Xavier is as rigid as he is stoic, believing his way is the only way to ensure success. The Earps may have an imperfect means of ridding the world of evil - not to mention their inability to impart their experiences to future generations as many of them died so young in the process. Nevertheless they’ve been effective, way before the Black Badge Division was even founded in the back of a early 20th century gentleman’s club, or wherever stodgy old conservatives form their independent special sections of law enforcement.

A lot of the groundwork for “Leavin’” was thanks to Waverly (Dominique Provost-Chalkley) and her years of sleuthing and Old West scrap-booking (which Dolls takes for granted, of course). Thanks to Doc’s sticky fingers in “Home Fires”, Wav lost the crown jewel of her collection, but her work remains valuable nonetheless. Her inquisitiveness does get the better of her after Holliday casually mentioned the proprietor of the trailer park is a man named Bobo. *Waverly Senses tingling* Just when it seemed things were making sense around town…

“Bravery is just another word for stupid.”

All’s not well on the side of evil: the tenuous alliance between Bobo (Michael Eklund) and Henry is already beginning to unravel, as the the latter takes great offense to being exploited by the former. Del Rey isn’t having the best of days after learning a few of his lieutenants have taken it upon themselves to break the barrier and strike out on their own. During their very public spat, Bobo admits there’s another player in the midst known as the “Stone Witch”. This nom de guerre seems very familiar to Henry given the lemonface he made at the sound of her name. This currently unknown character must have some considerable weight in Purgatory as more revenants appear to be jumping ship due to her get-out-of-jail-free spells.

Bobo and John keep the peace for the time being because of this mysterious woman who doesn’t make an appearance, save for a pink Cadillac burning rubber near the end of the episode. The contentious relationship between Del Rey and Henry plays off very well thanks to Rozon and Eklund as both seem to draw from their personal rapport to form a more substantial and persuasive rivalry on screen. Be it the way Emily Andras has written the two, or how Eklund and Rozon added their creative flair in their scenes, Bobo and Doc seem to have a history that goes beyond one between outlaw and deputy. Considering how the revenants have been a significant presence in the miserable lives of the Earps, there was bound to be a bleed between both camps. Add the reemergence of Holliday and the introduction of the Stone Witch and it’s clear Andras is whipping up something decidedly wicked for Wynonna and the gang.

While everyone is furling their brows at each other, three revenants - Sam, Gary and Mel - are collecting items across Ghost River County that would break them free of the triangle. Amazingly, the dolts succeed (thanks to Wynonna being their willing hostage to prevent any more deaths) but start killing one another in their excitement. We all know how that goes… you’re stuck in a podunk town for decades, chop off a dude’s hand and collect a diary and necklace to cast a spell and when you’re just above to bounce, you drop two of your friends in the dirt. #makessense

Anyway, Gary was one of the Seven who abducted Ward and Willa Earp years ago. Unfortunately, Wynonna never had a chance to learn much of anything from him because his greedy pal Sam offed him because of his stab-happy behavior. Oh well, six more to go!

While pursuing that trio of demon rednecks, Dolls and Earp’s burgeoning partnership took a sharp left turn and drove off a cliff when Wynonna is forced to put a bullet in the head of beloved barkeep Shorty (Peter Skagen) after he’s possessed by a revenant. Feeling upset and understandably depressed, Dolls happened to mention that he could have done something but crept in the brush to see if the hellspawn could unbind themselves from the triangle. Collateral damage may be commonplace in Xavier’s world but every life - even Champ’s - is important to Wynonna. How the two continue their contentious partnership after such a distressing case will be exciting for sure. Especially now that the demon cold war both sides have been engaged in for a century is becoming more public.

Gary and his yellow-toothed brothers may be having a pity party down under, but above ground life is as chaotic as it’s ever been. Between the sisters not taking kindly to the impassive Dolls and his protocol, Bobo losing his sway over the revenant camp and John Henry finally revealing his true identity to Wynonna, Purgatory is brewing into a perfect storm of mayhem and death!

The battle between good and evil rolls on in “The Blade” next Friday at 10/9c on Syfy!