Hemlock Grove – S3E4 – Every Beast

Previously on Hemlock Grove, ‘A House in the Woods’

Dee and Andreas wake up on the day of their respective bachelor and bachelorette parties, the joy of their upcoming nuptials etched on their faces as they prepare to go their separate ways. As he drives away Andreas sees the gift she has left him in his car: a watch and a rolled up parchment with the words I love you.

Crossroads

I’m sure it was pretty obvious to everyone when we saw the opening scene that this was going to be Andreas’ swan song. After meeting up with Peter and having the umpteenth argument regarding his stupid plan of a heist, it seemed Andreas might finally be seeing reason. That is until they walk into their hideout and find seven of their people have been killed execution style. Andreas immediately wants retribution while Peter preaches caution - again straining the tension between. Peter says he’ll find out who is responsible and for the rest of the crew to clean up the bodies while he’s gone. As Peter departs, Andreas calls Dee and warns her to be careful. This scene was very touching, because the issue is in spite of Andreas’ infinite faults, it is apparent that he does love Dee albeit in a very fatalistic Fredo Corleone way.

The beginning of the end

Peter finds out who ratted out their crew and is able to get a meeting - the type of meeting where you’re almost driven off the road, your windows are smashed, and a tablet is thrown on your lap. Leaving the viewer to wonder just what is on that tablet for Peter to see. Peter, armed with new information, returns to Andreas and company to share his new plan of attack: kill Milan the leader of the Croatians and avenge their dead. Andreas advocates a grander plan of attack including killing women and children, something that Peter is able to dissuade him of.

But Andreas’ fuck ups eventually catch up to him as we find out the death of the members of their crew is the result of him sleeping with Milan’s woman. Peter has made a deal to trade the safety of the crew for Andreas’ life. As he is dragged away by Milan’s men he curses Peter out. A single shot signals his death and the full weight of his actions are all on Peter’s face while Dee falls to the floor in shock.

Frankenstein’s Monster

Pryce is having the opposite of a good day. While in his lab he ends up being trapped by Blinsky, who uses this moment as an opportunity to force him into detoxing off the pills he’s become addicted to. Unfortunately, Blinksy did not work Olivia into his timetable and when she arrives and manipulates Blinksy into admitting what he’s done, she gets him to release Dr. Pryce - who runs right back into the arms of his addiction. Olivia runs back to her apartment after a call from her private investigator - Shelley is ransacking her home with a new gentlemen friend.

Funniest Pryce and Olivia Moment

When Pryce finds out Olivia doesn’t know where Shelley is and he yells “You lost Shelley?”

[pullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”4a7097″ class=”” size=””]“Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tunes without the words and never stops at all” - Aitor[/pullquote]

After Pryce breaks the bad news to Olivia regarding her imminent demise due to the disease Spivak created, Olivia threatens him with the exposure of his secrets if she dies. So not only has Olivia found out she is on a death watch, she returns home to find Shelley has emptied the apartment of everything. And as if that wasn’t bad enough, she finds Annie at her doorstep.

Good Intentions

Roman and Annie return to Hemlock Grove after the excitement of almost being killed by infected Upirs. Roman is in need of a pick-me-up so Annie suggests robbing a blood bank, which results in one of the best gratuitous sex scenes I have seen (involving blood bags), and results in the death of a cop who comes by at just the wrong moment. Unfortunately, this brings out the worst out in Roman while it shows Annie’s struggle with what she considers an Upir’s base instincts: greedy, barbarous, and cruel. But she might as well have added extremely secretive since she later reveals to Olivia that she’s her daughter. just felt so bad for Roman and what’s going to happen when he finds out he’s slept with yet another sister of his.

Shelley for once comes up ahead this episode as her time with Aitor Quantic is helping her with not only her confidence, but owning the duality of who she is. I continue to hope that he is only here for good, but I’m still reserving 10% of doubt after Dr. Spivak pulled the wool over everyone’s eyes in season two. But so far so good, especially when he encourages her to come outside her shell and recite a poem for the inhabitants of the Rooster Pit which leads to all 7 feet of her falling to the ground and Aitor rushing to her side.