Batwoman 2x10 : Time Off for Good Behavior review

 

          Be warned there will be *SPOILERS* involved in this review. With that being said let's get into it.

Batwoman returns from it's one week hiatus with an episode that is about the past, forgetfulness and in Ryan Wilder's case doing anything and everything for the one we love. The episode begins with Batwoman taking the fight to the False Face Society stating that she is coming for Black Mask and that he can't hide from her. This is broadcast on the news as Batwoman really lays out her intentions. Soon after this we see Jacob getting into his car. Someone is sitting in the backseat and ends up knocking him out. Upon waking up he realizes something in his arm. This is the drug Snakebite and he has been drugged inside of his car which causes him to have memories of  the day he went to August Cartwright's house to find Beth. We saw this last season of course but this is done differently as this time he ends up actually finding his daughter. He wakes up from this fever dream soon after and is left reeling. His only real solution? to meet a woman named Dr Ryan who can help him. But this Dr Ryan is infact Enigma who has been helping both Black Mask and Safiyah with mind control on both Alice and Kate Kane. Speaking of mind control in the last episode we saw that Julia Pennyworth couldn't remember talking to somebody about Kate Kane. The same thing happens in this episode as even though Julia has receipts and backlogs to look back on where she has been, what she ordered and what she drove she can't remember things at all clearly. Could Enigma have gotten to her too?? we shall find out..

The last time we saw Ryan Wilder she was stunned to find out that instead of giving names who killed the Commissioner Angelique would rather go to prison. In this episode we see Ryan visit Angelique in prison. The two talk for a bit before Angelique ups and leaves as Ryan once again mentions her giving up names. This is also where Ryan talks about being a part of a new Community Center within Gotham. A center that is to be used to help kids stay out of trouble and ultimately stay out of jail. Later that day on the opening night of the Center we see Ryan, Sophie's sister and Mary all present. Things look to be going okay but things soon take a turn for the worse as a masked man enters the Center with a loaded electricity gun. Dubbed Killavolt by the media he uses his gun to rip, tear and set the Center a blaze as Ryan can do nothing to stop him at that moment in time. It's not long before Batwoman meets up with Killavolt just as she is meeting with a member of Gotham Gazette who had previously been at the Community Center. The reporter seemingly has some evidence that Killavolt wants destroyed at all costs. This is when he turns up again only to have his gun taken by Batwoman before escaping. Can the gun be the key to finding out his identity?

The episode draws to a close back at the bat-cave as with Luke's help Ryan learns of Killavolt's true identity. Nicknamed Mickey K he is actually in prison which can't really be possible can it? Ryan ends up going to visit him but really it's a waste of time as he just tells her to get lost. Once again at the bat-cave and Luke seems to have cracked the code so to speak. It turns out that the prison has been letting Mickey K out to do crimes in return for early parole. The man in charge of the prison is behind all of this which disgusts Ryan given how he has been behind not just the new Community Center being destroyed but many other similar facilities in Gotham City. Batwoman soon ends up confronting him and he admits to his crime stating that it's not illegal. Soon Batwoman is surrounded by men with the same electricity based weapons. A fight ensues but it's actually Luke who comes to the rescue of Batwoman which was nice to see for a change. There is more before this episode wraps up however and it has to do with Angelique, Julia and Jacob Kane. First is Jacob Kane who ends up getting totally manipulated by Dr Ryan and Roman Sionis in this episode. Roman turns up at the Crows HQ with Snakebite he supposedly found in one of his employees belongings. Leaving it behind it only teases Jacob into succumbing to the drug again and he does injecting himself once again. As for Julia she ends up working with Alice for a bit in this episode as they search for Engima. In short they do end up finding her as Julia learns that it was her who wiped her memory. Their confrontation is short lived as Julia ends up getting injected with something that I can only think is Snakebite also as soon after he mind is completely blank almost again as she tells Sophie that she is leaving Gotham because there is too many bad memories there. And the final most important part of this episode has to be the ending as Angelique ends up giving the names of those who shot and killed the Commissioner. She gets let out of prison but as she is being taken off the grid by The Crows False Face Society members roll up in a car next to hers and abduct her all while Ryan is listening on the phone as ultimately this is her fault as she pushed Angelique to spill the beans. The episode ends with Angelique's phone on the ground and Ryan looking completely distressed. An interesting but expected ending once I learned Angelique was getting out of prison. As for the episode as a whole it was fine. Nothing special, nothing bad. It was slightly by the numbers which is a shame given how improved this season has been. But overall it ain't and is another building block in a season that still has the potential to be really good. 

★★★