What I would deem as episode 7, if this was part of the regular schedule, is the type of episode where as you watch you aren't fully sure why they cut it until certain things happens. Though, I must admit, in the beginning I rather liked the episode for it had a sort of Twin Peaks type of feel to it. It had a murder mystery, a father who wasn't in his right mind, the victim being a girl named Laura, but with Kyle MacLachlan not being involved, it did take away from what could be seen as perhaps a coincidence. But, let's go into the episode and talk about why perhaps cutting this one was a good idea.
Topic 1: "I'm Not Weak" - Shawn
In Believe, after Shawn killed Joshua, he pretty much disappeared. Something which I didn't take much note of since we learned the show was cancelled. But with this missing episode we learn the truth of what happened. You see, Roman's mind games on Shawn pushed him beyond repair. The idea of being weak lead him to take a life and it seems those threads holding Shawn together began slowly snapping post-murder. So, now his issues are amplified and beyond control. He is scratching his hand to the point of bleeding, his powers he can barely control for his emotions have the best of him, and after killing a doctor, and then getting ready to kill others, Roman ends up having to shoot him. Hence solving that mystery of what happened to Shawn.
Topic 2: A Murder In A Small Town (Part 1) – Tate, Bo & Steve
OK, so if it wasn't for Orchestra existing in the episode, you could foresee this as being a true episode 13. But, with Orchestra existing, it becomes clear we are in the period in which Bo is fearful of hurting people with her powers, as well as using them, and she and Tate are still on the run. Though, as always with Bo, as much as they are supposed to keep a low-key profile, she ends up putting them in very visible positions. This time though things are especially ridiculous for rather than being involved in something like preventing a murder or a lot of people dying, someone is already dead and what Bo and Tate are trying to do is help the man who may have did it. Especially since something seems wrong with him because he has visions, blacks out, and seems like he isn't fully stable.
What makes matters worse though is he has a daughter and, like Tate, his relationship with his daughter isn't really as it should be ideally. Though as we learn more and more about the situation, you can see why the episode was cut. For one, it seems weird that with the amber alerts, and other warnings out there, that Bo and Tate can walk into a room full of cops and not have issues. And while Tate is smart enough to give himself a fake name, he calls Bo by her real name and I don't know about you, but Bo doesn't sound like something generic like Elizabeth or Chelsea so the fact no red flags were raised was strange to me.
That aside, another weird bit about the episode is how it seemed like a sort of homage to Twin Peaks. Which I'll admit is a bit of a stretch, but something about the town just reminded me of the show. It's quiet, everyone knows everybody, the victim's name is Laura, Steve blacks out and it makes you think maybe he becomes someone else, like Laura's dad becoming BOB,, and maybe I am just creating this connection in my head and it isn't really there, but either way just the slightest hint of Twin Peaks nostalgia made this episode really seem like something which perhaps should have stayed in the regular season.
Topic 3: A Murder In A Small Town (Part 2) – Winter, Bo & Steve
Going back to why it is perhaps good the episode was cut, the first real reason deals with us learning Steve has powers similar to Bo since the visions he has deal with him taking in the guilty emotions of his partner who murdered Laura. Then, on top of that, there would be a need to address Winter having powers. For, you see, with Bo refusing to use her powers, in fear of hurting Steve, Winter uses his Professor X mind opening ability. Which, at first, seems like simple therapy, but as Winter's nose bleeds and you realize he is actually doing something more than talking, you realize Winter is in fact gifted.
And while the show certainly could have opened itself to us meeting, and finding, adults who were gifted, the issue is that the rest of the season doesn't really go with what is presented in this episode. Though I do feel that the way Shawn was handled would have made the Dani situation a bit more threatening because not only would we have fully seen what Roman's tactics can do to a person, but also how disposable he finds some of his subjects, with the exception of Bo.
Overall
What's done is done and the show is cancelled. So this "lost" episode is nice, but you can clearly see why it was not aired. For with it opening up the possibility of finding adult versions of Bo, and not just teenagers, I must admit it would have probably lead to more Touch references and would likely have killed any possible chance of walking out that show's shadow. Which, ultimately, it seemed to never have done.
Topic 1: "I'm Not Weak" - Shawn
In Believe, after Shawn killed Joshua, he pretty much disappeared. Something which I didn't take much note of since we learned the show was cancelled. But with this missing episode we learn the truth of what happened. You see, Roman's mind games on Shawn pushed him beyond repair. The idea of being weak lead him to take a life and it seems those threads holding Shawn together began slowly snapping post-murder. So, now his issues are amplified and beyond control. He is scratching his hand to the point of bleeding, his powers he can barely control for his emotions have the best of him, and after killing a doctor, and then getting ready to kill others, Roman ends up having to shoot him. Hence solving that mystery of what happened to Shawn.
Topic 2: A Murder In A Small Town (Part 1) – Tate, Bo & Steve
OK, so if it wasn't for Orchestra existing in the episode, you could foresee this as being a true episode 13. But, with Orchestra existing, it becomes clear we are in the period in which Bo is fearful of hurting people with her powers, as well as using them, and she and Tate are still on the run. Though, as always with Bo, as much as they are supposed to keep a low-key profile, she ends up putting them in very visible positions. This time though things are especially ridiculous for rather than being involved in something like preventing a murder or a lot of people dying, someone is already dead and what Bo and Tate are trying to do is help the man who may have did it. Especially since something seems wrong with him because he has visions, blacks out, and seems like he isn't fully stable.
What makes matters worse though is he has a daughter and, like Tate, his relationship with his daughter isn't really as it should be ideally. Though as we learn more and more about the situation, you can see why the episode was cut. For one, it seems weird that with the amber alerts, and other warnings out there, that Bo and Tate can walk into a room full of cops and not have issues. And while Tate is smart enough to give himself a fake name, he calls Bo by her real name and I don't know about you, but Bo doesn't sound like something generic like Elizabeth or Chelsea so the fact no red flags were raised was strange to me.
That aside, another weird bit about the episode is how it seemed like a sort of homage to Twin Peaks. Which I'll admit is a bit of a stretch, but something about the town just reminded me of the show. It's quiet, everyone knows everybody, the victim's name is Laura, Steve blacks out and it makes you think maybe he becomes someone else, like Laura's dad becoming BOB,, and maybe I am just creating this connection in my head and it isn't really there, but either way just the slightest hint of Twin Peaks nostalgia made this episode really seem like something which perhaps should have stayed in the regular season.
Topic 3: A Murder In A Small Town (Part 2) – Winter, Bo & Steve
Going back to why it is perhaps good the episode was cut, the first real reason deals with us learning Steve has powers similar to Bo since the visions he has deal with him taking in the guilty emotions of his partner who murdered Laura. Then, on top of that, there would be a need to address Winter having powers. For, you see, with Bo refusing to use her powers, in fear of hurting Steve, Winter uses his Professor X mind opening ability. Which, at first, seems like simple therapy, but as Winter's nose bleeds and you realize he is actually doing something more than talking, you realize Winter is in fact gifted.
And while the show certainly could have opened itself to us meeting, and finding, adults who were gifted, the issue is that the rest of the season doesn't really go with what is presented in this episode. Though I do feel that the way Shawn was handled would have made the Dani situation a bit more threatening because not only would we have fully seen what Roman's tactics can do to a person, but also how disposable he finds some of his subjects, with the exception of Bo.
Overall
What's done is done and the show is cancelled. So this "lost" episode is nice, but you can clearly see why it was not aired. For with it opening up the possibility of finding adult versions of Bo, and not just teenagers, I must admit it would have probably lead to more Touch references and would likely have killed any possible chance of walking out that show's shadow. Which, ultimately, it seemed to never have done.
