#I'll think of more shit later probably but eeehhh

[princessparadoxical]

I never thought that Priest would be the one to accurately summarize this episode but “this is going to be a wild one” says it more articulately than I ever could. And also someone asking about Dirk’s deal and Farah responding with “actually I don’t know what Dirk is” because isn’t that at the heart of everything at the moment. Everyone wants Dirk Gently but no-one has the faintest clue what he is. Hell, he doesn’t seem to know what he is (other than in desperate need of a hug and a milkshake and probably years of therapy).

I don’t know what the significance is of the underground paintings at the beginning of every episode. Maybe it’s the content. Maybe they’ll finally pan back to reveal the artist. Maybe it’s the fact that they’re taking place underground. Either way it’s a mystery within a mystery and also works with the current fan theory that pits are going to be important in season two.

Oh Trosts, don’t accept gifts from the Mage. Do you know nothing about narative? Do stories not exist in Wendimoor, or do you just wander around repeating the prophecy to each other? But sadly no sign of Silas, for which I am in mourning.

Todd sleeping like a dork, Farah sleeping like an actual angel, and Dirk studiously not sleeping because of trauma and christ, that’s going to start taking a toll soon because sleep deprivation is a form of torture banned by the Geneva Conventions and Dirk is doing it to himself. It doesn’t take much for exhaustion to turn into paranoia.

I don’t know whether anyone agrees with me but Todd and Farah flirting was utterly adorable, either they’ve got some friendly banter going on or it’s something more but it was good fun. “It’s not like I haven’t seen it all before” I’m assuming they’ve had some fucking weird experiences while on the run, where is this fic series please.

Dirk’s gorgeous face when he realizes he’s getting unfettered access to the costume department lost property and evidence room. He’s a pressure cooker of anxiety and guilt so as far as I’m concerned, he should be taking whatever victories he can.

Someone should be keeping track of how many laws Farah is breaking this season.

I don’t know why Todd thinks that Dirk wouldn’t be squeamish? He’s seen dead bodies, sure. Doesn’t mean that he likes them. But kudos to Todd for trying to coax Dirk out though, even if it’s the exact opposite of what Dirk needed at that moment. Todd, my small angry bisexual son. You’re doing beautifully.

Vogel suggesting that he can be Amanda’s son. Or grandson. I was going to ask jokingly whether he knows how family works but in retrospect, he might not.

Dirk’s “maybe it was some kind of accident” spiel sounds like he’s trying so hard to give them what they want in a way that’s not going to put them in danger but there’s no right answer here and he’s floundering.

He’s probably also imagining his old friends and his new friends dying in equally strange and unusual ways and that’s not going to be great for his mental health.

The only thing I can take away from Friedkin’s “why is there no breakdown video or something?” is that he’s the kind of person who has to bingewatch things because of his terrible attention span and sure, we’ve all been there, but it’s less endearing when people’s lives depend on you knowing your shit. Fingers crossed that his assistant puts together some cliff notes or some flash cards or something.

Hobbs asking Todd “what’s his deal?” literally made my heart skip a beat because I thought he was subtly trying to check out Dirk’s relationship status or sexuality and I was ready to throw a fucking parade, I’m long-term Brotzly trash but I’d also happily sell my firstborn chld for some canon Dirk/Hobbs content.

No matter what else happens this season, Dirk being able to honestly say that he’s working with local law enforcement like a real detective is going to be one of those happy memories that he could use to summon a Patronus.

Todd keeping the brass knuckles like the world’s weirdest souveneir from the world’s weirdest case. What a dork.

I’m so fucking glad that someone called Friedkin out on almost shooting Amanda in the head, that’s been bothering me since season one. I just wish that person wasn’t Priest, because the casting video described how Priest shot another Blackwing subject’s jaw off and that’s been haunting my nightmares for a very long time now.

Tina is my bisexual empath punk law enforcement daughter and I will literally die for her.

But also what if Tina is an actual empath and she’s been abusing substances for so long as a form of self-medication?

Dirk saying that he’s in Bergsberg to deal with all their weird and freaky coincidences because he thinks that’s all he’s good for.

Did Susie just straight-up murder the entire book club?

I’m assuming that Bart got the bell the same way Dirk got up the ladder, there is something spooky going on here and I don’t know whether it’s a causality psychic thing or a Bergsberg thing but I need to know more.

Friedkin, can you please stop flirting with people after electrocuting them. I know we’ve all been talking shit about Todd’s game but man, yours is 1000% worse. Stockholm syndrome isn’t fun. You’re not making any friends.

The thing about the construction company having the same insignia as the Mage’s forces is that one of them probably had to predate the other. My money is still on the Mage coming through the portal in the 1960s (either on the boat or during the huge power surge) and founding the construction company?

Dirk repeatedly rejecting Todd’s offers to talk, god damn it, I know you’re not the best with people but this is an opportunity too good to pass up.

The entire scene with Vogel and Priest, there is a lot going on here, the familiar Rowdy 3 music starts and you see the van and you know things are going to go wrong and then Vogel’s face. My heart broke. This is the monster from his childhood who’s taunting him with his stolen family, threatening the one friend he has left, and who just broke his hand for shits and giggles. I’m officially nominating Vogel as the Blackwing subject most in need of a hug this episode (sorry Dirk).

... and that’s predominantly because Dirk has Todd dropping some much-needed truth bombs about Dirk’s value as a human being. Because I don’t think Todd realized until now just how domestic some of Dirk’s dreams were. He wanted his friends and his Agency. He wanted to solve mysteries and help people. He wanted it to be calmer and he wanted it to be better and now he feels like it’s neither and Todd developed pararibulitis because of him. But Todd’s still there, still offering help, still doing shitty British accents. Quoting something that Dirk told him the very first day they met. That means something,

But Todd mentions “fate and chance” in the same way Dirk mentions “fate and chance” to Friedkin in episode one and that’s concerning. That’s a very specific phrase being used under very specific circumstances and I can’t imagine that it wouldn’t be reused later in a horribly ironic echo.

Susie trying to keep the wand and book makes me think of Gollum clutching the One Ring going “my precioussss” and I genuinely didn’t predict that the Mage and Susie would be this antagonistic towards each other, but there are still seven episodes to go in this season so they might still join forces.

When they said that Bart was asking everyone whether they knew Ken, they really meant that she was asking everyone.

Dirk’s face when Panto says his name :) :) :)

This episode kicked the Bechdel Test in the teeth in the most thrilling and innuendo-laden way possible and I’m fully here for the new Rowdy 3 of Tina, Farah, Amanda and Bart.

And the biggest mystery of all: why the fuck does the sweet sunshine bean dislike pink.