Posted in: Fox, Review, Trailer, TV | Tagged: action, ainsely, bleeding cool, bright, cable, Dani, dr. whitly, drama, Episode 18, eve, gil, horror, Jessica, malcolm, martin, prodigal son, Review, Season 1, streaming, television, the girl in the box, the surgeon, thriller, tv

"Prodigal Son" Spins Taut, Twisted Tale with "Scheherazade" [REVIEW]

FOX's Prodigal Son offered viewers intricate plots and subplots that definitely require an encore revisit. "Scheherazade" delivered murder, intrigue, manipulation, and an interesting twist that quickly engaged a new character – and even looped Jessica (Bellamy Young) in creating a lovely triangle of jealousy.

Dr. Whitly (Michael Sheen) got to play "doting involved father" – and dare I say we got a chance to see his sensitive-slash-self-preservation side. Eve (Molly Griggs) unfortunately is still around  – but not for long, so it seems. Such a pity: she's quite the actress playing "The Surgeon" that way – maybe she and her sister aren't that much different.

I lost count of the number of jealous souls this week, yet was surprised that Dani (Aurora Perrineau) is not showing any signs of affection towards Bright (Tom Payne) though she has looked fantastic the last few episodes. Jessica attends an elite soiree hosted by none other than Dermot Mulroney guest staring as Nicholas Endicott.

She dolls up, takes photos for the paparazzi, and feels at least for a moment that the Whitly name is not plagued. Jessica's Cinderella evening is cut short when during the premiere of the most exquisite ballet dancers, the male dancer lifts and dies, poisoned (quite gruesome) and spitting blood on New York's richest.

The NYPD and Bright are summoned to the crime scene and Gil (Lou Diamond Phillips) appears to see crimson of his own, when he approaches Endicott who looks very suspicious for the crime and Jessica on his arm. The victim was killed off in a utility fashion almost as if as assassination kill, no emotional investment just waste disposed of.

The investigation makes its way into the land of Ballet where dancers are putting blades in each other's shoes, poisoning one another's contact lenses, and a slue of other sadistic homicidal tendencies and sex, lots and lots of sex. With the new studio owned by Endicott on lockdown, Bright tries to wean out the murderer.

This part had me shocked, why would Malcolm so easily offer to take Eve to see his father unless there was an evil backhanded ploy in play – and there was. Eve theatrically crosses the red line in Claremont and slaps The Surgeon, who is outraged thinking that he was merely meeting his son's girlfriend. He seemed so proud, and then quickly turned evil after being called an empty void.

Well-played Bright, well-played – they pissed him off on purpose, left him hanging, and Bright even went as far as threatening to never see him again unless he confesses to Eve what he did to her sister and where her body is buried. Dr. Whitly's ego is hurt and he does start to lose it, brining up the past in him mind about "The Girl in the Box." What does The Surgeon do in his outrage? Call his ex-wife – Jessica digs the knife even deeper by alerting him to her photo with Endicott in the paper. Martin is not pleased.

A lot of signs point to Endicott being a very bad man, with the head ballerina alluding to him having something to do with the murder victim. Turns out, he actually helped him escape Cuba after he was almost killed – how admirable. Gil is just not vibing with him, jealously or a nasty "Spidey sense" that this guy is a bad seed. Dr. Whitly is not too fond of him, but for reasons I don't think anyone suspected. Meanwhile, Bright nabs the killer – another "revenge" storyline.

After much begging Eve and Bright pay Dr. Whitly another visit. The Surgeon finally provides clarity on "The Girl in the Box." In what may have been one of the most interesting scenes of the season, we see The Surgeon in action: interacting with a kill but persuaded to stop, sit, and listen to his prey. "The Girl in the Box" being held captive in the cabin tells a compelling story about a very, very bad man who she assumed was the reason she was kidnapped.

Dr. Whitly explains to her who he is, and her tale of fear, money, and crime is so intriguing that The Surgeon – let's her go??? Turns out, Endicott was the monster Eve's sister was running from – the same man on Jessica's arm. And right now, Martin's the only one who knows.

What a way to end the episode.

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