by Verushka Byrow
Beauty is pain, murderously so in episode 12 of this show.
It begins with a Chrome’s murder, and as established in earlier episodes, a Chrome is genetically altered to be perfect, so a Chrome cannot die from a heart attack. Or so Valerie Stahl insists when she asks Kennex and Dorian for their help to investigate this murder. They find evidence the victim was injected with something to make his heart stop, and what looked like a single murder case, quickly becomes a serial case as more and more victims are found, but not all are Chrome.
Beauty is pain, murderously so in episode 12 of this show.
It begins with a Chrome’s murder, and as established in earlier episodes, a Chrome is genetically altered to be perfect, so a Chrome cannot die from a heart attack. Or so Valerie Stahl insists when she asks Kennex and Dorian for their help to investigate this murder. They find evidence the victim was injected with something to make his heart stop, and what looked like a single murder case, quickly becomes a serial case as more and more victims are found, but not all are Chrome.
Up until this point the episode had lulled me into a false sense of security. From Stahl’s presence, the Chrome victim I had assumed we might be getting another episode that would tell viewers who she was. There was even time for her to work her way into a Chrome club, and sort of flirt with the owner. She showed her insecurities even further that she had previously, and admittedly, for what little focus there was on her in this episode, it was good. Really good.
Stahl is still figuring out who she is – she may have begun the season a Chrome determined to be more than just a Chrome, but part of this episode at least is devoted to her realising that being a Chrome? Isn’t that bad.
But back to the case – Rudy’s discovery of nanites in the victim sends Kennex and Dorian to a plastic surgeon that had been experimenting with nanites performing plastic surgery on people from the inside. But the trial was discontinued when participants were disfigured and in some cases died.
Alongside following the investigation in this episode, we follow Eric, our pschyo murdering for beauty in essence. He is extracting parts of people he thinks are perfect with the nanites and with a discredited doctor injecting them into himself to repair the disfigurement from the trial. He’s a lonely creature and there’s SO much to be said about perfection, robots and the beauty of flaws… but the show doesn’t. Perhaps it’s a good thing considering its too vast a topic to be catered to in one show, and one of the leads is in fact a robot. Instead, its couched in humour and banter between Kennex and Dorian, each teasing the other about their flaws – or in Dorian’s case, Kennex reminding him that Dorian is a composite of different people and not unique. Ouch. The writers haven’t really found the setting for Kennex’s barbs towards Dorian, because more often than not they sound like a bully.
Stahl is still figuring out who she is – she may have begun the season a Chrome determined to be more than just a Chrome, but part of this episode at least is devoted to her realising that being a Chrome? Isn’t that bad.
But back to the case – Rudy’s discovery of nanites in the victim sends Kennex and Dorian to a plastic surgeon that had been experimenting with nanites performing plastic surgery on people from the inside. But the trial was discontinued when participants were disfigured and in some cases died.
Alongside following the investigation in this episode, we follow Eric, our pschyo murdering for beauty in essence. He is extracting parts of people he thinks are perfect with the nanites and with a discredited doctor injecting them into himself to repair the disfigurement from the trial. He’s a lonely creature and there’s SO much to be said about perfection, robots and the beauty of flaws… but the show doesn’t. Perhaps it’s a good thing considering its too vast a topic to be catered to in one show, and one of the leads is in fact a robot. Instead, its couched in humour and banter between Kennex and Dorian, each teasing the other about their flaws – or in Dorian’s case, Kennex reminding him that Dorian is a composite of different people and not unique. Ouch. The writers haven’t really found the setting for Kennex’s barbs towards Dorian, because more often than not they sound like a bully.
Eric as it turns out is having an online relationship with Judy and they’re close to meeting, so close that his murders are an effort to get ready to meet her. She thinks he lives in Arizona, but instead he lives in the building next to her and can see her through his window. Creepy. Kennex and Dorian however find his doctor and his next victim, forcing him to abandon his plans to be “perfect” when he meets Judy.
Instead when he meets her – irony alert – he realises she’s blind, and really doesn’t care what he looks like. Kennex and Dorian burst in, and Eric flees. On the rooftop, Kennex tries to persuade Eric not to jump, when Eric asks him if he’s ever been loved. When Kennex answers yes, Eric jumps.
Later, Dorian asks whether he believes that there’s someone for everyone, and Kennex, romantic that he is says he does. And then –anvil alert – goes to ask Stahl out. Only, Stahl is having drinks with the handsome, Jake, the Chrome club owner from earlier, and the guy that made her stop and think that maybe her own assumptions about Chromes might have been wrong.
So. They tried. The show really did try to develop Stahl’s character – about the only interesting part of the episode if they weren’t making a comment about beauty in our world – and succeeded part way. We know a little of her issues and her problems with resenting being a Chrome, and that she might be ready to accept who she is. Eric though and his lovelorn question for perfection had the potential to be sad, and tug at viewers heartstrings, but it really didn’t. He was creepy though…that counts!
Instead when he meets her – irony alert – he realises she’s blind, and really doesn’t care what he looks like. Kennex and Dorian burst in, and Eric flees. On the rooftop, Kennex tries to persuade Eric not to jump, when Eric asks him if he’s ever been loved. When Kennex answers yes, Eric jumps.
Later, Dorian asks whether he believes that there’s someone for everyone, and Kennex, romantic that he is says he does. And then –anvil alert – goes to ask Stahl out. Only, Stahl is having drinks with the handsome, Jake, the Chrome club owner from earlier, and the guy that made her stop and think that maybe her own assumptions about Chromes might have been wrong.
So. They tried. The show really did try to develop Stahl’s character – about the only interesting part of the episode if they weren’t making a comment about beauty in our world – and succeeded part way. We know a little of her issues and her problems with resenting being a Chrome, and that she might be ready to accept who she is. Eric though and his lovelorn question for perfection had the potential to be sad, and tug at viewers heartstrings, but it really didn’t. He was creepy though…that counts!
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