IR TV Review: CROSS - EPISODE 6 (“Gather”) [Prime-S2]
While Cross' powers of anticipation are less than stellar at times, he finds a way to bounce back after the circumstances at the end of Episode 5. In "Gather" it is about putting the pieces together though the puzzle he finds in a painting seems a little esoteric and yet ritualistic in the way Luz is pursuing her prey. Now that cultlike religiosity makes sense in the canon of "Cross" but the selling of Jeanine Mason as this kind of killer still stretches it a little bit even though she is quite good. The darkness of Kayla (Alona Tai) is more pronounced but in many ways a might be two sides of the same coin, especially when Kayla uncovers certain forces are strill conspiring against her. But her methods again are a little bit extreme...but this form of "Cross" does have the tendency to get soapy at times. The characters who should be worried get their just deserts but, in all honesty, they likely should have more foresight to see some of these actions coming. Matthew Lillard as Durand who seems to be top of the hit list doesn't seem quite as cruel (at the moment) but that is just the way that Lillard is playing him.
It comes off a little superficial (versus even something even like "Five Nights At Freddy's") but again that might be part of the scripts. However, that speaks a little bit against the script work as well. The one precise part of the story is when a higher power structure in the government stops the Feds in their tracks. It is a small but pivotal scene which gives more stakes in that there is something much bigger at play. Cross does get what is going on and plays it together. The thing is that the way Luz and Donnie ingratiate themselves in the final moments seems too effortless and easy (in what should be a much more secure event). Again these are little details but bring down the stakes a little. The fact that Cross is also less injured than he should be (as is Donnie --- who got a worse part of the deal) just dictates that the story simply needs to continue on no matter what. While Episode 4 really gave a sense of what was at stake (at least for Luz), the general storywork, especially in this episode comes off a bit more lazy. C
By Tim Wassberg
