Trying to find reality behind small town hijinks where money is involved sometimes can come down to simple desire. Sometimes it can be as simple as post-adolescent lust for power without experience. That seems to be the case here. The evolving idea though between lead investigators Carson and Rupp is that one tends to learn more from the other. Noah Reid regains a little bit of his charm as Rupp and Clark Backo as Carson in an interrogation scene pours on some “beast” as Rapp calls it to push her investigation skills farther. There is definitely certain things she cannot do. But she understands how to work a case with Rapp without breaking too much protocol. The best information again comes from a paramour of Rapp which shows his perspective - although the intention from his source seems more innocent not understanding the depth of control (or power) that is possibly being released.
This revelation leads to a would-be ringleader who more or less comes off a little hippy dippy but her presence does fuels a certain drug culture. Now granted the Baba Yaga lore which is keyed into the voice over at the beginning and end of the episodes is supposed to speak to a certain alchemy...but it is not mysterious enough to be truly water-cooler. However, it is still light enough to capture viewers that might turn off the show otherwise. The character at the end (more hippie than witch but you never know) is a great character because she understands and yet she doesn’t. It is reminiscent of the Log Lady which of course reflects the continual Twin Peaks motif but its twist at end of the episode simply adds to more questions. But halfway through the first season 8-episode run, "Yaga" wants to be mysterious and yet its narrative twists are too softly played. Now granted this is based on showrunner Kit Sandler’s play but the theatricality that might have played more noir on stage might be getting lost in the tone of the series. 81%/B-
By Tim Wassberg
