14 days.
Warning: Full spoilers for the episode below.
Hulu's The Path (which will be a weekly series) premiered with two episodes. This is a review of the second episode. For my take on the premiere, head here.
The Path handily delivered on its second episode, despite a questionable artistic choice toward the end involving a 360-style swooping montage meant to detail Eddie's two week stint in lockdown with his cult's resident "auditor."
I get what the scene was meant to convey, but it all came off like a clumsy stage play. Watching Aaron Paul move from emotion to emotion, situation to situation like a cornball performance artist. Which was sad because the guy's a phenomenal actor. Overall, I would have rather skipped any and all moments within the redemptive "14 Days" treatment and just imagined what went down there myself. It had been built up enough over the course of the episode that I feel like less would have been more here.
Other than that, "The Era of the Way" really worked to pull Cal out of his mysterious shell a bit more. On the surface, as the cult leader, he could easily be the villain of the piece. And there are definitely shady parts to him. He's keeping a huge secret about the movement's founder from everyone and he has lofty aspirations of making Meyerism more public. Perhaps to feed into his own need to lead. His own ego. Though he's not that cut and dry because we know Cal passionately believes in his faith. And he's growing weary of suffering "fake followers." Those who are ashamed and keep their Meyerist beliefs a secret. He values their devotion and faith over money.
But that lingering darkness is always present. Like when Cal assaulted Mary's father at the end of the premiere. And here, in the follow up chapter, with the talk of Alison's husband having been killed off. It didn't quite happen here yet, but soon we'll start seeing Meyerism through more outside eyes. I'm assuming we'll learn more about Alison's dilemma and also about things that those within the cult probably don't even know themselves. You know, now that Rockmond Dunbar's Detective Gaines is on the case.
The tornado disaster was a nice, shocking puzzle-piece way to open up the series, but I also really enjoy how it's now become a catalyst for story. Not only did the Meyerists' aid help bring Eddie's son (Kyle Allen) into contact with a classmate (Amy Forsyth) but it also brought the movement to the attention of the authorities. The cops who, up until this point, considered the lot to be hippie "deadhead" style commune. Now a new kind of light is going to be shed on the movement. The kind they're not seeking, despite all their claims. And while Meyerism seems altruistic (and odd, yes) there will forever be something ominous about any group that uses a a group of men to "talk" to people. Like a mini-mob. Or, in the case of Cal agreeing to take an addict into rehab, forceful backup.
After Eddie discovered that his son had learned the "truth about his imaginary affair" (the regrettable cover used to hide Eddie's own doubts and meetings with Alison), he quickly recoiled back into his cult shell in order to protect the sanctity of his family. An act of backpedaling that probably won't last. I'm not sure when Eddie will come back around since the 14 days seemed to do quite a number on him (one the reasons he probably rejected it initially), but his questioning nature will once again resurface, for sure.
The Verdict
"The Era of the Way" moved Cal forward, planting small megalomaniac seeds as he sought to bring Meyerism to the masses. Even sweating through a local news profile interview for the cause. Meanwhile, Eddie doubled down on his cover story of an affair, retreating from his attempts to possibly leave the movement. An effective chapter, despite the depiction of Eddie's time in lockdown.
Editors' Choice
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