Tonight was the second episode of the new series Happy Town (otherwise known as my possible replacement for Lost). The following will mostly be my thoughts and commentary on what happened, but it will still be somewhat SPOILERY so be warned.
We left last week with Henley about to check out what is hidden on the third floor. Well, whatever was hidden up there is behind a locked door, so that was gonna have to wait. Also last week was Sheriff Conroy going crazy and chopping off his hand. They were able to reattach the hand but were going to call in a neurologist to find out “what we’re up against”. All I wanted to tell them was this: What you’re up against is a heaping pile of bat-sh!t-crazy. Or, if you like, a ride on the Crazy Train. First stop – Crazy Town. It’s right next to Happy Town. In fact, they’re sister cities.
Having fun? I know I am. Other things that were fun: watching Henley run through the woods and back to make a copy of the key to the locked door on the third floor. Oh, and I think the old guy (Merritt Grieves) knows something. First he gives Henley a knowing look then conveniently steps in so she can slip back into the kitchen before Dot Meadows notices anything.
Question #1 for the evening: Why does Mrs. Haplin want Tom Conroy to be acting sheriff so bad? I mean, he declined and she still gave it to him.
Next couple questions come with two visits to Sheriff Conroy. First is when Georgia goes to visit him and starts hearing things (including him speaking even though he is asleep). WEIRD. What he says – EVEN WEIRDER. A sample: “In my younger days I felt sorry for a man with no gloves until I met a man with no hands.” Yep, get on board the Crazy Train, everybody. Oh, and was anyone else reminded of Stephen King’s Kingdom Hospital during some of these scenes (especially the ones in the hospital)? Because I certainly was. But that was not my real question. No, my real question was “How does Georgia end up with the Stiviletto brothers after her little trip into the Twilight Zone?
My next question is about something else Conroy says (this time while his son, Tom, is visiting. “He’ll be back.” Who will be back? The Magic Man? And was he talking about the guy that showed up at the end of the episode to “help”? Guess we’ll just have to add it to the list of questions that is already piling up on this show.
While Tom is visiting dear, old, Crazy Dad, he gets a call about his daughter and storms over to the Stiveletto place to give them a piece of his mind (and fist). The scene went something like this:
Tom: *storms in and punches one of the brothers*
Me: That was a “don’t-mess-with-my-daughter” punch, in case you were wondering.
Just then he gets the call with evidence about the Friddle case, which leads him to Dave. (Him talking about getting water for his place from NYC was the connection). We see lots of clippings and other things that you would either find with a profiler or a stalker. (Funny how those two things go together like that). Apparently he thought Friddle was the Magic Man and that’s why he did it. He also says Friddle told him where the bodies of the missing girls were before he died (although Tom points out he would have said anything after being tortured – and 24 fans can save the Dana Walsh argument for me, cause I already thought of it).
So now we have one answer and about half a dozen more questions. That seems totally balanced.
But wait! There’s more. Because Henley is going back up to the forbidden room – only this time she gets in! There are lots of birds in a bunch of different cages and they are all singing. I am reminded of something Sheriff Conroy said when his son was visiting, “The Serpent always hisses when the sweet bird sings” and am slightly creeped out. If that wasn’t enough to do it, the hammer with the head that seemed to be shaped like a goat certainly helped.
Wrapping things up: There is more mysterious talking with mysterious stranger on the phone. And the star-crossed lovers meet in secret and Andrew gets all protective of Georgia when he sees she is hurt.
Oh, and a giant bird crashes into Henley’s windshield.
The end.
…And what about the continued replaying of the song 'You're so Vain – clouds in my coffee' throughout the episode after Georgia was drugged in her coffee creamer…. but it kept playing through the end. What the H? This show totally has me intrigued and I am looking for hints of things of symbolism all over the internet. (And I didn't watch the show '24' so I don't know your reference on that…going to find out now. 🙂