Summary
Episode 2 brings another tense chapter and gives context to the community and the impact the game has had; the stakes seem to be increasing.
This recap of Amazon original Panic season 1, episode 2, “Heights,” contains major spoilers.
Panic got off to a great start, so that’s a good sign — while it has the YA feel, there’s a maturity to it where it doesn’t compound viewers with teen issue after issue. Well, so far. There’s still time for the writers to fall into the YA trap.
Episode 2 opens up with Heather (played by Olivia Welch) jumping off the edge of a hill into the lake as we saw in the opening chapter — it then flits to her waking up the next day, confirming that she survived. Suddenly, the landlord knocks on the door of their home asking for rent, so Heather sneaks out of their home with her sister, and then they jump into Bishop’s car. Heather is still looking for a job despite playing the game — she also has personal problems; Natalie will not talk to her. Bishop tells her that Natalie will come around eventually and explains that Panic is bullshit — he does not think there’s no shame in quitting. Heather is irked that nobody thinks she can win.
The cops want to find a way to stop the games
Panic season 1, episode 2 proves that there is a problem with this infamous game, and the cops are not going to let it run wild.
Sheriff Jimmy rounds up the cops and tells them about the game Panic. He explains how two teenagers died last year, and flashback scenes show how the teenagers died. He wants to find a way to track down the games — he doesn’t want any more teenagers to die. Sgt. Christine Langley (played by Lee Eddy) meets a friend of a victim of the game from the previous year — Myra claims she didn’t attend the games, but that they will happen anyway.
The police find a lead and believe they have tracked the second game.
New job // Heather makes up with Natalie
Heather gets lucky; while helping an older woman named Ann, she offers her a job on a farm. But then she has to deal with Natalie, so Bishop drives Heather to her house. Heather explains that her mother took her money for school, which is why she joined the game. Natalie expresses that she wishes she told her, but Heather explains she couldn’t even think at the time. Finally, the friends make up, and Natalie says they must work together to win and then split the money.
Bishop raises how nobody truly wins Panic
Episode 2 gives insight into how Panic has impacted the young teens through Bishop’s eyes — he’s clearly not a fan of the game.
Heather, Bishop, and Natalie find a clue in front of the theatres — they know the location of the next games. Heather and Bishop continue to look for clues — Bishop apologizes for doubting her about her chances — he asks her who “genuinely wins the grand prize”. He doesn’t think the winner buys into smarter choices after and only pays for the bad ones.
“Heights”
The second game is called “walk the plank” — at a large height, participants have to make it across a fragile crossing. They have 90-seconds to cross, or they are out of the game. The first participant walks across it, and he’s full of nerves, but he makes it. Shawna Kenny (played by Tatiana Roberts) goes second. Ray does it with ease. Heather is called up, and Natalie tells her not to “look down”. Bishop grabs Heather and tells her to be careful.
The timer for Heather starts immediately, and the timer seems to be going quickly. Heather makes a small fall, but Ray starts taunting her — Heather makes it, and Ray grabs her to bring her onto the platform. It’s clear Ray is into her.
Dodge heads up next, and Ray takes a keen interest in watching him. Dodge falls, and he has to hang on to the crossing and make it back on, which brings an extremely tense moment. He makes it, and there are cheers. When Dodge gets down, he punches Ray, and a fight breaks out.
The police turn up
We’ve seen this in many American teen series — the police know how to break up a secret gathering.
The police have managed to work out the clues, and they raid the game. Natalie hurts her ankle by running off. Some students are arrested, but Dodge, Natalie, and Heather make it away. Dodge helps Natalie with her foot while Heather looks for Bishop — Natalie asks Dodge what his problem is with Ray — he calls Ray an arsehole. Natalie states that Dodge is not afraid, but he claims everyone is afraid of something. Natalie tells him she’s scared of not getting out of Carp, Texas.
The ending
Sheriff Jimmy heads home, and he’s concerned about his wife Melanie — he tells her she hasn’t eaten anything all day. So he offers to take her out for a meal. Melanie pops her cigarette in her red wine and gets ready. Jimmy is curious about what his wife was looking at on the laptop; it’s a family video of them both having a BBQ — Abby, the victim of the game Panic the year before, is in it — she was their daughter.
Continuing the pace, Panic season 1, episode 2 brings another tense chapter and gives context to the community and the impact the game has had; the stakes seem to be increasing.
Additional points
- Ray confronts Dodge at the cafe and explains that it is a local game — he says that strangers are not welcome, but Dodge disputes that. Ray laughs and claims he’s going to beat his ass.
- Natalie and Heather meet up to discuss the other participants; they go through each one and highlight their chances. Natalie then breaks down the usual categories and believes the second challenge will involve a crossing and will be about speed.
