Summary
This is a packed forty minutes of TV as all the many subplots are advanced in a satisfying style. The creators have constructed an elaborate and ingenious story here with real depth and longevity.
This recap of the AMC+ series Pantheon season 1, episode 3, “Reign of Winter,” contains spoilers.
READ: the review of Pantheon season 1.
The Black Mirror parallels continue in episode three as Chanda finds himself trapped within the machine, whilst Maddie attempts to bring her parents back together and Caspian starts to uncover many of Logorhythms’ darkest secrets. The series moves forwards at an enticing pace with a meticulous and clever script behind all that luscious animation.
Pantheon season 1, episode 3
In the previous instalment, Chanda’s mind was uploaded to the Logorhythms servers, now he finds himself within the machine, but the engineer is completely unaware of this horrifying setup. Chanda believes he is going about his normal working day routine, with a call from his mother to back that up. In the real world, a computer programmer is overseeing Chanda’s progression. And the evil boss Prasad is on hand to make sure all is going according to plan. The geek informs Prasad that Chanda relives the same day over and over again, yet the work he is accomplishing always develops. Prasad asks for the process to be sped up.
A ghost haunts Chanda’s office, breaking through and attempting to engage with the prisoner. Chanda panics and the process is reset in the real world, like the rewriting of a glitch. Later, these ghosts manage to pin Chanda down and show him the footage of his capture. Chanda watches the gruesome operation take place and realizes what has happened, with the memories of this terrifying event coming back to him all at once.
Having freed her father, Maddie now enjoys some bonding time with David, as they play their favorite video game together. Her dad is upset that Ellen won’t talk to him though and Maddie offers to help. David takes his frustrations out on the game and messes with the coding, which catches the attention of the Logorhythms staff, who are trying to track him down.
Meanwhile, Caspian researches Logorhythms creator Stephen Holstrom (voiced by William Hurt) and begins to unearth their darkest secrets. Mother Renee attempts to comfort her son over the parents’ most recent argument, but Caspian just wants to change the subject. She calls Pope to update him on Caspian’s meddling, although they are already fully aware, monitoring the teen’s every move. He starts to hunt down redacted locations and finds photographs of a construction site in Norway, Logorhythms’ secret base. Anssi deletes the photos a second too late, but Caspian is already on to them.
The suspicious parents go hammer shopping (as you do) and discuss the implications of their final day of work. This cold and calculated project involving Caspian is about to enter its next phase. The parents pretend to argue once more and the dad Cary is instructed to attack Renee with the hammer. He hesitates in the final moments and Renee has to land the final blow herself. Caspian rushes in and sees his mother bleeding on the floor. He punches his father in the face and then takes Renee to the hospital. The father leaves, informing Pope that the inflection point has been met. Pope compliments Cary on his hard work, yet the father is genuinely saddened that he’ll never see his son again.
Maddie tries to set up a forced date for David and Ellen, in an attempt to bring her parents back together. Ellen is concerned by Maddie’s manipulative plan and storms off. She meets up with her new lover Gabe and they start to make out. David hacks Gabe’s home technology, throwing the couple of their foreplay. Gabe asks to know what is going on, but Ellen won’t open up to him. The couple practically break-up there and then. Ellen returns home to finally confront her husband.
The ending
Ellen enters the video game via a VR headset and speaks truthfully with David. The wife states that she can’t be with him like this, she mourned him for two years, moved home and tried to move on. This is torture for her, but it isn’t real. David pleads his corner, saying he loves her and Maddie, but the damage is already done. The couple joke that this is the weirdest break up ever and Ellen agrees to continue talking with David as friends.
Prasad and Pope share an intriguing exchange as Pope exits the stage after a conference interview. They talk Uploaded Intelligence and Prasad offers a joint patent on the technology. Pope seems confused by this new competitor and leaves without agreeing to anything. Meanwhile, Chanda escapes Logorhythms’ fortress with the misshapen ghouls, hopefully to join forces with the other escapees.
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