Hemlock Grove - The Order of the Dragon

Something I have noticed since watching GLOW and Hemlock Grove, Netflix official series, is the indie movie aesthetic that they adhere to. There are the long distance shots where mise en scène seems very important. I have noticed the way Patrick and Roman are often lensed, for instance. One such scene has Patrick visiting Patrick (after Olivia gives him a bit of a hard time, clearly trying to provoke him, seemingly repulsed with “gypsies”), sitting in a window while Roman is perched on a billiards table. Or when Patrick returns from his “wolf night”, plopping down in a chair as Roman asks him, “How was it?” I have noticed how these guys pose, smoke, converse, and react to each other…it is all almost quite theatrical. Patrick doesn’t just sit in a chair naturally. He models in a chair for the cinematographer. Skarsgård’s whole characterization and presence on the show is modeling and posing. In saying that, Hemlock Grove is attune to style and mise en scène, the visual dynamic that cares just as much about where the actors are (location, location, location) and their placements (I think the myriad of producers, technical personnel, art design, editor dept, and general crew seem inspired to capture the best aesthetic humanly possible, taking great pains to pretty up their show), as it does the plot and characters (if moreso). Perhaps because there is such emphasis on aesthetic and not as much importance cast on the development of strong characters and story, I’m just left a bit empty. And I’m a visual guy. Don’t get me wrong, I think the myriad (just look at the credits involved in the making of this show; it is insane) involved are quite talented in presentation. This is a good looking show and I recognize that. But I have yet truly cared about anyone on the show. The cast is as attractive as the look of the show. Top to bottom, the casting fills the show with lots of eye candy for whatever viewer might watch. Famke Janssen is a siren, and she plays her character of Olivia very sensually, alluring and captivating. A femme fatale, she appears. But her motivations and purpose are yet to be detailed with any real texture. She loves her boy, that’s for sure. When Roman slips into a bar, he has the fake ID and gets a whisky from the bartender who knows he’s not of age, and even calls Olivia to come fetch him.

The upper torso of a student named Lisa Willoughby is found by Christina (considered “very observant” in description by “fish and game agent”, Dr. Clementine Chasseur while interviewing her) in the woods. Right here the show can’t wait to provoke the mindset that Patrick went out into the wilderness and night as a wolf in the previous episode. Could he have been the “animal” responsible? After his night as a wolf, returning home naked in his human form, Patrick mentions to Roman that he knew something else was out there, a unique form of wolf that kills out of anger and must be found and stopped. So Roman and Patrick have similar dreams about a snake that eats itself. The unhinged man found in the road by Roman and Letha in the previous episode named Pullman (Ted Dykstra) also mentions the ouroboros to Dr. Norman Godfrey. Pullman is developed further in this episode as it is revealed he saw what it was that killed Brooke and knows “the thing in her belly”, referring to Letha’s child. 

The new character introduced is Kandyse McClure’s Dr. Chasseur, of “fish and game”. Patrick describes her as a “digger” to Roman after she questions if he’s a werewolf (dead serious without breaking a smile or considering it far-fetched). Christina had implied she felt Patrick was and he admits to Chasseur that he told her that. But Patrick scoffs at such an accusation and Chasseur lets it be, but she’s clearly not convinced he isn’t involved somehow. When she awakens, the camera pans to a despondent young lady, naked in their bed, seemingly frustrated with Chasseur’s commitment to her. She wonders why this kind of relationship is tolerated. Chasseur just leaves, looking at her briefly. I’m not sure yet what quite to make of this other than Chasseur is perhaps driven in her career while her love life suffers in comparison. Chasseur, with a stick, surveys the crime scene of Willoughby as the deputies look on with their sheriff. She seems to have a picture of what it was that caused the crime, and now Chasseur investigates for possible culprits. The heavier deputy is an asshole always insulting somebody, calling Chasseur a retard with a stick…she’s a professional and just ignores his sorry ass.

While kids in school hit Shelley with a barrage of questions regarding her murdering girls, Roman comes to the rescue, comforting her while the boys gulp. Roman “influences” the boys ridiculing his sister to kiss each other! The other kids laugh. Later Roman bathes Shelley’s legs (???) while she smiles looking down at him. While mistreatment is a reality to Shelley, she does have a brother that cares about her. And Patrick has always been cool to her. Patrick tells his cousin (a practicing charlatan who convinces potentially swinging couples to visit only to terrify them with blood coming out of her mouth and possible deranged behavior!) that there is just something about Roman. He could be an “Apir” and not even know it. When Roman spellcast that “kissing spell”, blood dripped from his nose…it takes from him in order to enchant with hypnosis.

Norman is worried about his daughter. She doesn’t seem too worried, mentioning in the car with him her curiosity regarding the color of her baby’s eyes. He sees her sleeping on the couch later that night, with clear concern and worry she notices. Despite Olivia’s pampering Roman, Norman and Letha’s relationship just appears more authentic and less forced. While Roman might consider his mom a bit obnoxious, Letha clearly loves her father. Roman just appears tired of his mom.