Hemlock Grove - Measure of Disorder

The thing about Hemlock Grove—and it is something I have mentioned in previous write-ups—is that I just don’t feel anything for any of the characters on the show. There is not one character I can invest any emotional attachment to. In fact their seemingly stone-faced, posturing coldness leaves me with the case of the no-feels. So the stories that inhabit Hemlock Grove don’t altogether ingratiate themselves to me. Roman continues to emote nothing with eyes that could pierce a crater through you. He combs back his hair with his hands, delivers his words with as much life as the Willoughby body dug up a few episodes ago, and has a fair share of high school girls to fuck regularly. He has yet another conquest in Measure of Disorder, just inviting him to her bedroom (wearing nothing but a shirt and shot sensuously enough to make those older than 18 feel very uncomfortable unless…well I’ll leave that alone) while standing out in the pouring rain after seeing Patrick and Letha on the coach of the Rumancek trailer. Dr. Chasseur questions Roman in his home, messaging to him that he should not allow himself to descend into ruination. I just found this entire conversation odd. Chasseur is supposed to be looking for a creature killing girls, and she seems to be offering advice to Roman instead of just getting the facts. Roman does admit to the digging up of the Willoughby girl, but he sticks by Patrick as Chasseur pointedly ponders if he is the killer. Perhaps after realizing that Patrick fucked Letha, all that help he’s been giving him goes out the window. While at the Godfrey mill, the deputies took off Roman to jail while Patrick was saved when he wouldn’t give him up. Patrick goes five miles back home. Roman is incensed that Patrick wants to call off their investigation into the murders in Hemlock Grove, and a word of warning is issued regarding Letha…and, sure enough, that warning isn’t heeded. Though Patrick tries to avoid it, but Letha, pregnant and all, followed him to the Rumancek trailer knowing she’d fuck him. She is so not taking no for an answer and Roman does admit that her being pregnant is kind of hot to him. This all might be arousing to some folks if it had any sexual energy or enthusiasm whatsoever…the two leads might as well have been hypnotized by Werner Herzog. Patrick is somewhat evasive but she likes how he smells and is just all touchy-grabby. 

Olivia goes through some “hardships”. She goes to Lynda (Lili Taylor), Patrick’s mom, for a certain drug she takes for a “condition” and this new arrangement will cost her a pretty penny. Lynda can exploit her addiction and get away with it, quite proud of herself. While at the Rumancek trailer, Lynda is balling up ground meat and Olivia can’t contain her craving for a taste of the raw goodness. There is a big close up of the raw meat being stuffed right in Olivia’s mouth…certain to perhaps nudge more folks into vegetarianism. Another odd affliction has Olivia fidgeting her eyes to flickering filament while stopped near a street light as she argues with Roman about being arrested. Olivia left a heel print in the mud at the mill, which Chasseur eyes during her investigation, finding a torn apart body the deputies eventually see themselves also. Bring on the law enforcement to cordon off the area. Olivia arrives at her home in time for Chasseur to buzz off, getting enough from Roman to add to her suspicion of Patrick although nothing much about the conversation implicated him. A big reveal during the usual awkward dinner featuring the Godfreys, has Roman addressing the will leaving the entire property and inheritance to him alone, with Olivia beholden to him upon turning adult. This after Olivia ridicules her daughter for wearing pretty earrings she purchased from a store in town. Roman defends Shelley and puts Olivia in her place. Seeing Olivia criticize Shelley seemingly for kicks is unsettling (as intended, I reckon). But Roman putting the earrings back on affectionately as Shelley feels appreciation is a rare warm moment on the show. Roman is taken aback by a painting in Shelley’s room…it perplexes while also compels him. In conversation with Chasseur, Roman offers to investigate the institute but she wants him to stay out of the investigation. Funnily enough, in their only talk of the episode, Patrick tries to talk Roman into leaving town to get away from it all.

Norman’s time in the episode is brief but the show reiterates his affair with Olivia and how he was contemplating leaving his wife. His patient, Francis, is found dead after plunging a hypodermic into his temple. He mulls over his marriage, calling Roman about the whereabouts of Letha. This is the catalyst in Roman’s finding her with Patrick. Norman’s wife being pregnant certainly altered the course he had planned to follow, that’s for sure.