'The Rook' episode 4 review: Myfanwy learns she is an experiment while Monica proves worthwhile to the Checquy
Starz's 'The Rook' has been keeping us on the edge of our seats for four weeks now, and for the first time, it seems like the show is moving at lightning speed and taking us along on a ride. In episode four, which aired on Sunday, July 21, we see that Myfanwy (Emma Greenwell) has gotten a lot closer to figuring out her past by discovering a lover, her EVA abilities and what powers it, and who erased her memories.
In the previous episode, we see her dig deeper into her past, without raising any red flags, but with the kind of people she is working with, it is admittedly a little difficult to pull a fast one. The latest episode saw Myfanwy meet a doctor who used to work with her and help her manage her EVA, Dr. Andrew Bristol (James D'Arcy).
Contrary to what was teased so far, Bristol is not a place, but a person. The man has an obsession with glass birds – the same ones that are all over Myfanwy’s apartment. While photos, places, things or even humans have triggered Myfanwy's memories since she woke up, a single touch of Bristol seems to give her flashbacks, and she quickly realizes he is – or used to be – her lover.
The tender moments they share together after this revelation is disrupted when Myfanwy learns that the Checquy was more or less using her as an asset – an experiment, rather than a friend, like Linda (Joely Richardson) had tried to convince her. The more she learns, the more realizes that she was right to mistrust the Checquy from the beginning.
Linda's shady activities during the course of the episode drive this point home. We see that she is setting up a meeting with someone who has "escaped". We wonder if he a vulture who has escaped the law or an EVA who has escaped the claws of the vultures. Never mind, this question is answered by the end of the episode, when the escapee visits an already agitated Myfanwy and tells her that he is the one who wiped her memories.
We need to wait until episode five to figure out what inspired the EVA's actions. Linda definitely wants him, having made a deal with a prisoner in her facility to give Myfanwy in exchange for the EVA who has the ability to erase memories. However, one thing is for sure, Linda is not to be trusted.
The one character who seemed to suddenly gain a lot of brownie points in our books this episode is definitely Monica (Olivia Munn), who seems a few steps ahead of the Checquy at any given point. Even though her ex seems to dabble in some illegal activities – possibly to maintain a cover – she seems to be driven by the idea of justice.
This episode we saw her team up with the Gestalts (Jon Fletcher, Catherine Steadman and Adrian Lester) to track a lead – an EVA who has escaped. He also happens to be the EVA that Linda wants, and the same EVA that erased Myfanwy’s memories and is now at her doorsteps.
The mystery just got a lot thicker and it is definitely proving to be worth the three-episode wait for something to happen.
One of the highlights of the episode was the thinly-veiled showdown between Linda and Conrad (Adrian Lester), wherein the latter who smells that something is wrong with Myfanwy asks his "king" to come clean. However, Linda claims everything is fine, and that he should butt out.
The exchange between the duo was a perfect showcase of the acting prowess of Richardson, who went from caught-in-act to taking control, to pretending to care, to I don’t give a f**k, in a span of mere seconds. She plays Linda with so much conviction that you cannot help but dislike her, even when there was nothing to dislike about her on paper.
'The Rook' is increasing the drama and the suspense at a higher rate and we couldn’t be thankful. Episode five, which airs on July 28, will hopefully be a better payoff for our patience so far.