What I’m Watching: Sense8 (Season Finale)

Sense8: Season 1, Episode 12 “I Can’t Leave Her” (B+)

Now this is a finale, a packed episode that largely wraps up a lot of the events that have been building up over the course of the season and raises a few new questions that will surely be slowly answered over the course of season two. It seems without question that three of our sensates were much more prominent and important to the show – Will, Riley, and Nomi – while four of them – Capheus, Lito, Kala, and Sun – have no role other than a brief guest appearance to help Will infiltrate the facility and spirit Riley to safety. Now they all do have an important role to play, and it’s great to see how well strategized this show is, but it’s also clear that their storylines aren’t as entirely compelling or action-oriented. Wolfgang’s is, and he got a fitting shootout to get revenge on those who wanted to harm him, but it has no lasting impact on his future as it relates to his connected others. Will locking eyes with Mr. Whispers was a truly terrifying moment that obviously has tremendously worrisome implications, though I don’t really understand – and I’m not sure the writers do either – what it means and how long it lasts. Keeping him in a permanent state of sedation can’t be the answer, though maybe he and Riley can get to some really remote location where Whispers won’t be able to find them since he can’t recognize anything. The scene with all eight of them on the boat at the end of the episode was powerful, and Will and Riley actually touching was awesome too. I’d love to see more interactions in real life between the characters in the future, but I think I’m excited enough to see this strange but satisfying show return for another mind-blogging season next year no matter what its content is.

Season grade: B+
Season MVP: Jamie Clayton as Nomi