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<i>Midnight, Texas</i> Season 1 Finale – “The Virgin Sacrifice” Review.

Season 1, Episode 10

Air Date: Wednesday, September 18, 2017 at 10/9c on NBC

Rating ★★★★★

 

“The Shaman said that to fight evil, I need to know evil.” – Manny

 

Fiji, escorted by her former flame (too soon?) Jeremy to await Colconnar’s arrival.

The season one finale of Midnight, Texas has a somewhat somber tone, but as “The Virgin Sacrifice” progresses, the tone fluctuates. There is an obvious ominous feel to the episode with the demon Colconnar (guest star Derek Mears) wanting the lovely “virgin witch” Fiji (Parisa Fitz-Henley); however, there are moments of bad-assery (Is that a word?) and triumph that threatens to vanquish the evil secreting from the fragile veil.

Throughout the nine previous episodes, the fraying veil has been the focal point of the entire season. Now, as it comes to a head with Colconnar’s impending arrival to have his way with Fiji, it’s up to the rest of the “Midnighters” – Manny (François Arnaud), Creek (Sarah Ramos), Bobo (Dylan Bruce), Joe (Jason Lewis), Revered Emilio (Yul Vazquez), Lem (Peter Mensah), and Olivia (Arielle Kebbel) – to help find a way to save Fiji and Midnight from ultimate despair.

The Midnificent Seven The Rev, Manny, Creek, Joe, Olivia, Lem, and Bobo

In last week’s episode, “Riders on the Storm,” the boy Fiji accidentally killed, Jeremy (Ryan McCartan), comes back to force her hand on behalf of his master Colconnar. Is it just me or does Jeremy seem to be holding a grudge? I digress. With Jeremy and Colconnar’s minions guarding Fiji while she prepares to give herself to the demon, hope looks bleek…until the next scene when we see what I call The Midnificent Seven. Seeing Manny, Creek, Bobo, Joe, the Rev, Olivia, and Lem (yes, Lem too) walking toward Midnight like seven bad-asses on a stick! So, ok, Lem is a vampire and he’s out walking in the sun. Although he’s covered head to toe to shield him, I’m glad the writers made it a point to acknowledge this seemingly preposterous act when Lem asks Manny to zip it and keep moving. “My flesh is burning; stop talking.”

Saying “Come on, you wanna make a deal?” to demonic spirits that have been trapped inside objects may not be a good thing, Manny.

Manny’s plan to channel demonic spirits to battle Colconnar sounds a bit risky, perhaps suicidal even, but there is a method in the madness. From what his grandmother Xylda (Joanne Camp) said, Manny is a powerful psychic. Perhaps channeling a few evil ghosts can shift the tide. The pawnshop scene makes me think of a really bad beginning of a joke – an angel, a vampire, a reverend, and a psychic walk into a pawn shop. But each one of these men serves a greater purpose. Joe has fought demons before and was in Midnight when the veil frayed millennia ago. The Rev, were-tiger or not, is still a man of the cloth who has the power to make bottled water holy and “consecrate” weapons to slay demons. Lem knows many of the objects in the pawn shop and which of them possess a demonic spirit, plus his offer of “vampire blood” to give Manny a boost is a nice gesture.

Meanwhile, back at Fiji’s, things are heating up in more ways than one. I think we were all thinking it but Bobo has a grand solution to fix Fiji’s “virgin” problem and hopefully stop Colconnar from being so horny for her. Let’s just say Bobo doesn’t catch on fire like Jeremy did. Insert sly smile and eyebrow waggle and turn up Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” and “Sexual Healing.”

Interesting Things

Fiji tries to use her salve to heal the burns on Olivia to no avail.

Bobo, Creek, and Olivia run toward Fiji’s house to try and protect her, but one of them is mortally wounded. The burns on Olivia’s stomach are so severe, not even Fiji’s magic can help heal her. As Creek speeds to a nearby hospital, Olivia has a message for Lem that had me tearing up. I knew she loved him too much to actually leave him. But if she dies, it will just be a sad message for Creek to deliver.

Madonna (Kellee Stewart) owns and works in the Midnight’s only hotel, and she’s one of Creek’s best friends, but so far this season, she’s been an ancillary character. She’s been a quiet player in the background but that all changes in “The Virgin Sacrifice.” There was something I’ve pondered since “Angel Heart” when that awful fallen angel Bowie (Breeda Wool) said something to Madonna about knowing how she got the money to buy the hotel. While in the hospital with Creek and Olivia, the hushed conversation Madonna has on the phone raises more than a few eyebrows. Why is Madonna keeping an eye on Olivia? What’s in it for her?

Wedding bells…I’ll leave it at that. You must watch the episode.

In the final scene, there is rumbling in the streets of Midnight. Bulldozers and other heavy equipment roll into town bearing the MNA logo, the same logo on Manny’s aspirin bottle (I’m sure that will surface in season two*). Developers encroach on Midnight promising revitalization of tourism in the town. I have a feeling Olivia’s father (not seen) is behind all this. I’m sure Madonna knows something too.

Overall

“The Virgin Sacrifice” rounds out the entire first season with great aplomb. It answers a few questions but also raises several more. All seems well, aside from those pesky developers, but this is a supernatural/paranormal television series after all. I have a feeling the blood Manny wipes away from his ear is a sign that the demonic slumber party he hosted in his body has left a lasting mark on him that will come back to bite him in the ass.

*Waiting for official confirmation if the show’s been renewed for a second season.

 

Let me know what you thought of “The Virgin Sacrifice.” Leave a comment below or tweet me at @judybopp.

 

For more on Midnight, Texas, go to http://www.nbc.com/midnight-texas?nbc=1

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Photos: ©2017 NBC Universal. All Rights Reserved.

 

 

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Judy Manning

Dream chaser extraordinaire! Judy tends to be a tad sarcastic and kind of goofy! She is an avid admirer of all things supernatural, paranormal, celestial and mystical. She loves to read, write, and watches way too much TV. She enjoys many genres of film and music (and let's be honest, most music from the 80s). She also has a wicked sweet tooth. Cupcakes beware.

Judy Manning

Dream chaser extraordinaire! Judy tends to be a tad sarcastic and kind of goofy! She is an avid admirer of all things supernatural, paranormal, celestial and mystical. She loves to read, write, and watches way too much TV. She enjoys many genres of film and music (and let's be honest, most music from the 80s). She also has a wicked sweet tooth. Cupcakes beware.