From S3E1 recap: Season 3 premiere ‘Shatter’ opens with more grim discoveries and carnage
As a seasoned survivor of apocalyptic narratives, I must say that this episode has sent chills down my spine and left me questioning the resilience of humanity yet again. The monsters are proving to be more cunning and calculating than I had initially anticipated, which only adds to the mounting dread that seems to hang over Fromville like a dark cloud.
One of television’s best horror series is finally back! From season 3 wastes no time at all, jumping right into the heart of things in a stunning premiere episode that entertains as much as it horrifies. Seriously. They are not messing around this season.
Initially, there’s a comprehensive review of key events in Fromville since its start, so make sure you remember our previous season’s ending. Fortunately, From continues right from where we left off, without leaving out any crucial details, making it relatively simple to follow the storyline.
If you recall, one of the most pivotal moments of the season 2 finale featured the mysterious “Boy in White” shoving Tabitha (Catalina Sandino Moreno) out of the tower/lighthouse. She wakes up in a hospital, seemingly outside of Fromville, which would make her the first character (that we know of) to escape. The season 3 premiere confirms that, yes, Tabitha is back in the “real world,” specifically a hospital in Camden, Maine. Not wanting to deal with the inquisitive nurses and incoming police officers, Tabitha sneaks out of the hospital.
In Fromville, we find Boyd (Harold Perrineau) following his adventure in the dungeon, including the music box-induced sleepers and other bizarre events from the season 2 finale. Matters are more dire than ever in this town. Boyd consults his imaginary mentor, Father Khatri (Shaun Majumder), to provide some context as we delve into season 3. The situation is bleak. Food supplies have run low, residents are growing restless and terrified, and the climate is turning chilly. Winter is approaching.
In my perspective, it turns out that every single crop Donna (Elizabeth Saunders) and her team had cultivated has spoiled. Things are spiraling downwards, and it seems there’s barely any food left outside the rations kept at the diner managed by Kenny’s (Ricky He) mom, Tian-Chen (Elizabeth Moy). As a result, you can imagine where all the disgruntled, famished individuals are heading. Besides the diner, the only other sustenance source is in the barn – our livestock, namely the goats and cows. The predicament lies in the fact that if we were to butcher them for food, we’d be left without essentials like eggs and milk since there’s no means to obtain them.
In this scenario, Boyd intervenes and manages to calm things down when it appears that Randall (A.J. Simmons) is about to take off with Ethan’s cherished goat, Alma. He reminds them that the animals are crucial for their survival until they decide on their next move. Together, they plan to leave this town, but first, they need a bit more time. Eventually, Randall returns the goat unwillingly.
With Tabitha now out of the picture, Jim (Eion Bailey) is resolute in searching for his wife, willing to momentarily part ways with Julie (Hannah Cheramy) and Ethan (Simon Webster). Kenny steps up to accompany him, understanding the solitary hardship he experienced as a child, and not wanting Julie or Ethan to endure the same fate. The situation hints at future developments.
The journey into the woods for Kenny and Jim is mostly tranquil compared to events in town, but I’ll share those details later. However, their expedition takes a surprising turn when they encounter a spooky find: a line of eerie-looking dolls that seem to guide them towards a cluster of deserted log cabins – something Boyd had not mentioned before.
Jim and Kenny opt for spending the night at one of the cabins, accompanied by their reliable charm. However, as the night wears on, Jim starts questioning their decision. Firstly, he notes that they haven’t encountered any spiderwebs like Boyd mentioned, which makes him suspect they might be off course. Secondly, considering Tabitha’s feelings, he’s concerned about being out there. What if something untoward happens? He confides in Kenny that he’s had a change of heart. They decide to head back to town in the morning instead.
Regarding Tabitha, it appears she recently attended a church nearby for confession after quite some time. Frankly, I found the priest a bit off-putting. Tabitha shared details about her town and family with him, and he seemed almost convinced. The priest then gestured towards the lunchbox Tabitha has been carting around. That very lunchbox came from Victor (Scott McCord).
He asks what’s inside it, prompting Tabitha to peek for the first time. On the bottom, she finds an inscription, “If lost, return to Victor Kavanaugh,” and lists an address. That’s her next destination. When she arrives at the address, she meets a man we can assume is Victor’s father!
On that fateful night in Fromville, events take a terrifying twist, promising even more trouble ahead. The shrewd monsters, as we’ve learned, swiftly headed towards the barn and its enclosed surroundings, effortlessly opening every door and gate to unleash the trapped animals.
Given that the townsfolk have no other viable food source at present, Boyd and his fellow villagers instinctively panic and rush outdoors to gather the animals back into their barn. It’s puzzling why they didn’t briefly confine the animals within their homes instead of spending extended time outside among the monsters, but that’s beside the point. As you can imagine, Boyd, Jade (David Alpay), Donna, Victor, Tian-Chen, and others find themselves squarely in the midst of the monsters’ playground as they frantically attempt to herd the goats and cows. Unfortunately, this decision turns out to be disastrous. One of the monsters kills a cow right before Jade’s eyes.
After securing the cow in the barn and protecting themselves with a talisman, it seems like Boyd and Tian-Chen are out of danger. However, their relief is short-lived as they unwittingly step into a trap. The hidden monsters swiftly capture both of them, binding them up, then subjecting Tian-Chen to torment and ultimately taking his life. All the while, Boyd is powerless to intervene as he bears witness to this brutal act.
One being informs Boyd that they have no plans to harm him personally. At one point, he declared he wouldn’t let this town crush his spirit, and these vicious creatures are set on proving him wrong. This entire situation is bleak, shedding further light on the malevolent nature of these horrifying beings. They possess self-awareness and understand their actions. They aren’t merely here to indiscriminately slaughter; they take pleasure in prolonging the torment and savoring their prey, if you will. Alas, both Boyd and Kenny find themselves in dire straits.
It’s understandable that the townspeople fear running out of food, but could animals realistically escape from the town? Or are they confined just as humans are? If a goat were to step past the unseen boundary, would it find itself in the open world? It’s a thought-provoking question.
Odds & Ends
- Ethan gets another eerie moment of foreshadowing here. At one point he asks Boyd to kill Alma first, “so she doesn’t have to watch her friends die,” and seeing how the episode ends…
- Jade doesn’t feature prominently in this episode, but our first look at him isn’t great. He’s completely spiraled over the symbols and locked himself away in the bar with strings, diagrams, and scribbles all over the place.
- Colony House features a few short, yet interesting scenes, like Fatima struggling with her morning sickness and Elgin having another strange vision of a skeletal woman coming toward him.
- Tabitha sees a vision of the Boy in White again while she’s in Camden and tries to walk toward him, but he disappears before she can get to him.
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2024-09-24 00:25