The OA “Empire Of Light”

Well, we had a flashback-free episode this time around.

That’s actually a bit of a problem for me, though I did learn “OA” means “original angel”.

See, here’s the thing:  anything happening outside the flashbacks, I don’t find particularly interesting.  I mean, it’s not the fault of the actors or anything.  Heck, Brit Marling is still a compelling lead character.  She makes what could be seen as a good cult leader, but so far it looks like she’s trying to do some dimensional travel through the powers of interpretive dance.

So, really, was there anything to grab me here?  Prairie’s therapy session?  Finally coming clean to her mom and getting slapped?  Steve getting sent to reform school in the most violent means possible while Ms. Broderick-Allen bribes the guys responsible with her $50,000 inheritance from her brother?  Er, not really.  I mean, it was fine, but as is always the case with anything outside the flashbacks, it didn’t grab me.  And considering this episode ends with OA promising to finish her story so they can, uh, do the dance and bring Homer back from the Upside Down or wherever he went, that sounds like it might be promising.

There was one scene I liked, though, and that was when Alfonso tried to remind Prairie to, you know, not be a dick to her adopted parents, two people doing the best they can.  But she doesn’t see people who, you know, raised her and took care of her for most of her childhood as actual family.  That’s, you know, wrong.

So, we’ll see how the last episode goes, and then I’ll make a judgement call on whether or not I’ll do a second season when Netflix drops it.