Lost Girl review – 2×14: ‘Midnight Lamp’

After just a few days, Lost Girl is back. Whether it’s the lack of time between that great 13th episode and this one, or simply because this episode is all surface and no depth, ‘Midnight Lamp’ is a bust.

Let’s bitch it out…After a mythology heavy 13th episode in which Bo (Anna Silk) reasserted her awesomeness, Trick (Rick Howland) was finally given something to do and there was a tease that Dyson (Kris Holden-Ried) would soon be single again, it seemed like things were on the upswing. Unfortunately the only thing that follows through is the inevitable Dyson/Ciara (Lina Roessler) break-up. Any other possibilities for  progress is swept aside in a poorly paced, low-investment adventure to capture a Efrete genie, Sadie (Lauren Holly) inside a lamp, which is actually a music box.

It’s a conceit that’s full of potential, but nothing is capitalized on. The rationale for why Lachlan (Vincent Walsh) wants Sadie is brushed aside with casual indifference, Holly is utterly wasted as a vacuous movie star who feeds on fan worship and even the intriguing idea of a lamp-as-prison that changes constantly is poorly visualized as a series of dull rooms (here the low budget for Lost Girl works against the show since the story fails to rise above the limitations, unlike it normally does). What results is a thoroughly “meh” episode that does little to advance the plot, breaks with the momentum from last episode and commits one of the cardinal sins of television: it’s boring.

The only true interesting development is when we discover that Lambert (Anthony Lemke) – the man who presented Bo with the bracelet at her birthday party – is essentially Tony Stark from Ironman and a Dark Fae (but only after they’ve slept together – naturally!). I wish that more was made of this (and maybe it still will since the relationship appears to be in its infancy) but ultimately it’s handled with the same casual shrug that marks the rest of the episode.

Well…if the show can’t be bothered to do more than phone it in, I guess I won’t bother to do much more with this review.

Other Observations:

• I can’t decide if Bo’s “mark” on Sadie is clever or amateurishly silly. As soon as Lambert suggested that the Efrete can be trapped or marked, it was obvious that both would be happen. The use of a hickey works considering Bo’s powers, but it’s also just gross and juvenile
• The show is good at consistently towing the line with Bo’s refusal to be owned (in this case by Lachlan), but I truly appreciated that after finding out Lambert is Dark Fae, he countered her incredulous expression by asking if she assumed all Dark Fae are bad and all Light Fae are good. We’ve seen clear demonstrations that Lachlan is not truly “good” and Lambert – a trickster and a bit of a jacka*s – is not “bad”, but it does frequently feel like the show is advocating on behalf of the Light Fae. Hopefully this is the start of a more balanced portrayal of both sides
• Finally, did anyone else question the fact that Bo essentially falls into bed with Lambert after he compliments her (in a manner that I would classify as “over-the-top”)? It’s strange because this is exactly what Sadie does with her fans (and is clearly frowned upon). Pair this with the bracelet that he made Bo for her birthday and he essentially got a roll in the hay because he bought her off. Anyone else find that troubling?

Best Lines:

• Trick (after Bo suggests she’s working with Lachlan): “This is the same Lachlan you wanted to kill yesterday?”
• Lambert: “Feeding on sexual energy? Now that is a diet I can get behind. Hey, how does it work when you pleasure yourself?” Isn’t that a bit of a $64,000 question (admit it – you’ve wondered)
• Lambert (when they reach the top floor of the lamp): “Don’t be so literal – it’s a Turkish bath-kinda thing”

What did you think? Is ‘Midnight Lamp’ one of those meh episodes that feels like the series treading water, or did I get too cynical and jaded? Did you think Holly did a good job with her role? And do we like Bo and Lambert together? Hit the comments with your thoughts.

Lost Girl airs on Fridays at 10pm EST on Syfy