Being Human: Mice, Puppies, and Daisies, Oh My!

 
Episode 309: “Of Mice and Wolfmen”

[Photos: Phillipe Bosse/Syfy]

Apologies, dear readers, for the late delivery of this recap. It was spring break in Texas, and naturally, my family and I packed up and headed west for snow and zero cable access. Please allow me to catch up to where you no doubt are already. Can I say that the wait was worth it, at least for my part? Another great episode!

When last we saw the boys, Aidan was manifesting symptoms of the virus, and Josh was a newly (re)minted werewolf. The latest episode picks up with an ailing Aidan opting to maintain his work schedule, for the sake of normalcy. Sally offers to cosmeticize Aidan’s facial boo-boos with her recently acquired mortician skills, so Aidan won’t scare his patients.

Sally’s internal rotting has unfortunately resulted in a terrible case of halitosis, and Sally’s vigorous tooth-brushing results in a perforated cheek and loss of a back tooth. More kudos to the effects team here, and to Meaghan Rath’s reaction to the toothbrush sticking out of the side of her face. Ms. Rath may be one of the greatest comedic actress working today. The scene is both hilarious and shudder-inducing.

Josh, meanwhile, has been trying to get in touch with Nora. She’s been delayed in the woods post-transformation after meeting another werewolf named Pete. He appears to be an older guy, affable if a bit kooky. Nora makes her excuses and finally arrives home, where Josh informs her he’s been scratched, and that Aidan took the blame with Liam for Brynn’s death.

At work, Aidan visits Kenny to tell him the deal is off. Nora comes to see Aidan at the hospital where she tries to make peace with him, both because his days are numbered, but also because she appreciates his dealings with Liam. Aidan’s weakness is apparent; Nora offers to cover Aidan’s shift and encourages him to return home to Josh and Sally.

Sally notices that a mousetrap in the kitchen has borne fruit. The struggling of the rodent is the siren’s call to Sally; she releases the mouse and eats the poor little critter. The good news is that she, too, experiences regeneration from the consumption of live flesh, just like Nick did in the last episode, so her butchered cheek and forehead lesion are all better.

After a brief visit with Zoe, Sally realizes Nick may be experiencing similar troubles. She pays him a visit and confesses her rodent dinner. Nick rationalizes the behavior; humans eat flesh, the only difference is that the flesh is cooked. Sally more or less concurs, until she visits a pet shop. She appears at first to be determining her next meal from the options in the pet store window. When a little boy emerges from the pet store with a new fish, however, Sally almost attacks the boy, then feels ashamed.

Back at the brownstone, Nora brings Kat home with her to visit Aidan, as a peace offering. Aidan’s illness worsens, and he passes out. Josh and Nora shoo Kat out so Aidan can rest, or at least die in a pile of ash by himself.

Pete unexpectedly pays a visit to Josh and Nora while Aidan ails upstairs. Josh is less than welcoming, and Nora explains that times are hard. Pete offers to listen, and is surprisingly knowledgeable and helpful. He brews garlic tea for Aidan which helps him rest, shares his chili and blackberry wine, tells wonderful stories of his travels (daisy-consumption, anyone?), but most importantly, reveals he wasn’t always so zen. For many years, he tortured himself; through meditation, he made peace with his wolf. During guided meditation between the three weres, Josh sees himself in a forest and feels the presence of something, but he breaks it off before anything substantive comes of it. Pete encourages him to try again.

Aidan finally appears to succumb to the virus. He seizes terribly, and bleeds profusely from every orifice north of his neck. He then appears to recover, rather than turn to dust like every stricken vampire before him. The members of the household contemplate the reason: garlic tea? Untainted blood? They finally realize that the last time Aidan got “joker face” was when he drank werewolf blood, which apparently immunized him.

Memories of his wife Suzanna across the episode help Aidan find peace with all that’s transpired. Suzanna reasoned long ago that Aidan is not a monster simply because he preys; instead he is part of the natural order, a being who deserves to live. Upon healing, Aidan re-agrees to his deal with Kenny and shares the viral immunization secret with red-headed vampire Blake, if Kenny, Josh and Nora are off limits. Blake agrees and accordingly rounds up a group of vampires to attack one of Liam’s henchmen.

Suzanna also encouraged Aidan to love, reasoning that immortality is worthless if he doesn’t love again and again. Armed with Suzanna’s and now Nora’s consent, Aidan tracks down Kat. When she emerges from her classroom, he lays a kiss on her that would wow any straight woman. That tiny crush I had on Sam Witwer? Not as tiny.

Also finding peace at the end of the episode, Sally decides not to eat flesh to survive because of the inherent slippery slope. Josh meditates and meets his wolf for the first time. He is awed; the animal is magnificent, and Josh realizes there can be co-existence. Zoe and Nick, however, appear to be in trouble. When Zoe walks in on Nick eating a puppy, he attacks her and she screams…and end of episode.

Questions for the week: WHERE’S MAX!? Are he and Sally still on the outs? Why hasn’t Liam retaliated yet? Again, where did the underwear twins go? Is Pete the good guy he pretends to be? Will he be collateral damage in the vampire-werewolf conflict that appears inevitable? Was he buddies with Ray? What happened to Aidan’s wife? How long will Sally be able to abstain? How long will Nora’s peace with Aidan last? Can Aidan have a real relationship with a human who doesn’t know the secrets of the household? Will Josh’s new found respect for his wolf result in lasting peace with what he is? What will he name his wolf? Will Aidan re-enter the vampire community? Did Zoe survive Nick’s attack?

Stick around next week for a more timely recap. Until then, I think I’ll try some meditation and see if I can make peace with my own little monsters.  Not sure if my kids will go for it, though. Peace!

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[Official Show Site on Syfy]  [Previous Recap: “Your Body Is A Condemned Wonderland”]