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’12 Monkeys’: Sci-FI Saga Begins To Bark Beautifully In ‘Hyena’

By Joey Click

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With only five episodes left in its second season, Syfy’s ’12 Monkeys’ begins to bark like a finely trained animal in ‘Hyena’. Monkeys and Hyenas, welcome to the jungle.

The following review of Hyena contains minor spoilers. You’ll be fine to ingest before you watch the episode. Don’t forget to bark at the moon.

So here we are Fright Fans. Like the final innings in some post-apocalyptic baseball game, we’re now in the homestretch of 12 Monkeys with the ninth episode of Season 2.

There are many endings. But the right one is the one you choose.-James Cole

Titled Hyena, this is one hell of an episode of the time-traveling saga. It’s big in scope, takes care of character moments within the plotting, and moves the overall narrative forward more than any outing prior in the second season. I’m mean I loved Hyena more than taffy. And I’m a man who enjoys his taffy.

Written by Christopher Monfette and Sean Tretta , Hyena is not only structured extremely well, but the dialog is a masterclass. Not since the Season 2 opener, Year of the Monkey, have I been taken back this much by the writing in 12 Monkeys. Every sentence Jennifer Goines says is brilliant, with the other virus fighters getting their stuff in as well. Monkey Maniacs, this is a whole other level for the Syfy show. Just wait till the end.

Emily Hampshire and Aaron Stanford in ’12 Monkeys’-Courtesy of Syfy

And speaking of character moments, relationships are pushed further and tested in Hyena. Ramse and Cassandra get a little therapy time from an unlikely candidate, Katarina gets closer to a family member, and Jennifer gets her some kick-ass alone time with the one she calls “Otter Eyes”. These are much needed moments and ones which push 12 Monkeys to a better place narrative-wise.

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The direction is also pretty sharp as well. Directed by Bill Eagles, Hyena feature some stellar camerawork and composition.

Those moments include, but are surly not limited to: a amazing shot when Ramse and Cassandra come up on the hanging bodies, low angle shot when The Keeper ascends from the stairs, slow push in on Cole (involving The Tall Man), great camerawork when Cole has to get a little psychical (which includes an amazingly composed shot with Cole’s hand in the foreground, with hammer in it, and the object of his rage in the background), and the opening is also jaw dropping; the entire opening.

The acting in Hyena is also solid. I won’t go into it too much, as the key players are still doing great work here. I will say, yet again, Emily Hampshire is still doing the best work in 12 Monkeys. She’s amazing and I could watch her do anything.

Next: ‘Penny Dreadful’: ‘Ebb Tide’ Truly Turns Tide Of Third Season

So will Cole finally find the last Primary? Will Ramse find The Witness and get his revenge? Will Katarina get closer to her new daughter? You’ll have to swing over to Syfy to find out you potassium feins.

THE VERDICT:

Bill Eagles’s Hyena is a great step forward for 12 Monkeys. It’s an amazing entry is a season that’s shaping up to be a can’t miss event for Sci-Fi nuts. Hyena certainly elevates the series to new heights, and with this, 12 Monkeys has truly become an underrated show that’s criminally under-seen. So stop eating all those bananas and catch it.

THE GRADE: A+

Check out a preview of next week’s episode,

Fatherland

, courtesy of Syfy:

Enjoying Syfy’s 12 Monkeys? Did or didn’t like what Hyena had to offer? Sound off with your comments below and let’s get as many monkeys as we can to get this conversation going. Don’t forget to tune into 12 Monkeys Mondays at 9/8c, only on Syfy.

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