NOS4A2 (S02 E07): Bing and Millie start to wise up in Cripple Creek
By Carla Davis
Bing goes out to repair the Wraith, and sees Wayne in the back seat. Wayne says he wants his Mom, Bing says his Mom hurt him, and Wayne says “No, you and Manx hurt me, let me go.” That hits home, and Bing goes back in to Charlie, telling him Wayne is sick and wants to go home.
Manx tells him Wayne will be fine once they get him to Christmasland, and Bing realizes he is being used yet again. In a moment of rare brilliance, Bing sees the truth: Manx gets better while his children get sick, and Wayne can be saved.
We find out that the bar owner molested Charlie. Afterwards, little Charlie loses his s**t, and beats the owner to death. His mother walks in, tells him don’t worry, everyone knows about this guy, you won’t get in trouble. Little Charlie realizes that his mother knew he might fall victim, and in his anger, he beats her to death too, his eyes going all white like they did when he first put his wife and daughter in the Wraith. Ah-ha! Maybe the Wraith isn’t the problem, maybe it’s Charlie.
Back in the present, Bing is angry, and Manx tells him that he (Bing) is just as big a monster as himself. He brought his little friend Michael to Manx, he used children to get want he wanted as well. Bing agrees they are both monsters, then gasses Manx and throws him in the back seat of the Wraith, letting Wayne out of the car.
Wayne is not himself though, he cheerfully asks if he can help smash the Wraith as Bing pulls the lever on the compactor. He tells Wayne to go to the police station and tell them his Mom is Vic McQueen. He says, “Tell her I’m sorry. She doesn’t have to worry about Charlie Manx anymore, I fixed everything.” For the first time, Bing shows compassion and remorse. Nicely played, NOS4A2.
More from Horror on TV
- Recap and review of What We Do in the Shadows season 5 episode 9: A Weekend at Morrigan Manor
- 31 Days of Horror: Netflix’s Dear Child is a twisty turney German mystery thriller
- Recap and review of What We Do in the Shadows season 5 episode 8: The Roast
- Classic SpongeBob episodes to binge for Halloween
- Highlights and review of What We Do in the Shadows season 5 episode 7: Hybrid Creatures
Manx is pleading with Wayne to save him, and Bing turns on the gas and climbs in the Wraith as the compactor starts moving, taking his gas mask off and passing out. Just as we think we are about to witness the end of the Wraith, Manx and Bing, Wayne stops the compactor.
Manx comes to and repairs the Wraith, Bing wakes and tries to stop him, but it’s too late. The car starts up, Manx gets younger again, and Craig is back in the car, urging Wayne to run away. Instead, the child climbs back in. An instant later, he tells Craig that he made a mistake. Craig tells him again that his Mom is going to save him, he just has to keep remembering her.
In the final moments of NOS4A2 episode 7, Manx stabs Bing and says he was right. “I am a liar, you were never special.”
NOS4A2 keeps making these characters more and more nuanced (as Zachary Quinto discussed with us in an earlier interview); I NEVER expected to feel sympathy for Bing, and yet, I did. I’m really looking forward to seeing where NOS4A2 will take us next.
Watch the Comic-Con trailer for the remainder of the season below.
Next. NOS4A2 showrunner Jami O'Brien talks horror on TV. dark
NOS4A2 can be viewed on AMC Sunday nights at 10:00 pm ET, or you can watch full episodes on AMC’s website.
How do you feel about NOS4A2’s second season so far? Has it lived up to your expectations? Let us know how you feel about it in the comments section.