{"id":7404,"date":"2019-09-25T13:00:55","date_gmt":"2019-09-25T20:00:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/markwatches.net\/reviews\/?p=7404"},"modified":"2019-09-10T12:14:35","modified_gmt":"2019-09-10T19:14:35","slug":"mark-watches-monster-episode-4-the-night-of-execution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/markwatches.net\/reviews\/2019\/09\/mark-watches-monster-episode-4-the-night-of-execution\/","title":{"rendered":"Mark Watches ‘Monster’: Episode 4 – The Night of Execution"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the fourth episode of Monster<\/i>, I wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t ready. Intrigued? Then it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s time for Mark to watch Monster<\/i>.\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Trigger Warning: For discussion of trauma<\/b><\/p>\n

Oh my fucking god, WHAT HAVE Y\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ALL GOTTEN ME INTO???<\/p>\n

Reaction<\/b><\/p>\n

After the end of the last episode, I kinda figured that maybe this was a bit of a slow burn, that the mystery of the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Monster\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and the purpose of this show would be revealed over a long batch of episodes. Frankly, I would have been fine with that; this is such a moody, purposeful show that I was digging the vibe and tone of the story. There were significant plot twists in the first three episodes, and the end of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153A Murder\u00e2\u20ac\u009d suggested a whole lot more. The narrative was peeling away layers slowly, inching towards the rotten and terrifying core.\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And then this episode just slam dunks on all of us.<\/p>\n

Even at the start, this was immensely disturbing. Inspector Lunge has no sense of bedside manor, and sometimes, I feel like he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s just trying to flex on everyone around him? But I also recognize that this is how he processes information. He speaks it aloud, and it helps him remember it all, to organize it in a way to make sense of all the details. Unfortunately, he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s speaking to someone who is deeply traumatized by what he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s experienced, and the way Lunge lays it all out? Junkers has a visceral reaction to the information. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a terrible approach to getting information, but I feel like it speaks a lot to Lunge\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s process and how he approaches cases.<\/p>\n

Thus, it makes a lot of sense that Junkers felt way more comfortable and had a much different reaction to how Dr. Tenma treated him. (Also, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m glad to have my gut feeling confirmed: Dr. Tenma wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t responsible for anything and has been genuinely innocent this whole time.) Tenma uses kindness, tenderness, and speaks with a gentle heart when he talks about what he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s struggled with. (Well, he also unknowingly invokes THE ACTUAL PERSON who has been tormenting Junkers. HELP ME.) No wonder Junkers felt safer! But I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m just as interested in that and Tenma\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s sense of goodness as I am in the strange dynamic of Dr. Tenma as a father figure. That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s invoked twice<\/i> in this episode, first by Junkers when he finally opens up to Dr. Tenma. He says that Tenma saved him, and thus, he kind of sees him as a father. Even then, what little he reveals at that point is… clearly fucked up. Something happened to him, he was exploited, and he wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t quite willing to tell everything<\/i> yet, but it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s because of all of this that Junkers eventually comes around and realizes it is<\/i> better if he tells the entire truth.\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Execution<\/b><\/p>\n

I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t get over the sheer disturbing tragedy of the second half of this episode, y\u00e2\u20ac\u2122all. I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t even fully understand what actually happened here, but Junkers\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s reaction to everything says so much to me. But once I saw that candy wrapper on the ground next to the dead guard, I knew that I was about to be chucked off a cliff. And despite that? Still not ready. Y\u00e2\u20ac\u2122all, Dr. Tenma was about to do THE NICEST THING EVER for Junkers!!! And then the Monster arrives, Junkers flees, Dr. Tenma gives chase, and the WORST FUCKING SCENE EVER occurs. (Well, I have to add \u00e2\u20ac\u0153so far\u00e2\u20ac\u009d because… I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m worried. If Monster<\/i> is willing to go this far this early, help me. HELP ME.)\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There is a chilling contrast that unfolds in that final scene that I can get out of my head. The voice actor for Junkers gives a frantic, terrified performance, and it is the exact opposite from the way Johan speaks. JOHAN. The Liebert twin that Dr. Tenma saved nine years prior! WHO ISN\u00e2\u20ac\u2122T EVEN A LIEBERT AT ALL. I imagine that the future of this show is the exploration of this reveal, as I was left with a million questions about what I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d already seen. But there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s so much confirmation of facts in a very short span of time, which also makes me think that the struggle between Dr. Tenma\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s inherent value of life and Johan\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s lack of it will be the focus of the show.\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But seriously:<\/p>\n