Hulu's Runaways - Episode 2.11 "Last Waltz"
The Runaways are falling apart. Needing a break, they throw Molly a quinceañera. Pride ramps up their new arsenal. Frank puts Leslie in a facility to bring her back to the faith. The mysterious voice Karolina has been hearing becomes real.
In 2018, there were 495 scripted shows airing amongst the linear channels and streaming services. The way people are consuming content now is so different than it used to be. It happens according to one's own schedule. As such, there is less necessity to provide ample coverage of each specific episode in any given season from a show. Moreover, it is simply impossible to watch everything. As such, this site is making the move to shorter episodic reviews in order to cover as many shows as possible. Premieres and finales may feature longer reviews. With all of that being said, here are my thoughts on the next episode of Hulu's Runaways.
"Last Waltz" was written by Tracy McMillan and directed by Ramsey Nickell
Will the Runaways ever be able to go back to their normal lives? It has seemed impossible for all of them simply because they know who their parents truly are now. They know what Pride is capable of. It's absolutely monstrous. None of them want to return home. But does that mean they can't have any good in their lives? Will they just constantly be running in order to avoid being found by their parents? Will any moment actually feel safe or should they be constantly looking over their shoulders? Gert flirted with the idea of applying to colleges. She was thinking that far ahead without really talking about it with anyone. And now, it's Molly's birthday. She wishes she could have had a quinceañera. The Runaways completely forgot her birthday because they were too busy defending their home from the strike team. That was an action that took so much out of them. Even now, they have to mount a rescue mission to save Gert, Chase and Old Lace. They only accomplish some of that too. Old Lace is conveniently left behind. That mostly feels like a plot point to ensure that Dale and Stacey still have a way of tracking down the teens. They are desperate for Molly and Gert to come home. They have no problem locking Gert and Chase in the basement and even poisoning them. That's so dangerous. It proves that they are just as evil as everyone else in Pride. It doesn't matter that Dale has some moral objections to their actions. He still ultimately supports them because he believes his love for his girls is more important than that. He will do anything to have Molly and Gert back at home. But it's just much more special to watch as the Runaways host an impromptu celebration for Molly. It's proof that they can still have a sense of normalcy in their lives. They don't just how to skulk around because of every traumatic thing that has happened to them because of their parents. Molly is outraged that no one seems to be as emotionally upset as she is about what has happened to them. They have been trying to stay strong for her or focus completely on the mission. Alex needs to see his parents in jail before he will ever feel comfortable in his life. Meanwhile, Chase is living with the agony of thinking his parents may not be so bad after all. He appreciates Dale and Stacey actually saving Gert and Old Lace. It doesn't matter that they were the reason why they got sick in the first place. As such, he is willing to return to his family just because Victor calls and declares that he's sick. This is actually a familiar pattern for the Stein family. Janet and Chase have always found it difficult to avoid the appeal, charm and brilliance of Victor. They desperately want his love even though he has been so abusive to them. That's the environment that Chase has always known. He held strong earlier this season because he saw his parents as having gone past the point of no return. But now, he no longer sees the need to be on the run. His parents helped defeat Jonah and save the world. His father has come back to life. Those are major victories. He's torn because he celebrates life alongside his friends. But he ultimately returns to his family. That's a moment that is bound to come with complications for the end game this season. He may get even more traumatized because the other parents will pressure and torture him for where their kids are. He may not give up that information but he will also see the weapons that have been developed and feel the need to warn his friends about what's coming. That's very ominous too. Plus, there's the ongoing question of how much of this is Victor and how much is the alien that is trying to take over his body?
