Sunday, February 28, 2021

REVIEW: 'Batwoman' - Ryan Is Willing to Sacrifice Everything to Prove Her Ambition of Helping Gotham in 'Do Not Resuscitate'

The CW's Batwoman - Episode 2.06 "Do Not Resuscitate"

As Ryan's Kryptonite wound grows more severe, it hinders Batwoman's ability to protect Gotham. Growing interest in reproducing the serum from the Desert Rose puts Mary and Commander Kane's lives in danger. Meanwhile, Alice's reunion with a fellow Coryana inhabitant presents unexpected complications.



In 2020, the television industry aired 493 scripted shows across numerous outlets. The way people consume content now is different than it used to be. It happens according to one's own schedule. As such, it's less necessary to provide ample coverage of each episode in any given season from a show. Moreover, it is simply impossible to watch everything. As such, this site provides shorter episodic reviews in order to cover as many shows as possible. With all of that being said, here are my thoughts on the next episode of The CW's Batwoman.

"Do Not Resuscitate" was written by Caroline Dries & Daphne Miles and directed by Holly Dale


These characters only know what they want to know about each other. They trust each other to a certain extent. They all have their walls up though. They remain constantly guarded and protective of their secrets. The animosity and pain of the past informs so much for them. And yet, they are constantly being undone by shocking new reveals that threaten to change everything moving forward. It's a familiar pattern. It's been employed by a number of series. This show has used it favorably in the past as well. It has largely been relegated to the Kane family drama. Kate and Jacob were always positioned in opposition because of their different approaches to protecting Gotham. She had more meaningful relationships with the people who knew that she was Batwoman. Those dynamics were complex. They weren't always healthy. And now, the show has to find some drama in order to create tension within the Kane family. That means Jacob finally learns that Mary has been running an underground clinic. He vows to shut her down because everything she has been doing is illegal. He may agree with the morals she professes. However, this is simply yet another betrayal from someone he believed was family. He thought they could always love and support each other. And yet, every single member of his family has betrayed him in some way by keeping him in the dark about what they are truly capable of doing. Mary is the latest example. Moreover, it's easy to cast her aside because he has frequently done that. He focuses heavily on leading the Crows. Once more, they are a corrupt institution. Ryan doesn't trust them. She sees Sophie using illegal technology to infringe on Angelique's privacy. They all share similar goals. They all want to find the path to Coryana. Safiyah has protected this island no matter what. It's secrets have been unleashed on the world though. That makes several people dangerous. They are willing to chase after the miracle cure for the Desert Rose with significant viciousness. Human experiments are completely fine. It doesn't matter the person's age. They will inflict horror that could very well lead to death if it means making this stunning breakthrough. That's the research at the core of Hamilton Dynamics. Mary would love to believe that her mother wasn't capable of such brutality. And yet, she will never feel certain in that regard. All of these questions linger because this family wasn't given the opportunity to love each other openly. It was all just an illusion of happiness. They seek out meanings in these dynamics. Mary always wanted a sister. She found that for a brief time with Kate. She felt a part of a family. And now, she has to build a new makeshift version with Luke and Ryan. They don't trust each other though. Ryan feels the constant pressure to prove herself. She is competing against someone whom everyone else idolizes. Everyone is willing to risk everything in order to rescue Kate. Ryan's presence allows the city to have Batwoman again. Her individuality doesn't mean much. She fights for the people she loves though. She doesn't want Angelique to continue down this criminal path. She wants to help. Her actions end up destroying this bond quickly after they reunited. The pain of the past lingers on Ryan. She doesn't want to walk away knowing that she has a better life now. That can't be good enough for her. She has to ensure her rise in status in the world is passed along to the next person in trouble. That's how she leads. She is given the chance to make the world a better place. But now, it's confirmed that she is dying because of her Kryptonite injury. The only cure may be on Coryana. That places more urgency on the mission to find this place. No trustworthy ally has the map though. Alice can lie her way into gaining a ticket. She and Ocean also seek answers for why Safiyah erased their memories of each other. All that happened is rushing back to them. They are still in the dark about what it all meant. They are going through the motions of life without understanding the full importance of their actions. That too is dangerous. It highlights how the privileged of the world toy with those deemed inferior through the sheer conviction that it is honorable because the burden of knowing it all is too much for anyone else to handle. That decision isn't given to anyone to allow them to give knowing consent. Ryan shares her wound with Luke. That changes everything. The team will fight to save Ryan's life - which happens to coincide with the more pressing mission of saving Kate so she can return to being Batwoman. It's all complicated. People have their unique motivations in this world. So much is corrupt and contributes to even more misery. Ryan and Mary believe they have found ways to do the most good in this world. And yet, they may not be able to do so for much longer because of how others view their willingness to bend the rules to accomplish these idealistic goals.