Written by Julian Jones
Directed by Alice Troughton
Pythagoras: “What were you thinking?”
Jason: “I was hungry.”
There are only two ways this episode is going to remembered and only one of them is somewhat satisfactory-ish. It can be remember as the episode where Jason spent more time out of clothing than usual or it can be remembered as the episode that also highlighted a lot of this show’s problems. I’ll let you the readers decide on this one.
Keeping with the latter though – what were the writers thinking? I’m all for a comedy episode as much as the next person but it’s like Capps and Murphy seem to think that they cannot be funny without writing their main characters into complete idiots for cheap laughs. This was often a problem for the early days of Merlin and sadly, it seems that Atlantis is also not immune from it as well.
For someone who can be savvy enough about Greek mythology, Jason managed to be surprisingly stupid this week when he ate some sacrificial meat and ended up becoming one of Hecate’s hounds for a good portion of the episode. That of course when he wasn’t acting like a prized dolt or losing his clothing in the process.
I suppose seeing as we’ve had enough episodes where Hercules has been an idiot, maybe Mark Addy was relieved that in this one aside from getting a bit drunk, Hercules managed to be mostly smart. After all, he had the good sense to lock Jason underground and even get him away from Ariadne when he wasn’t moping about Medusa.
Speaking of Ariadne, I know I’ve been pretty indifferent towards her at times, but I actually cannot fault her in this episode. Maybe it was because the episode didn’t heavily focus on her or because the scenes with her and Jason didn’t feel as forced as previous ones (well, aside from the forced comedy) but either way, I liked her in this one.
Granted all Ariadne really did in this episode was get some silver for Pythagoras and Hercules to help restore Jason but her concern for the latter came across as well and overall, I did feel a little bad for her when Pythagoras and Hercules kept blowing her off with lame excuses instead of explaining what was really happening with Jason.
As for Jason himself – well he did get cured and nearly murdered by a priest until Pythagoras saved him but aside from that, this wasn’t a great episode for Jack Donnelly. I wouldn’t be surprised if the poor bloke was embarrassed filming this one. I certainly found myself cringing more throughout this episode than Jason did when he finally came around.
Also in “Hunger Pangs”
Jemima Rooper was credited for this episode but Medusa didn’t appear. Judging from the previews/spoilers, I don’t think she’ll have a role to play in the last two episodes either.
Pythagoras: “We will find a cure for Medusa, I promise but it isn’t going to be at the bottom of a flagon of wine.”
Hercules: “I already had a cure for Medusa. I was happy to give my life for hers. She should never have stopped me.”
I know he’s upset and drunk but I thought Hercules was a total dick when he had a go about Pythagoras’s history with women. I don’t doubt Pythagoras will get a love interest next series though.
Jason: “Our job’s to guard them, not eat them.”
Pythagoras: “But I’m starving.”
Hercules: “Do you wanna tell us what’s going on?”
Jason: “I don’t remember.”
The guys screwed up looking after food from rats until Pythagoras used his theorems for a solution.
Minos: “You are so good to me.”
Pasiphae: “It’s no more than you deserve.”
Ione: “You can trust me.”
Ariadne: “There’s something I must do for a friend. No-one must know.”
Pasiphae is continuing to poison Minos, Heptarian made a brief appearance and Ione seemed a little too eager for Ariadne to trust her.
Jason (re Ariadne): “I may have growled at her.”
Hercules: “You’re done for.”
Chronology: Not long from “The Price Of Hope”.
I’ve been pretty open minded and fair with this show but “Hunger Pangs” was an absolute chore of an episode to watch. The stupidity for cheap laughs almost set the show backwards after the progress it was making in the last three episodes. Thankfully the finale looks like it might be a lot better though.
Rating: 4 out of 10
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