The Following’s second season continued this week in the US and the UK and we came to learn a little more about where Joe Carroll (James Purefoy) has been spending his time since he escaped the lighthouse fire at the end of season one.
If you haven’t seen the second episode of The Following season two then we suggest you stop reading now so we don’t spoil anything for you. If you’ve already seen it or don’t mind spoilers then keep reading.
Second episode For Joe revealed that Joe has been hiding out in the middle of nowhere with a follower who wrote to him whilst he was in prison. Now sporting a big beard and going by the name Darryl, Joe is spending his days and nights with Judy (Carrie Preston) who appears to be both his girlfriend and a prostitute. She also has a teenage daughter Mandy (Tiffany Boone) and they are both aware of Darryl’s true identity. When he’s alone with them Joe speaks in his English accent but when he’s with other people he puts on a Southern accent and dark shades to disguise himself.
During the episode it’s established that Judy believes she’s saved Joe and turned him away from killing but little does she know that he’s using Mandy to keep tabs on the activities of his followers and communicate with them. Things take a turn for the sinister when Mandy asks Joe what it’s like to kill someone. He soon gives her a taste when a reverend who pays Judy for sex stops by and recognises Joe from the TV. As he tries to escape Joe tries to stop him but it’s Mandy who knocks out the him out with a spade. Next we know Joe is battling the temptation to kill him but does so infront of Mandy taking great delight in his kill. A horrified Mandy warns that Judy will be home soon and Joe cradles her telling her all will be fine. Could we have another killer in the making with the impressionable Mandy?
Elsewhere in the episode Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon) is being given the runaround by twin killers Luke and Mark (Sam Underwood). The evil twins taken their next victims when they murder a mother and father and arrange them in another tableau that pays homage to Joe’s novel, carrying on the work they started with student Heather in the first episode of the season. It seems the twins have parent issues at the heart of their evil and they spare the couple’s son who is blocked into a closet in his bedroom whilst the murders take place.
The twins lure Ryan to the location, which Max (Jessica Stroup) helps him to trace, and he is left with no choice but to call in the FBI. He gets a stern talking down from Agent Mendez (Valerie Cruz) who warns him to stop getting involved in the case if he isn’t willing to officially help them. Could Max’s advice be right? Should Ryan hand over what he knows to the FBI? The taunts about Claire (Natalie Zea) were low blows too weren’t they?
Another strand of the episode is the fact that art gallery owner Lily (Connie Nielsen) survived the subway attack. After a visit from Ryan where he tries to find out if she’s had any dealings with Joe at all, Lily once again becomes the target of Luke and Mark during an evening benefit. The twins lead Ryan to the event and he catches sight of Luke. He instructs the FBI to get Lily out of the building but as she’s leaving with a colleague, the pair is attacked with Lily’s colleague left for dead. Ryan of course saves the day ensuring Lily’s safety and managing to wound Luke with a gun shot. He also discovers that Luke has a twin and tries to pass that information to Mike Weston (Shawn Ashmore) who refuses to deal with him anymore.
Meanwhile Emma (Valorie Curry) manages to track down Carlos Perez (J.D. Williams) to ask why he’s started the murders off a year after Joe’s death. She soon realises that Joe isn’t dead after all and she’s been cut out of the loop. Surely that realisation can’t lead to anything good can it? Carlos on the other hand seems to be on borrowed time as Giselle (Camille De Pazzis) is desperate to kill him.
For Joe was another action-packed episode and it’s going to be interesting to see how the season pushes forward. Creator Kevin Williamson has assured fans that Ryan won’t sit within the FBI but we don’t see how he’s going to be able to continue acting without their help. As for Joe we’re looking forward to him coming face-to-face with Emma as that’s going to be one explosive scene.
The Following continues Monday nights on FOX in the US and at 10pm Tuesdays on Sky Atlantic in the UK.
