REVIEW: WAYWARD PINES EPISODE SIX 'CHOICES'

Remember when a Secret Service agent, Ethan Burke, went to Wayward Pines, Idaho, in search of two federal agents who had gone missing in the town? How Burke, played by Matt Dillon, quickly realised he may never get out of Wayward Pines alive? What about all that weird stuff – like characters immediately answering the phone if it rings, people ageing so much quicker? Seems like a long time ago, right?

Having reached episode six of Chad Hodge’s creation, Choices, so much has changed in this fast-moving, slow-paced thriller. I know. What I said makes little sense, but neither does much in Wayward Pines. Plot-wise, things do move quickly, and yet the town is so pedestrian it often feels like nothing is happening at all. In Choices, Ethan learns more about the eerie town's history and the people who live there. It’s all very intriguing, but how much of it is true? Surely it’s too early to be revealing all? And yet, it feels right. It feels good. There’s a decent story here, but where can it go now?

Maybe it’s worth reminding everyone M. Night Shyamalan is credited as Executive Producer. Maybe he’s had an influence. Maybe he’s leaving Blake Crouch’s trilogy well alone. So where’s it heading?  Is Pilcher saving the human race? Was this world the one he really predicted? When he kidnapped every day folk, freezing them, bringing them back 2,000 years later, is this what he envisaged? More importantly, why bother? The residents don’t seem very grateful.

Then again, he stole their lives against their will. There’s no way back. Pilcher tried to be honest with them, which is all Burke wanted prior to their meet. Pilcher protected them from the aberrations at the same time, but it nearly ended in the death of humanity. Not quite the plan he had in mind. This is phase two. Keeping residents in check, using fear to keep them in line. And yet, some refuse to toe the line. They want to blow a hole in the wall that keeps them prisoner. Only they, unlike us, don’t know what’s out there. Some choice.

And yet, this can't be it. With four episodes to go, there must be more than stopping a few wayward folk from making a music box go kablooey. And that Pilcher, can we really trust him? Do we want to trust him? Most importantly, when will Charlie Tahan update his picture on IMDB? DW