Lily Gray is back, and people are not happy. This 11th episode of The Following is almost a filler, however, in that it confirms that Lily is just as crazy as, if not crazier than, Joe (though we found that out when she killed Mike’s father), but also shows some flaws in Joe’s new cult life, when his followers start questioning him. Meanwhile, Claire pushes to come out of hiding, insisting she can help Ryan find Joe.
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Korban Members Question Joe
Joe keeps on preaching his message of gaining salvation through the redemption of others. He holds a group session, where he says it’s time for the final lesson, which is of course to kill someone. Or as he puts it, set a person free. He asks for a volunteer to kill someone in front of the group. While some seem hesitant, everyone claps in awe of what just happened in front of them. Though I’m sure it’s because they are just scared they might be the next victim on Joe’s table.
Robert then comes to Joe and basically asks what’s going on. He explains that members of the group are doubting Joe’s teachings based on his history as a killer. Joe assures him that they are on a mission to save the world. Though after Robert leaves, Joe asks Emma to make sure Robert is still on their side. Emma apparently takes this to mean that she can sleep with Robert to persuade him to believe in Joe. However, after, when Joe asks how it went, even she starts to question what their mission is, stating that they are running out of time. Joe explains that he believes religion is the way now, and not Poe, as religion sends a bigger message.
And just as we thought, Mandy, after hearing Joe’s confirmation that something must be done about her, sneaks onto Joe’s computer to get the number for Lily Gray. She later packs her bag and hitches a ride. She calls the number, hoping to join her group, I can only assume.
Lily Plans Luke’s Escape from the Hospital
While there are rumors that Lily has fled the country, it turns out she was in New York City all along, plotting to get Luke out of the hospital. She sends a crew out to wreak havoc on a bakery. The two masked men then head to a hospital as “victims,” to gain access to Luke. Their third accomplice, Serena, kills a random doctor and takes her badge to gain access to the hospital. The three manage to kill a bunch of people in the hospital as they break Luke out. However, Ryan, Mike and the FBI are very close behind them and the only person to escape is Luke.
Luke has a weird reunion with Lily and Mark. And as they are packing their bags to flee, they get the phone call from Mandy.
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Ryan Remains Optimistic as Claire Returns
Throughout the entire episode, Ryan remains very optimistic that they will not only find Joe, but also take down Lily and her crazy group. Though they don’t get any closer to finding either. Perhaps it’s his newfound love Carrie Cooke who is making him so happy. But I don’t like it. Ryan needs to be bitter and angry and full of revenge. It seems that Mike has taken on that role this time around, though, as he questions how Lily can be more calculated than Joe.
But I have a feeling that Ryan won’t be very happy for much longer, as the final scene of The Following this week reveals Claire at his doorstep. I don’t know how or why the FBI agreed to let her out of witness protection. However, it did come with a price, as she will no longer have access to her son, or her mother, unless she goes back into the program. She is convinced that she can help Ryan track down Joe, though I’m convinced she will only get in the way and distract him from the task at hand.
As much as I liked the twist that Claire is still alive, I find her frustrating. I don’t really know how much she can help with the investigation. She hasn’t had any contact with Joe or the case for the past year, so I don’t know what new information she could possibly have to get them closer to Joe. Plus Joe is different now. He’s basically gone off the deep end, even more so now that he’s found religion.
I am happy Lily is back. As crazy as she was, I thought just having her disappear after killing Mike’s father was disappointing. I like that Mike and Ryan each have some psycho to track down and hopefully kill.
There is one storyline I don’t care about: Mandy. I don’t really know where they are going with that one. It’s clear she was obsessed with Joe in the beginning and is upset that he’s distracted and not paying attention to her. And after her run-in with Emma last week, I think she’s worried they will kill her. Though I don’t really know her motive for going to Lily, as she’s just going to be with another group of crazies. And as much as Joe has disregard for human life, so does Lily.
I do like the triangle of conflict this season and can’t wait for it all to play out.
The Following airs Mondays at 9pm on FOX.
(Image courtesy of FOX)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
