BrainDead: The Power of Euphemism

August 12, 2016 7:58 AM - Season 1, Episode 7

...How Torture Became a Matter of Debate in American Politics. Tense AF, as Laurel is taken into custody by the FBI (Kurt Fuller in supercreepy mode) and prepared for enhanced interrogation -- specifically, "controlled immersion", a new, less-drowny version of waterboarding. Gareth teams up with Luke to get an Intelligence Committee hearing on the use of torture, which Red manipulates as usual. But! Gustav and Rochelle have figured out some of the bugs' language and use it to make the bug-infected committee members raise their hands at the wrong times, then walk repeatedly into walls.

So it looks like our heroes have figured out what they're up against and how to fight them. But then, the big reveal: Papa Healy is infected.

posted by Etrigan (1 comment total)

I'm not sure going the direction of "the people infested by bugs are aware they are bugs and the bugs can speak from the bug perspective" is a very sensical direction for them to go. If the bugs have a coherent goal then are Red and his infected dem counterpart just playing a part and doing so without ever breaking character? That seems... odd. I was much more prepared for the idea that the bugs replace chunks of brain and make behavior more extreme, perhaps that there were multiple factions within the bugs. But that sounded like a "we are united in our goal" sort of proclamation from Laurel's friend.
posted by phearlez at 9:05 AM on August 15, 2016