Zoo Season 1 Episode 8 Review: The Cheese Stands Alone
Carissa Pavlica
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Rats, rats everywhere!
Hey, rats deserve a vacation, too! Thanks to Raiden Global, they had a wicked buffet on their lovely ride by ship to a quaint island resort town in Zoo Season 1 Episode 8 which just so happened to be the last place Jackson made pleasant memories with his dad.
It always comes back to Jackson and his relationship with his father in some way, doesn't it? Could dad have guessed what Jackson discovered during "The Cheese Stands Alone?" If so, he should have peppered his notes with the prospect.
The group was split, with everyone but Mitch heading off to the island, and Mitch off to visit Clem.
Jackson's childhood girlfriend turned Sheriff didn't have a lot of respect for his job. That was rather insulting. "No more rat talk," she said when he tried to save the day. At that moment, I was looking forward to her being eaten by rats, and I love rats, not wishing that particular meal upon any rat. An untrusting old friend would be stringy and sour tasting, don't you think?
It was particularly annoying when she even refused to listen to him when he confirmed the Wilson Hotel was swimming with rats. And then funny when the elevator door opened, and Jackson said, "It must be Becky," before thousands of rats poured through the doors. They were annoying like Becky, at least!
Honestly, I don't know why she rubbed me the wrong way so completely, but she did. And Jackson did save the day, with the help of Abraham and Chloe. Jamie was busy over-thinking Raiden Global, to the point Abraham even tried to steer her away from it. She didn't listen.
Jackson: They're all male.
Abraham: Are you sure?
Jackson: If you want to count rodent penises, be my guest.
Abraham: I'll take your word for it.
So what the gang discovered is all of this genetic mutation stuff has a pretty nefarious purpose. No, what's said above is not what they discovered, exactly, but it was a damn cute quote. There's more to it than rodent penises, of course (and we already saw it in the trailer).
Jackson: What if these mutations are not about the survival of one species, but the destruction of another?
Jamie: Meaning...us.
The animals are trying to wipe us out. That's pretty awful, right? I say that as my cat is curled up on my feet. I have a house full of animals that I love. If something like that really happened, it seems it would affect the world on a scale larger than what we're witnessing on Zoo and due to more than Raiden Global's muddling.
After all, Jackson's father was working on his crazy theories long before Raiden Global's chemicals were being transported all over the world...wasn't he? And if not, why can rats now change practically overnight, while before it took so long? Questions, questions.
Meanwhile, Sheriff Becky wasn't the only person in this crazy world who apparently failed to turn on the news or open a newspaper.
How oblivious to world events is Mitch's ex that he's an animal expert and she doesn't even have the wherewithal to recognize when animals are going nuts the world over? I find that quite troublesome. Perhaps she blocked all news of animals out of her mind when he walked out the door. Then again, when I try to block something like that out, it almost becomes even more pronounced. Am I alone in that?
The scenes with Mitch and Clementine were adorable. Mitch giving her the receipt (the family heirloom) from the day of her delivery, Clem assuring him she doesn't call anyone else dad – it was sort of like recon on the part of Mitch to determine whether he was going to give up the lives of the world via the mothercell to keep Clem alive.
Is that harsh? Yeah, it is. But isn't that the decision he's making? The mothercell has the capability to stop all of the mutations and save the world. Or handing it over may save Clem. His decision is unique only to parents with ill children, and it's not one I would wish on my worst enemy.
As he was handing over the mothercell, Mitch spotted Delavenne. Hanging his head (In shame? Resignation? Defeat?), he hesitated. What will come next? My guess is the deal won't continue. Mitch will come up with a reason he's there, cover his ass and find another way to save his girl.
At the very worst, he'll realize that spending time with her outweighs saving her life by putting everyone elses at risk. It was a really good day, after all.
Finally, Xander Berkeley joined the cast as Ronnie "Dogstick" Brannigan. IMDB is pretty damn precise, isn't it? Other than that, who the hell is he? He "settles differences within his business"...which is...related in some way to Agent Ben Schaffer, or as ol' Dogstick calls him, Number 12.
I'm open to suggestions on that one, and all other things Zoo in Christine's absence. She had to step away from the review, but she will return for Zoo Season 1 Episode 9, so don't let her down! Keep this joint hoppin' people! I'm sure she'd appreciate the laughs.
Don't forget, you can watch Zoo online to catch up anytime via TV Fanatic!
Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.
