The Librarians Season 2 Episode 5 Review: And the Hollow Men

at .

Though "And the Hollow Men" was split into three separate perspectives, the story was really fairly simple and straightforward: the Library was dying, and it had to be saved.

Each of the three parties – Jenkins and the Librarians-in-Training, Eve and Moriarty, and Flynn and Ray – were all actually serving that single storyline. The closest thing to a B-plot here was Eve's insecurities regarding her relationship with Flynn.

There's nothing wrong with this; in fact, it's generally par for the course in The Librarians.

The Librarians Season 2 Episode 5 actually concluded one of the major story arcs that began at the start of the season, with the mysteriously vanishing artifacts and the rooms in the Library apparently reconfiguring on their own.

Flynn Is Abducted - The Librarians

It didn't take Flynn too long to figure out that Ray was actually the Library itself, the Genius Loci as it were. Though I wanted to facepalm when Cassandra asked "Who thinks in the Dewey Decimal System?" and no one even mentioned a possible Library connection. You're Librarians, for cryin' out loud!

The team-up between Eve and Moriarty provided a little insight into the villain, who is (he claims) unhappy working for Prospero and more than happy to betray him. Plus, it gave him the chance to mess with Eve by worming doubt into her regarding her relationship with Flynn.

Not that Moriarty needed much of an opening there; Eve and Flynn were always an attraction of opposites, her careful planning forever at odds with his flighty, seat-of-the-pants chaotic way of life.

No, no! You'll run! You're like the Gingerbread Man!

Ray

It's entirely possible that their relationship might be on firmer ground if they spent more time together, as opposed to always going their separate ways.

I've mentioned this in previous reviews, but I truly hope that Noah Wyle will be able to spend more time on The Librarians now that Falling Skies has concluded, because he's a lot of fun as Flynn Carsen.

This episode shares a great many similarities with a certain fan-favorite episode of Doctor Who, Season 6 Episode 4, "The Doctor's Wife."

In that series, the Doctor travels around in a space ship called the TARDIS. The TARDIS is alive, with its own intelligence, bigger on the inside than the outside, capable of reconfiguring itself, and in that episode was embodied in the form of a human and faced the threat of imminent death.

Sound familiar?

If Ray and the TARDIS ever sat down for metaphorical tea, what would their conversations be like?

In "The Doctor's Wife," the relationship between the Doctor and the TARDIS is implied to be of almost epic romantic proportions. (The Doctor actually calls her "Sexy"!) Here, we got this endearing exchange:

Flynn: Do you remember me?
Ray: Of course I do. You're my best friend.

Ray even dissolves back into the Library proper in a golden glow, much the same way as Sexy did when she returned to the TARDIS itself, though not before imparting a few final words.

I really did enjoy the bit with the ghost lights and Jenkins stalwartly stating that he would stay to be consumed by the Library to keep it alive just a little longer. I rather suspected that was his Plan B, but it still made sense and provided a funny little bit where Ezekiel said he'd just rather go.

I do have to wonder why Eve and Flynn just let Moriarty walk off with the Staff of Zarathustra at the end. What was stopping them from knocking him down and taking it? And perhaps taking Ariel while they were at it? And then finding a convenient waterfall to throw Moriarty down...?

Though, were they to do that, we would get Librarians quotes like this bit:

Cassandra! Please do not fan-girl over the arch villain!

Eve

A few assorted notes before I turn the discussion over to you:

  • Drew Powell, who played Ray, also appeared on Leverage, as did Beth Riesgraf in the previous episode along with Christian Kane. Powell is also known for his rather more villainous role as Butch Gilzean on Gotham.
  • This episode was directed by Noah Wyle himself, and next week's will be by Jonathan Frakes (best known to many as Commander Riker from Star Trek: The Next Generation).
  • When Flynn and Eve realized that they were in a trap at the beginning of the episode, I mused that Admiral Akbar would be proud of their delivery.
  • With all the time Moriarty has spent in the modern world, he has still not yet learned how to drive.
  • The team has managed to recover some of the missing artifacts, though many are likely in the hands of Prospero now.

So, fellow fans, what did you think of "And the Hollow Men"? Did you enjoy the team-up with Eve and Moriarty? Do you hope to see Ray again? Were you disappointed that Flynn didn't get to sit down and chat with him? Let us know in the comments below!

The Librarians Season 2 Episode 6, "And the Infernal Contract" is scheduled to air November 29, 2015 at 8/7c on TNT. Be sure to watch The Librarians online to relive all the banter and adventure!


And the Hollow Men Review

Editor Rating: 3.8 / 5.0
  • 3.8 / 5.0
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
User Rating:

Rating: 4.2 / 5.0 (18 Votes)
Show Comments
Tags: ,

The Librarians Season 2 Episode 5 Quotes

No, no! You'll run! You're like the Gingerbread Man!

Ray

"Thanks, Ezekiel. You're a genius, Ezekiel," said none of you, *ever*.

Ezekiel