Mr. Mercedes Season 1 Episode 2 Review: On Your Mark

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Nope. There is still no sympathy for Brady from this viewer.

On Mr. Mercedes Season 1 Episode 2, the stakes were raised higher as Brady's taunts grew louder.

Brady is contacting Bill with more frequency, using several different methods and we know he won't give up. He taunted someone to death once before, and she seemed as steadfast in her beliefs as Bill when it began.

Pete and Bill - Mr. Mercedes Season 1 Episode 2

I've never been a big fan of knowing both sides of the story.

When I used to read a lot, one of the things I liked the least was knowing what was going on in the mind of the criminal at the same time as I was being told the story of the victims. I'm an either or kind of gal.

It seems to me what Bill was going through would be more terrifying to me as a viewer if I didn't know so much about Brady. Because I'm not afraid of Brady. Brady is a snot.

He's a technically savvy and murderous snot for sure, but I don't care one tiny bit about his story. I don't care that his mother abused (and continues) to abuse him. I don't care that he has a crappy job. He's a rotten person who kills indiscriminately. He is unworthy of my feelings.

From my end, I could fast forward through his scenes and be all the happier for it. In fact, when I used to read King, I would sometimes fast forward through those pages in his books. It made reading the books faster.

If Brady had a redeeming quality, I might feel differently. Brady doesn't, and I don't. Do any of you feel the same? I really need to know.

Bad Memories - Mr. Mercedes Season 1 Episode 2

On the other hand, I love what is going down with Bill Hodges. Brendan Gleeson brought him to glorious life during "On Your Mark" when he was unable to get the vile video out of his head and almost killed a kid in his backyard.

After almost killing the kid, Ida came to his rescue with a bottle of whiskey to cover up the fact he was already drinking. Even downing half a bottle of whiskey wasn't enough to clear the images from his head, though, and Bill was getting the video and the poor kid's compound fracture muddled up.

It was quite the mess and was still plaguing him when he had to sit through a talking to from Pete at the station. As terrible as the situation was, I was thankful for the laughs.

Peter: The latest medical advice for men of advancing years is they might want to cut back on drinking their weight in vodka and beer.
Bill: Crazy talk.
Peter: You'll die, Bill. Like real soon.
Bill: Fuck off.

I don't know if Pete is afraid his friend is going to fall off the deep end (which we've been led to believe is what happened during the height of the Mercedes case) or if he's just not interested in what's really going on with Bill, but he's not listening to his friend.

He's seeing what's on the surface and jumping to conclusions.

I don't even know Bill that well yet, and I felt I understood what he was doing in the parking lot when he stood there looking around before heading into the station. Why did Pete have such a hard time with it? 

What the fuck's wrong with you? You've never seen an old guy talking to himself before? You new to the planet are you? Fuck off while you're at it!

Bill

It only made things worse for Bill leaving and kept the laughs coming. Worked for me!

He was in an introspective mood. But going past the woman's house who owned the Mercedes was just good fortune considering how everything fell together when he got home.

The Mail Sucks - Mr. Mercedes Season 1 Episode 2

Bill had no reason even to think that Olivia might have received letters at the time he was sitting in front of her house. Yet when he got home, he had one waiting for him from Brady. 

It painted Olivia in a completely different light. It didn't make Bill think of her any differently, but the idea she may have killed herself because of taunting from the Mercedes Killer was a new avenue.

They had been going with the impression the killer stopped after plowing into the crowd. He'd done his killing and moved on. If he sent letters to Olivia, then he wasn't just a one and done killer. Bill wasn't the first victim since the job fair. And Olivia might not even be the only one in between the job fair and Bill.

What Is In The Mail? - Mr. Mercedes

I think it's so sweet how much Jerome enjoys helping Bill, and I don't want to see their friendship end. On the other hand, it was impressive that Bill told Jerome to stay away.

It wasn't clear if Bill would put the case before everything else, including Jerome's safety. Apparently not. He's a good man.

Since this takes place in 2012, wouldn't Bill have already known how to find Under Debbie's Blue Umbrella, as well as how to sign on with the username and password Brady sent to him?

That seemed a bit odd to me, but I'll buy he was more interested in drinking and watching TV during his retirement than surfing the internet. 

The internet will likely come in handy as he does more investigation into the killer.

Sister Janey - Mr. Mercedes Season 1 Episode 2

It's only just begun, after all. The case is picking up more momentum than ever. Bill met Olivia's sister, Janey, and she's as interested in getting to the bottom of her sister's suicide as Bill is in finding the killer.

It's always better having someone willing to get their hands dirty with you. It doesn't hurt that Janey's good looking, either.

Bill's not going to mind spending a little time with her, is he? 

While Bill might have been feeling a little low going into the hour, by the time he sent his first message to Brady, he was in the perfect head space.

I'm here Fuckhead. Let's play.

KermitFrog19

Brady is mucking with the wrong guy. He might be able to modify traffic lights and scare Bill with his letters and videos, but my money is on Bill Hodges.

What about you?

On Your Mark Review

Editor Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
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User Rating:

Rating: 5.0 / 5.0 (2 Votes)

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.

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Mr. Mercedes Season 1 Episode 2 Quotes

Peter: The latest medical advice for men of advancing years is they might want to cut back on drinking their weight in vodka and beer.
Bill: Crazy talk.
Peter: You'll die, Bill. Like real soon.
Bill: Fuck off.

Peter: Bill. How much you been drinkin' lately?
Bill: Not enough.