Zoo Season 3 Episode 13 Review: The Barrier
Carissa Pavlica
at
.
So many words for this finale.
Thankfully, Zoo Season 3 Episode 13 was everything we have loved about the series while ultimately returning it to its roots.
The team is united by blood and will be torn apart by blood. The animals they fought so hard to save will once again be infected. With no word of a Zoo Season 4 renewal, it's possible this team will remain in stasis, never gaining ground, but never really losing it, either.
Isn't that some ugly poetry? Maybe there is a haiku in there somewhere. Nope, it's just plain prose.
It's much like the members of our team was just created from a bunch of people off the streets. Jaime was a blogger, for goodness sakes. In the last big battle to save the world from beacons, nests, and hybrids, she was right in the thick of it. So was the veterinarian, Mitch.
Logan was a CRIMINAL for goodness sakes. He was running the joint. What a crazy world was created by Robert Oz and his crazier daughter, Abigail.
"Barrier" did its best to remind all of us of exactly what world they created and who the most talented people are inside of it
North America is safe now, but none of that will matter if we exceed the nest threshold. That's game over for everyone.
Logan
Just let that line roll over your tongue a few times. It's brilliant!! Nest threshold. In what other capacity would we ever get to even think of such things? Only on Zoo, you guys.
And standing in the safest place in North America in the midst of soldiers and generals, It was only our former blogger, and now millionaire authoress Jamie who had the common sense to consider why launching a missile into a densely populated city might be an issue.
You can't fire long-range missiles at those things. The loss of life will be astronomical.
Jamie
How fun was it when Mitch was considering it would be easier if he was Mr. Duncan again since he wrote the beacon program, but since he wasn't, he'd just start pushing buttons?
Mitch was making decisions left and right that made no sense whatsoever, not even to himself. When he pushed the button that sent the entire North American cascade of hybrids rushing toward the barrier (how great was that dust plume and the 25 soldiers shooting at the hybrids?), was his hope to get to the plane?
That was in the direct path of the hybrids and going at 60 mph; a humvee wasn't about to outrun a horde of hybrids if all Mitch could think of was to RUN as fast as anyone could to escape the hell he'd just unleashed.
Equally fascinating was Abe's incredibly odd reaction to sending Clementine and barrier baby away after Mitch had already done the damage.
Mitch! How dare you?! Clem's baby is critical for the sterilization cure, and you sent him away without consulting us!!
Abe
By that point, the army of men was losing the battle of the barrier.
Jackson was walking into the wind tunnel that was the beacon on the roof (or something)...where the hell did they find that beacon in the middle of nowhere? It takes HOURS to drive anywhere in Colorado. Weren't they in the Colorado desert?
Jackson was downright heroic in his battle with the beacon, and I hope James Wolk was walking into a wind machine because if he was forced to act on his own, he was ripped off. That scene looked like so much fun.
But of course, by that time, Clem was in the wind, Jackson was into the festivities in a very personal way things were about to get super hairy.
Logan made an incredibly stupid tactical decision, so it was hard to feel sorry for him when he was sucked out of the gaping hole in what used to be the windshield. Why would anybody shoot out the windshield in an attempt to protect themselves from incoming hybrids?
The only reason, of course, is the dreaded plot device. It was Logan's turn to be whisked away. What his death did was make Jamie cry in her first truly emotional moment that I can recall. Did she cry that hard when Mitch died?
Clem wanted her baby back. She named him Sam when she was in the humvee with Logan and before Abigail kidnapped him.
The good news is there's no reason to worry about Baby Sam because even though conditions are not ideal living with a maniac, Big Sam turned out alright. What does that say for the loony tune?
She may hate her brother and be out for revenge when he's around, she may want her hybrids to run free on the planet, but she doesn't hate the spawn of her blood to the point she'll turn 'em sour. Or something.
Even with that sparkling good news, Jackson was making the trade. It may not be the best option under the sun, but there are no kids to eat on the planet and they probably already have a formula floating around to cure the animals who are going to be infected.
Haven't they been through this before? They've saved the day once (or twice or three times); if you watch Zoo online you know, surely they can do it again.
That has to be what Jackson is thinking. In addition to it being his grandbaby, losing his child, never seeing him grow and trying desperately make up for past mistakes. Hearing the resolve in Clem's voice couldn't have hurt, either.
Logan died trying to protect this baby. Jackson, let's get my baby back.
Clem
It's hard to imagine how Mitch and Jackson can be coming at the issue in much the same way but think about it so differently.
If we're granted a fourth season, Jackson has the plane control pad in his hands. They can't leave him behind even if they'll likely want to. Did you notice the nose of the plane crashed through the barrier wall with nary a scratch or dent?
Who thinks a potential new season would see our heroes jumping onto that plane and soaring away from those pesky hybrids? Whether they can get Big Sam onto the flight would be the biggest question.
Yes, this finale had it all. Great quotes, terrific action, a heroic dog turned mourned comrade turned hybrid killer, a death, a team torn apart and so much more. Come on guys; summer is over. Get a conversation going in the comments before we get all kinds of serious next week.
I won't be writing much, and I'll miss you so much!!!
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.
