While I love the quirky serial killers and learning their motivations, I return to The Hunting Party for Bex, Shane, and Hassani’s connection.
They’ve always stood by one another and exhibited an us-against-the-world mentality. It’s gotten stronger, and that’s why they went against the government at the beginning of the season, demanding their jobs back.
They’re great at hunting down the bad guys and putting them back in prison.
I imagine that’s why they were so outraged, especially Bex, when they learned authorities had arrested an innocent men on The Hunting Party Season 2 Episode 10, and he’d spent years in prison instead of the real killer.
They wanted to stop “Byron May” from killing again, but Bex was determined to overturn the other man’s conviction, no matter what Col. Lazarus ordered.
The war was on, and Shane had to pick a side. I don’t think anyone was surprised where this led. You don’t mess with Badass Bex.
The Hunting Party Trio Versus Col. Lazarus
Poor Shane. After everything he’d lost, he deserved some happiness, and he hated to think he hadn’t earned his Pit credentials.
It just made him think that Dr. Fairfax was right and there was a darkness inside him, even though Bex told him that the Pit didn’t want him because they couldn’t control him.
I love how the trio’s found family moments were on display, starting with Hassani and Bex reassuring Shane they knew exactly what he’s like.
While many people love the romantic side of Shane and Bex, I appreciate that the three of them still feature their unspoken family vibe against outsiders.
For once, Bex didn’t recognize their escaped killer until she saw the photos of the victims. She knew the Eastside Ripper would encounter his victims, get to them, and beat them to death.
I’ve never seen Bex and Hassani so angry when they learned that Victor Rosa had been arrested two years after Byron May committed the crimes, and their only job was to stop Byron from committing more crimes.
Lazarus made it clear they’re weren’t supposed to interview with the local police or Victor Rosa’s case.
Yeah right. They were fired up.
Byron May Used Phrogging To Connect With His Victims
It’s unfair to use traumatic births for psychotic tendencies. I know people who have lost air from the umbilical cord being wrapped around them, and while they have some issues, they aren’t serial killers.
Byron didn’t know how to make friends, since it wasn’t proper to snoop through someone’s phone and show up with concert tickets to their favorite band. That’s creepy!
He used the skills he had from his job to scope out new victims after the Pit, along with other creepy traits.
There was something creepy about watching him spy on James and then kill him after James sensed someone was in his house.
I’m unsure what freaked me out more, that Byron snuck in and phrogged in someone’s house without their knowledge, or that he made himself a birthing womb in the attic to feel safe.
They both creeped me out and demonstrated that he had issues connecting with others. I wouldn’t want a peeping Byron checking on my every move.
While I felt scared for the victims, I felt the worst for that adorable dog. It started to trust Byron after a while, but then the dog watched him kill the dog walker.
It will be traumatized. Pets feel things, too.
Obsessing Over Serial Killers Was Creepy
I don’t understand why people obsess over serial killers and actually write fan mail to them, but it’s the second episode in The Hunting Party that referenced it.
Bex even referred back to Carole and Mark Mardsen and commented that this time their victim, James, had an asexual obsession with the Eastside Ripper.
His books on the Eastside Ripper seemed impressive, but how would Byron know about this adoration before staking out his house?
Sure, there were those forums Carole used, but this felt more targeted and creepy.
James almost seemed like a full-blown stalker. It seemed he wanted to relate to Victor as the Eastside Ripper and offer forgiveness, but, naturally, Victor wasn’t interested.
He wasn’t the only obsessed fan who wrote to or tried to visit Victor.
While I’ve read about the Ted Bundy-obsessed fans, it was different to see them as having a nonromantic vibe.
They only wanted to know the Eastside Ripper, hear his story, and connect as friends. That’s something I could not understand.
Bex Never Gave Up on Freeing Victor Rosa
I would have been terrified to visit a prison alone, even if the man was innocent. Victor Rosa could have been bitter, harboring resentment, and lashed out.
While he seemed bitter, he truly wanted out as his prison sentence destroyed his family. It was hard to maintain belief when the cards were stacked against him.
The fan mail was key since Victor wasn’t the actual Eastside Ripper.
He thought he sent them to a crime writer, who could help his appeal, but he actually fell right into Byron’s plan, giving him a list of obsessed fans and details about himself.
The most dangerous part was sharing his son Eric’s letters. They were different than a typical fan, and included a plea for them to reconcile, but only if he came clean.
Bex knew those words would touch Byron, who wanted to connect and find a real friend, and that was their best chance of finding him.
Dealing with Disillusioned Family Dynamics and Consequences
I blame the government for Eric’s attitude towards his father. He loved him, but wanted him to admit the truth so they could move on.
Under normal circumstances, it would have been a reasonable request, but Victor wasn’t the Eastside Ripper, and father and son missed out on many years, even though they obviously loved each other.
Eric looked so horrified as he realized that Byron had killed his dogwalker and knew personal details about his life.
That was a total gut punch. While everything pointed to his father, he should have believed he was wrongfully convicted.
I loved that Bex only cared about getting Byron May’s fingerprints from that crime scene to free Victor and reunite his family.
For once, there was a happy ending. But that made Shane think, since he’d always hoped his mother was merely misguided or wrongfully convicted.
Now, he needed to face the truth that she might be a monster interfering with their lives—one who won’t be happy that they defied her.
Over to you, The Hunting Party Fanatics.
Why are so many people obsessed with serial killers? What will Col. Lazarus do to the trio?
Let us know in the comments.
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