Welcome to this week’s recap and group review of The Librarians. Episode 5 is called “The Apple of Discord”.
There’s an earthquake at Mount Fuji, and over at The Annex the clip book is freaking out. Turns out magic earthquakes are happening all over the place. And hey, Flynn is back!
“It’s the dragons,” he says, portentously.
Dragons sleep underground and when they wake up they cause “havoc.” Eastern and Western dragons have been in a feud for thousands of years. Mr. Drake, the Eastern Dragon’s rep, is coming over to talk about why the Eastern Dragons are so pissed off, and since Ezekiel mistakes the doorbell for a pizza delivery, Ezekiel, by rule, is now the speaker for the library (the Arbiter). After some miming from the other Scoobies, Ezekiel chooses Jenkins as Counselor.
The Eastern Dragons are missing a pearl and they are very annoyed. The Scoobies have to do a heist to retrieve the pearl from the Western Dragons, but Ezekiel can’t help because he has to do Arbiter things.
Cassie and Jake figure out how to get into the Western Dragon’s lair. Competent people who work together are so sexy. I’m just saying. They walk down a tunnel and into another room of puzzles and traps (arrows activated by sound, always fun). Fans of the movies will like this part because it’s all callbacks. Flynn refers to his girlfriend the vampire, which, guys, if you watch that movie (The Librarian: The Curse of the Judas Chalice) HAVE TISSUES. There’s some hysterical running around in the sense that everyone is hysterical and also it’s hysterical to watch. Jake grabs the pearl, turns into a jerk, and leaves.
The Scoobies wake up a dragon, which is not as scary as Jake, who is upstairs in the museum complaining that the curators “don’t appreciate art.” We don’t see enough dragon in this episode. My wish for next season is a bigger budget. Eve runs upstairs and uses her ID to convince everyone that they were doing a NATO security exercise. Her character is so much better with each passing week, and I love how the show repeatedly acknowledges that the Scoobies spend their lives one flash of Eve’s ID away from years in prison. Jake drops the pearl and a golden apple falls out, which of course Cassie picks up, and of course it’s the apple of discord, and Cassie’s eyes go all black and now she’s evil. Flynn is annoyed.
While all this has been going on, Mr. Drake, the dragons’ envoy, called a Conclave at The Annex. Despite Jenkins telling Ezekiel that Ezekiel is The Worst, he arbits like a boss until Dulaque shows up because of course he does. He steals Ezekiel’s pizza, that bastard. Dulaque maintains that the library has outlived its usefulness and he wants a vote of no confidence in The Librarian.
Evil Cassandra is in tights and underwear. First of all, why is she in her underwear and second of all, who wears underwear like that? Why are her panties on over her tights? What is the crocheted sports bra even supposed to be? I was hoping she and Lamia would bond but instead Cassie beats Lamia up using math.
Zeke and Jenkins fight some more. Jenkins tries to leave and says that he chose a side “in a very complicated…and no good came of it. Nothing changes.” Jenkins wanted to be able to work alone in the Annex so he wouldn’t have to choose anymore – and if you are saying, “choose what?” join the club. After a stern talking to from Ezekiel, Jenkins returns to the Conclave to kick Dulaque’s ass with Robert’s Rules of Order.
Everyone has a turn with the apple of discord, which only affects the person who is holding it. Flynn, Eve, and Jake distract Cassie with math (she was trying to do evil power plant stuff). Eve and Flynn ally for about five seconds before turning on each other. Flynn gets the apple away from Eve and marches off ranting about how he could be a GOD.
Flynn crashes the Conclave in the hammiest possible way. Seriously it appears that Noah Wylie’s entire career has led up to him eating up all the scenery.
Zeke steals the apple from Flynn and Flynn makes a big speech about why we need a library and everyone is totally confused but also slightly inspired. Zeke, by the way, is unaffected by the apple. See, the apple turns you into the worst version of yourself and Zeke is already that version, which as it turns out is not too bad. The Conclave votes to keep the library and the librarians, and Zeke exposes Mr. Drake as the thief of the pearl.
Dulaque and Jenkins have a mysterious chat about choosing sides and their mysterious past. It’s all very intriguing.
Flynn and Eve even summon up some actual chemistry until they kiss. They are terrible kissers. Yeah, I said it. Stop trying to make this happen, show. Flynn goes off to appear in more episodes of Falling Skies continue searching for the lost library and everyone else gets back to business. Yay!
Reviews!
Elyse:
You know what drove me nuts about this episode? Why is Cassandra wearing her leopard print panties OVER her tights? Who does that? She’s a genius–undies go on first.
Also why do “evil” ladies need to go around nearly naked? Be evil in a Snuggie. But I totally loved her kicking ass with math.
Also I love dragons, and the west vs east thing is awesome. So was Jenkins making hip hop rivalry references. I’m starting to like Jenkins more and more. I want to know more about Jenkins and why he’s basically in hiding.
Okay so Flynn is back and Eve is all “why didn’t you call?” I’m not sure why they decided to have Flynn and Eve kiss in the first episode. I personally think they don’t have any chemistry, but it would make more sense to me to drag the “will they/won’t they” out.
It did piss me off that Eve and Flynn just grabbed the apple. C’mon you guys, you know what happens. I don’t believe they’d do something so boneheaded.
Also my husband thinks DuLac and Jenkins are Lancelot and Arthur or Merlin.
RHG:
Ezekiel was hiding under the desk while Cassie defended him?
DRAGONS. DRAGONS ARE THE BEST. ALLOW ME TO DEMONSTRATE MY LOVE FOR DRAGONS.
HEISTS. I LOVE HEISTS. Was that a Pope cameo? I love this show. (If the darts were being fired based on sound, couldn’t they just be really really quiet?) (I’m using logic again sorry.)
SMAUG HI PRETTY DRAGON. I’m sorry you’re stuck sleeping beneath the Vatican and can’t fly and be free although there is a interesting idea that the treasures of the Vatican is a dragon’s hoard and as we all know from The Hobbit that gold that has been brooded over by a dragon gives anyone who is around it dragon sickness and makes them paranoid and greedy and maybe there’s a commentary there about the infrastructure of the Catholic Church as an institution and I really need to head back to Boston soon.
Anyway.
I think the writers did a better job of exploring Evil!Cassie than everyone else- all those numbers and wanting to applying theory instead of just theorizing. Although Jake getting evilly offended over the miscategorization of art is hilarious.
It was nice to see Flynn again, and Eve hanging it up with her hair. Plus I’m a sucker for opposites coming to an understanding like Ezekiel and uh….. John Larroquette who’s got a character name I’m pretty sure.
ALSO CARY HIROYUKI TAGAWA. I LOVE HIM HE IS A DELIGHT AND THE MAN CAN WEAR A THREE PIECE SUIT.
Sarah:
My notes begin with:
Dragons DRAGONS DRAGONS DRAGONS Dragons DRAGONS DRAGONS. I love dragons as much as RedHeadedGirl, I think. I can’t show you my current cross stitch project but it’s a custom pattern of a dragon banner from the background of a game I play on my phone. Because dragons. AND DRAGONS.
My favorite moments:
Flynn: “Hey! You got the door working.”
Jenkins: “Did you come to take them away? I keep their bags packed.”
And any and all Jenkins discussions of dragon feuds and hip hop:
That’s… not dissimilar to the east coast, west coast hip hop rivalry of the late 20th century…. Ah, well, as Eric B. and Rakim so aptly flowed, “I’m paid in full.”
Awesome.
And when a wet-haired Flynn magically puts on a linen suit in .02 seconds? More awesome. And Jenkins’ shoes? Equally awesome. And the fact that Flynn’s suit hardly wrinkles, despite it being linen? AGAIN awesome. Both Flynn and Jenkins’ wardrobes require a lot more attention. Because awesomeness.
Then there was a conclave and some elf ears and cryptic banter and angry dragon reps, and then there’s Dr Evil Bad Guy. Does he ALWAYS have to monologue? DOES THE VILLAIN HAVE TO TALK A LOT MAYBE HE COULD NOT TALK SO MUCH. I could have used more blah-blah summaries in this one because dude, hush. We get it. You’re smirky and evil. You’re smirkvil. Put the pizza down.
But could he maybe talk more about what’s up with his relationship with Jenkins? Because I’m not sure if they were brothers, or they were once together, or maybe they just share a tailor and that didn’t work out but whoa tension. That was an interesting development.
And to echo Elyse: YES WHY WAS EVIL CASSIE MOSTLY NAKED.
Why does she have to be half naked to be evil? Flowery dress = good; nakedness and maximum midriff with lace capris = bad?
The only thing I wish this episode had more of was more dragons. MOAR DRAGONS. Especially enigmatic thunder voiced dragon who lives under the Vatican – can he have a talk show or something? Maybe he could be Jake’s pet? MOAR. DRAGONS. PLZ.
Carrie:
What they said! DRAGONS! Why naked Cassie, why? Why are Eve and Flynn grabbing the apple with their bare hands instead of using Fylnn’s tie or cravat or handkerchief or whatever striped thing that is? I want to see the villain in a Snuggie now. Thanks, Elyse.
It took a while for the characters in this show to click but now I really look forward to seeing them every week. Jake being mad about art is scary. Lamia being confused was cute. Everything involving Ezekiel and Jenkins was great. Just a good, solid episode. I, too, would like to see Jake and the dragon under the Vatican hit it off. Maybe he could consult him on the phone sometimes.
What about you? What did you think? Are you still watching? Or are you off finding yourself a dragon and a linen suit?
I think this episode and the last one are where things started to really come together. Weren’t there hints in the last episode that Jenkins and DuLac knew each other? Like, Jenkins knew immediately that DuLac was behind the Santa kidnapping because he knew Reasons? Anybody else thinking they are a Demon and Archangel? Or possibly Mordred and Arthur? And if I remember my D&D correctly isn’t a lamia a kind of dragon? YES MOAR DRAGONS PLZ.
And now I want to see DuLac being evil while eating pizza and wearing a Snuggie.
I think the half-naked = evil equation started with the classic Star Trek episode Mirror Mirror.
I think they were looking for the opposite of Cassie’s usual wardrobe, which, while still exposing lots of leg, is generally covered up and twee.
Loving this more every episode. Glad some of you are getting on the Jenkins bus, cause you don’t hire John Larroquette and not give him some substance. Hell, he can’t take a part without imbuing substance. So looking forward to finding out his secrets.
And YES!!! MORE DRAGONS!!! My cross stitch piece is a dragon wrapped around a castle. It took me a year and more than 50 different colored skeins of thread. I would show you a picture, but I lack the tech. Now I want my unicorn episode. And if you’re wondering, not as many skeins, but stitched on black with a moonlit effect.
You all have me hooked on this show. Santa was some of the best TV I’ve ever watched (except for the hokey last 5 minutes). I love love love the way they go everywhere in the world, and the art – that line in the Santa episode (b/c I haven’t seen Apple yet) where Jake says “Architecture is just art you live in. Why doesn’t anyone GET that?” – I swooned.
I will be watching this one as soon as I cook a large meal and have sufficient dirty dishes that everyone flees leaving me with an hour by myself in the kitchen.
@DonnaMarie, is that the Teresa Wentzler? I LOVE that piece! COngratulations, that’s a LOT of work!
“Also my husband thinks DuLac and Jenkins are Lancelot and Arthur or Merlin.”
@Elyse — mine totally jumped on the Dulaq = Lancelot bandwagon in the first episode. (When he’s not singing Welcome to Duloc instead.)
We’re currently debating Jenkin’s role and are leaning towards Merlin.
@EC Spurlock, yes, they’re both Teresa Wentzler patterns. She is pretty much the go to for fantasy patterns.
@DonnaMarie
Glad some of you are getting on the Jenkins bus, cause you don’t hire John Larroquette and not give him some substance. Hell, he can’t take a part without imbuing substance. So looking forward to finding out his secrets.
So true. One eyebrow raise and you just know that there’s about six hours of backstory behind it. It’s amazing.
SB Sarah, I just adore watching him work. And the hair. I was so depressed about Christian Kane chopping his off, but John’s silvered mane is making me happy. I never realized I had such a hair thing…
Yes Dragons!!! And RHG – major props on the Pocket Dragons! I, too, have the little guy curled up sleeping and the cute little guy looking up. And a couple others. Because DRAGONS!!
So when I saw Cassie’s less-than-dressed outfit I thought “Oh, she wears spankies under those super short dresses. Makes sense.” You know spankies – like cheerleaders wear under their skirts? Because while being quite twee in her attire, those Cassie dresses are SHORT.
Yes, I think some things are coming together, but I thought there were too many incidents of Deus ex Stupida in this episode. As previously mentioned: If the arrows are activated by sound, try being quiet. You know the thing is evil; try not picking it up with your bare hands. Not mentioned: Zeke, just because the doorbell rings doesn’t mean it’s your pizza. You’d think a thief would have a better grasp of security procedures, since he’s undoubtedly had to work around them before.
Grumbling over. I love this show. I will watch it forever (or at least as long as Christian Kane is part of the cast).
@DonnaMarie
If you’re not interested in another major time commitment, cross-stitch dragon-wise, in the Just Cross Stitch 2014 ornament annual, there’s a design of a dragon AND a unicorn, sharing a book. The caption is “Share a love of reading.” I plan to make a bunch of them to hand out because, hey, dragons, unicorns, and reading, and less than 4″ square.