AVClub: That’s how you open an episode. You wave a disembodied eye in our face. Not an eyeball, mind. This is the facade of a single human eye, lids and all, somewhat resembling the Freemason Eye Of Providence, subtly suggesting an organized secret power. The uncanny likeness is lidded in stiff rubber at the end of a hypnotist’s wand, a festive string of lights in the background heightening the sense that something special is happening. The scene is punctuated by Thack’s reactions from the audience: amusement, expectation, delight. It’s aliiive! Last week Edwards sat in an audience just like this in order to play a generic statue, but “There Are Rules” gets specific and weird in both content and form. The episode is full of horror cues, not to frighten us but to excite us, to alert us that something might be up. Dr. John Hodgman surprises us with his ghoulish presence and later his un(der)explained absence. Strange bird. The color green doesn’t often stand out on The Knick, the cold usually flattening it to gray or blue, but tonight, ladies and gentlemen, the magical X-ray machine glows a bright green as it buzzes with electric charge like a mad scientist’s experiment. And just as the first sequence of the X-ray device working its magic on Mrs. Chickering’s throat loosely resembles The Bride Of Frankenstein, her hair nice and high and the equipment looking no less advanced than a Universal prop, the conjoined twins and their violent rescue gives off a whiff of Freaks. The signs aren’t scary, but they unmistakably point to a tragic outcome.
Fight For Paradise Review: This reality show is nothing new but there are so many uncomfortable moments that will definitely give you the ick.
Brigands: The Quest For Gold Review: The Italian drama follows a group of brigands, embarking on a journey to reclaim power and some hidden gold.
Dinner with the Parents Review: It's a family comedy series following the Langers, who often turn their family dinners into a disruptively chaotic affair.
