Television

Servant Season 2 Episode 9 Review: Goose

Woah.

That’s about all I can muster after Servant Season 2 Episode 9, which was a genuinely thrilling installment of this meandering Apple TV+ drama.

“Goose” had all the makings of a season finale. After how Servant Season 2 has failed to give us the big revelations we were expecting, the penultimate episode was filled with head-spinning developments.

After setting out to harm the Turners, Leanne is now undoubtedly on their side. Even if her powers are manifesting in strange ways, she knows Dorothy is sorry about what happened to Jericho.

Dorothy contemplating suicide was hardly surprising, but it didn’t make it any more tragic. She’s been battling with her emotions since Servant Season 1 Episode 1 and feels like the world is not worth living in without her son.

If she thinks she can be reunited with him in the afterlife, then she’s willing to take a risk by ending her life. You could tell Leanne realized Dorothy was not this villain she pegged her as, but will this bring Jericho back into the Turner household?

The mysterious female’s arrival in the dead of night might suggest as much, but this could be the cult doing some good old damage control. George was adamant that a she would come searching for Leanne if she refused to return, and this is probably the person he feared the most.

What fascinates me the most about this arrival is that we might get some solid answers about what the heck is going on. Leanne has forged a close bond with the Turners, and she’ll probably go to battle with this new person if the family feels threatened.

Mr. Pearce: They can’t just take him back.
Julian: Apparently, Sean sees it differently, given Dorothy’s somewhat tender mental state, asking too many questions will be inadvisable. It’s’s taken Herculean efforts just to stop him from involving the cops.
Mr. Pearce: This is why we have contracts. What have I always taught you? Oral agreements are only as good as the paper they’re written on.
Kourtney: I don’t understand, they have a baby, or don’t they?
Julian: Not that it’s any of your business, Kourtney, but they did, once upon a time.
Kourtney: Wait, but whose baby are they waiting for tonight?
Julian: Jesus, keep up. They had a baby, then they had a fake baby, then it was replaced with a real baby, and now it’s a fake baby again, but this time, Dorothy knows, and she’s expecting the Wisconsin yeti to arrive with a real baby any minute. Ya follow, Kourtney?
Kourtney: No.
Julian: Just try not to blow your top, Kourtney, we’re hanging on by a thread. Merry fucking Christmas one and all. Let the show begin.

But, maybe this person will be more powerful and could potentially undo the things Leanne has done, including bringing Julian back from the dead.

Julian has been an enigmatic character throughout the series, but his admission of guilt about not answering the phone to Dorothy for four days while Jericho lay dead is coming back to haunt him.

He was visibly over the charade the family was putting on by having a Christmas lunch, complete with his father and Kourtney with a K in tow. Rupert Grint was fantastic throughout every single beat of this storyline, and he deserves to be recognized on the awards circuit.

He brought vulnerability to a character that I thought was completely devoid of emotion, and that’s commendable.

The tricky part of this revival is that he met with someone in the afterlife, who we are being led to believe is Jericho, but I’m betting it’s George.

There was a certain look he shot at Leanne when he came back, and it wasn’t a look of love, it was a look of pure fear.

The Turners think George left in the dead of night to get Jericho, but I find it hard to believe anyone will believe his ramblings after they learn he was snorting lines of cocaine at every opportunity through dinner.

Add in the fact that Natalie will tell the family he’s been struggling mentally, and he’ll probably be put into a treatment facility until he’s in a better place.

Julian: What we did was a mistake. I just wanted to say I’m sorry.
Leanne: I’m not. I feel different now, Julian, more powerful. It feels good. I think it feels good for you too, doesn’t it?
Julian: This isn’t right. I’m not right in the head.
Leanne: Then just let me take your pain away, like I did last night.
Julian: What are you doing, Leanne?
Leanne: What I want.
Julian: I should go.

This also poses a question about what Leanne wants. Julian was adamant about their hookup being wrong, but Leanne said it made her feel different, and I’m taking that to mean more powerful.

The scene in the kitchen suggests that she has a hold over him, in a similar fashion to the way she’s latched on to the other characters, but her hold over Julian seems considerably more defined.

Sean’s new belief in faith was somewhat surprising, but he believes in miracles after George healed his hand. He wasn’t even subtle about it when he was saying his thoughts ahead of the meal.

The only person speaking sense was Julian, and he was in a manic state. That shows the hold these people have over the Turners, and it’s worrisome.

With one episode of Servant Season 2 remaining, I hope we get a conclusion that follows through on all the promises of “Goose.” The stage is set for an answer-filled affair, but this show likes to play with expectations.

Mr. Pearce: Do we really have to play this?
Julian: If we want Dorothy to think we’re having fun, then yes.

If we get a greater sense of the cult and what they are really up to, as well as more intel on Leanne, then I’d chalk that as a win because the dreaded sophomore slump has ravaged the series.

“Goose” was a great attempt at righting the ship, and I’ll be waiting on tenterhooks to see how Servant Season 2 Episode 10 wraps all of these lingering plot threads up.

Hopefully, the mythology explodes and opens up a much more exciting Servant Season 3.

What did you think of Julian’s death and rebirth? Do you think Leanne would save all of the Turners now, or do you think she’s still someone we need to be concerned about?

Who do you think this mysterious female could be? Do you think the Turners will get Jericho back on the finale?

Sound off in the comments below.

Catch new episodes of Servant every Friday, only on Apple TV+.

Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.

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