From Dusk till Dawn: The Series, Season 1, Episode 6, “Place of Dead Roads”
Written by Alvaro Rodriguez
Directed by Dwight Little
Airs Tuesdays at 9pm (ET) on El Rey Network
“She’s real, she’s real”
“Self-Contained”, From Dusk till Dawn: The Series‘ fifth episode, was a small misstep for the show which had been doing incredibly well. It has some great moments and is tightly wound, but outside of bringing our characters to the infamous Titty Twister, where most of the story will be set, not much else happens in the episode. This week, “Place of Dead Roads” brings the show back to fine form.
We’ve already gotten a flashback of Seth’s time in prison; “Place of Dead Roads” gives us a short look at Richie’s time living in the mountains while Seth was away. The episode’s best moments, however, come while inside the club. For one thing, we get to see just what arriving there means to Richie. He truly believes that the club will provide him the answers he has been promised.
These scenes also show us Richie and Kate’s changing relationship, another interesting twist on the film and what we previously knew about the characters. Cotrona has a standout scene early in the episode as Seth forces confessions out of the Fuller family, particularly Kate, who seems to be gravitating to him by default. The introduction to the club is handled perfectly by director Dwight Little. Laid out almost exactly like the film’s version of the club, Little does a good job showing key parts of the space and presenting it as a dark and dangerous place.
The group’s arrival at the club also brings up another interesting question. From the film we know what happens to the Geckos and the Fullers once they arrive at the Titty Twister. From Dusk till Dawn: The Series has changed enough to let us know that things won’t be exactly like the movie. Freddie (Jesse Garcia) and Carlos (Wilmer Valderrama) coming face to face and then converging on the club is enough to change things up. But just how different will the show’s final episodes be from the film?
“Place of Dead Roads” fixes the mistakes of the previous episode. The relationship between Seth and Richie continues to be a high point for the show, and the episode gives us more insight into Richie’s psyche and Seth’s unease. But more importantly, the episode sets up where the show is going to go for the rest of the season in a very intriguing way.
Final Thoughts:
Freddie’s hallucination is pretty much the grossest thing ever, right?
Please keep the Earl (Don Johnson) flashbacks coming. It’s great to see him.
“I don’t know, I feel like I’m coming out of my skin.”
Where exactly is the relationship with Kate and Richie going? Could she be the thing he’s looking for?
“At least he hasn’t lied to us.”
“You should listen to yourself Seth, because you’re starting to sound like the crazy brother.”
“We’re not your friends, we’re not your brothers. We’re your prisoners.”
“You said your life was upside down. Maybe this is the place where you belong.”
Tressa Eckermann