Hulu's Runaways - Episode 2.02 "Radio One"
Karolina, Nico and Molly try to retrieve the Staff of One, but Tina puts up a fight. Karolina grows closer to Jonah while Alex and Livvie share a kiss.
In 2018, there were 495 scripted shows airing amongst the linear channels and streaming services. The way people are consuming content now is so different than it used to be. It happens according to one's own schedule. As such, there is less necessity to provide ample coverage of each specific episode in any given season from a show. Moreover, it is simply impossible to watch everything. As such, this site is making the move to shorter episodic reviews in order to cover as many shows as possible. Premieres and finales may feature longer reviews. With all of that being said, here are my thoughts on the next episode of Hulu's Runaways.
"Radio One" was written by Warren Hsu Leonard and directed by Chris Fisher
Nico is given a choice between power or family here. She can either return home and be together with Robert and Tina or she can have the Staff of One. She teams up with Karolina and Molly in order to retrieve the object that makes her powerful amongst the Runaways. They are confronted by her parents. Tina can wield the Staff more effectively than any of the teens know how to use their own abilities. However, Tina still presents this choice for Nico. That's unexpected because she is so demanding. She doesn't have the awareness that she pushes people away with her strict rules for how this family should operate. Neither Robert nor Tina should be surprised by the choices that Nico has made. They know that she has disdain for everything they have ever told her. But there's also the fear that she will be corrupted because of this power. That's how Robert views his wife. She became a villain because of the freedom the Staff gave to her. She is willing to let Molly die to get her daughter back in submission. As such, that same corrosive power could infect Nico. However, there is the hope that she will make better choices with it because she is surrounded by friends who understand that this world is on the brink of destruction and needs heroes to save it. Nico and Karolina's relationship is so incredibly strong as well. They may be moving too fast because of their status as Runaways. However, it's such a powerful and trusting dynamic as well. Sure, Nico snaps at Karolina for not having full control of her powers to ensure that she didn't have to make this choice at all. However, it still feels somewhat justified because Karolina is keeping a huge secret from her friends. The Runaways made a big deal about Alex needing to tell them the truth about where he got the money from. He is honest about now working for Darius. That's a precarious situation because he is too distracted with a new budding romance to understand that Darius is double-crossing him because he is only loyal to his own family. Meanwhile, Karolina believes that she is smart enough to meet with Jonah without being converted by his teachings and views of this world. She wants to better understand and control her own powers. She succeeds in that endeavor too. She no longer needs the bracelet in order to keep her powers at bay. But she's not adept enough to stop Tina. That may encourage her to continue meeting with Jonah. That's so dangerous though because no one from Pride can find where the Runaways are hiding. They are building a permanent home for themselves. Karolina is putting that in jeopardy because she's not traveling very far to meet Jonah. It's just far enough for the Runaways to be worried about her following the earthquake without her being missing for too long. They don't have to assemble a search party to find their missing friend. But the longer she keeps this secret the more explosive it will become because Jonah is the enemy they are facing. Both Pride and the Runaways are trying to understand what's buried underneath the city. The show is still just slowly teasing out some clues. It's a further connection to Karolina's heritage. As such, she may be seeing more of Jonah's side of the argument. That may corrupt her just as her friends have gotten the power back on and have the conviction to go on the offensive against their parents. That means that things are only going to become more precarious in the future because of the many competing agendas amongst all of the characters.
