The Terminal Islanders return home to find that things have changed since they left. The Nakayamas, still tense from the pain they've inflicted on one another, must come together to battle the spirit that threatens their future.
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. With all of that being said, here are my thoughts on the next episode of AMC's The Terror: Infamy.
"Come and Get Me" was written by Steven Hanna & Naomi Iizuka and directed by Frederick E.O. Toye
The Supreme Court rules that the internment of Japanese-American citizens in the United States is illegal and unconstitutional. However, it's been years since they were first forced out of their homes and into these confinements. Asako notes that there are children in the camps who haven't known any other place as their home. In fact, Terminal Island is no longer the same. It has been completely destroyed as a result of the fear and paranoia that permeates throughout the country. The government is testing its most lethal weapons not knowing the true damage it is causing to its people. It means that the people hoping to start over and return to their lives have nothing to return to. Instead, they have to find new living accommodations. The solution isn't a whole lot better than the camps though. Of course, it's also shocking that the people are released given that Major Bowen was just killed. The government has their orders from the court. However, no one seems to notice that the man in charge is dead. Amy doesn't even cover up her crime. Instead, she is simply eager to be released and escape this world. However, Amy and Yamato's fates aren't seen following the time jump. They witness the devastation on Terminal Island alongside Henry and Asako. Later on, Chester sends word to his parents that he needs their help to eliminate the threat from Yuko once more. That's where the true focus of the season has always been. It's a personal tale about this family facing off with this supernatural and terrifying threat. However, that has also meant there are numerous characters who don't really belong in the narrative because they have nothing to do with those concerns. Amy and Yamato are along for the ride without a whole lot of definition to them and stakes to their individual stories. Meanwhile, Henry and Asako go wherever the narrative requires them to be. It's meaningful that the Nakayama family is reunited in New Mexico. Everyone strives to keep Luz safe as she prepares to give birth once more. Chester has made his plans and preparations. Nothing he can do though seems to keep the threat from Yuko away. She keeps finding her way in to remain close with the family. She enters through the priest and even possesses the baby after it is born. It's eery and sinister. But again, it feels like twists just to keep everything intense instead of logical drama that occurs because these characters have learned from this entire experience. In fact, Asako throws out a reveal that her sister may have endured all of this suffering because she chose to switch who they were betrothed to. The show didn't linger on the mystery of why Asako thought all of this was her fault. But she just casually mentions that she doubts Yuko's spirit has truly disappeared for good. She does so even though she doesn't know at that point that is actually true. It mostly comes across as the show wanting every character to be operating with the same level of information. And yet, it's tragic that Chester believes he has to kill himself in order to keep his family safe. He brings his parents to New Mexico to help with the birth of his son just so he could eventually disappear and die. He wants Yuko's spirit to rest easy by claiming the young child in a picture. That's his whole plan. He didn't necessarily have to wait until Luz was giving birth though. Henry may not always be right in calling his son a fool. However, it is justified more often than it isn't. That's an unfortunate opinion to have about the main character in the narrative. Chester's plan doesn't work out because why would it. So instead, Luz is possessed by Yuko who walks away from all of this with her new baby. That sets some high stakes for the family. But it still remains difficult to care about what will happen to any of these characters. That's the biggest disappointment of this narrative. There simply wasn't the material to make all of this seem fulfilling in the end.
