Where should I start with this? I have no idea. This is a bit how the show left me last night, just void of an opinion. I think this episode, entitled, Skin and Bones, had great potential that it just never fulfilled it. It never quite got to where it was supposed to be going.

The opening shot was beautiful; we see the snow capped mountains in the background of the ranch where the story takes place. We are then quickly introduced to two young boys, Derek and Tim, who we learn immediately are brothers. We also are meet Uncle Rowdy, who we see has been injured, he is in what looks to be a walking cast and using a cane to walk, but nonetheless he appears to be a very rugged and weathered kind of fella. And then there’s the woman who we learn is the mother of the two boys, Helena. This is where the plot holes started for me, I couldn’t figure out the purpose of Rowdy being injured in this story. Or why any of these people were there in the first place. We learned earlier that they are not ranchers but they father purchased the ranch for Rowdy.
Afterwards, we learn that the father, Grady, is missing in the mountains and he has been gone for 10 days.

We also see that Helena and Rowdy have feelings for each other; there is the whole scene with the two of them being a bit too touchy feely for in-laws. Something that the son, Derek tells us earlier when he punches his uncle for kissing his mother. This is supposed to serve as a clue to the reveal that comes in the end. A useless reveal, but a reveal either way. It’s a miracle, because, here comes Grady from the mountains in the next shot. And might I add, he looks bloody terrible. Obviously, Grady has been through it and we learn his companions didn’t make it. Then we are introduced to Eddie Bear. Eddie Bear, I had to type it again, I love that name. Say it with me Eddie Bear. Eddie Bear is the Native American ranch hand that we already can see is going to be the hero in this deal. We hope.

The doctor, who does house calls in this town, comes over and tells us, Grady is going to be fine, he just needs to eat. OK, then, good. We get a great shot of some yummy, vegetable stew. This is substantial for two reasons, one of which is because I’m hungry right now and two because of what happens in the end. We also learn from Helena that Grady’s not quite right. Uh, duh. Skip ahead to some telling behavior from the newly returned Grady, where he licks his wife and tells her she tastes good. And, not in the sexy times way, in the salt and pepper with a slice of lemon way. Not a good sign.

Eddie Bear then pulls Rowdy aside and tells him a story from his childhood about a Wendigo, which he says he believes this is what Grady has become. For those of you who don’t keep up with that kind of thing, a wendigo is a malevolent cannibalistic spirit into which humans could transform, or which could possess humans. Those who indulged in cannibalism are at particular risk.. I wonder what happened to Grady’s companions on the trip?

Grady basically confirms his wendigo-ness to Eddie and the Helena. And Uncle Rowdy sees for himself. Let’s just say there was a shotgun and an axe involved and these weapons were in dumb hands. I mean really, Ax first, questions later. Get it, waca, waca, waca. Anyway, these people came up with a STUPID, plan, that should have simply involved fleeing the scene, but it didn’t. Or, how about shooting Grady in the head? Again, nope. Instead, we get more fumbles which obviously are there to stretch the episode to an hour. I can’t go on with this because there was no big twist, and no big anything, it ended with Grady’s death and that’s literally all. Big FREAKING DEAL.

This episode was flat out awful, it was pointless and incomplete. I can’t point any fingers in this because everyone dropped the ball in this episode. The storyline had plot holes galore and useless facts, that were in the end a bit irrelevant to the episode. It didn’t feel like the director, Larry Fessenden, really cared to try to frame shots or anything to make us care either. No particular points of views, special effects, nada. Just blah.

Overall the eighth episode was just simply put boring. I give it 4/10, if I were rating it.
Next week we get the Olympics which definitely will be better than Fear Itself overall performances of hit and a whole lot of misses.

See you guys after the games, where I hope the last few episodes of this show are better than these last couple.

Trailer for Larry Fessenden's Wendigo from 2001A MUCH better movie