The first season of Defiance is almost over. After yesterday’s episode ‘The Bride Wore Black’ there are just two more to go. Fans won’t have to be afraid of a cancellation as the second season has already been confirmed. The question is whether another season is warranted? Well, I say it is…. Slowly, yes just slowly… Defiance is managing to build itself up into a show with the right amount of intrigue, action and humor.

‘The Bride Wore black’

This episode deals with the murky past of Defiance years before Nolan and Irisa set foot in the town. Alak Tarr finds the mummified body Hunter Bell in the gambling hall on his bachelor party. Tommy is keen on finding the murderer as he and Bell were friends. Nolan questions people who knew Bell at the time and slowly he reconstructs the time when Bell ruled Defiance and Datak Tarr and McCawley were lower on the pecking order. Datak finds himself to be the prime suspect briefly after the bartender is also murdered. Nolan suspects he is being set up and releases him. After finding traces of gas cold on the bartender fingers Nolan reduces to suspect list Nicky. She murdered Bell because he had discovered that she wasn’t human at all but a Indogene. However, Doc Yewll murders Nicky after she made the last impossible demand and makes it look as if Nicky committed suicide. As Yewll would probably do the autopsy no one would know Nicky is a Indogene.

The side story of the episode of course deals with the wedding between Alak Tarr and Christie McCawley. Datak changes his minds after he discovers that Christie has been removed from her fathers will. Despite the loss of his fathers permission Alak convinces Rafe McCawley to continue the wedding regardless. After a number of issues are resolved the wedding proceeds, though seems to have the blessing of Stahma more than it does Datak.

Conclusion…

The primary storyline of the murders in Defiance that show its history are very effective in setting the characters up for the last two episodes. The flashbacks gives every character a background that couldn’t be developed in present without the fear of losing the audience. Nicky’s death was perhaps premature as her evilness just dripped of the screen , but the fact that she is a Indogene alters everything she has done over the last season. Instead of being a Xenophobic human she may well be a genocidal Indogene. The next two episode will show us.

The plot of the wedding being prepared isn’t too interesting. Its a bit of lighthearted fun that allows some of the characters to stay in the game without looking absent.

Overall the episode if very effective at raising the stakes. Its a good whodunit where the character of Tommy LaSalle shines for a change.

Score; 9 / 10.

PS, this episode of Defiance reminds me of a episode of Terra Nova called ‘Vs.’. Its a shame that episode couldn’t save the show as it was excellent.