Lost Girl "The Mourning After" Review

Bo is sometimes like a child whose eyes grow wide when a new shiny toy appears before her. A child is usually content with a toy car or toy train, a nifty LEGO set, or a box of blocks until some other kid enters the picture with a nerf gun the size of Australia, with a gold handle and diamonds decorated all over the rest of the gun, or the other kid has a LEGO set that makes candy; and so the kid with the lame car or train drops the old, boring toys and punches the other kid in the face to take the magical candy-making LEGO set or the nerf gun the size of Australia adorned with diamonds and gold. Bo met another succubus in "The Mourning After," and it causes her to drop Kenzi faster than the average rate of speed of a 747 Boeing jet 30,000 feet in the air. I suppose a more apt analogy to Bo's behavior would be someone dropping a friend for the more popular person in school, but I carried away with my imagination of a LEGO set that makes candy and refused to delete it. The important thing: there's a new succubus around and her influence on Bo is notable.

Saskia is the new succubus in town. Bo meets her while investigating the death of a young woman who committed suicide after a night of sex. The curious thing about the death was the bloody writing on the wall which suggested a possible killer, but evidence showed that the death was self-inflicted. Bo and Kenzi attended a speed dating thing where they found nothing until Saskia arrived and kissed Bo on the lips, drawing energy from her. Bo's eyes are wide and full of wonder, possible awe, genuinely stunned that she's not the lone succubus on the earth. Saskia heartily laughs at such a theory that Bo thought of herself as the last succubus in the world. No, Saskia says, she is not the last succubus; furthermore, Saskia says, she possesses secrets and tricks that Bo desperately needs to become a stronger and more powerful succubus in the dangerous, complicated world of the fae. Saskia is dangerous and complicated, which should make the show more fun when she's around, and she does a number on Bo's psyche before the end of the episode. Bo tells Kenzi to take a hike, but in a nicer way, and embarks on solving the case with the super-cool succubus.

The case actually takes a backseat to the pressing issue of what a succubus is truly capable of. Bo is prepared to take notes, but Saskia promises to teach her by example. As Bo learns about herself, she'll learn about the incubus and the other sub-species of succu-incu-bus. Within "The Mourning After," Bo learns that a succubus can return energy to the person it's been taken from, as well as more about power in the touch and kiss of a succubus. Saskia's part of the Dark though. Bo hasn't decided between both, but rules are different for each side. Saskia's behavior won't be acceptable by The Ash. Bo must be careful; however, she's in the initial stage of her fascination with Saskia and she doesn't thinking clearly about the situation until it's too late and the suspect's essentially murdered in cold blood. Justice is not something the Morrigan and the Dark care about. Such a reality is difficult for Bo to accept and live with; she's genuinely bothered by the fate of the Albaster because, in her mind, no one had the right to end his life without proper justice.

Kenzi, once again, is on her own, feeling badly about herself. The teaser showed a rather randy Kenzi craving close contact with someone from the opposite sex. Kenzi just wants company and something to do. Trick is the man of the hour as he needs Kenzi to help him locate a missing coin. The coin was found by Trick and his friend, Valentine, some time ago and the coin brings luck and success its possessor for 100 years. Kenzi learns a little about Trick's powerful past as a Blood Lord or Blood (insert regal term here) when retrieving a magical egg from this groovy fae who exists between realities (or something). Trick could've gotten anything he wanted by writing in his book of blood. Trick is obviously a reformed man. Kenzi and Trick eventually finger Valentine as the coin thief; well, actually, Valentine possessed the magical coin for a century. Trick's success didn't come from a coin but, rather, from moxie (or the book of blood). Through their adventures, both learned something new about the other. In fact, Trick urged Kenzi to return home, forget about her hurt feelings, and talk to Bo.

Bo actually needs Kenzi more than ever when Kenzi enters and remarks about how there's new competition to be Kenzi's BFF (meaning Trick). Bo suddenly hugs Kenzi and asks her to tell her all about her day because she's tired of herself, her stories, and everything in general revolving around her. The moment is ruined when Bo can't help but stare at Saskia's red jacket as Kenzi tells her the story of the coin, Trick and Valentine.

"The Mourning After" is a great episode. Thus far the best episodes of the series have focused on Bo and Kenzi. The love triangle between Bo, Lauren and Dyson sort of works, but stories are hurt by the focus it requires. I think the heart of the show is Bo and Kenzi's friendship. Their friendship was challenged by the arrival a new character, which gave them substantial and entertaining stories, as well as an honest reconciliation at the end. Their emotional arc through "The Mourning After" was great. Bo's tendency to discard people needed to be addressed and she needed to learn something from these stupid decisions. Mission accomplished.

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