[Review] The Dead Lands Episode 6 has Daddy Issues

Today brings us the next installment of Shudder’s Maori fantasy horror series The Dead Lands, which features a flashback, an outing, and family therapy.

Episode six, “A Question of Identity” opens with the first flashback of the series which introduces us to Waka’s often mentioned dad. He’s a big man, a powerful dark sorcerer, and he trains the sons of several chiefs. Oh, and he uses Waka, the bastard child he refers to as “it,” as a punching bag to keep his students in line. Basically, he’s not going to win any Father of the Year awards.

The beginning is a perfect example of when and how to incorporate a flashback into a series. It gives us new insight into Waka’s mindset and history, introduces a villainous character (whose change in the present is important), and feels emotionally grounded. Oh, and I dug the monsters roaming the woods. They’re shot from young Waka’s perspective, so you don’t see much, except they’re big and you want to hide from them. I really enjoy when this series leans more into horror elements so that worked for me.

We return to the present – well, ancient, mythical New Zealand – and it’s time for Waka to finally confront his father and put the world back in order.

Last week, Mehe and Waka were arguing about how much neither wanted to have sex with each other, and he said something along the lines of, “I’d rather fuck the witch.” And she replied, “Me, too!” It was the type of semi-friendly arguing joke that could have meant nothing, but it did make me start to wonder. And this week confirms that Mehe is queer.

When Waka and Mehe are leaving her tribe to find Waka’s father, Mehe has a touching farewell with another woman. The other woman (I’m so sorry I don’t know anyone’s names in this show, I’d love to have a series primer on-line) then threatens Waka not to touch Mehe, firmly establishing a protective/jealousy motive. It seems that Mehe’s sexuality could be an open secret sort of deal, or a non-issue, within her culture. Her mentor has talked about Mehe baring children, but she doesn’t hide her tearful goodbye in front of most of the tribe. It’s refreshing for a fantasy series to simply present this queerness out in the open and in a purely positive light.

On the relatively short trek to Waka’s father’s tribe, he’s put through the ringer by his dead ancestor and his mother, who each are pushing him in different directions. The one thing he’s absolutely prepared to do is kill his father, but when they arrive, they find the situation isn’t exactly as they’d predicted.

Waka’s father is still a big, imposing man, but his hair’s white, his face is wrinkled, and he’s “haunted.” Waka hasn’t seen the man in several years and expects to find the same person he’s hated all his life, so he’s shocked to find anything different about him. And that gives him hope. Maybe this older, wiser version of his father will accept him. Maybe he’ll make up for the past. Maybe he’ll listen to Waka for the first time in his life. It’s tough watching someone – who would never admit it – desperately hope a distant father will give him love.

There’s also an interesting dichotomy in the perception of Waka’s father. We see his new wife and tribe following him with pride. To the tribes he murders and enslaves, a warlord is absolutely evil. To the people he protects and enriches, the same warlord is a respected leader.

Overall, the episode felt like a lot of set-up. Not in a bad way. It’s as if the storytellers needed to move characters around and to present more information in preparation for the final episodes. Now the players have been moved into their starting positions for the series’ third act. And I’m primed and set to see how that third act enfolds.