12 Monkeys - Paradox - Review

12 Monkeys, “Paradox,” was directed by Dennie Gordon with a story by Terry Matalas and teleplay by Richard E Robbins. Gordon’s many credits include Burn Notice, Hell on Wheels, and White Collar. This episode continues the time loops that have made the show so interesting. With only one more episode left in the first season, this episode really built the tension in both the present and future storylines. The episode continues the themes we’ve seen building all season: the role of fate and the question of what you would do to save the one you love. This episode also featured a spectacular special effect when Cole (Aaron Stanford) paradoxes himself.

The episode begins in 2043, and I have to admit that I was thinking that with both Cole and Ramse (Kirk Acevedo) being stuck in 2015, I thought we might not being seeing 2043 again. However, the events there in this episode make it clear that that storyline is definitely going to be continuing. Jones (Barbara Sukowa) and Adler (Andrew Gillies) are discussing the loss of Cole. Jones maintains that he is lost to them forever now – they’re the ones who’ve been abandoned. Cole is just a memory now as the past was intended to be.

However, Jones insists that they have to continue their research. She says they can rebuild and focus on their own archives. She’s particularly interested in anything to do with the army of the 12 Monkeys, Markridge, Goines, Cassie (Amanda Schull), and Oliver Peters. She says the only way open to them now is forward. Which makes me wonder why she is still having them look backwards. And what good is it to unravel the past if they have no one who can go back and correct it?

They begin finding red ivy on the machine. Adler determines it’s not from their time but not how it got there. He does mention that there was a small burst of tachyons overnight. Are the 12 Monkeys – Olivia (Alisen Down) experimenting with coming forward in time? The episode ends with the return of Whitley (Demore Barnes). It would appear that he’s the only one of those who left who is alive. He tells them that they are coming. There is only a very quick glimpse of Whitley and it’s gruesome – he’s holding the severed head of one of his men. Knives have been thrust though both his hands, so he has no choice but to “hold” the head. It’s so gruesome, I wonder if they had trouble getting it past the censors. The final image of the episode is of Deacon telling a group of blue/grey faced individuals that he can get them into the facility.

In 2015, we find out that the address future Cassie gave Cole was Jones’ address in New York. Once again the show does a tremendous job “de-aging” – this time it’s Sukowa. It’s interesting that we get to see both Jones’ and Cole’s fathers in the same episode. We see Jones having dinner with her father in New York. He’s trying to convince her to come back to Berlin because both he and her mother miss her. She’s determined to stay in New York, however, because of her work in quantum splintering. He wants her to simply be a doctor, but she insists that she’s not good with people – and boy is that the truth!

We learn later in the episode that this is fairly soon after Jones’ husband left her after just six days of marriage. Her father is trying to convince her that falling in love is never a mistake. He tell her that she can’t live by science alone: “It’s the heart not the mind that sustains us.” This scene nicely dovetails with the one before it in which Jones tells Adler that memories are merely firing synapses in our brains. In fact, it is both her heart and mind that sustain her as she holds the memory of Hannah in her mind – and that’s what motivates her – the love of her child.

Cassie shows up with what turns out to be a toy gun – using the persuasion techniques she learned from Cole! I loved Jones simply walking away while she’s on the phone with Aaron (Noah Bean), who calls because Cole is so sick he’s had a seizure. Cassie talks him through giving Cole an epipen and it revives him. However, when she goes looking for Jones, she finds her with a knife. Usually, bringing a knife to a gunfight is not recommended, but Jones has figured out that unlike Cassie’s gun, her knife is real.

In the end, it’s the pictures of Cole’s cells that intrigue Jones enough to go with Cassie. It’s not at all clear where the pictures of Jones’ research come from – the future? Luckily, Jones believes Cassie – not surprising considering this is her research area. Cassie and Jones quickly end up on a first name basis, and really they have much in common. Both are scientists, both don’t believe in fate. I loved the scene in which Jones is about to take young Cole’s (Jack Fulton) blood and then gets Cassie to do it – because she’s more that kind of doctor.

Cole tells Cassie that Jones is there because of fate and that it’s over now that he’s dying and can’t get back to the future. This scene nicely dovetails with the next scene in 2043 in which Jones is insisting to the team that it’s now over. In fact, many scenes dovetail in this episode, which is a testament to the writing in both the episode and the series. I particularly liked how the scene with Cassie and Jones in the car when Jones admits she’s pregnant and has an appointment for an abortion dovetails with Jones in 2043 mourning the loss of Hannah – her real motivation for the entire project. Jones then looks through some pictures and finds the card for the garage – which we then see her pick up in the next scene in 2015.

In the research scene in 2043, Jones admonishes them to look specifically for anything on the 12 Monkeys, Markridge, Goines, Cassie, and Oliver Peters. They discover Markridge got a new CEO in late 2015 – and that’s the next scene we see. Somewhat surprisingly, we see Jennifer (Emily Hampshire) arrive to initiate a hostile takeover. She’s literally as barking mad as she’s ever been. I did love how her dress is covered with guns – and she’s wearing Christian Louboutins – the favored shoes of the rich – and myself! Clearly, Jennifer’s had help and is now being shadowed by an assistant no doubt (Jordan Claire Robbins) assigned to her by Olivia. The last we see of Jennifer, she’s telling the board she has “ideas.”

As Cole gets worse, Jones asks how they met. Cassie tells the story of the watch and the resulting paradox, giving Jones the idea to use young Cole’s blood to cause a paradox. Meanwhile, Aaron has lost faith and become desperate enough to make a deal with Olivia. He tells Cassie that someone has to look out for her if she’s going to focus only on saving Cole and the rest of mankind. Olivia reassures him that he shouldn’t feel guilty. It’s not a moral compromise but evolution. At least Aaron does have the decency to feel guilty, though his love for Cassie does drive him to make this mistake.

We see that one of the things Matthew has taught Cole is that “the only failure is giving up.” We see Aaron fail, but in the end the others don’t. I loved how protective Matthew is of Cole. I also loved Jones’ reaction when Cassie says she’s just going to tell Matthew the truth. His reaction is to pull a gun until Cassie mentions the army of the 12 Monkeys – and Cole’s mother warned Matthew about them! How did she know? I suspect that Marion is going to loop into the future somehow too.

The reunion between Cole and his father is touching. The scene in which Matthew tells Cole that young Cole saved his life is also excellent. Cole tells his father that he won’t always be the good boy that he knows now, but he’s trying to make up for the things he’s done. The last words Matthew says to him are “the only failure is giving up.” No doubt that will steel his resolve going forward.

Aaron calls Cassie away and we see the Tall man (Tom Noonan) arrive. Cassie punches Aaron and runs back to warn and save the others. I think that’s it for Aaron and Cassie, folks – so Cole shippers can go nuts! The next sequence is beautifully shot in slow motion and with no sound other than the music from the time Cassie sees the Tall man and realizes what is going on until Matthew tells them to get in the car. We see now where all of those flashes came from – the milk, blood drop, and so forth. Matthew manages to kill one of the henchman. I loved his response to the Tall man asking where Cole is: “A step ahead of you asshole.”

The Tall man tells Cole it’s over and Cole says he knows and then stabs himself with young Cole’s blood, causing a paradox and a brilliant series of special effects. It certainly looks like Cole explodes and we never find out what happened to the Tall man other than seeing him blown back. The bookstore is pretty much totaled, but it was useless now as a hideout anyway.

It’s heartbreaking to see young Cole watch his father die. Jones and Cassie place him in child protective services. Apparently seeing the bond between Matthew and Cole has given Jones second thoughts about having an abortion and she tells Cassie, “Maybe my father was right, love is never a mistake.” This ties us back to the first scene and loops Jones’ and Cole’s story even more tightly together.

Cassie considers telling Jones everything, but she declares it might do more harm than good. Jones also reiterates that as a scientist, she doesn’t believe in fate. Cassie also wonders about leaving Cole where he is, but they can’t change what happened or Cole won’t end up with her now. It’s also heartbreaking in its own way to see young Cole taken under the wing of young Ramse (Nicholas Hamzea) within minutes of entering the yard. Cole reassures Cassie that he’ll make friends – love is never a mistake, remember! And then Cassie takes Cole’s hand.

What did you think of the episode? We know now that the paradox Cole experienced means he can never time travel again. Yet, it seems like someone is getting ready to travel ahead in time. Are you happy to see Cole and Cassie together? Do you think it will last? What do you think Jennifer is up to? Have we seen the last of Aaron or the Tall man? And who are those guys with the blue/grey faces!?! Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

About the Author - Lisa Macklem

I do interviews and write articles for the site in addition to reviewing a number of shows, including Supernatural, Arrow, Agents of Shield, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Forever, Defiance, Bitten, Glee, and a few others! Highlights of this past year include covering San Diego Comic Con as press and a set visit to Bitten. When I'm not writing about television shows, I'm often writing about entertainment and media law in my capacity as a legal scholar. I also work in theatre when the opportunity arises. I'm an avid runner and rider, currently training in dressage.