12 Monkeys - Mother & Guardians & Enemies & Brothers - Advance Preview - "Four Episodes for the Price of One!"

12 Monkeys returns on SyFy on May 19th with the first four episodes of the season. Those will be followed on the 20th with the next 3 episodes, and then the season will wrap up on Sunday with the final 3 episodes. I’ll be previewing the first four episodes in this article. Whatever you do, do not miss this season! In the first four episodes alone, there are too many award-worthy performances to even list – but I’ll try. You will laugh, you will cry, you will shake your fist, and you will sing…

“Mother” was written and directed by Terry Matalas. Brace yourselves for the world of 2163. The landscape is bleak, but the show lives up to the first two seasons. We have the same great cinematography and vision, as well as the great dialogue and acting. I’m not 100% sold on the time “theory” we get this season, so I’ll be really interested to see people weigh in on this.

Cole (Aaron Stanford) is the first person we see, and he is desperate to find Cassie (Amanda Schull). Dr Jones (Barbara Sukowa) provides a terrific re-cap on the entire series to date. She is still focused on the mission to stop the plague – though it feels like we’ve come a long way from this.

Jones recruits a new partner for Cole, but it doesn’t work out quite the way that she envisions. Cole is engaging in risky behaviors because of his desperation. The writers come up with another reason that the machine can’t bring Cole back when they need to.

Along with our regular cast of characters, we have some new ones introduced as well. Faran Tahir plays Mallick, a member of the 12 Monkey army, who answers to the Pallid Man (Tom Noonan). Hannah Waddingham plays Magdalena – yet another strong – or maybe I should say cruel or psycho? – female figure. I do love how this show continues to have women as primary actors.

Cassie makes a friend at Titan. Cole also makes a surprising friend, who tells him to find Jennifer (Emily Hampshire). Look for Hampshire to deliver a pretty cool musical video-style rendition of 99 Red Balloons – it’s funny, gorgeous, and horrifying all at once. Hampshire always looks like she’s having an utter blast playing Jennifer.

As I mentioned, there’s a really interesting new time travel development. Cole also makes yet another time jump to the Emerson Hotel. This episode ends with a birth.

Here are some dialogue teases from episode one:

Time is no longer on our side.
There’s a beginning and an end to all of this.
All mothers are important.
You’re loyalty is distracting you from the mission.
You are a rabid dog. Don’t make me put you down!
Don’t be a little shit.
Everything we’ve done. Our sins. They’re written.
You’re going to have to forgive yourself for what you’ve done.
Phone home.
I believe in the Witness because it’s all I’ve ever known.
There’s a beginning and an ene.
You’ll always find yur
You’re going to want to brush up on your French.
I don’t trust what you’ve become.
Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
You should be honored.
The future is chock full of nuts.

“Guardians” was written by Sean Tretta and was directed by David Grossman. This episode picks up in 1921 Paris. Jennifer discovers a hidden talent and makes good use of her encyclopedic knowledge of popular culture. She also continues to draw.

In an exciting new twist, Jones time travels! Cassie gets a new watch. We also see what Ramse (Kirk Acevedo) has been up to in 2046. He is still with Olivia (Alisen Down). Look for Acevedo to give an outstanding performance in this episode.

There’s a pretty intense shootout in this episode. Two of the main team are shot – and one of them is shot twice and wounded very badly. Cole will welcome a new team member during the episode.

And of course, I have some dialogue teases!

Such a gift for prophecy.
You’re not supposed to be here.
Too many shitty details.
I’ve been protecting him because you could not.
If they can do what I think they can, then we have to find them immediately!
Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse with a paradox in a box.
He’s all of this simultaneously.
Your life is not as precious as it once was.
What do you do when not even God will help you.
They reset our timeline!    
We’ve never met. And now, we never will.
Dear God. She’s back.
She’s both. An asset and a danger.                                                                                                    
If I’d known he was wearing this, I would have aimed for the head.

Episode three, “Enemy” was written by Christopher Monfette and directed by David Grossman. I loved the way the title of this episode played throughout it. Jones cautions Cole about Ramse and Jennifer cautions Jones about Olivia.

Olivia gets very special accommodation. Jones finds a new use for the machine. The daughter teaches the mother as Hannah (Brooke Williams) gives Jones advice. A plan is put in motion, but Jennifer has major misgivings about it.

Deacon (Todd Stashwick) is in 2163, in Titan. Look for an utterly brilliant performance by Stashwick. I don’t want to say too much about it because the performance is even more impressive to watch unfold…. More in my review of the episode!

And more dialogue teases:

I never had a sibling. Never wanted one.
It’s bullshit that I thought you should know.
I’m not afraid of dying cuz I know I’ve got it coming to me.
You’re not an adversary, you’re an annoyance.
Nothing stays in a box forever.
All we got is a lie.
I can tell you how to kill the witness.
Bad man always want something and you know because you’re a bad man.
This is not the way.
In order to be human, you gotta be a little crazy.
We honor time with patience.
The stories are true, but I know that’s not who you are.
He’s keeping me for something.
What you do, they can undo.
Cassie has an unexpected ally and reunion.

Episode four, “Brothers” is based on a story by Travis Fickett with the teleplay by Fickett and Kristen Reidel and was directed by Joe Menendez. The episode can only be about Cole and Ramse’s reunion given the title of the episode. It begins with – and weaves throughout – a flashback to Cole and Ramse as kids, living on their own. It’s a nice reminder that Cole is a bit younger than Ramse.

Cole has his own misgivings about the mission that finds the two back in the Emerson Hotel in 2007. Jennifer – in a carry over from her own feelings in the last episode – is having a nightmare/vision. Jones isn’t happy when Jennifer interrupts her system.

Cole and Ramse rely on their first hand knowledge of history to help them. There’s one really good fight sequence, and late in the episode, there’s a terrific knife fight. Cassie gets a surprise. Jennifer sees the truth. 2047 proves to be a bad year. Ramse has a hard truth for Cole. A butterfly is once again an important clue for Cassie.

The final scene in this episode is so powerful, you will want to watch the first three to get to it asap. There are SO many emotions in this final scenes and the two actors in it need virtually NO words to convey them. I’m not giving away who or what, but it’s yet two more really powerful performances – and it’s only the fourth episode!

Some final teases:

You sleep there, 3PO.
I’ll see you on the other side.
We gotta get off – now.
I don’t think I can do this alone.
If your plan wasn’t half-baked…
Please stop talking like a super villain.
You should be harder to find.
You said we were family. I loved you for that.
Don’t undo this. Promise me.
I think you owe it to yourself.
The map is your bargaining chip.
Life is a trap. What we decide moment to moment determines our survival.
Sure you want to do this? Like this? Splitting up?
I don’t think you’ve ever spent a day anywhere that wasn’t exactly where you wanted to be.

Don’t forget the crazy schedule for this show! The first four episodes on Syfy on May 19, beginning at 8pm! But set your DVR to be sure. In Canada, the show will air on Showtime starting May 24….