Containment – Path to Paradise

By: Cade Taylor

It’s taken me a few days to gather my thoughts on how “Containment finally came to an end. And, to be honest, I’m still not sure how I really feel. Unsatisfied? Betrayed? Upset? I’m all three and more. This series has been such a rollercoaster ride of emotions and after a long twelve weeks of ups and downs we were teased with the thought that our favorite group of people inside the cordon would finally make their way out to safety and that there might be a cure. But, Julie Plec had other plans for us. Instead of the happy ending that you think would happen when a limited series that isn’t getting a Season Two, we got a handful of questions that will never be answered. I know, I know we’re talking about Julie Plec here. So, we really shouldn’t have expected for our hearts to be warm and full of joy as the series came to an end but one can always hope.

As the episode progressed we saw Jana, Quentin, Teresa, Xander and Suzy combing the sewers looking for an exit as the National Guard above them were imploding all the tunnels underneath. I remained optimistic that they would make it out of the tunnel alive and finally be safe, but boy was I wrong. Teresa (Hanna Mangan Lawrence) and Xander (Demetrius Bridges) were left to make their way back to the cordon after being cut off from the group due to the roof caving in. After finding out that people were still down in the sewers, Lex (once again) tried to be the hero by going down there to get them to turn around. Now, here’s where we all thought we’d get our “happy reunion” moment between Lex (David Gyasi) and Jana, but instead Lex stopped the group and didn’t allow them to pass even after Jana (Christina Marie Moses) explains that they could go home and finally be together. Instead, Lex makes the ultimate decision and goes back with Jana and the group into the cordon where he stayed to live with them.

Meanwhile, back in the cordon Bert (Charles Black) and Micheline, the elderly couple, spent their last few moments together in their home, enjoying a nice glass of wine and reliving their past memories. Emotions kicked in when we realized that Bert had also laced his wine with cyanide because he didn’t want Mich (Sandra Lafferty) to go through death alone, ending with the both of them passing away in the arms of each other.

Back at the hospital, we saw Jake and Dr. Cannerts (George Young) continue trying to find a cure for the infected brother of the warlord, but no amount of blood given from Thomas (Donielle T. Hansley, Jr.) could fulfill that need. With their hope high that they were on the verge of a cure, Jake (Chris Wood) decided to try and convince the people roaming the street to come donate blood. As expected, Jake failed miserably as people ran in fear of being infected so he turned to reading the names of the dead out loud with a bullhorn. This ended up giving people enough faith that a cure could actually be made to get them to come in groups and donate.

Xander and Teresa decide to stay and take care of Teresa’s mother’s store and wound up getting engaged. Raising a baby in a city plagued with disease will clearly not be a piece of cake, especially when you currently have dead people laying in the aisles of your store.

Lex’s father wound up tracking down Leo (Trevor St. John) and handing over all the vital information to take down Lommers (Claudia Black) and out her to the press and the world. Other than being dragged away, nothing really happened to Lommers – that we saw. All of that for really no justice? If she could be taken away that easily then who was really in charge here?

Jake got the final say of the series, trying to be inspirational but ultimately just rambling on as we all sat staring at our TV screens constantly asking ourselves if this is all we get. We get that people changed throughout all of this, we didn’t need it to be reiterated to us what we needed was a better ending. He professed his love for Katie (Kristen Gutoskie), claiming to rise up for her (even though he failed to get Quentin out) right before spreading her ashes all over the ground below him. Seriously? I don’t think that spreading her ashes off the top of the hospital in the cordon is what she would’ve wanted, but okay.

This series was obviously meant to have more than just one season and the fact that we aren’t getting a second one is an injustice to all of us. With Lex being in the cordon now who will be in charge? Jake has been the main authority figure throughout this entire time and having Lex inside could definitely lead to some tension. Will Jake ever get Quentin outside of the cordon? What happened to Lommers? Will Teresa and Xander’s baby live through this? Did Dr. Cannerts actually find a cure? Does anyone end up making it out alive? These are all questions that we will never have answered and it’s a shame.