Ep 2. Madness

SPOILER ALERT: This episode contains flashbacks to previous seasons.

As the second episode of season 3 of Mr. Mercedes titled “Madness” opens up, we see Bill (played by Brendon Gleeson) trying to find clues as to who may have sent the poisoning-prone letter in the last episode. Elsewhere, Lou Linklatter (played by Breeda Wool) is seen writing a book, seemingly trying to come out of her trauma after being abducted and tortured by Brady.

However, as the episode continues, the show takes a detour to a series of flashbacks of some previous seasons. These scenes help the viewers to connect the dots between characters better and also serve as a recap of everything that has happened so far. We see Bill coming to terms with his friend’s wife’s suicide and Lou describing how she became a cult leader overnight after her abduction.

Meanwhile, Morris has his own problems to deal with. He is seen being pushed around by a rival from his ‘church’ who is trying to take over his space. It seems like Morris (played by Gabriel Ebert) is struggling in his personal life as well as in his professional life. Not to mention, his wife has been diagnosed with an incurable cancer.

As the episode progresses, the characters’ mental states start to unravel as the plot thickens. We see Bill slowly losing his grip on reality, while we also get to see inside the head of a new character- Alma, played by Kate Mulgrew. The character seems to have some deep-seated anger issues, which are explored throughout the episode. While Alma deals with her issues, Brady (played by Harry Treadaway) starts to shape up new plans for himself.

One of the most interesting aspects of this episode is seeing the contrasts between Morris and Alma. While Morris is trying his best to stay under the radar and live a quiet life while dealing with his personal issues, Alma is a force to be reckoned with. Her anger and resentment are palpable, and you can't help but think about what she is going to do next.

The episode also sees some major revelations regarding the supporting characters. We see Jerome (played by Jharrel Jerome) dealing with the aftermath of an event in the last episode, and how it has affected his life. Similarly, we see Holly (played by Justine Lupe) sharing her struggles with Lou and making some big decisions.

All in all, “Madness” is a tense and thrilling episode of Mr. Mercedes that beautifully sets up the next few episodes. With excellent writing and brilliant performances, this episode proves that Mr. Mercedes still has a lot to offer. It’s definitely a must-watch for fans of the show.