ABC’s ‘Resurrection’ finale review: Bellamy’s mark, dead bugs make for a mess
“Resurrection” came to a close Sunday night on ABC, but we have a hard time sitting here and thinking that the show necessarily ended in the way in which we wanted. Rather than telling a story that was psychological, and based around the more human elements of life and death, we now basically have “Under the Dome” with dead people. Another good comparison is “The 4400,” but at least that show had super-powers.
The big “reveal” at the end of the episode could be interesting if it made more sense, but it doesn’t. Instead, we had Agent Ballamy with a scar on his neck along with a whole chorus of dead bugs on the ground. He was trying to get himself and Jacob out of Arcadia before the Army completely swallowed them whole. Sheriff Fred was furious that his wife had chosen her lover Sam over him, and we blame him for setting this whole chain of events up in the first place.
There are still things that the shows fairly right, mostly the performances of Omar Epps, Frances Fisher, and Kurtwood Smith. Unfortunately, most of what the show could have done right in this episode just turned more into unmitigated mess. We’ve been an advocate all season long for answers, and the finale gave us almost nothing. We still don’t know how these people came back, why, or if even more are on the way. Instead, we just have more questions regarding the mark on Bellamy, the bugs, and what the Army could do to all these people. For now, the implication is that it will be turned into quarantine, and some sort of internal prison camp for these people. That is only going to be interesting for so long.
“Resurrection” had a great start, and for the majority of this season, we enjoyed the story. We still enjoy the characters. But by traveling down a familiar road and stepping away from some of the simpler, emotional stories, it feels like the show tried to hit a home run and instead accidentally knocked the catcher upside the head with a baseball bat. This was not the way we would’ve ended this season. Not even close. Grade: C-.
We’ll have more on the future of “Resurrection” soon, so be on the lookout for that. Meanwhile, click here to get some further TV updates via our CarterMatt Newsletter.
Photo: ABC
JiveMonkey
May 7, 2014 @ 3:46 pm
Here’s the breakdown:
Mr. Langston said his grandfather worked with the returned black family’s husband. The family said that they drowned with a baby who had a crescent birthmark on his back. So odds are this family is returned from late 1800’s or early 1900’s.
We have seen that the returned are coming in from many different eras/generations. Certain cicada bugs that Agent Bellamy found have a 17-year life cycle. Cicadas are also famous for their penchant for disappearing entirely for many years, only to reappear in force at a regular interval. So perhaps the returned only come in waves /intervals separated by many years.
So it seems reasonable that Agent Bellamy was the baby that drowned but that he didn’t return for many years. He has no clue he is a returned because he was a baby when he died. Moreover, many of the returned are hungry and thirsty when they first arrive, but that could be a temporary condition of returning. Jacob seems to be past the eating everything phase. If this was the case with Agent Bellamy, then he’d never know because whoever found him and took care of him wouldn’t probably think twice about an overly hungry baby that probably seemed abandoned.
Carl
May 6, 2014 @ 5:35 am
Trying to make some sense out of the finally here. I don’t think Bellamy actually died in the flood. I will watch the show again but the black family never gave a timeline of when the flood actually happened. My best guess is they died and Bellamy survive. I am basing my theory base on the fact that all the returns have three similarities. They returned at the age they died, they have a huge appetite, and they all knew they died and how. Bellamy ages and eat like everyone else. He doesn’t remember dying. One can argue perhaps it was because he was too young to remember but so is Jacob but yet he remembers. I think the dead bugs at the end represents the death of a bug for each returns. If that theory is true, there are more resurrected coming. Great show. I can’t wait for season 2.
Denise
May 6, 2014 @ 2:42 am
The swarm of bugs were dead Cicada bug shells. I am guessing they are symbolic of the humans that are returning because in several cultures, they regard the Cicada bug as a powerful symbol of rebirth. The Cicada also lives most of its life underground and then emerges as an adult!!!!
Denise
May 6, 2014 @ 2:53 am
or Maybe the returned ARE the adult Cicada bugs?!!!!!!!!
Annie
May 5, 2014 @ 5:17 pm
He is not a returned. He is the black family’s baby that was washed away in the flood. He never died. He was raised elsewhere. That is why he is an adult now. All of the other returned came back as the age they were when they died.
Countrymouse
May 5, 2014 @ 6:44 pm
Think of the timeline. From their clothing and the fact that the man worked for Langston’s grandfather, I’m guessing they died maybe in the 1940’s. That would put Bellamy in his late 60’s at best if he survived the flood. Obviously he’s not that old. I believe he did die in the flood at an age where he was too young to know who he was or what had happened to him when he returned. His “return” would have been about 30 years ago around the time Jacob drowned in the river, something I don’t think is just a coincidence, and he aged at a normal rate from there.
Carl
May 6, 2014 @ 5:21 am
The only thing that doesn’t add up here is that one thing they all have in common that he doesn’t. All the returns have a huge appetite. He ages and eats like everyone else.
Carl
May 6, 2014 @ 5:18 am
I was about to say the same thing.
AtlEng
May 5, 2014 @ 2:31 pm
Geez….part of “I want everything now!” generation. You know, the best books spend a whole chapter setting the scenery. Why can’t a show spend some time developing before, BOOM, here’s all the friggin’ details. Gimme a break. This show is good. Give it time to develop.
Joseph A. McCarthy Jr.
May 5, 2014 @ 11:17 am
I thought the season finale was great….Notice I said SEASON finale, not series. Hell, isn’t that what a show is supposed to do? leave us hanging on for answers from season to season. Isn’t that what made Lost so good? This isn’t a show like 24 where each season is its own problem.
Michael Leeling
May 5, 2014 @ 6:00 am
It is obvious that there is a connection between Bellamy and the black family that drowned in the flood. Either he is a returned himself and does not know it or he is a descendent (grandson/great grandson). They are looking for their baby who had a crescent shaped birthmark on the back of his neck. As for not giving answers well there would not be anything for the future if they wrapped everything up in a nice gift box with all of the answers.
AtlEng
May 5, 2014 @ 2:32 pm
He can’t be a returned. That would mean his boss would have known.
Countrymouse
May 5, 2014 @ 6:45 pm
I don’t think Bellamy knows himself yet, so his boss wouldn’t know.
AtlEng
May 5, 2014 @ 6:52 pm
His boss would have known if he died and came back. Are you saying he died somewhere between bringing Jacob to the town? Not likely. He would’ve had to die before the beginning of the show.
All the returned seem to figure out pretty quick that they are dead. Even Rachel knew she commited suicide. Jacob knew he died, too. Don’t think it would be consistent for Bellamy to not know he was dead. Plus, he is not hungry all the time.
yasmine
May 9, 2014 @ 4:48 pm
i think the bellamy is the son of that black family and they said that their baby boy had died in the flooding so possibly is his a returned but doesn’t know because he died when he was a baby
Connor
May 5, 2014 @ 5:49 am
The mark is a birthmark the black family said be on te lookout for our son with the crescent birthmark so he’s their son
JoAnn Spooner
May 5, 2014 @ 4:30 pm
now it makes sense,someone called me ..as always while I was watching ,so I need to re watch it..I was confused at the end