Manifest episode 5 review: What’s the white light?

Manifest season 1

Tonight, Manifest episode 5 reiterated one phrase time and time again: “It’s all connected.”

What in the world does that mean? That is something that the NBC series clearly wants us to think about, though the mystery of Flight 828 clearly has something to do with a white light. That’s something that Cal, during the infamous flight, got a glimpse of that nobody else seemed to. Whatever happened to his is showing up differently than it is for some other characters. While Michaela and Ben are hearing voices, it almost seems like Cal’s abilities our more impulses. He just acts, often without warning or a prompt. He does whatever that part of his mind orders him to do.

That is what brought Cal and Ben, separate from everyone for a fun afternoon, to the mysterious subway hideout of Thomas. This is the stowaway from the flight, and his decision to come on board and then flee has already lead to one arrest and potentially more. This feels like one of those events that is going to have a vast ripple effect, and it still remains to be seen what the final consequences of it really are.

The white light does bring a slightly different meaning to the key art above, mostly because you’ve got so many characters all looking towards something, surrounded by white light. The only one not all too concerned about it? Cal. This may just be representative, but we definitely do think that it is interesting at the same time.

The stories of Danny and Lourdes

What we do find interesting about this episode is that it really did spend a good bit of time actually focusing on the lives of the characters not on the flight. It gave us a good sense as to when Lourdes and Jared kissed for the first time, and also when Grace met Danny and the role he ended up playing in raising Olivia. That’s why Olivia doesn’t want him gone from her life; she does see him as a father figure. You really do just have to wonder if there is a way that all of this could’ve been dealt with differently from the start … though we’re also aware that there isn’t all that much of a clear road map when it comes to how to deal with this sort of situation. It’s not something that anyone can predict.

As much as it may be sad to have these reminders as to why Ben and Michaela’s romantic lives are so different now from what they were, this was a necessary episode to understand why Grace and Jared just can’t let go. They have their own present to think about, in addition to some of what happened in the past.

RelatedBe sure to get some other information/news regarding the series and what’s coming up

What did you think about Manifest episode 5 tonight? Be sure to share right now in the attached comments! 

Love TV? Be sure to like Matt & Jess on Facebook for more updates!