Shadowhunters TV Series, S2 E8: LOVE IS A DEVIL / Review #shadowhunters

All gifs from FREEFORM's Shadowhunters website.

Happy Friday Shadowhunters. Check out our thoughts on this week's episode of Shadowunters below:

EMM'S REVIEW

This felt like another filler episode to me. Just when we start seeing a deeper side to our characters, they add more wet, soapy and unnecessary plot lines. Ok we did get to go to a party at Magnus' but that fun was short lived wasn't it!

I'm not sure why they are still dragging out the Yin Fen addiction with Izzy. Maybe to keep Raphael in the picture? Not sure where this is going, but I hope it gets there soon.

Max is back, yay! Sadly we need his presence to unfold a larger more tragic story later if they follow the books. It will be interesting to see how his character is further used.

Best line of the night has to go to Magnus when Alec asked him if he'd like to throw a party "Have you met me" I liked this storyline and how it gave Alec a chance to stand up to his mom about Alec & Magnus' relationship. It was a cool party. But as a party for a child who is about to go through their rune ceremony, there seemed like a distinct lack of other children. Apparently Max is the only child in this world.

Oh actually no he isn't, we forgot about the warlock girl. And now Valentine is using her to blackmail her adopted mother Iris Rouse. I thought her story line would be dead and buried, apparently not.

I did like Simon & Clary's love declaration. They are a cute couple. It will be interesting to see how they portray them in the TV show.

Just when I was thinking this might be an ok episode, and the party at Magnus' is looking good, the writers have to make us unhappy again don't they. There were some good bits, Jace & Magnus talking about Alec before the party, Maia & Jace's banter and poor Jace pining over Clary now being with Simon. But oh no is there something in the punch? Of course it can't run smoothly.

The hallucinating story line went too far for me. I had flash backs to the bazaaro world episode from season 1. I thought the new writers might leave bad non book stories alone. When they try to bring in too much of the supernatural themes and not enough of the Shadowhunter mythology that Cassie wrote so well, I just want to turn off.

Although how creepy does Valentine look with the warlock child!


SOPHIE'S REVIEW

Well, Constantin Films/showrunner and the writers get some props from me today. I know, you're thinking hey, has Sophie been dipping into yin-fen, too? File this under: Things You Never Thought You'd See.

So, we get to see Magnus throw a party. I KNOW! A glitter bomb  of happiness just went off in my head! But, the powers-that-be are giving us a glimpse into something we never saw in the books -- the First Rune Ceremony. And for once, I'm okay with this. I've always wondered what it would be like, and outside of The Infernal Devices (where we see my namesake's ceremony, I think, or at least it's referenced), there isn't too much discussion of it.

Magnus' party is glorious and just as we might have imagined it. Maryse is also back from Idris (I'll just bet that Freeform loved the cheating Robert part of the plot because cheating parents is something they love to recycle into all their series as a point of interest in the adult characters storylines,  and her exchange with Alec over his relationship was pretty darn true to book form. As was the very awkward moment with Magnus as she walked into the party. Who didn't laugh at this moment below?

From Freeform's Shadowhunters webpage.

The weird part (and completely unnecessary part) was when everyone began hallucinating things. WHAT WAS THAT? Simon kissing Maia, Maryse trying to kill Jace and Alec thinking Clary still blames him for Jocelyn's death. Weird scenarios and an even weirder explanation. Not sure if this is the showrunner's way of tying up a bunch of plot holes, but hey, remember there's a lot of material in the books. No need to make up stuff. No, really. There's a LOT in there.  Once we found out who was behind these hallucinations, my eyeroll could be seen from space.

via GIPHY

Ugh, the unevenness of this episode killed me, but there were good moments. Even the Rizzy (that's what I'm calling it so go with it, please) moments felt okay-ish. Fanfiction-ish, but okay-ish. It paid a little homage to that other vast series, Twilight, yet again with Raphy (that's what I'm calling him now because his Mafioso persona is growing on me) unsure if he can stop:

Source: Freeform Shadowhunters' webpage

For comparison's sake, here's a glimpse of our favorite sparklepyre in much the same position:

Source:google 

I guess it's gentlemanly to bite a girl on her wrist.

I wish Freeform would leave out this yin-fen nonsense subplot and focus on what they do best -- the characterizations (which are definitely much better this season) and the chilling aspects of the plot. The best scene by far was at the end, where Valentine is eating an ice cream cone and talking to the little warlock child, letting her know that she will get along with his daughter. That's where the show is at its best.

**  **  **  **  **

As always, we'd love to hear your thoughts on this week's episode. If you missed it, be sure to catch up with it here on Shadowhunterstv.com.