I just couldn't take Evan Rachel Wood seriously this episode. Something about her acting throws me off. What a shame, that was almost a great story beat. Now for William's, Bernard's, and Maeve's actors, they really bring their characters to life through those pivotal story moments.
It was great that we got so much character development and plot this episode, and that they left some mysteries for the last episode. It's going to be crazy.
I've read some critics the past two weeks who don't find anything in the characters, William specifically, and I don't get it. This season has gone way out of its way to develop characters this season (in my opinion, to the detriment of the overall show; WW works better when it's plot-driven, not character-driver, imo). But I don't get anyone who says they have no reaction or feelings toward MiB. He's been avatar, comic relief, badass, villain, sympathetic, and pathetic all at the same time, because Ed Harris can do more acting by just standing there and modulating his voice than other actors can do with every tool in the acting toolbox.
As for ERW, I thought her "big reaction" shot in this episode was fabulous. Almost like Dolores was trying to learn on the spot how to react there. But the rest of her character arc got old quickly this season. Revenge porn is hard to stretch meaning out of for 10 hours. I think Dolores was the best part of season one, but has become pretty vanilla in season two. There's only so much "against type" you can watch before going "
OK, where is the depth to these actions?" It finally arrived with Teddy showing her how effed up she's become, but that's way late in the game.
Hers is a hard role to play they took her too dark, so when she needs to be vulnerable it doesn't really work
There's going to be a payoff, I think - we also watched Ford push Bernarnold to be depraved - but it's been pretty one-note up to now. ERW was strongest this season any time they put her alone with her father or Teddy. Being the revolutionary on the field has been a thankless acting job.