Written by Ystyn Francis
As the title suggests, the horrific dreams that have been tormenting Ben since the opening scene of the pilot episode have become so vivid and disturbing that he is now foregoing sleep to avoid the violent visions. It’s hard to blame him since his most recent experience has been ripping off his blanket to discover both of his legs and an arm not only missing but bloody, gore-expressing stumps. Aside from quickly sapping Ben of energy after tireless days of carnie work, this also causes issues for Lodz whose only way of reaching Hawkins is through his dreams.
However Ben’s troubles are mere scenery to the really dark revelation of the episode. When Sophie is assaulted by a vision she shares with Apollonia of a tattooed man raping her mother as a younger woman, not only is the man the same apparition who has been stalking Ben through the wheat fields of his nightmares, but Sophie realises intuitively that he is her father. It is a confronting moment in a show already chockfull of confronting moments, and the silent tear that falls from the eye of the mute Apollonia adds to the heart-wrenching drama.
Elsewhere, though Lodz has weaselled his way into replacing Samson as Management’s
right-hand man, it doesn’t stop the dwarf getting even whilst again highlighting how easily he is underestimated as a major player in the narrative. As Lodz performs his nightly carnival routine of accepting objects from the audience before revealing personal information about the item and its owners, Samson sneakily presents Lodz with a watch fob once owned by Scudder and baring the same red cross as the clan ring from the previous episode. When Lodz touches the ribbon, he has the same vision as Ben of the Knights Templar, bloody war and heads on pikes, before having an almost fatal seizure. As chaos and concern ensue, Samson merely chuckles from the back of the tent.
Finally, as Dolan makes a clumsy pass at Iris only to be unceremoniously shut down, Brother Justin prepares to exit the mental asylum a more centred and far more terrifying threat to Ben and the world. His whispering in the ear of a fellow patient who then goes up to a pillar and commences smashing his head repeatedly into the concrete clearly displays the power he possesses and the increasing evil of his actions.
In short, there are not many happy thoughts to take away from “Insomnia”.
