IR TV Review: VELMA - EPISODES 9 & 10 [HBO Max]
"Velma" as a concept is about bridging the gap of undue tendencies versus the social norms and certain woke ideals that sometimes strain the context of what is right and wrong, or more often accepted and rejected. Building over the season, Velma, as a character, has been selfish in many of her points. Her friends just want to help her but they have their own needs and hang-ups that cloud everything they do. The idea is listening which interestingly enough happened a couple episodes ago with the Fog King disguise but barely got through to her.
As the season wraps up with Episodes 9 & 10, the appeal to many of the characters (especially Fred) seems to be truth, even though that word has many connotations in their world and/or meanings. One that comes through later of the 2 episodes is trauma, however cartoonly established. The intriguing thing about the series is that it leaves nuggets that have very dark connotations in the mythology, not that the late 60s series didn't have those as well but they were very subtle. The intent here in a way is satire without losing the real problems happening below the surface with this gang of misfits.
Velma's search for her mother has consumed everything in her life but not allowed her to see the primary pain in others (which is very defined in one climactic shot). Daphne, by comparison, is strong but that hardened mask moves her farther away from what she truly is, which is out of control. Fred needs a steady hand but has no compass (which only his other compatriots offer him...but not enough). Norville has his own feelings and is likely the most sensitive who likely will become the most broken. The dark backdrop of the serial killer is bathed in the irony of what is called the SCOOBI Project which itself suggests something else in the lore which obviously the writers of "Velma" are thinking about. The season ends on a possibility and path but even if it is a closed circuit of a season, it at least showed an inherent perspective (alternate or not) of who Velma is or, at least, what she is searching for. B
By Tim Wassberg
