Batwoman season 2, episode 11 review: Arrive Alive

We are now eleven episodes into Batwoman season 2 and Sophie goes fast and furious with Ryan to remind everyone to “Arrive Alive.”

Batwoman season 2 is back and, as it’s the second straight week of new episodes, we didn’t have to wait as long. Although, that being said, these hiatuses are becoming a recurring theme.

Last we left our Bat and Crow heroes, Jacob Kane was losing his resolve thanks to failures with his daughters, especially Alice, that still haunt him. Heightened by a drug habit he is too ashamed to come clean about, Black Mask sees an opportunity and furtively – yet also directly – delivers the lawman’s next hit.

Ryan dealt with her past and a forlorn love too, and Black Mask was involved just as much in that affair. Ryan’s ex Angelique had intel exposing the False Face Society’s hit on a police chief a few weeks ago. It doesn’t go over well with one Roman Sionis when she’s convinced to tell all from behind bars, and anyone who’s watched at least one Arrowverse show knows how this ends.

Not so fast or furious

Captured, Angelique is at the mercy of the False Faces who need something from her to keep the Snake Bit spice flowing.

To get a lead on her and Mask’s Society, Sophie infiltrates Gotham’s hitherto unseen underbelly of street racing – for reasons I’m still not entirely clear on. Why do they literally have to chase members of the gang in a grandiose sting operation out of Fast & Furious when, seemingly, they are everywhere and operate freely in plain sight?

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In any case, Ryan makes a mess of things and so she has to team up with Sophie without letting on that she herself wears a mask as Batwoman. It’s then Ryan to the rescue, hot-rodding down city streets at night, outrunning cops – except under a different cowl.

TV shows drawing inspiration from popular film franchises is nothing new, but it’s not always the right move. They did it a lot on Sliders and it drove John Rhys Davies to leave the show. In Batwoman, the underground racing thing is too late in following a trend and won’t be something you remember weeks from now.

Motion of the Ocean

Alice has her own subplot that’s been building over the last few weeks, independent of all other shenanigans. She’s on a side quest to get her mind as right as someone criminally insane can, which brings her to the office of Enigma’s psychiatric practice. Who’s playing who? It’s apparent Alice isn’t in control.

And, moreover, he’s back! Ocean, who we knew was alive, burst into their little session to settle some unfinished business.

On the field again, Ocean is the kind of recurring character that’s good for an actor to get. However, they run the risk of overplaying him at the expense of Alice’s overall story. Chemistry between Nathan Owens and Rachel Skarsten aside, her character – the de facto Joker here – is deeper than the typical soap opera.

Loose ends in Batwoman season 2, episode 11

We saw very little of Jacob Kane and his growing dependency on Snake Bite, except for the attitude it’s giving him. Maybe they are saving that for next week. Given his strongest bit was, though not much, at the end of this week, that’s probably the case.

And despite being recast, and being at the heart of the season’s big mystery, there wasn’t much seen of Kate from her underground prison cell. Maybe we are going to see more of the Kanes, and what Wallis Day does as the former Batwoman when the show moves to its new time – same night and same Bat-channel – 9 PM on Sunday, May 2nd.

Let us know down below if you’ll tune in next month for our coverage when Batwoman season 2 rounds the corner into episode 12!