Way back when network TV ruled, there was such a thing as 'sweeps' in which networks set advertising rates based on ratings. So occasionally the networks would pull stunts to boost viewership so they could charge advertisers more. And it seems this entire three-parter's reason for existence is based on this.
Put the three subplots into their own episodes, and they work really well: a battle against corruption and blackmail, a school being run by a teenage blackmailer, and an old score to settle showing back up and executing random people setting up for an epic showdown. Not bad. But putting them together makes for a baffling three-parter that has some weird instances of crossover that never really pay off as a full three-part event. When watched over the course of three weeks, this may work. Watching it all on Amazon Prime just results in confusion as two major subplots -- ironically, the Iris one that bookends the event is the weakest which is really a shame -- end normally with a decent resolution while the Hunter/Iris one seems to be given the short shrift with a sudden ending and a baffling on-screen caption about violent crime rates falling. Huh? Was this cut for time?
Either way, if you dig Hunter -- and who doesn't, it's a decent enough cop show -- you'll like this for the most part. I didn't find myself bored. But some of the choices made in one subplot are really unfortunate as one gets the feeling the whole Iris Revenge subplot had more fuel in it that ended up being cut for time. In hindsight, maybe the whole thing should have been three episodes that stood on their own and been three fairly good episodes instead of one strange three-parter.
Also, not to ruin anything, the whole city is NOT under siege. A bit of an exaggeration there.
Put the three subplots into their own episodes, and they work really well: a battle against corruption and blackmail, a school being run by a teenage blackmailer, and an old score to settle showing back up and executing random people setting up for an epic showdown. Not bad. But putting them together makes for a baffling three-parter that has some weird instances of crossover that never really pay off as a full three-part event. When watched over the course of three weeks, this may work. Watching it all on Amazon Prime just results in confusion as two major subplots -- ironically, the Iris one that bookends the event is the weakest which is really a shame -- end normally with a decent resolution while the Hunter/Iris one seems to be given the short shrift with a sudden ending and a baffling on-screen caption about violent crime rates falling. Huh? Was this cut for time?
Either way, if you dig Hunter -- and who doesn't, it's a decent enough cop show -- you'll like this for the most part. I didn't find myself bored. But some of the choices made in one subplot are really unfortunate as one gets the feeling the whole Iris Revenge subplot had more fuel in it that ended up being cut for time. In hindsight, maybe the whole thing should have been three episodes that stood on their own and been three fairly good episodes instead of one strange three-parter.
Also, not to ruin anything, the whole city is NOT under siege. A bit of an exaggeration there.
