The Others
"The Ones That Lie in Wait"

Airdate: April 22, 2000

If I were to say that what I wanted most was for NBC to stop pre-empting, re-ordering and re-timeslotting episodes of The Others, do you think I'd be sent to Hell? Such is the question I had after viewing "The Ones That Lie In Wait" -- an aptly named episode seeing as the network has placed the series on the backburner for three weeks for basketball and figure skating. When last we saw the Others, all the members wanted to kick Mark in the 'nads for showcasing himself in the silly, illogical episode, "Don't Dream It's Over". Oops, sorry, that was me.

The Others returns with the group getting ready for their next meeting. While Elmer prepares the refreshments, he senses a not-so-friendly supernatural force that is trying to sneak into his house. Soon, he is limping around with fear in his eyes, locking all the doors, then throwing sea salt at them. Vampires hate garlic, Martians hate cold weather (or yodeling)... Evil Forces hate sea salt. Ah myth, what a beautiful thing. Odd as it is, this Evil Something wants in. "It" has been threatening to come over the span of a few episodes. "It" has finally arrived.

As they say, the devil hath the ability to assume many forms, a la Darth Maul without the bad teeth, a fly on the wall or a tow-truck driver. The premise is intriguing -- "It" is personified for the most part by Kristen Cloke. The High Priestess (and I mean that in a totally good way) of Morgan and Wong television appears in front of Elmer's door sporting a black cloak, a pale face, red eyes and speaking in eerie monosyllables. Her mission is to find out what the Others want most. With this knowledge, she can find their weakness and go in for the kill. For what greater purpose, we don't yet know, but it is hinted that Elmer has butted heads with this Force before. The rest of the gang unfortunately, are sitting ducks.

Everything just clicks in this episode. The Others is an ensemble cast, and for the first time, every character has a useful job/role to fulfill. Their group dynamic is strong, even when they are acting like a bunch of cowardly girly-men. Director Thomas J. Wright, a recent convert from The X-Files, comes on board The Others' crew. Having helmed many of my favourite genre television shows, from Beauty and the Beast to Space: Above and Beyond and Millennium, I'm not surprised at all at the superiority of The Ones That Lie In Wait to the rest of the episodes. He (and writers Morgan and Wong) pulls out all the stops in the scare-factor. Sure, all the clichés are used -- lights going out, power going out, phone going out -- but the idea of being locked in your own home is a freaky one. The tension builds and builds, the dialogue becomes scarcer and scarcer, Cloke appears and disappears and suddenly, before you know it, you're yelling at Warren and Miles on your television, "Don't go into that basement, you idiots!!!"

For an episode that doesn't really stand alone, probably requires another viewing to get everything and lacks closure (because it is seems to be an introduction to what will be a continuing arc), The Ones That Lie In Wait still feels like the most complete episode that's been aired so far.

The Othersairs at 9pm EST, Saturdays on NBC.

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