In Review: Batwoman “Mine is a Long and Sad Tale”

The Story:

The first season of CW’s Batwoman series has given the fans a fifth episode entitled, “Mine is a Long and Sad Tale“, which is almost devoid of a Batwoman appearance, but intense on the Kane back story as it pertains to Alice (Rachel Skarsten), Kate (Ruby Rose) and dear old dad, Jacob Kane (Dougray Scott).

What is most important about this episode was the filling in of all the missing Bat-pieces pertaining to perhaps the greatest void in Kate Kane’s life, which has led her to becoming Batwoman; the mystery behind the disappearance of her long lost and presumed dead twin sister Beth.

Kate takes an imprisoned Alice on a decades long journey in the making, to show her exactly what happened to her long lost sister Beth after Batman failed to save her and her mother from certain death all those years ago. But Alice of course manages to turn the tables on Kate, as she imprisons her in the very same farm house of horrors, which served to create the villainous and insane Alice.

The episode may have been light on Batwoman, but made up for it by constant flashbacks between memories and the present day, as Jacob races to find Kate, in much the same way he did all those years ago as he searched for Beth. Determined not to lose Kate as he lost Beth, Commander Kane retraces his steps, which lead him back to the very same farm house where he came so close to finding Beth, but in fact inadvertently allowed Alice to be created.

But once daddy Kane arrives just in time to save Kate, he confronts Alice and in a heart warming scene, accepts the truth that Alice is his long lost daughter Beth, only to be stabbed by a defiant and still very angry Alice.

The episode also sees Elizabeth (Anweis) tell Nicole (Mary Hamiton) the truth behind her shame at hiding the truth behind Beth’s disappearance all those years ago, just as Nicole finds herself at Wayne Tower with Luke Fox (Camrus Johnson). Fox tries his best to unravel Gotham City’s recent skin stealing criminal acts, while babysitting Nicole, which in fact point to a secret and non-public escape from Arkham Asylum, which may in fact be one of the first tie-ins to the greater Crisis on Infinite Earths.

Acting:

This episode’s best acting award goes hands down to Dougray Scott (Jacob Kane), as his raw emotions in confronting Alice and ultimately accepting the hard truth that she is in fact his long dead daughter, through a Father’s tears of regret, were heart felt and moving. Too bad Alice didn’t feel the same way before stabbing Daddy Dearest.

Overall:

What this episode did quite well was tie in the Kane’s unknown history to Jacob’s present day race to save Kate, which bore an uncanny resemblance to the very same race to save Beth along the exact route, years before.

While there was no meaty Batwoman appearance and no Bat-Action, this episode was chock full of important back story, which ultimately serves to fill in the blanks and motive for Alice, Kate and good old Daddy Kane.