Batwoman Season 1 Review: 5 Ups & 2 Downs From ‘Mine Is A Long And A Sad Tale’
1. Rachel Skarsten's Performance
If you didn't know it before (though why wouldn't you?), you certainly know it now: Rachel Skarsten is, without a doubt, the strongest performer on the show.
Since the very beginning, she has lit up the darkest of screens and elevated everything she approached with her charismatic take on her character's enigmatic personality, but she took it to a whole new level in 'Mine Is A Long and A Sad Tale'.
Throughout the episode, she was as theatrical as ever, making sure that Alice was as loud and larger-than-life as she has been since the start. However, the way she shifted to admirably subtle as the character recalled her tragic origins was highly effective in making us feel for the villain. But it was the emotional outburst in the episode's conclusion, as Alice tearfully came face-to-face with her father and asked him why he didn't come for her, that really got to us. And then, like the pro that she is, she effortlessly switched back to villainous Alice in a heartbeat.
It isn't easy to make fans sympathise with an unhinged menace like Alice, but Skarsten pulled it off and that, coupled with the strong writing, saw her steal the show in this week's installment. Though after her previous performances, we shouldn't be surprised.
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What did you make of 'Mine Is A Long And A Sad Tale'? Tell us in the comment section below.