In episodes 3 and 4 of Velma, Velma and Daphne learn to be less vulnerable and defend themselves while Fred is released from prison after another murder takes place while he’s still inside. The episodes are streaming on HBO Max.
Episode 3 recap: Velma Kai
Velma is confused about her feelings for Daphne after they shared a passionate kiss. Norville reveals that he saw it too and tells her to speak to his father who is the school guidance counselor.
Velma is more focused on her mother’s case and wants to question Fred in prison because the last place her mother’s phone pinged was his mansion. Norville takes her there but Velma has a hallucination that gets her kicked out of the prison.
At the school, the principal announces that detectives Linda and Donna will be teaching self-defense to the girls of the school so that they can protect themselves from all threats.
Linda and Donna make the girls compete in a tournament to prove who is the least vulnerable of them all. Velma and Daphne discuss their kiss and the feelings they have for each other.
They admit that they like each other but Velma convinces herself that Daphne will never date her because of her popularity. The two girls reach the finals of the tournament where Velma reads Daphne’s stolen diary in front of everyone.
Norville talks to his dad about being a good therapist and his dad tells him that it starts with having a good cardigan. Norville goes back to meet Fred with his cardigan and realizes that it works but he makes no progress in Diya’s disappearance.
However, her does speak to the other inmates of the prison and figures that he’s good at being a therapist. Velma’s actions don’t go over well with the rest of the school and she is forced to meet Norville’s dad to talk about her feelings.
He helps her conclude that she needs to apologize to Daphne because she misread her feelings. Norville drops her off at Daphne’s place and then remembers that he was supposed to have a joint therapy session at the prison.
The prisoners begin a riot and escape but most of them, including Fred, are captured and sent back. Velma apologizes to Daphne but they agree that it would be better if they started off as friends again even though they still have feelings for each other.
Episode 4 recap: Velma makes a List
Another girl is murdered in the same way as the ones from before and panic spreads among the public. The authorities find out through their investigation that all the girls murdered were really hot so they have a solution for that.
They decide to make a list of the 5 hottest girls in school and provide them with police protection but Velma points out how sketchy it would be for middle-aged men to decide that so they ask her to make the list instead.
The hot girls begin trying to woo Velma and get on the list much to her annoyance. Meanwhile, Fred is released from prison because another murder proves he isn’t the real killer.
Velma asks to meet with him so that he can help her with the list and he gives her the names of the 5 hottest girls in the school. She thanks him for his help but hands him a copy of “The Feminine Mystique” so that he may change his mindset about women.
Norville visits Daphne to interview her and find out what it is about her that Velma likes. Daphne wants to find out more about her birthparents but the PI’s that she contacts are a bust.
Right then, someone throws a geode through Daphne’s window and Norville explains what it is. Velma hands over the list but talks about the backward nature of this decision. They tell her that if she can turn the hot girls into invisible ones like her, then there’s no need for protection.
Velma gets to work teaching the girls how to let go and not worry about their appearances all that much. Fred learns to appreciate more than just women’s outward appearances after finishing the book.
Norville takes Daphne to the Crystal Cove historical society where they find a clue leading to the crystal mines so she wants to go investigate.
The hot girls tell Velma that while her lessons were helpful, they only proved how restrictive her mindset is because they enjoy being hot which in itself is a form of feminism. They insist on having their protection while Velma reevaluates her own ideology.
Daphne wants to run into the face of danger and investigate the crystal mines but Norville convinces her that there are positives to being practical and this is one of those occasions where she must use logic.
Velma and Sophie are stuck in the carpool lane outside the school when Sophie’s water breaks. Velma has a hard time clearing space and then notices the hot girls nearby. She asks them to help by embracing their hotness and making a pathway for the ambulance to arrive.
Fred visits Velma to tell her that he has a newfound appreciation for women and would like to go out with her but he still exhibits some of his old douche behavior so she tells him that she’s going to pass.
Review
- Reboots tend to modify the formula of their original sources to create a unique identity but this series gets it horribly wrong and makes the worst decisions regarding its characters.
- In an effort to make them modern and edgy with an attitude, the creators have made the characters highly unlikable to the extent that even redeeming moments don’t feel significant.
- There are questionable story beats that exist purely for shock factor but in today’s social climate, it is a huge risk that does not pay off the way the creators would have hoped. The whole tournament between the girls and the advice from Linda and Donna is deplorable.
- Add to that, the hypersexualization of teenagers in episode 4 is cringe-inducing at the very least and ill-advised.
Velma season 1 episodes 3 and 4
Director: Meg Waldow, Gina Gress
Date Created: 2023-01-19 13:30
1.5