Slasher: Flesh & Blood has never tried to be anything other than what the title suggests. A violent story that sees the body count increase with each episode. Early in “Family Ties”, viewers see just how committed it is to its horror leanings. The previous episode saw the show end on one of its most terrifying, yet least violent deaths. As has been the case with each corpse this season, when the body is found, it is not merely in a state of decay. It is absolutely disgusting, complete with giant crawling bugs and terrifying dead eyes. It is refreshing how honest Flesh & Blood can be.
Episode five also sees the family take part in another game. Competition definitely makes strange bedfellows as the team is a strange one. A major problem of Flesh & Blood is also brought to center stage. One of the characters has been inconsistent the entire time. It seems like the show might be trying to show an individual who is unsure of what to do. Instead, it just comes off as someone who cannot make up their mind.
This does not prevent “Family Ties” from being the most tense episode so far. The final moments of Flesh & Blood bring a new dynamic to the show. It is an escape situation unlike one that has been done in previous installments. Adding to the suspense is that it is not so much a question of “if” but “when.” The decision made is not shocking due to it being unexpected; it works because the audience knows it is coming the whole time and can do nothing to stop it.
This also leads to one of the most bonkers endings of any show this year. A huge suspension of disbelief is needed for this type of show, but the episode’s ending is still out there. As wild as things get, it is a great scene. It shows how far things have deteriorated on the island and adds a new layer of intrigue to an already tightly wound show. There is also a strange satisfaction that shows how good of a job the show has done in getting people invested in the story.
Slasher: Flesh & Blood airs on Shudder with new episodes each Thursday.
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