The intrigue deepens as we gather more evidence that Big Daddy is, at the very least, not fully human. After following the others to Fire Island, Big Daddy launches an attack on Gino and Adam in their vacation retreat, only to be met with a bullet in the head by Patrick. They rush to call 911, but upon returning to the scene, discover his body has vanished. Could he be a spirit? A Michael Myers-like figure? While Big Daddy's true nature remains a mystery, we do witness the true colors of other characters. With Patrick's secret out in the open, we sense less of a malice lurking beneath his surface. There's still a chance he has more secrets, but he's far less suspicious now.
In episode six, it seemed as though Sam might be headed down a similar path of revelation. But in episode eight, we learn that Sam is indeed the villain we anticipated after he drugs Theo and ties him to a tree. On the other hand, Henry becomes increasingly endearing. First, he sacrifices his own hand to save everyone from Mai Tai, and later he exposes his vulnerability by professing his love for Gino.
Henry proves himself not to be a complete sociopath (Denis O'Hare effortlessly imbues his roles with a mix of sympathy and profound sadness), but he does abandon Theo in the woods when he sees Big Daddy. This leads to the truly strange and exhilarating scene of Theo's likely demise, as he's carried off into a blue mist by the men he's photographed, now transformed into part deer. It's a perfect blend of sadness, beauty, and deep corniness. Alas, it was time for one of the main characters to be killed. The answers to the illness and Big Daddy's identity feel closer, yet more confusing than ever.
