Sitting comfortably? Excellent, then let's dive in. Dispatches From Elsewhere is a strange brew that, at times, teeters on the edge of its own surrealism, momentarily forgetting its overarching quest to find Clara amidst a kaleidoscope of bizarre and trippy clues. Despite this, the show maintains a distinct structure and an end-goal, with a recurring theme of searching for Clara while navigating a myriad of outlandish and hallucinogenic riddles.
In episode 2 of Dispatches From Elsewhere, we find Simone strolling down an alleyway and right into the heart of a Gay Rights parade. A woman there gives her the megaphone, but unable to speak, she turns and runs instead. This leads us back to Octavio's narration, as he introduces us to Simone this episode, discussing her fear and how we feel when we're alone. As Simone continues her escape, she enters an art gallery where a painting comes to life. She speaks to it about being a woman and how she copes with living in a man's world. However, she's interrupted midway through by her boss, revealing that she actually works there.
Meanwhile, a man named Professor Foot stands by a painting but before he can say anything, he turns and runs after leaving a letter next to the painting. It tells her to look East, and with that cryptic message, she's led to a monument outside that holds another clue – this time with a set of batteries and the address of 451 Longmore Avenue. That address, as fate would have it, brings Simone to Peter's work.
Together, they ride the bus to follow the new clues they have. They arrive in Fishtown and after using the batteries on a fish artifact, they hear the voice of Clara and follow it around the town. Decrypting the message given, Simone and Peter head into the shop and find a pair of old-school 3D glasses. The shop owner – Sal – tells them to deliver a message to Clara. He slams his fist on the table, bringing with it a fish coin, before growling "Don't come back here".
In the bar, Simone tries to make sense of the clues, asking the barman outright about Clara. He becomes evasive though, given the Jejune Institute is watching. Encouraged to take the back exit, they find a door labelled "Elsewhere" and subsequently use the coin to find their way through. Inside, they discover what looks like the Elsewhere Society Club – a hive of bizarre activity and surreal delights.
As the duo ignites the bike's engine, it in turn powers a projector, illuminating the 3D glasses with a message from the Elsewhere Society and Commander 14—a confirmation that this is indeed their Headquarters. After witnessing the message, the alarms wail once again, urging them to scramble out the door and up a rooftop, where Clara addresses them about letting go of their fears. Simone struggles to follow through and admit her own fears, eventually heading home for a word of wisdom from her Nan. With a newfound spirit, she returns to the diner where Fredwynn and Janice are waiting for Peter. When he doesn't show up, they examine the two flyers they have—one for Jejune and another for Elsewhere. After some heated debate, they decide to tackle both tasks—attending the shareholder meeting and participating in the protest.
At the protest, Simone spots Peter walking by, prompting her to speak some home truths while Octavio is led away in handcuffs. As Octavio climbs into the limo, Fredwynn sneaks into the boot, leading the trio to scramble over to a bike and give chase. The episode ends as they continue their pursuit through the surreal landscape of Oddsville, where nothing is quite what it seems.
What's particularly interesting here is the commentary on propaganda. Picking sides between the Elsewhere Society and Jejune is a poignant reflection of world politics today—the tendency to pick sides and berate the opposition for disagreeing with our own opinions. This is ultimately what makes the show so fascinating, and it'll be intriguing to see what answers (if any) we receive for these big concepts and abstract ideas by the end of the season. Much like the previous episode, there's an overwhelming sense that Dispatches From Elsewhere is a make-or-break show, but if you can embrace its trippy ideas and allow yourself to be swept up in its surrealism, there's enough here to make you feel like you're wandering through Salvador Dali's brain—a wild ride indeed!
