Cranes, Badgers, and Bees
WILD CARDS – Episode 307 – Yurt So Vain – limited spoilers ⁓
Max, disguised as mild-mannered phone addict Beth, gets inside the head of Celeste (Erica Duramce)
The detectives share internet videos. The first is a capybara eating a melon. Next is a Japanese weasel in a tux. Capybaras are the world’s largest living rodent. The semi-aquatic herbivores are native to South America (everywhere but it’s Pacific coast). Next, a Japanese weasel gets their concentrated attention.
Chief Li, Officer Toni, and the donation jar.
In Japan, “Itachi Gokko” (weasel make-believe) refers to a game of “cat and mouse” where people continually repeat the same actions and make no progress. Officer Toni (Caroline Battista) arrives with a donation jar for the Children’s Hospital and everyone is too busy on their phones to notice. Chief Li (Terry Chen) sees this, and strongly suggests that the detectives make better use of their downtime.
The next animals referenced are bees. Cole (Giacomo Gianniotti) and Max (Vanessa Morgan) are called to the waterfront because the body of Cornelius Cooper has washed ashore minus an index finger. Before Cornelius died, he joined a cult-like organization called The Apiary led by Celeste Rainier (Erica Durance) the stated goal of which is to cure cellphone addiction. The structure of the group mimics that of a beehive.
Tess Harwell (Jennifer Khoe), organizer of a class action suit against The Apiary
One of the thearputic activities used by The Apiary involves the immersion of the hand and forearm in icy water. This is cited as a tool used to control. Cold-water therapy is a variation of hydrotherapy with a long history of use, and has been shown to have both positive and negative neurological effects.
The episode’s title “Yurt so Vain”, references the vanity of both cult leaders and cellphone addicts. In an article for Mindful Mental Health, Dr. Sheetal Nair points out that “our phones have become — not tools of communication — but mirrors.” And Sam Jahara, writing for Brighton and Hove Psychotherapy, notes that, along with psychopathy, cult leaders “score very high on narcissism.”
Riun Garner as Ronan — Garner is also a singer/songwriter. His latest EP, ‘Someone To You’, was released last year.
Prior to joining, the deceased worked for a company called SocioScope which created an app that, as its CEO Ronan (Riun Garner) explains: “aggregates your social media to automate messages to your friends in your voice, so you don’t have to keep up with conversations or birthday greetings ever again. It maintains your relationships at the touch of a button.” Just before quitting his job, Cornelius sent everyone in the company a fifty page manifesto decrying the evil nature of the app he helped create. (Both Cole and Max note the parallel to Jerry Maguire.)
Celeste Rainier
After infiltrating The Apiary, Max takes a page from “The Art of War” to breech Celeste’s defenses. “Sun Tzu says attacking your opponent’s city,” she tells Cole, “isn’t nearly as effective as weakening your opponent’s alliances.” The actual quote is: “The superior militarist strikes while schemes are being laid. The next best is to attack alliances. The next best is to attack the army. The lowest is to attack a city. Siege of a city is only done as a last resort.”
Meanwhile, George (Jason Priestley) continues to advise inmates of the prison from which he was recently released. He begins to wonder if he is giving entirely honest advice and meets with Parole Officer Howard (Tom Scholte) to discuss that. Howard offers George some gum called Tsuru, the Japanese word for “crane”. The wrapper has a picture of a Japanese Crane, which is also the international logo for Japanese Airlines.
Screenwriter K Slaney who wrote this episode, in her one TV appearance as an actor. She was Zoe Sellers In ‘The Farmer’, HAVEN episode 303 (credited as Kristin Slaney)
In “Rack ‘Em Up” (episode 3.1), Tomo Hayashi, an agent of the possibly mythical crime boss Gedeon Vargas, threatened George and his family with death unless they agreed to steal a twenty-carat diamond for him.
In the process of thwarting Celeste and solving the case, Max uses her unique skill set to express both her disdain for The Apiary’s methods, and her support for its goals.
Later, on Cole’s boat, with Jessica off covering a story, Max and Cole awkwardly attempt to clarify the nature of their relationship. “Look,” says Cole, “I love Jessica, but it doesn’t mean I should have to choose between her and my best friend.” Max is surprised. “I’m your best friend? You’re my best friend, too.” She becomes defensive and continues: Although, so is Ricky, and George, and, newly, my mom. But a best friend isn’t singular; it’s like a tier, you know?” Cole can’t think of anyone other than his cat to put in his tier of best friends.