Photo Credit: Katie Yu, © 2017 AMC Film
Dirk Gently 201: Space Rabbit
*Warning: Review Contains Spoilers
The strange world of Dirk Gently gets even more bizarre when events in the magical realm of Wendimoor collide with Dirk’s imprisonment on Earth. If Season 1 of Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency has taught viewers anything it’s to expect the unexpected. While last season delved into time travel and soul swapping, including the soul of a murderous hammerhead shark contained within a kitten, this season takes the fairy tale genre and blows up all of the tropes.
One of the best gags is the swordplay between two combatants, executed with giant scissors…yes scissors.
Before the two worlds collide however, the narrative shifts to Dirk two months after his initial capture at the hands of the Blackwing organization. Blackwing, led by the incredibly dim Sgt. Friedkin, is trying to get to the root of Dirk’s powers. Needless to say their methods prove unsuccessful and only serve to irritate the perpetually bubbly Dirk.
Fugitives at large, Todd and Farah find themselves in the small town of Bergsberg to meet with her brother. Farah’s sibling is a member of Homeland Security and the pair search him out to see if he can hack into the CIA for some intel on their missing friends. Farah’s relationship with her brother is strained and hints that Farah’s past is a little more checkered than first thought are dropped.
Amanda and Vogel are also on the run. With the Rowdy 3 also in Project Blackwing’s clutches Amanda and Vogel are now on their own. Amanda, now plagued by visions appears to be developing some supernatural powers of her own.
Blackwing’s epic failure provides most of the comic relief in the episode. Friedkin is possibly the worst head of a government organization since…since…well ever. However, considering the organization’s failure to successfully develop or monitor people with superpowers he might actually be the right man for the job.
Ken and Bart also make an appearance in Space Rabbit. Ken, sporting quite the beard, is being held captive in a yellow taxi cab along with the cute corgi from last season. Friedkin subjectes Ken to constant electrical shocks in an unsuccessful bid to get some intel. Bart, on a mission to find Ken, shows up briefly in Bergsberg but unfortunately she doesn’t get enough screen time. Space Rabbit introduces new characters into the mix and promises to keep the show’s level of the absurd at an epic level. Suzie (Amanda Walsh), The Mage (John Hannah), Bergberg’s dysfunctional police force, Sherlock Hobbs (Tyler Labine) and Tina (Izzie Steele).
Plenty of questions and random visuals come up in Space Rabbit, and this being Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, they’re no doubt connected. The mystery grows even further when a familiar yet mysterious character from last season appears to complicate matters even more.
The fun part is seeing how things come together especially when a fairy tale ending is all but not assured.
