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The Rotunda
Thursday, July 3, 2025

‘The End is Near’ and I Cannot Say that I am Sorry about It

Episode 14, “The End is Near.” I’m not usually picky about titles, but that one is just too cliché.  It is apparent from the opening of the show that Joe is really falling apart; he is mentally, and now physically, ill. It may be because he is watching Ryan Hardy have sex with one of his cult members. I really hope that ties in somehow because otherwise it’s just weird.

 “You can’t kill me, I’m already dead.” I don’t get it, but apparently it’s important to Joe. Or maybe that is exactly how Joe was feeling. I think he might be empathizing with Ryan, feeling like this final act will bring him and Hardy together.

 Carroll isn’t a sexy English murderer anymore – he is a delusional, crazy killer. Although I do like this side of him; it feels more real than the Carroll viewers have seen before.

 Apparently Roderick is not dead, but rather, he’s in surgery. I wish that would have been mentioned last episode. But the finale is coming upon us! I do think that the release of all of the cult members out into the world was a great touch. Especially releasing them into a place where non-cult member were seeking sanction.

 I still believe Emma is an idiot. The one person you want to die in a TV show and they keep her on the whole time. Somehow she loves Jacob and Joe, and yet, she gets to be the saint and live.

 I also take back anything redeeming I said about Jacob because as it turns out, he is in love with Emma. He started letting her push him around again, and in his confusion, he tried to find understanding in his old lover. What an idiot. He deserved to get his throat slit.

 Even though Joe says he is going to kill Claire, he still unties her to open a bottle of wine. He is getting crazy, nervous and stupid. Joe has been stabbed by Claire so many times now that I don’t know how he is still alive.

 I do wonder what will happen to Claire and Debra. In fact, I think Debra being taken and buried alive was pretty much the highlight of the show. Her reactions to being buried alive and abducted by cult members was not as calm as I thought it would be. My guess about what the finale will hold? A choice between Debra and Claire.

 Overall, the episode was mediocre, and I am not very interested in watching the season finale. There was too much Kevin Bacon coming in last, and Emma will probably never die, and Ryan Hardy will probably just keep drinking.

 What I want to know is how they really plan on making a season two. The plot of this season was to follow Joe Carroll, and after 15 episodes of Carroll’s delusions, craziness, et cetera,

 I don’t think I will really be interested in watching season two at all. But maybe the cult members will give us something good to chew on.

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