M. Night Shyamalan’s dramatic thriller Servant continues its second season on Apple TV+ today with the fourth episode, “2:00.”
Check out our review below.
(Note: this review contains spoilers! Jump down to the Bottom Line for the spoiler-free take.)
Episode 4 of Servant really ramps things up, but everything escalates in a natural (if terrifying) way.
After drugging Leanne’s pizza in the last episode, Dorothy is following through on her promise to do whatever it takes to get Jericho back. Which is why Leanne ends up locked in the Turner’s attic.
(Side note: Is anyone else wondering what happened to Tobe? I hope we’ll see the aftermath of his involvement in this in the next episode.)
So begins an epic role reversal. The power in the house has shifted, and with it comes a new question: who’s the bad guy here? The terrified, desperate mother who’s now drugged and kidnapped someone? Or the girl who stole a baby, now locked up and facing nightly abuse?
Servant does an excellent job of flipping the script here. After viewing Leanne as the “villain” for so long, you might think it would be hard to feel bad for her. But this episode really does make you reconsider her role in all this.
It’s excellent to see Dorothy rise up as the new bad guy, but watching Sean react to these events proves equally fascinating. He appears to express genuine concern and empathy for Leanne. But at the same time, he insists Dorothy is a good person. And he’s certainly not letting Leanne go either.
The past two episodes of Servant have really added new depth to the characters. When I started season 2, I wasn’t sure the premise of the show could sustain itself. But the latest developments have grabbed my interest again. I want to see what happens next.
Servant S2E4: The Bottom Line
This episode of Servant takes off from the groundwork of the last episode and consistently ramps up the tension. It’s scary in a different way than before: you’re worried about very real human actions, not some unseen supernatural force. The power dynamic flips as fast as whose side you’re on, breathing new life into the show’s premise.
Rating: 9/10