"Shapes and Colors" is an episode of the series Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, the fifth episode of season 2.
Synopsis
The case seems to take a major turn when Arnold, the son of the dead Cardenas couple, shows up. Meanwhile, Amanda is led to a mystical coven in the woods of Wendimoor led by the forest witch Wakti Wapnasi, where she begins to master her unique powers.
Plot
A voice speaks, while hands pull a squeeze toy from a pool of water.
In Blackwing, the older Rowdy 3 are still imprisoned, weak from lack of feeding.
Outside the Boreton house, on their way to question Suzie, Sheriff Hobbs deputizes Farah, who is overwhelmed by the unexpected fulfillment of her lifelong dream of being law enforcement. During questioning, Suzie accidentally lets slip knowing the Sheriff came by yesterday, excuses her husband Bob's absence with illness, and lies that the family dog Agrajag was killed by her son Scott. She further feigns worry about Scott's mental health and possible actions, telling them to find him at a concert this evening.
At a local diner, Dirk explains to Todd and Tina that from now on they will be doing "normal" investigative detective work instead of holistic detection, trying to avoid the usual series of coincidences and catastrophes happening to him. As they lay out photos of the Cardenas case and house on the table, a shaken diner employee comes up to them, telling them that these are his parents and childhood home.
In the Bergsberg jail cells, Panto Trost and Bart talk and bond. Having found Dirk, Panto is confident the prophecy will work out; he is unafraid of Bart and calls her beautiful.
In Wendimoor, Farson leads Amanda and Vogel through the forest. Frustrated and confused about all the unexplained the weirdness in her life, Amanda yells at Vogel. Her apology is interrupted when they are trapped and captured by a group of strange people with multi-colored skin.
At the Cardenas house, Dirk is chagrined about still being led by holistic coincidences despite him trying not to. The team visits the mural room, where Arnold Cardenas explains it as a depiction of the land Wendimoor.
In the cells, Panto and Bart exchange about their childhoods in Wendimoor and Blackwing. After Bart speaks of her troubled life and current refusal to comply with her holistic assassin intuition, Panto offers up the idea of Bart leaving this world for Wendimoor.
The team are discussing the case and the factors of Suzie and her son Scott. A phone call by Farah's brother Eddie interrupts them, who warns her about Blackwing activity in Montana and of continuing on her path. She hangs up on him.
In Wendimoor, Amanda wakes up the home of a strange creature, the witch Wakti Wapnasi. Amanda recognizes her as the voice in her visions, leading her to the here and now.
At the Sheriff's Department, an agitated Arnold rambles about past events, declaring the '67 event as due to his fault and the boat fallen from the sky; how dreams had become manifested into real objects (like the air gun and the Flying Purple People Eater), good at first but later bad and dangerous, and that he had no choice but to end it all. Dirk mentions flowers and scissors, only to be attacked by Arnold. Arnold is put away to calm down, but returns wielding the air gun, only to suffer a heart attack when he sees Panto, recognizing him as "one of them".
In her home, Wakti speaks to Amanda about her attacks and visions, and the metaphysics involved.
The Mage urges a still-hesitant Suzie to embrace her power and dispose of Dirk during this evening's concert.
The team watch as Arnold is taken away by ambulance to the hospital in Somerset. Hobbs tells them he will follow them and afterwards get Arnold's car from the Cardenas house. The others discuss and decide to go to the concert looking for Scott.
Wakti guides Amanda in using her pool for her visions. Outside, Farson introduces Vogel to their colorful captors as the Bofuki Nepoo.
In the cells, Panto worries the shock he gave Arnold may have doomed his world, if Arnold were the boy from the prophecy. Bart turns on music and invites him to dance.
The team arrive at the Sound of Nothing festival, the three of them dressed up and Tina in uniform. They split up to look for Scott. Dirk complains and mocks his own abilities, only to literally stumble into Scott, who is arrested by Farah.
In the village, an attack by the Kellum Army is imminent. Vogel, Farson, and the Bofuki Nepoo try to prepare a defense. Wakti instructs Amanda to use her visions find someone to fight the Kellum Knights.
From the stage, Todd and Tina spot a wand-wielding Suzie in the crowd making her way towards a lonely Dirk, realize Suzie herself is the culprit, and head down to help him. To ease her path through the dancers, Suzie casts a peace spell, leaving all attendees in a calm, euphoric haze. Todd finds Dirk and they exchange heartfelt declarations about the life-changing nature of their friendship and hopeful belief in their work and the future of the case. Farah joins in with candid revelations about her personal life and struggles, her inadequacy and family's expectations, and how she is finally liberated from her constricting past by embracing herself and her place with her friends. Tina stumbles onto the group, and they all cheer and party.
Over in jail, Panto and Bart dance at their cell bars.
Aided by Wakti, Amanda uses the pool to find the imprisoned Rowdy 3, and bring them to her. The three starving Rowdies burst out of Wakti's hut into the village, to Vogel's delight, and attack the Kellum Knights. Afterwards everyone is joyfully reunited as they celebrate their victory into the night.
At the Cardenas house, the Mage looks at the wall drawings in the mural room, confused and unsettled. Outside, Hobbs is trying to call Tina, but spots a truck with the Kellum logo drive into the barn. He goes to investigate, finding no truck but the bewitched Bob. The Mage appears behind Hobbs, casting a spell on him.
Behind the scenes
- The episode title likely refers to the shapes and color produced by Suzie's magic wand.
- Farah wears a letter jacket inscribed "Sherlock Hobbs" on the left breast, on the right breast "D Adams", and on the right arm "42". The latter two refer to author Douglas Adams and his The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
- Suzie wears a Lux Dujour shirt to the Sound of Nothing concert.
Cast
Starring
- Samuel Barnett as Dirk Gently
- Elijah Wood as Todd Brotzman
- Hannah Marks as Amanda Brotzman
- Fiona Dourif as Bart Curlish
- Jade Eshete as Farah Black
- Michael Eklund as Martin
- Osric Chau as Vogel
Guest Starring
- Tyler Labine as Sherlock Hobbs
- Amanda Walsh as Suzie Boreton
- Christopher Russell as Panto Trost
- Izzie Steele as Tina Tevetino
- Agam Darshi as Wakti Wapnasi
- Tony Amendola as Arnold Cardenas
- Roger Cross as as Eddie Black
- Viv Leacock as Gripps
- Zak Santiago as Cross
- and John Hannah as The Mage
Co-Starring
- Ajay Friese as Farson Dengdamor
- Jared Ager-Foster as Scott Boreton
- John Stewart as Bob Boreton
Crew
Notes
References
External links
- "Shapes and Colors" at BBC America
- "Shapes and Colors" on IMDb