The Magnus Protocol Reviews: “Repetitive Strain”

“Repetitive Strain” Doesn’t Have Enough Runtime

“Repetitive Strain” is mostly only brought down from excellence by the statement not having enough time. I love that the episode keeps matters mostly focused on one plotline, while also progressing it, but I was intrigued and increasingly horrified—and then the story stopped.

Like, I don’t recall many Spiral-style episodes in Protocol, but “Repetitive Strain” is a prime example. I don’t know for sure if the episode handled depicting abuse with respect, but a sense of a continuing, unbreakable cycle now rendered literally happening is an excellent “metaphor” (it’s barely a metaphor) for finding oneself unable to leave a bad situation despite wanting to and planning to. Even the tattoo changing feels like a potent metaphor for gaslighting—though that concept is basically spelled out by the narrative already.

But we get so few loops. We don’t get to see a bunch of different attempts at breaking free, or tracking down Ink5oul, or even the continuous loop that the main character expected to happen. I don’t want the abuse narrated out or the characters to sit in despair, but it feels like the story is relying entirely on the listener making all the connections, assumptions, and considering the possible outcomes, and thus just skips to an ending. I’d at least like to hear the main character talk about coming to the conclusion that they needed to kill their abuser. Just a sentence or two. It feels like the pacing is off without certain moments.

“Repetitive Strain” Had Even More Story Potential

But at least we finally get a big villain moment in the main timeline. If the statement must be cut short, it’s at least for a good reason. We have a genuine threat to worry about now. It feels absurd that it’s kicked off by one employee of the O.I.A.R. simply saying no—when morality hasn’t felt like the biggest concern before—but at least it’s tying some narratives together. We’ve got around five known “Externals” that have been set up throughout the seasons, and all of them are now primed to or actively are launching attacks in different ways. That could be a lot of fun. Ink5oul’s powers seem to rely on the victim’s circumstances, so maybe it’s possible to weaponize people’s tattoos as a form of attack. Or, you know, maybe Bonzo will just break down a wall.

The only other thing of note in “Repetitive Strain” is the weird way that Celia’s kid has been pulled back into the story by the most indirect of the Externals. Up until now, that aspect of Celia’s life has been a motivation, surely, but barely directly referenced. Alice being forced—after a very brave moment—to set up such a personal terror will cause some interesting interpersonal drama, and hopefully, finally, clue us in to what exactly is happening with Celia’s storyline.

All in all, if it wasn’t clear yet, I like “Repetitive Strain” a lot. I enjoyed all of its sections and all of its concepts. I just wish it had been like forty minutes long, so I could get the full versions of its many plotlines. This version leaves everything rushed, implied, or as a quick twist. But I suppose it does say something about “Repetitive Strain” and Protocol season two that even a condensed version of what it could be is still solid listening.

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