This article contains spoilers for MGM + ‘s From Season 4, Episode 6
You have to feel for the people trapped in the town in From. They have been teased with clues and possible escape routes for so long that they really don’t know what to think anymore. This ongoing tension makes the storylines in “The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter” interesting and, quite honestly, funny.
A psychedelic mushroom trip has potentially pointed the way to a solution, with a plan, of course, and the absurdity of it almost makes sense at this point. That, along with weird connections forming and a regular cast member seemingly in dire straits, pushed the episode to an interesting conclusion, even though more problems have arisen than have been solved.
Jade (David Alpay), fresh from his trip down mushroom lane, is convinced he has found the key to getting them out of town. However, Boyd (Harold Perrineau) remains unconvinced, needing more than his psychedelic, mushroom-fueled insights to commit to a plan that might see many in the town killed.
The back-and-forth between them is excellent, offering strong points and counterpoints for each side of the argument. Still, in the end, some plan will need to be executed, as many people have suggested, because they are simply running out of time.
In the weird category, which is a living thing in this town at this point, Henry (Robert Joy) and Sophia (Julia Doyle) become drinking buddies as Sophia continues probing the town and its residents for information and weaknesses. Julie (Hannah Cheramy) and Sara (Avery Konrad) bond over the mental gymnastics the town’s power has put them through, for better or worse, helping them understand each other on a truly alarming and disturbing level.
Meanwhile, Victor (Scott McCord), probably the person with the most knowledge of what is going on, takes a brief walk on the roof of Colony House and is talked down by Boyd. Everyone has their limits, and these actions and interactions show once again that things are moving in the wrong direction.
One of the big moments in From Season 4, Episode 6, centered on Donna (Elizabeth Saunders). After delivering the news of the attack the group endured at the hands of the giant dolls and showing the gruesome remains of one of the group, Donna collapses in Colony House. For a moment, just a moment, it seemed she might be killed off.
She survives, waking up disoriented and tired, but her brush with death highlights how important she is, not just to Boyd but to the whole town.
Sometimes her importance gets lost in the chaos. While Boyd still tries to be the glue that keeps the town together, there is no denying Donna is right there with him in terms of influence and importance in keeping these people alive.
Part of what makes From so successful is the mix of interesting characters and the mysterious lore surrounding the town. However, there were moments in the episode when the sheer number of characters made it hard to keep everyone’s storylines relevant.
The writers have created this double-edged sword. But maybe the still-to-be-put-together plan to go into the tunnels, ala Jade’s mushroom-inducing trip through his multiple memories, will thin out the herd, so to speak.
Speaking of that plan, Boyd takes matters into his own hands and heads to the basement of Colony House, where Jade saw a hidden door. Sledgehammer in hand, Boyd breaks through the cement wall in the supposed location and, sure enough, discovers a door.
So, while a plan is now needed to move forward, is this a legitimate hint on how to get out of town, or are the powers in town playing with them again? It’s an endless loop that can be frustrating, but this time, it seems there is a plan of action on the horizon.
With From Season 4, Episode 6, “The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter,” laying the groundwork for a plan to escape, it remains to be seen how soon that will happen, if ever. We still have four episodes to go in Season 4, so at this point, it feels like a lot more chaos will unfold before they can take any positive steps forward.
