In the latest episode of “Loki,” there is zero time to waste. From the first frame to the last, urgency is the name of the game.
Titled “1893,” a tonal titular contrast to last week’s “Breaking Brad,” the episode is unconcerned with flash or pomp. We pick up at the cliffhanger where Episode 2 left us; the mysterious blip on the TemPad of Ravonna Renslayer, played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw, is revealed to be the year alluded to in the title with the location of Chicago.
For those with a knack for history, that year and that city will bear significance: It was when and where the famed Chicago World’s Fair took place.
Loki and Mobius are tasked with tracking Renslayer amid the chaotic vibrance and rampant showmanship of the fair. This quest eventually brings them face-to-face not only with the former top judge of the Time Variance Authority, but also with a young variant of Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror. From this point, madness ensues.
Episode 3’s most apparent strength is its aesthetic value. “Chaotic vibrance” is on its own an apt term for the Chicago World’s Fair as a historical event, but this episode’s portrayal of it also fits that description.
Not only are the set design and wardrobe admirable — it truly feels like being transported back 130 years — but the technical framing is also commendable. Cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw utilizes all-encompassing wide shots and dynamic one-takes to showcase the magnificence of the setting.
The story that takes place within this setting is absolutely enthralling. It’s an episode of branching out; with only a fraction of screentime in the TVA, the aura is very much one of urgent travel. It gives the audience a functional way of relating to the characters. Whereas in more locationally static episodes, the direness of the plot must be written into the dialogue and evidenced in the performers’ faces, “1893” sets the tone through rapid movement.
Of course, the pressing dialogue and emotive acting are still present, and they combine to round out what is one of the most exciting episodes of the series to date.
It’s a weekly compliment, but it can’t be overstated how well the show is pacing itself. Halfway through the season, it feels like we are halfway to the imminent climax of cosmic proportions; it may sound like common sense, but such accuracy of tempo is deceptively difficult to pull off in a limited-series format.
At this rate, with episodes maintaining and even increasing in quality while also upping the stakes, “Loki” Season 2 is gearing up for a ballistic home stretch. With three more episodes to go, it’s time to buckle up and enjoy the ride.
