Manifest excels when it delivers new tidbits about the show’s biggest mysteries.
Unfortunately, Manifest Season 4 Episode 16 was bogged down by melodrama that was only moderately appealing, and fewer answers than ever.
That’s not to say it was a bad episode; it just didn’t deliver the action and intrigue expected from one of the final five episodes.
The chaos at the compound increased the stakes like never before, so forgive me for feeling a little short-changed that Ben managed to give everyone trapped inside some hope they could make this a home worth living in.
Zimmer’s decision to cut off the compound and create an armed force around it so that no one would get in or out was despicable, but it was just par for the course when you consider her previous actions this season.
Dr. Gupta must be the person who was one step ahead of Saanvi and Ben, and maybe Zimmer has realized there’s not much else she can gain from the passengers.
Vance: Ben!
Ben: Vance.
Vance: I’m so sorry, brother. I did all I could do, but…
Ben: Yeah, I know you did. They’re creating an armed perimeter outside. The building will be sealed off to the outside world. No one’s coming in or out. I don’t think I’m gonna be able to fix this one. Man, after all the crazy shit you put me through. But I never believed it would come to this.
Ben: It’s okay, Vance. I’ll always appreciate what you did for us.
Vance: There’s one more thing I can do. That is the key card to food storage. Here’s the key to the ALNI patients. After Angelina’s scream, they were on life support. They need special care.
Ben: Special care? Saanvi’s not here, I… How do I do that? I…
Vance: You delegate! Put people to work. Once all the guards are out, these doors will unlock. All the separate living quarters will reunite. Every passenger here. And if anybody can rally the troops, it’s you. You listen to me, Ben! Brother, I don’t have an inventory to all the supplies you have here. But hopefully, you can stretch it to nine months. To the Death Date.
The apocalyptic scenarios are becoming too much for everyone, and it makes sense.
Ultimately, Zimmer’s team locking everyone inside and leaving them to rot will bring everyone together.
Don’t even get me started on Eden climbing through the glass to find her dad.
It didn’t feel like something Eden would do and only served as a plot device to give her the platform to talk Quinn down from shooting the passengers.
If you watch Manifest online, you know Quinn has been the worst, so he figured he had the green light to take some of them down.
Eden’s speech and Ben talking him down came together a little too quickly for my liking, but hey, these passengers have been through enough.
Will Quinn pop back up down the line to save someone, or is this the end of his story?
Hopefully, he’s gone because I doubt he’d do anything in public that would help the passengers.
Ben’s leadership skills came out to play like never before when he realized the true extent of what was about to happen, but it further reiterated why he’s the co-captain of the Lifeboat.
Michaela: Hey, I am genuinely impressed.
Jared: You see how I cut off the crust? I mean, bam! You got a regular Bobby Flay over here.
Michaela: I don’t think Bobby Flay says “bam,” but it’s fine.
Jared: Okay, whatever. Point is I made some sustenance for my lady, and I only burned myself once in doing so, so…
Michaela: Well, I think that’s the most action you’re gonna see up here ’cause there’s no perps to bust, no doors to break down.
Jared: Well, that’s a good thing, right?
Ben is holding on to guilt for what he did to Angelina, but I don’t think many would blame him for his actions after what she pulled on Manifest Season 3 Episode 13.
Now that he’s helping the survivors create a home for what could be their final nine months alive, he’s on the path to redemption.
Olive following Eden into the compound was expected, but, looking back, it’s hard to understand why anyone would have willingly gone inside.
Olive suffers from deeply-rooted abandonment issues, and who can blame her? She’s lost so many people in such a short time and isn’t getting to see many of the people she loves on a daily basis.
She’s probably one of the most courageous characters on TV. The only good thing about her vowing to live inside the compound is that she’ll be able to spend time with people who have been out of her life for too long.
Ever since Manifest Season 1, I have hoped that the Stones get some semblance of happiness when this is all said and done, but I have no clue which way this will go.
Cal’s storyline has also been one of the highlights of Manifest Season 4, and it was satisfying hearing Vance say he would be there for him while his family were away.
Vance has a heart of gold, so this team-up yielded some significant results.
Michaela struggling without helping people was a testament to how nice she is. The Callings undoubtedly gave her purpose when she was hurting the most.
Losing them must have been jarring, but at least she got some much-needed clarity in her time of need.
However, the writing was so predictable when the neighbor tried to kill her. The man was up to something when he spotted Jared opening the door.
Despite the conveniences in writing, I’m thankful Cal showed up to save Michaela and uncover another part of the mystery.
Returning to the plane to listen to the callings must have been terrifying. With the world gearing up to combust, Cal didn’t know what awaited him aboard the plane.
With four episodes left, Cal’s realization that the Callings are still there gives everyone hope that there’s a way to save the world.
The drama at the safe house wasn’t exciting, either. Eagan tends to float wherever the power is. It’s who he is, and I don’t envision him changing, but it will probably be his undoing.
He’s a good judge of character, and that’s how he’s managed to swindle so many people over the years, but he’s also setting himself up for disaster with Angelina.
Angelina was curious about why he wanted to work with her now, but I feel like she’s stringing him along for as long as she needs him.
He helped her connect with everyone in the safe house, but surely, his purpose has now diminished in her eyes.
It was hard watching Angelina call out everyone in the safe house, comparing their actions to hers.
Any way you look at it, Angelina is the Devil, and none of these characters have pulled half as much stuff as she’s pulled since her arrival on Manifest Season 3.
With several months before the death date, surely we’re in for a time jump reasonably soon.
What are your thoughts on Eden and Olive entering the compound?
Are you surprised Zimmer ditched everyone?
What’s your take on the Callings still being a thing?
Hit the comments below.
Manifest is now streaming on Netflix.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.