Episode 10 of Lazarus, titled “I Can’t Tell You Why,” propels the narrative forward as the team races against time to prevent a global catastrophe. With only six days remaining until Hapna’s deadly effects begin claiming lives, the episode masterfully balances advancing the central mystery with deepening our understanding of the characters’ complex histories and motivations.
The Ticking Clock
The episode opens with a chilling news report highlighting the dire situation: hospitals overflowing, stock markets shuttered, and essential services indefinitely closed. A somber news anchor warns, “it is a very real possibility that today will be the last Sunday we ever get to see in our lives,” setting a desperate tone for the season finale.
The Artificial Heart Mystery
The Lazarus team analyzes a mysterious drug discovered in Dr. Skinner’s room. Their initial hopes of finding a cure for Hapna are quickly dashed when it turns out to be merely an anti-platelet medication used by patients with artificial hearts. This seemingly disappointing discovery, however, provides an unexpected breakthrough: Skinner might have an artificial heart.
This leads the team to investigate medical records, but they find nothing. Hersch hypothesizes that Skinner, being one of the elite members of society, likely had a private doctor whose medical records couldn’t be easily accessed.
Leland’s Past Unveiled
Leland steps up, revealing his past and connections to potentially get results. He comes from old money, an aristocratic family. Leland hasn’t been seen by his only living relative, his older sister Isabella, in four years. He technically inherited everything by being the sole male heir. This could be why his sister is so cold towards him. However, it seems it isn’t just him suddenly showing up asking for a favor, or her frustration with how inheritance works in the family, it is due to her genuinely missing him.
Leland’s backstory reveals that he was something of an entitled rich kid who got into trouble because he sought to rebel against his father, who never showed Leland much attention growing up. Leland’s mother was the mistress of his father, which is why his dad was never around much in their lives. The grave Leland visited in Episode 1 was actually that of his father, who Leland still clearly cares for despite his tumultuous upbringing.
The team visits the Astor Family Mansion, where Leland seeks his sister’s help. Isabella, initially cold and resentful, softens slightly when she discovers that Leland secretly left flowers at their father’s grave despite claiming to boycott the funeral. Isabella reveals that she was looking forward to Leland’s return more than anyone, hinting at genuine affection beneath her harsh exterior.
Isabella provides information on the family doctor, Dr. Millie, who might have treated Skinner. However, she also presses Leland to spend a weekend with her, and Leland makes this promise and sets it for the day after everyone is supposed to die, believing they will have another Sunday.
The Hacker Connection
Dr. Millie gives the team firmware that guides Elaina into realizing “Popcorn Wizard” is likely the key to finding Dr. Skinner. This revisits the belief that Skinner being able to hide from the world so well is likely due to a hacker. Elaina knows she can’t stay in the comfort of a computer setup in America to get to Popcorn Wizard and has to go to Pakistan, with Doug as backup.
Axel’s Secret
While Elaina and Doug head to Pakistan, Hersch tasks Axel with finding the doctor who might be the sole person with knowledge of the Hapna experiment, not authorized or associated with Dr. Skinner. The team uncovers the truth about Axel’s past while investigating the Aean prison in Arizona. They discover that death row and life sentence inmates were forced to participate in clinical trials of new drugs, including what was likely a prototype of Hapna. Everyone else who took it is already dead. This revelation positions Axel as potentially crucial to developing a cure, though the team doesn’t yet understand why he survived when others didn’t.
As Axel travels to find this doctor, he is confronted by Soryu, setting up a likely battle in the next episode. The mysterious man from the beginning of the series is revealed to be connected to a notorious assassin known as the Phantom Killer, hired to eliminate Axel.
The Airport Massacre
The team obtains fragmented security footage from the infamous Skip Hall airport incident where Skinner was reportedly trying to smuggle out the Hapna prototype. The footage reveals Delta Force operatives under orders from US Inscom (United States Army Intelligence and Security Command) storming the airport to apprehend Skinner.
Episode 10 Ending
The episode closes with the team scattered but determined: Chris and Hersh head to Pakistan to track Popcorn Wizard, Axel is dispatched to protect the prison doctor, and the others analyze the transmission data for additional clues.
Key Developments and Themes
- The ticking clock: The impending global catastrophe creates a sense of urgency and desperation.
- Character development: The episode delves into Leland’s past, providing insights into his motivations and relationships.
- Conspiracy: The shadowy digital figure and the involvement of US Inscom suggest a larger conspiracy than anyone imagined.
- Moral ambiguity: The revelation that Skinner was potentially trying to expose Hapna rather than weaponize it recasts him in a more ambiguous light, perhaps less villain and more whistleblower.
- Human connections: Despite the chaos, relationships develop amidst the crisis, highlighting the importance of human connection.
Criticisms
Some critics have pointed out that Leland’s backstory, while illuminating, doesn’t answer the essential question of why he is part of Lazarus. Additionally, the show’s attempt to act like people are starting to have emotional reactions to the oncoming apocalypse highlights how inept Lazarus has been at taking advantage of the ticking time bomb it devised for itself.
Final Thoughts
Episode 10 masterfully sets the stage for the final act of the season. The revelations about Skinner’s artificial heart, Axel’s past, and the involvement of US Inscom deepen the mystery and raise the stakes. With the team scattered and facing imminent danger, the race to find a cure for Hapna has never been more urgent.
The Lazarus Project: Beyond Episode 10
While Episode 10 advances the plot, the broader context of “The Lazarus Project” as a series is worth considering.
Series Overview
“The Lazarus Project” is a British science fiction television series created by Joe Barton, exploring themes of time travel, global catastrophe, and the ethical dilemmas of manipulating time. The series follows George, who discovers he can relive time after witnessing the world’s end and is recruited into the Lazarus Project, a secret organization that uses time resets to prevent global catastrophes.
Series Cancellation and Future
Despite its intriguing premise and dedicated following, “The Lazarus Project” was cancelled after two series in March 2024. The second series premiered on November 15, 2023, and consisted of eight episodes. The series finale ends on a cliffhanger, leaving many questions unanswered.
Season 2 Plot
Season 2 involves a three-week time loop that will eventually end with global destruction. The Lazarus Project team tries to break the cycle by finding the scientists who caused the singularity. George, now back on the team, fights to regain the trust of his colleagues and ex-girlfriend, Sarah, while also harboring suspicions about the Lazarus Project’s true intentions.
The season sees the team tracking down a time machine used to send Janet back to 2012. They uncover a multinational organization called the Time Break Initiative, responsible for creating the second singularity. The Initiative, led by Wes’s husband Lerner, has been building a Time Machine since the early 2010s, and their test on July 21, 2024, creates the second black hole and the self-triggering three-week time loop.
Possible Interpretations and Themes
The series explores several thought-provoking themes:
- The ethics of time travel: The show questions the morality of altering the past, highlighting the unintended consequences and paradoxes that can arise.
- The burden of knowledge: Characters who remember the time loops grapple with the psychological toll of reliving traumatic events and the responsibility of trying to change the future.
- Free will vs. determinism: The series explores whether individuals have the power to alter their destinies or if they are merely puppets of fate.
- Sacrifice and redemption: Characters face difficult choices and make sacrifices to save the world, raising questions about the value of human life and the possibility of redemption.
- Humanity’s self-destructive tendencies: The show suggests that humanity is often its own worst enemy, with its actions leading to global catastrophes.
The Biblical Lazarus
The name “Lazarus” carries significant weight, drawing from the biblical story of Lazarus, who was raised from the dead by Jesus in the Gospel of John. In the Bible, Lazarus’s death and resurrection serve as a sign of Jesus’ power over death and a foreshadowing of his own resurrection. This connection adds a layer of symbolism to the series, suggesting themes of rebirth, hope, and the potential for overcoming seemingly insurmountable challenges.
