Wild Cards Season 2, Episode 9, “Barking Bad” Spoilers Ahead
Welcome to ElliMax Chats, a column dedicated solely to highlighting Cole Ellis and Max Mitchell’s interactions during the latest episode of Wild Cards.
There’s something so romantic about blueberry pancakes and playing house. And there’s definitely something romantic tucked into the edges of every ElliMax scene, even when they’re still dodging their kiss and pretending like everything’s normal.
Because in “Barking Bad,” the only thing that’s normal is the fact that their emotions are paralleling each other’s down to every move. We’re getting closer to the end of Max’s dad’s sentence, which means that conversations about what comes next linger in the air. For a girl who’s always been on the run, Max wants to stay right now. She isn’t saying it aloud, but the routine is nice. The attachments are even nicer. And Ricky agrees because, of course, he does.
Now, while the conversations in Wild Cards Season 2, Episode 9, “Barking Bad,” aren’t reflective of who Max and Ellis can be as a couple, they still do a gorgeous job of cementing how comfortable the two are around each other. We see it in the way they sit together on the couch, and we also see it in the fact he goes to her in the first place because his boat’s under maintenance. More than anything, their body language is what works to showcase that the friendship they are continuing to develop is going to lead to the best type of relationship. It’s going to lead to something substantial that’ll last in a way nothing ever has for the two of them before.
Plus, there’s the intentional camera work that happens when neither of them can sleep, and it’s because they’re thinking of each other. Even if the episode’s director, James Genn, had not given us an obvious split screen to showcase what’s happening to both of them, separate shots would’ve also achieved the same effect to mark that every interaction between them now feels loaded with more development and care. In short, Max and Ellis are constantly looking out for each other, wanting the best for one another, and when they aren’t in the same room, it’s exactly where they want to be.
It’s going to be fascinating to see what happens when she’s then given the chance to leave because can she really leave him? Will she? Is that something she even wants to do? Because what we’re seeing at this very moment is the opposite of that. What we see in these scenes is more like profound longing. There’s agonizing tension and hope and the playful bits of banter that they have that work so seamlessly that it’s precious to witness.
“Barking Bad” plays with tension in such a riveting manner that it’s hard to get over the body language we’re shown. It’s that very comfort that Max and Ellis have, which every lasting couple needs to continue building on. It’s that safety net they can’t find anywhere else, and it’s that trust they’re cementing amid tough times. Max and Ellis are two people for whom trusting isn’t easy, and yet, here they are, wanting the person in front of them to stay. Again, these words aren’t said aloud, but we see it all clear as day.
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Now streaming on The CW: What are your thoughts on ElliMax’s scenes in Wild Cards Season 2, Episode 9, “Barking Bad?” Let us know in the comments below.
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