When I love a character, I have absolutely no problem calling them out when they get on my last nerve. And that’s what Anna Pigeon was doing in Season 1 Episode 3 “The Preacher.” And because I like her I’m going to give her a little bit of grace and understanding. She’s in a new space, making new connections, and working through her grief. But we’re still going to talk about why she annoyed me.
“The Preacher” also built out Anna Pigeon in a way that I didn’t expect. Because I thought the show was going to mainly be from her perspective. But from what we saw of FBI agent Frederick, sometimes the show is going to allow others to take the wheel. And that’s just going to lead to a more dynamic and layered show. And this is without talking about how Melanie Scrofano actually made me cry in this episode.
So let’s dive into Anna Pigeon Season 1 Episode 3 “The Preacher”!
MORE: Need a refresher on last week’s episode? Read our review of Anna Pigeon Season 1 Episode 2 “Hide + Seek”!
Sometimes Our Favorites Can Annoy Us
I’m of the thought that if I can’t criticize or point out some of the places where my favorites stumbled, I’m not really a fan. That’s not everybody. But that’s me. And that’s where I am with Anna Pigeon in “The Preacher.” Because I felt like she was a battering ram in this episode to a point that annoyed me. She brushed off Manny’s baptism, Bethany’s beliefs, and even the preacher guiding other convicted felons.
On the religion front, I’m an atheist through and through. But I grew up in the church and I see how it gives people a sense of belonging (and how it divides people). So seeing Anna be kind of dismissive with other people’s religious beliefs, it gave me the ick. They’re not hurting anyone. They’re trying to find a sense of belonging and a path forward. And I still believe this while also believing that I didn’t like Manny and Bethany making comments about how there’s space for Anna at the church. What all of these people need to do is understand each other’s limits, beliefs, and let each other live.
MORE: Where to Find the Cast of Anna Pigeon on Social Media
Then there’s the whole way that Anna went after the preacher. It was giving ’70s white cop in a police drama where the reason they suspect that person is due to race or previous crimes. In this instance it was due to previous crimes. And like I mentioned in my introduction, I know Anna is a bulldozer in a lot of respects. And when Anna found out the truth, she did back Manny and the preacher. But this immediate suspicion of people who have paid their dues and are trying to live a better life, it gave the ick as well.
By the end of the episode I could see that Anna had worked through some of her misconceptions. And I think that she’s going to be a better character overall because of these experiences. Doesn’t mean I have to like some of the things I saw in “The Preacher.” But I’m always here for development and for people to learn from their mistakes. And I think Anna did that in this episode.
In the long run, if we can forgive and give men a chance over and over again on the multitude of shows that we watch, we can afford Anna the same grace. Because she might have gotten on my nerves in this episode, but it’s the beginning of her journey. We’re going to hit some speed bumps. And I like a character who messes up, gets back up, and learns from their mistakes. And that’s what Anna did.
MORE: Is Anna Pigeon based on a book?
Exploring Other Characters
Entering Anna Pigeon I was under the impression that the show would be mainly told from her perspective. In “The Preacher” I was delighted to see that this show is going to let other characters take the lead.
For example FBI agent Frederick. He got screen time away from Anna and with Molly. Sure it still had to deal with Anna because he’s trying to figure out what happened to her husband. And also I think he definitely has feelings for her but isn’t going to approach her because of course she’s grieving. But I still like the fact that he’s doing things independent of Anna.
I also really liked how we learned a little bit more about Molly in this episode. In the small time that we had her we could see that as much as she’s trying to help her sister, she’s got her own anxieties that she’s dealing with. Also she is very good at understanding her surroundings. If anything, I understand that hypervigilance as an older sibling who survived the unthinkable and raised her siblings. And I also really like how she told Frederick that he needed to talk to Anna if he was going to investigate Zach’s murder. It shows that she has morals and loyalty to Anna alone.
Finally there’s Manny and Bethany. Like I mentioned earlier, the religion thing doesn’t do it for me. But the fact that they’re different works to the advantage of the show. Because if everyone was the same it would be boring. And I especially liked how Bethany was ride or die for Manny just as much as he was ride or die for her. And they told that story not through intense action-packed moments. It was in the quiet moments during his baptism, or when he was talking about how she wanted a baby and he wanted to give her that, or even when Bethany was telling Anna that he’s a good man.
All these little beats that explore the world around Anna makes me understand a little bit more why she decided to stay at this national park. Because these people might not be her cup of tea, like many of them aren’t for me. But Anna knows good people when she sees them. And she’s trying to turn a new leaf. These people are giving her the opportunity to do so.
Additional thoughts about Season 1 Episode 3:
- Melanie Scrofano, the woman that you are. I fell in love with this actress, like many of us, through Wynonna Earp. And I’ve interviewed her multiple times. But I don’t think anything could prepare me for this pious woman that she’s playing.
- Did you see Bethany reacting to Anna and her underwear?! I almost couldn’t believe it because all I saw was Wynonna. And she would absolutely wear that underwear like nothing!!!
- But it goes to show you that Scrofano has layers. And those layers also can make me cry like she did when she was telling Anna that Manny was a good man. 10 out of 10. No notes.
- Also also the car scene between Anna and Frederick. His eye contact was INTENSE but also nervous but also gentle. I can’t explain. I love it. And I love how confused Anna was.
- Shoutout to Frieda for her song during the talent show. Album when?
Anna Pigeon airs new episodes Fridays at 10 p.m. ET on USA Network.
You forgot to mention how amazing and heartbreaking Manny’s performance was. Made me cry
You forgot to mention how amazing and heartbreaking Manny’s performance was.
You’re 100% right! His performance was fantastic. And I really like how we’re getting glimpses into how layered this show is going to be!