After four suspenseful, well-written seasons, Manifest season 4 part 2 drops with an emotional final batch of episodes that present a fond farewell to these characters. A show that originally was hatched back on NBC before making a Netflix detour, Manifest remains one of the few to ever be saved from the axe—thank whatever divine presence above allowed us to be gifted this last season, wherein the creative team brings the whole affair full circle in an incredibly satisfying manner. Manifest makes a smooth landing for its final descent, doubling down on the strange mythology and deep character work that has colored past seasons.
This deep in its run, there is little reason why the uninitiated would tune in for the last run of episodes. Season 4 has been made for rabid fans that refused to let the series die, and showrunner Jeff Rake waits in the wings to make sure it closes on an exhilarating high. For those who simply forgot where we last left off (especially as part 1 dropped back in October), Zeke (Matt Long) has just sacrificed himself to save Cal (Ty Doran). Angelina is somehow still alive, sharing the mysterious power of the Omega Sapphire with Cal (Holly Taylor) after she force-opened a deadly volcanic fissure. Perhaps biggest of all, it was also revealed that the upcoming “Death Date” is not just for 828’ers, but for humanity at large. With only nine months remaining to save the passengers (and the world!), get ready for ten pulse-pounding episodes!
Pushing the divide even further between the general public and the elusive 828 passengers, there is now a $50,000 reward for anyone who turns one in. The 828 Registry is born: anyone involved in Flight 828 is at risk. Ben (Josh Dallas) and Michaela (Melissa Roxburgh) end up in a detention center while Cal, still in remission, works tirelessly with Olive (Luna Blaise) and Eden (Brianna Riccio) to solve more Callings. They even have their own version of conspiracy boards, as they track the Death Date and how to overcome it. Angelina views herself as an angel—she has the power in her grasp to manipulate Callings in any way she sees fit. She starts to amass a following of those hoping she will aide in their ultimate survival.
Characters that annoyed me before definitely changed a bit over the course of these episodes. One, however, remained unaltered—I could not stand Angelina at any point, so I guess as a villain she is fantastic. Jared (J.R. Ramirez), who has been rather useless for a couple seasons now, is back to peak season-one greatness. He feels vital again, and much of that is due to Ramirez’s performance. An Eagan (Ali Lopez-Sohaili) redemption arc has been in the works for awhile now, and eventually even he won me over. Ben, Cal, and Michaela receive the best treatment. Josh Dallas, Ty Doran, and Melissa Roxburgh, respectively, remain committed to these characters. At this point, Doran’s Cal is right at home next to the other two originals.
Soon, despite the setup, Manifest slides neatly into first season feels, for better and for worse. Michaela teams up with Jared again, possibly working towards rekindling their romance now that only ghost Zeke is in the picture. Saanvi (Parveen Kaur) still tirelessly tries to piece together the endgame of the divine, using every resource at her disposal. Annoyingly, a few episodes are basically filler and almost case-of-the-week—a crime in a final season, if you ask me. However, the creatives manage to turn it all around in a monumental one-two punch of episodes 19 and 20. By the time the tale concludes, be sure to have tissues at the ready.
Manifest ups the stakes just at the right time, and ending each episode with a massive cliffhanger pushes the binge model to a particularly appealing level. Whether hoping for further biblical imagery or Lost-esque mythology, Manifest should satiate the palate of any hungry fan. Even with a few stumbles here and there, an emotional final batch of episodes and fond farewell to these characters cements Manifest as a truly great offering from Netflix.
Manifest unlocks the final chapter for Netflix subscribers on Friday, June 2nd.
