It’s been a whole month of problems, and now the group has to deal with a weary Donna!

Siren 1×05 “Curse of the Starving Class” on Freeform left us worried about Donna (Sibongile Mlambo) and which side of the line her alliance would be placed. Ryn (Eline Powell) did her best to convince her sister that Ben (Alex Roe) and Maddie (Fola Evans-Akingbola) were on the side of the mermaids. But Donna wasn’t having it and we can’t say we blame her after everything she went through at the government facility. Her experience has ruined her opinion of humans and their intentions. Even the bond she made with Chris (Chad Rook) doesn’t seem to sway her opinion that humans cannot be trusted by mermaids.

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Meanwhile, we have the mystery of Helen (Rena Owen) and her past finally coming to light. The woman admits that she is a mermaid in an attempt to change Donna’s mind about things. But Decker (Ron Yuan) just may ruin whatever progress the group made with Donna with his displays of how far he is willing to go to get his mermaid specimen back. Problems on the water with Xander (Ian Verdun) lead to Ben going against his better judgement and teaming up with his father, Ted (David Cubitt). Does Ben’s father know more than he’s saying? Will Donna be able to trust Ben and Maddie? How will the mermaids deal with the government chasing them down?

Let’s meet our roundtable guests and break it down!

Athena (@tinygymshoes) – Mother of a sweet one year old and gym junkie on the side!

Ashley (@twister8291) – Teen who watches way too much tv, games too much, and reads all the teen fantasy books in Barnes N Noble.

LaShonda (@HQ_Klaroline) – Life flight pilot nurse, Klaroline enthusiast, and lover of mermaids!

Brigida (@domominreader) – Portuguese reader by day, dreamer by night. Fan girl all the time!

Lauren (@Young_Dryas) – Seeker of wisdom and lover of mermaids!

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1. What did you think of the time jump of a whole month?

Athena (@tinygymshoes): I never expected things to go south so quickly!

Ashley (@twister8291): I like the time jump because I really want the show to focus on the sirens and the government. Not the life between Ben and Maddie.

LaShonda (@HQ_Klaroline): I think it was a good idea doing the whole time jump. It gives an idea of the progress and efforts being made by Ben and Maddie to see what Ryn and Donna have been up to.

Brigida (@domominreader): Not much actually. I think some time jumps are necessary in stories to give more fluidity to the plot.

Lauren (@Young_Dryas): I was a little surprised so early on in the season to see a time jump. But it suited the story well and saved us from having any episodes without the mermaids!

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2. Did it shock you to see Ryn and Donna fighting each other so violently?

Athena: I was actually afraid for Ryn! Her sister seems more primal than Ryn does.

Ashley: Yes! Oh my god! I was so shocked that Donna clawed Ryn! But at the same time, it’s instinct so it didn’t really shock me.

LaShonda: I was a bit shocked, but not surprised that they fought so violently. That’s sisters for you!

Brigida: It didn’t shock me because Donna and Ryn both see humans so differently.

Lauren: I wasn’t shocked to see them fighting, but I was definitely shocked at how hard Donna went after Ryn. She really didn’t seem to care how badly she hurt Ryn!

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3. Ryn kissed Maddie! Do you think Ryn actually understands what a kiss usually means, or was she just copying what she had seen?

Athena: Ryn has already shown a special interest in Maddie and learns quick enough for me to suspect she knows what a kiss means.

Ashley: I think she was copying what she had seen between Ben and Maddie. Maddie did just tell her about family and love. I think the reason why she kissed her is because Ryn considers Maddie family.

LaShonda: I think she doesn’t quite understand and is mimicking what she saw between Maddie and Ben.

Brigida: I think she knows a kiss means affection. But she doesn’t understand the full extent of that kind of affection.

Lauren: I think she was just copying what she has seen between Ben and Maddie. Ryn learns quickly, but I don’t think she has a full understanding of what she is learning.

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4. Do you think Ben’s father knows more about the government trying to force out the mermaids than he portrays?

Athena: Although Ben’s father seems suspicious, I think he is actually clueless about what the government is doing.

Ashley: Yes! It is in their history! They always killed sirens, so it wouldn’t surprise me at all! I also believe his mom knows Ben knows a siren.

LaShonda: I’m going out on a limb and saying he’s ignorant to the fact and doesn’t know about the mermaids. Even though his family has a history with the genocide. The government is just using his business and Ted is reaping the benefits.

Brigida: I think Ben’s father knows way more than we think.

Lauren: Oh, he so knows more than he is letting on. But I don’t think he is going to be telling anyone how much he knows any time soon. He’s too busy enjoying all the added benefits.

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5. We finally got proof that Helen is indeed a mermaid. We have suspected it all along, but did it surprise you to hear Helen actually say the words?

Athena: I suspected it but was still a little shocked when she said it. It only added more questions to the fire.

Ashley: No, it would surprise me if she said it to Ben or Maddie. I’m sure it will eventually happen. For Helen to tell Donna didn’t surprise me, especially when Donna was in a bad spot between Ryn and humans. It seemed a reasonable time for Helen to tell Donna and gain her trust and understanding.

LaShonda: Something told me there was more than met the eye with Helen the more I observed her. Especially given her knowledge about sirens and the shop she owns.

Brigida: It didn’t surprise me because I suspected it all along. But I’m ecstatic to finally have a confirmation of it.

Lauren: I was pretty sure, but did still have a few doubts. So hearing it directly from Helen’s mouth was both surprising and great! Knowing that she is successful in living on land gives me hope for Ryn!

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6. Do you think Ryn will be able to convince Donna that Ben and Maddie are on their side and just trying to help the mermaids?

Athena: I doubt Ryn will have such luck. Her sister seems very solid with what she wants.

Ashley: No, because unlike Ryn, Donna has had a horrible and traumatic experience with humans. So her being defensive is expected.

LaShonda: I believe just like with Ryn, Donna will grow to learn. But while Donna was held in captivity, it’s going to take some time and convincing. Her sister Ryn is saying they are good people and they can help, maybe Donna can see the truth in that.

Brigida: I believe so, but it’s going to take a while. Donna suffered a lot in the hands of the government.

Lauren: I’m really not sure. I hope so! Seeing Donna going against her sister is one more problem our group doesn’t need.

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7. Helen has been strange since her first appearance. Do you think she wants something more from Donna and Ryn? Or does she really just want to help them?

Athena: I think there is a reason why she is on land. Although she seems like a great person, she may have a different motive besides helping the mermaids. Maybe something happened to her when she was younger that separated her from her family and now she wants to go back to the ocean. We’ll see.

Ashley: I think she just wants to help them decide if they will stay on land like her or go back into the water. I think Helen will have stories to tell and her reasons for why she wants both of them to return to the water. Maybe she was outcast and wants a family with someone like her.

LaShonda: So far, she has proven that she genuinely wants to help Ryn and Donna. But something tells me she is looking for something and needs them alive.

Brigida: Helen wants to help, but I think she also wants revenge from the humans who could have made her suffer in the past.

Lauren: I’ve had bad feelings about Helen since the beginning, and they’ve only intensified since getting the confirmation that she is a mermaid. She is definitely up to something!

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Final Verdict: Ryn and Donna may just end up on different sides of the battle that is sure to come!

We probably shouldn’t, but we are just loving the disagreement between Ryn and Donna. Seeing these two on opposite sides is definitely going to be fun to watch. The writing of their personalities and experiences has proved to be so impressive. There is a chance the sisters will find some common ground, but we’re betting these two are going to be at odds for at least a little while. Then we have Helen, who is a beautifully written character. We have no idea what side she’s going to end up on, but we have a feeling that whatever she is after, isn’t good.

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But we do have an ongoing issue with Ben’s family. We’re not really sure what their purpose is. Halfway through the first season, and they haven’t really proven to be useful for anything other than filler. There are some hints to a bigger story line with Ben’s brother and their issues with Ted. But they still haven’t amounted to much yet and we’re starting to feel as if their scenes are a waste of time. So if there is a point with them, we’re hoping to at least see a sign of that sometime soon. Otherwise, we would love more screen time for Ryn and Donna!

Speaking of Ben’s parents, Ben’s mother is having a fundraising gala next week that just may prove to be interesting. Especially when Ben and Maddie decide to make an appearance. We’re sure Ben isn’t going in support of his family, so we can’t wait to see the real reason behind the appearance. But there is also going to be another surprise guest at the gala, and we can’t wait to see who it is. Especially when they seem to have an idea on how to put an end to the over fishing problem Bristol Cove has been experiencing!

Siren returns Thursday, April 26th, 2018 on Freeform