In Stitchers Roundtable 3X08 “Dreamland,” we’re throwing a dysfunctional relationship pity party for the squad

All seems right with the world this week as Camsten are back on track. Cameron is back to his concerned self when Kirsten continues to have dreams she cannot remember. He suggest seeing a neurologist that he knows and promises to keep the results just between them. Across town, another couple is waking up together, but their morning is much more tense. Fisher is told by Stephanie that she has been offered the job in DC, and she asks him to move with her. When everyone arrives at the lab, their focus is on their latest victim, an ex-Air Force officer named Fred Overmeyer who is found in the middle of the desert. When Kirsten stitches into his memories, she is astonished to find possible evidence of a UFO and alien cover-up.

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Fisher and Camille head out to visit with Pog, a man who was receiving money from the deceased. They find out the money is actually for his sister Peggy, who turns out to be the other officer involved in the incident. Camsten go speak to Rudy, the attacked pilot, but he gives them little to go on. Kirsten meets with the neurologist, who turns out to be Cameron’s mother. Eventually, a second stitch reveals that Fred and Peggy played a prank on Rudy with an alien costume. When the guilt is too much, Fred goes to tell Rudy the truth and unintentionally talks himself into his murder. During this time, Cameron also uncovers what Ivy’s been hiding, leaving Kirsten and Linus breaking into her apartment for answers.

There was so much going on in this episode that the time just flew by! We had highs, we had lows, and we definitely geeked out on the references. So, let’s check in with our roundtable:

Allie (@alliejlanning) – Stitchers fandom Jane-of-all-trades

Lauren (@laurensloves13) – Australian made, Stitchers enthusiast, cat mom.

Bruce (@bruceeaton88) – Sci-fi, mac n’ cheese; yells at TV; usually polite, frequently lost.

Tess (@CamstenCupcake) – Administrative Assistant. Watching Stitchers & Camsten feels like home.

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1. Well, it seems pretty clear that Camanda is over. Do you think this has caused Camille permanent damage emotionally?

Allie (@alliejlanning): The sad part is, Camille is pretty used to losing people. Her parents, her brother, and many more. We know that she is constantly worried about how she can potentially sabotage a situation or relationship and it unfortunately looks like Camanda suffered that fate. I don’t think it’s left her permanently damaged emotionally or anything. She was just discovering how deep her feelings go for Amanda before they split. And while it sucked, I think Camille is too used to heartbreak at this point to feel anymore effects of this other than the “don’t say her name” syndrome. I still have hope that things will work out the best for them, though. I want Camille to be happy.

Lauren (@laurensloves13): Actually, it’s pretty heartening for me to see that Camille is just as snarky and standoffish as she’s been before, during and after this relationship. Yes, she fell hard for Amanda. Yes, she got her heart shredded. But is she dealing with it exactly how I hoped she would? Also yes. I would have been incredibly unhappy if Camille had physically crumbled after this experience. There’s obviously still an open wound for her emotionally, but I think it’ll heal, and she’s coming back to a place where that can happen.

Bruce (@bruceeaton88): Camille is already somewhat emotionally scarred from a lack of parenting and having to grow up being self sufficient. We saw the results of a rancid sibling rivalry develop early on and the subsequent blowup after the incursion of her adult brother back into her life. The relatively quick breakdown of Camanda was a terrible blow and inflicted a deep, forever emotional scar. But wait, this is Camille. She’s much stronger than her snarky, defensive exterior lets on. A Seth Rogen tweet from earlier this year nails Camille perfectly: “I make a concerted effort to actively appreciate every moment I’m not completely miserable.”

Tess (@CamstenCupcake): Camille’s trust definitely hasn’t gotten better while dating Amanda (cause Amanda gave up on her so quickly), even though Camille made a huge effort in trying to open up more. Camille tries to trust the Stitch squad and, apart from Ivy, she has come so far. Trust will always keep being a thing for Camille and with her childhood, I really get it. It’s brave that Camille tried opening up and hopefully she will keep doing so. Who knows what could happen in the future…

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2. Meanwhile, Fishanie has hit that all important moment where they must decide on their futures – together or apart. Were you surprised by how it went down?

Allie: Look, when Fisher told Camille that the team was his family, that struck home with me. I admire Fisher and Stephanie for trying to make it work a second time again, but they’ve both grown and changed since their marriage the first time. It was interesting to me that the reason for their split the first time (Fisher choosing work over her) was lined up with the reason for their split the second (her choosing work over him.) It’s interesting to me to see how Fisher’s motives have changed over the past three seasons. Before, this team and Kirsten were just a job….now, they’re family. Family is so important to this team.

Lauren: This is honestly how I expected it to go down. I have had theories in past weeks that Fisher would follow Stephanie, but his loyalty to both the program and the Stitchers team has always been so solid. There would be a gaping hole in the team dynamic without Fish in the mix. And his point to Stephanie, that she was choosing the job over him – he’s right, and if she’s too selfish to see that, then they really aren’t meant to be together after all.

Bruce: Ever since Stephanie told Quincy about the DC job I was reading doubt in his body language and in his eyes. As much as he played up in public the possibility of getting back together, there were lingering doubts in the private moments. His comment to Camille on their way into the cafe about being family – albeit a dysfunctional one – with the Stitchers group was, in effect, confirmation to stay. As much as I was pulling for Fishanie, I just wasn’t surprised by their last painfully awkward meeting as she was packing both their clothes for DC.

Tess: Unfortunately, work is again a breaking point for Fisher & Stephanie. They both don’t wanna hold each other back. Stephanie hoped they would move to Washington, DC together and Fisher even tried to look into a transfer, which wasn’t possible. Quincy loves his job and being a part of the Stitch squad, which is why he doesn’t wanna move, even if he could. I’m not surprised Fisher has doubts about leaving and I also understand that Stephanie does want the job she’s worked for her whole life. Maybe it’s for the best that they go their separate ways for now, otherwise they might end up resenting each other for it.

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3. We’re definitely loving the growing friendship between Camille and Fisher. Why do you think she is more open with him?

Allie: Everyone seems so swept up in their lives and the program that sometimes I feel like they can’t see anything beyond themselves. Fisher and Camille aren’t like that. They still remain with one foot in the real world and that helps keep them grounded. I think that’s why they are so much closer with each other.

Lauren: It’s no secret that Camille and Fisher are my absolute favourite Stitchers pairing, be it as friends or as something more. They just have this undeniable chemistry… anyway, my theory on why Camille is much more open with Fisher is that it’s because in some pretty big aspects, emotionally Camille is a lot older than some of her peers. Her living situation when she was younger forced her to grow up pretty quickly. Fisher has that extra few years on Kirsten and Linus; he’s lived a little more, seen a little more of the world, and experienced the ups and downs of emotions that Kirsten for example is still figuring out. Fisher has also never let Camille down, and I don’t think that she’s ever had someone like that in her life. I liked Camille’s term to Fisher in this episode; they’re each other’s safe space.

Bruce: She sees in Fisher a strong father figure, handsome and wise…if a little direct (“Get your head out of your ass”). Perhaps she also finds in him qualities of a genuinely nice big brother rather than her dirt bag real one.

Tess: I think Camille sees the big brother she never had in Fisher. Camille and Fisher really get each other and they’re able to help each other and work together in a great way. They’re both really tough and brave and relentless, which is why they match so well.

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4. We know that Lynne E. Litt was inspired by The X-Files for this episode. If you could choose the next show to be inspired by, which one would it be?

Allie: Okay, I have to be real for a moment, because from the very beginning; I have adored Lynne Litt’s writing. She tackles every episode with a certain kind of Stitchers knowledge that has me believing she can handle anything when it comes to these characters and she has these characters down to a tee. I trust her to write anything about this show and I’d absolutely believe it. This is a tough question for me, because I see Stitchers as constantly evolving with each week. This is what I love. This goes to show how much range and how talented the cast/crew who work on this show truly is. If I had to choose a show, though, probably something along the lines of Sleepy Hollow. But only from season 1.

Lauren: Glee, so we can all get that musical episode that we’re all positively dying for.

Bruce: Yikes, this a tough question. I’m taking y’all way back on this one.I offer actor/director Patrick McGoohan’s mid 60s ‘The Prisoner’. This broadly allegorical one-season masterpiece involves a disillusioned intelligence officer who resigns from the service and is soon thereafter kidnapped by unknowns. He awakens in a mysterious seaside village and is subject to relentless interrogation and psychological experiments, high tech surveillance, and a monitored privacy. He resists and plots his own counter intelligence. His escape attempts are continually thwarted as he struggles to unmask his captors and discover what they’re desperate to find out. Tons of potential storyline nooks and crannies, twists and turns, even more relevant today than fifty years ago.

Tess: Just like Kyle Harris, I barely know any movie or TV references in this show. I think the Riverdale reference in 1×07 is the only one I knew. I love all the references ‘cause it brings humor and lightness to the show and it makes Stitchers unique in its own way. I have no idea which one I would choose. For example, I really love the show “One Tree Hill” but I don’t see Stitchers referencing it at all…

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5. We got one step closer to Camsten admitting their love to one another. How did you feel about Cameron’s mother being the one speaking for each of them?

Allie: I don’t trust Cameron’s mother as far as I could throw her. This is a woman who is still bitter about her son leaving MIT to pursue his little ‘government tinker toys’. I understand, I guess, that she’s disappointed he left behind a promising career to move to L.A. What I don’t understand is why she’s trying to sabotage his relationship by speaking for the both of them. Is she really wanting to help Kirsten, hoping this helps her get closer to her son, or is she hoping that by prying deep enough that she can fracture what they have and his heartbreak will lead him back to the “safe” life she wanted for him?

Lauren: While Cameron’s mother still seems to be a little too distant for my own liking, fact of the matter is, the term ‘mother knows best’ exists for a reason. If one of their friends or colleagues came to Kirsten and Cameron and blatantly put it on the table that the pair were in love, it could easily be shrugged off or pushed aside, but for someone who is a relative outsider but still has a vested interest to make the statement makes it more believable.

Bruce: Oh, good grief, wasn’t that the epitome of strained familial relations. No wonder Cameron’s estranged from his overbearing mother. On the flip side, mom’s meddling brought into focus the couple’s undeclared feelings that might bring Camsten closer together. And Kirsten likes her! They were necessarily awkward exchanges but oddly fun to watch. I might have even yelled at the TV.

Tess: I love that even though Marion doesn’t know anything about the relationship between Cameron & Kirsten and she hasn’t been in touch with her son, she can immediately tell that they love each other. It’s the truth, they really do love each other. I can’t wait to hear Camsten say ILY for real, it’s gonna be the best thing ever. I’ve read some spoilers and it might be coming soon. I’m so glad that Cameron has learned from his mistake and he immediately told Kirsten about Ivy when he found out. Now Kirsten has to make the same effort, ‘cause she didn’t tell Cameron about going to Ivy’s house with Linus to look for clues. Cameron & Kirsten are always dealing with a lot in their personal lives, their jobs and in their relationship and they’re still learning how to be fully honest to each other. I have faith in them! Also, I definitely think that there is something wrong with Kirsten’s test results, and I hope we’ll find out what next episode.

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6. Now that Ivy’s biggest secrets are out, do you think she’s lost everyone’s trust forever? Even Linus??

Allie: I don’t care what anyone says, I’m still Team Ivy. I think she gets a bad rap for the Stinger thing. Daniel Stinger plays games and we know this. There’s no doubt in my mind that he set Ivy up with that anomaly on her computer. Come on, this is Ivy. She’s smart, she’s very smart and she would know better than to just leave something like that on her computer-knowing her entire group of friends don’t trust her. I think if she has lost them, it wouldn’t be fair to her.

Lauren: OK, so this was actually the hardest part of the episode for me to watch. I jumped on Team Ivy a few weeks ago, and even though I’ve also pointed out in the past that Ivy’s continued contact with Stinger was going to shatter her relationship with Kirsten, it’s still really upsetting to me now that it’s out in the open. Ivy never had Camille’s trust in the first place, and Cameron’s never been 100% on board either, but now that Linus and Kirsten know the truth as well, it’s going to be really hard for those relationships to be mended. Kirsten gets so angry so quickly, her reactions almost border on vengeance, and she always takes a lot of convincing to be brought back around. Linus is more trusting, and more willing to listen to all sides of the story, but Ivy has inconsistent with him, but I’m hopeful he’ll be able to be talked back around.

Bruce: It seems Ivy’s mask of innocence and denial was hiding a heart full of betrayal. Now revealed as the manipulator behind the mysterious boy anomaly in the stitch, Ivy will no longer has any credibility on which to stand. Once the news spreads to the whole team the trust is gone for good. Linus has lost his father, experienced a false start with Camille, and watches the bromance with Cameron start to dissolve as Cameron draws closer and closer to Kirsten. Still, Linus might be more forgiving than the others, even in this situation. But surely it will be the most severe of emotional tests for someone who possesses the kindest of souls.

Tess: Ivy definitely owes it to Kirsten to explain the anomaly cause she actually could have killed Kirsten. It was an extreme and very, very wrong thing to do and Kirsten won’t forgive Ivy for that. The only way for Ivy and Kirsten to work is if Ivy will completely open up to Kirsten about everything she knows about Stinger. Linus first wants to know the whole truth before he makes any decisions, which I admire him for. Ivy has got a lot of explaining to do to both Kirsten and Linus.

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7. How do you think Maggie’s going to handle Ivy/Stinger being out of the bag? Will she have to tell everyone what she asked Ivy to do?

Allie: Maggie needs to come clean. She expects everyone else to be transparent with her, yet, she is keeping all of these secrets. I understand it’s to protect them, but by not giving them answers, they are searching for them themselves – which can turn out to be even more dangerous. The best and most effective method for Maggie to remain trusted is for her to open up to the team and tell them about what she asked Ivy to do. Not continue to water the seeds of doubt they already have planted.

Lauren: There may well be a mutiny on Maggie’s hands if the plan for Ivy isn’t laid out for the rest of the team to see. Camille at the very least would be able to understand the position Ivy has been put in, given her similar mission with Liam. Without knowledge that Ivy is under NSA orders, the rest of the team all have displayed their determination to play by their own rules, and could very well put themselves in danger on their search for the truth. Maggie has to protect her team, and keeping secrets has not worked well for anyone in the past.

Bruce: Umm, I’ll have to get back to you on that one. Maggie’s a little closed-mouth on the internal workings of the operation. And she’s not returning my calls. But seriously, Maggie’s going to need an extra-firm hand in dealing with these explosive revelations, particularly due to the web of familial and emotional entanglements. She almost certainly will have to lay out everything on the table. The squad will experience some rocky moments that will test the team’s integrity and unity. Ultimately, Maggie will lose one of the team in the chaos.

Tess: I really hope Ivy working with Maggie might work for Kirsten and Ivy’s relationship. I hope Maggie will tell everyone soon, and that we’ll find out soon if she asked Ivy to work with Stinger again. Hopefully Ivy leads Stinger to Kirsten so she can finally stitch into her mother to learn the whole truth once and for all.

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Final Verdict: In Stitchers 3X08 “Dreamland,” the least surprisingly revelation to us was the alien!

With only two more (*gasp*) episodes left in Stitchers season three, we’re definitely getting an idea of what kind of conflicts might be coming our squad’s way. While we’re supremely relieved that Fisher chose to stay with the team, we are worried about how things with Stephanie went. We had heart eyes over Kirsten wanting for Cameron and his mother to reconcile. We’re almost willing to forgive the fact that we weren’t given a real Camsten declaration of love. Unfortunately, Kirsten’s own family drama is just getting worse, and Ivy’s big secret is sure to cause major repercussions with her. Then, there’s Linus…our poor poor Linus. He and Camille just can’t catch any breaks. All we can say is that we’ll be glad when Maggie comes back and sorts things out in her Mama Bear way!

Stitchers returns next Monday, August 7th at 9/8C on Freeform.