This week’s FREQUENCY ended with a warning that the Sullivan family was most definitely in the sights of the Nightingale Killer. After Raimy and Frank managed to save an old Nightingale victim in the past, she was later murdered by the serial killer in the new present the father and daughter team had created. But it was the discovery of something with this victim that will cause even more problems for the Sullivans.
During a visit to the FREQUENCY set in Vancouver*, the cast spoke to journalists about this week’s case, Frank being blackmailed and whether Julie is finally going to realize she’s in danger.
Understanding the Timeline. A criminal named Karl Pierce (played by Curtis Armstrong) told Raimy that he was speaking to his future self, which indicated that someone else out there might have the same ability she does. But does Raimy actually believe that someone else could be changing up the timeline? Peyton List (Raimy Sullivan) said that “I think a lot of times, with Raimy and with Frank, dealing with the idea of the ham radio and what it allows them to do, they’re forced into a lot of situations where they can go down so many different roads with it and they kind of have to prioritize, to a certain degree, where you take in so much information where you go, ‘You know what? If that’s not pertinent right now, throw it out, move it along.’ [Karl] does float that idea of, ‘how do you know you’re not the only one?’ I think, for them, they’re going, ‘I just can’t think about that right now because we haven’t even begun to figure out how to control the situation that we need to control. That is something we can’t control. We’re not gonna worry about it right now.’ But is a very interesting sort of wrench to throw in because, all of sudden, if you have other people messing with the timeline, it’s a bit of a problem.” In the end Raimy dismissed Karl as a crazy killer, but could someone else pop up that is actually speaking to the past or the future?
That Family Photo. If the Nightingale Killer didn’t really know the Sullivan family before, he certainly does now, and it doesn’t look like Julie’s death will be a twist of fate. After beating up Frank in the past, the killer grabbed his wallet. Later, the victim was clutching an old photo of the Sullivan family when her body was discovered in the present. The discovery of this photo is going to change things for Raimy. List hinted that “It does change things quite a bit because it sort of takes your anonymity out of it. When you’re the one chasing them, all of a sudden, I think what that says is: ‘I know you’re after me and I know who you are and I just flipped the mirror around.’ And I think that’s unnerving because they’re hardly ever in that position. So they don’t know how much he knows or what he means by something, but he definitely meant something by leaving it. It was kind of a blatant act, so I think that, for Raimy, is a bit unnerving. She likes to be in control and she likes to have a plan and that sort of pulls the rug out from under her.” Riley Smith (Frank Sullivan) also hinted that this photo would lead to Raimy and Frank opening their eyes more about this situation: “We’re starting to realize that somehow he’s always a step ahead of us, and so that’s at least allowing us to realize that and try to figure out how that is. Not only now are we looking for him, but we’re also trying to look for ‘where is he?’ and ‘how is he ahead of us?'”
Frank and Julie. We’ve seen this couple’s relationship disintegrate after Frank returned from his undercover stint. And while Julie has told Frank that they’re over, there may be hope for them yet. Devin Kelley (Julie Sullivan) said that “I think that’s the Ross and Rachel of it all. Do we want them together, do we not want them together? I think it’s one step forward, two steps back – any time Jules opens the door a bit more, Frank seems to mess it up somehow. So I think Julie wants to, but Frank needs to step up his game, he needs to get it together and stop being crazy.”
The Blackmail. The Sullivan family photo may have capped off a dramatic episode, but another photo indicated trouble for one Sullivan in particular. Specifically, Stan Moreno now appears to be blackmailing Frank about a relationship he had while undercover. And while the Nightingale Killer is a big danger to Frank and his family, so is Stan, according to Smith: “Stan is making Frank’s life really difficult. And as far as how he’s gonna handle it with Julie, I think — the thing that I always love about Frank is that I think he’s a very morally correct and grounded guy. And even though he’s been put in some situations that have made him do certain things, I think that they justify that, and I think he’s gonna own up to it. He’s a morally correct guy, and he doesn’t shy away from the truth. He’ll call a spade a spade. There’s reasons for the things that he did undercover — and we are gonna find out more things that he has gotten himself into — but they’re all for the greater reason, the bigger reason, which is to save his wife and daughter.”
Julie is Opening Her Eyes. Some FREQUENCY fans may have been frustrated at how easily Julie dismissed Frank’s concerns about her own safety, but it seems like this episode may have changed things. Kelley said that “For so long, for several episodes, she’s writing Frank off – ‘you’re talking to a radio, you’ve lost your mind, you need to see someone.’ But as the news is gaining traction, it’s unavoidable at this point that this person is a threat. Frank really does have her best interests in mind and Jules has to put her ego aside – she’s a strong woman like ‘I wanna protect myself, I’ve been protecting myself for two years, I can do this without you.’ She has to get off her high horse and realize ‘I really could be the next one.’ My sister texted me after the last episode and was like ‘I just called Julie a dumbass – I’m sorry, but take the gun! You’re in trouble, what’s your problem?’ I get it, but she’s trying to be tough.” Here’s to hoping Julie stops trying to be independently tough soon, because Smith warns that “The stakes rise every episode, and [Frank] does get more and more desperate [to deal with the Nightingale Killer]. And the things that he’s doing become more illegal and tricky. The ends start outweighing the means.”
Don’t miss all new episodes of FREQUENCY on Wednesdays at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on The CW.
*Travel and accommodation provided by Warner Bros. Television