DISCLAIMER: This recap of SurrealEstate Season 2 Episode 8, “Let Sleeping Dogs Lie,” contains spoilers. Proceed at your peril.
What do mothers have in common with werewolves? Not much, but both get the spotlight in this week’s delightfully entertaining SurrealEstate episode. “Let Sleeping Dogs Lie” might be my favorite episode so far. It boasts the best aspects of this series: it’s funny, heartfelt, campy, cheesy and full of whimsy. There’s also a nice balance between the humor and heart.

Luke’s scenes with his mother profoundly resonate with me as someone whose own relationship with her mom is trauma-personified. It’s beautifully acted and filmed. Luke moves through the five stages of grief realistically. His anger is justified and understandable. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t imagine myself blowing up like that on my mother.
Lomax continues to kill it. I hope she sticks around after the crew saves Susan. She’s a breath of fresh air with a sharp wit to match. Similarly, I think the Malachi family’s physicality as dogs is well-executed. I love the idea of the show subverting expectations by making them possessed by animal spirits instead of confirming the existence of werewolves. It’s a clever way to flesh out the intricacies of this universe’s mythology.
Ready to delve into “Let Sleeping Dogs Lie”? Let’s get to it.
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All Bite and No Bark
We open with Phil (Adam Korson) experiencing a real-life horror movie in his home. Thankfully, it’s merely his infant child who hasn’t yet mastered the art of nighttime sleeping. Meanwhile, Luke (Tim Rozon) bowls at Funland. He talks to his father, although his Luke Tingle hasn’t returned yet. He tells his late dad that he’s going to visit his mother. Then, he relays the same info to Phil over the phone. Phil wishes him luck before resuming his duties as The World’s Most Adorable Dad™.
Then, Lomax (Elena Juatco) waltzes into The Roman Agency. She starts her work day with coffee and a resignation letter. Lomax pulls up her pant leg to reveal a gnarly bite mark on her calf. Is it from a dog? Perhaps…

New Choices and New Clients
Later, we see Luke on the phone with Zooey (Savannah Basley) as he’s en route to drop by his mom’s unannounced. Zooey reveals she has a list of potential career paths since real estate didn’t pan out. She asks Luke if you have to like people to be a therapist. (Generally, yes.) Luke encourages her to pursue what she’s great at instead of the thing she loves.
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Next, Lomax meets with the Malachi family: Clive (Justin Gerard Nurse) and Reva (Paula Morgan) and their kids Hayden (Gage Graham-Arbuthnot) and Katherine (Riley Coombes Lush). The Malachis are overly enthusiastic and bubbly. It’s draining, all that toxic positivity. They’ve just purchased a new home.
Afterward, Lomax chats with August (Maurice Dean Wint) about what science is at its most basic components. Zooey informs Lomax that, unfortunately, the Malachis didn’t fill out all the requisite paperwork. It’s dated for that day, so Lomax needs to visit them pronto. Zooey tells Lomax that Luke is big on A.S.S. — After-Sale Service. Auggie reminds Zooey that Luke has never used that acronym. I love Zooey so much.
A.S.S.
Later, Lomax stops by the Malachi home with the closing docs they need to sign. Their aggressive niceness instantly turns her off, but she puts on a brave face. Lomax notices the family of four is acting strangely, from sniffing her to moving like animals and licking themselves. She even discovers bite marks on the back of one of her heels. Reva persuades Lomax to join them for lunch the following day. Get that A.S.S., girl.
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While outside, Lomax encounters Hayden and Katherine standing in front of her car. They’re holding hands. A pair of eyes glow from the darkness. It’s all looking positively supernatural. Next, Lomax presents her theory to Zooey and Auggie. She believes the Malachis are werewolves. Zooey laughs aloud while Auggie feels it’s more likely that the family’s just weird than werewolves.

However, if she’s curious, she should ask Phil. Lycanthropy is his bag. After Lomax departs, Zooey presents her job ideas to Auggie. He believes she needs to think bigger. Zooey’s meant to accomplish great things. Zooey vents about wanting to seek advice from Susan, but the latter is seemingly hellbent on icing everyone out. Auggie encourages her to head to Susan’s house. Get that advice.
Victoria Roman
Meanwhile, Luke meets his mother, Victoria (Jennifer Dale), a real estate agent. Like mother, like son. They talk about the house she’s standing in, as it’s from her client. Victoria senses he might be her son when he introduces himself as Luke. However, her suspicions are confirmed when Luke hands her his business card. There it is — his full name for her to see. It’s a reunion to remember.
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Elsewhere, Lomax chats with Phil about her potential werewolf clients. She reveals her lunch plans with the Malachis. Phil urges her to attend since it’s during the day. The daylight will mitigate any lycan symptoms. Meanwhile, Luke and Victoria fill each other in on their lives. Luke reveals his dad’s passing, to which Victoria offers her condolences. The conversation takes a turn for the caustic and bitter when Luke’s anger bubbles to the surface. Hey, as someone whose mother is also not in her life, I get it. Luke storms out.
Lunchtime From Hell
Next, Lomax arrives at the Malachis for lunch. She spots Katherine in the woods doing werewolf stuff. Inside, Reva offers bowls full of raw hamburger meat as their lunchtime meal. Clive, Reva, Hayden and Katherine move like dogs, eventually settling to practically inhale the raw hamburger meat. Lomax procures a squeaky ball from her purse. She throws it behind them, hoping it acts as a distraction. She flees with the Malachis hot on their heels.

At the agency, Auggie examines the bite mark on Lomax’s calf. He encourages her to get a tetanus shot and antibiotics. And yes, Reva bit her. Mama Wolf doesn’t play.
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Putting Up a Fight
Then, Zooey arrives at Susan’s home. She calls out for her friend. Suddenly, the blinds close simultaneously. Not to be deterred, Zooey breaks into Susan’s house through the backdoor. The Smart Home Device (Patrick Kwok-Choon) tags her as an intruder. Zooey calls out for Susan. When she doesn’t respond, the Smart Home Device offers some advice regarding Zooey’s life path: it tells her to take her own life. Zooey bites back at the AI for being an asshole. She asks it to tell her where Susan is. It proceeds to be a smartass, as you do when you’re a robot.
Finally, Zooey unplugs the Smart Home Device, having had enough of its crap. While exploring the house, she stumbles upon something remarkable. Zooey sees Susan (Sarah Levy) inside the floor-length mirror. Susan holds the same kitchen knife that the AI suggested Zooey use to kill herself. Susan begs Zooey to help her before vanishing. Oh, that’s not good. Zooey texts Auggie for help; however, the Smart Home AI responds with a generic automated text on Auggie’s behalf.
Next, Zooey feels the walls literally closing in on her as the Smart Home AI tries to squish her to death. Zooey wriggles free of the closing walls, finding a door to freedom at the other end of a long hallway. Damn, this thing is unadulterated evil.
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Bonding at the Bar
Meanwhile, Victoria finds Luke at the bar. She reveals she’s a recovering alcoholic, so she’s had to battle her fair share of demons. She gives Luke much-needed (and deserved) context regarding why she walked out on him when he was three. Like Luke, Victoria heard voices. After giving birth, she didn’t feel like herself. That sounds like textbook postpartum depression. Anyway, she thought she was standing in Luke’s way and that he would be better off without her. Victoria has regretted her decision ever since, wishing she could undo it.

Luke reveals he used to hear the voices, but not anymore. Victoria places her hand over his to comfort him. Suddenly, both start shaking as the deafening voices flood back to Luke, courtesy of his mom. It’s like a light switch for him.
Later, Luke walks his mother to her car. She asks if she can call him sometime. Luke calls her “mom” and suggests they chat on Sundays. Aw. I love a happy ending.
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Bark at the Moon
At the agency, Phil reveals the grounds around the Malachi property used to be a pet cemetery. He tells Lomax that she needs a statue of St. Francis, the patron saint of the environment and animals, to place in their yard. That should direct the animal spirits out of the Malachi family. Phil knows a guy who owns a statuary. Meanwhile, Uncle Auggie hangs out with Phil’s kid, and it’s beyond sweet.
Later, Lomax visits Phil’s friend at Ed’s All-Night Statuary, who gets her a St. Francis statue. Once she’s on the Malachi property, Phil calls her to inform her to place the statue on the northwest side of the garden (of what used to be the pet cemetery). The Malachis discover her outside their house. They chase her, acting like bona fide werewolves. Lomax places the statue where it needs to be. Then, the moonlight strikes it just in time as the Malachis return to their usual selves. Animal spirits, begone!

Bringing Down the House
Back at the agency, Lomax sets her letter of resignation on fire. She writes one every week before burning it. It’s cathartic for her. Luke approaches Auggie after his trip, asking where Zooey is. Auggie knows Zooey planned to visit Susan, but she hasn’t returned. They immediately call her. We see Zooey lying on the ground outside Susan’s home. Her face is bleeding in a few spots. It appears the building literally tossed her out. Suddenly, that kitchen knife flies toward her. Thankfully, she rolls out of the way in time.
This house is officially on notice. Nobody messes with my Zooey.
RELATED: Keep up on the haunted housing market with our SurrealEstate recaps!
Do you think our gang can save Susan in time? Did Luke’s physical contact with his mom revive his Luke Tingle? What career path will Zooey choose? Only time (and two more episodes) will tell.
SurrealEstate airs new episodes every Wednesday at 10/9c on your Syfy affiliate.
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