244: Harlequin

In this episode of Woe.Begone, the residents of the MatPak apartment complex continue their efforts to live fully in the present after a period of chaotic time travel. The episode opens with a guided meditation led by M-Dog, which New Mike struggles to stay in due to physical discomfort and the lingering presence of Boris, who spent three days drilling holes in the ceiling to install a rooftop hatch. The rooftop becomes a symbol of their reclaimed present moment, a space for meditation, gardening, and connection. However, tension arises when Matt disappears after losing an Ibis Society coin, and a crow delivers the coin to the duo in a mysterious trade, suggesting Matt may be involved with the secretive Ibis Society. The group investigates further, confronting MW in his apartment, who reveals he’s been communicating with crows and has his own hidden agenda. The episode escalates when Texdog informs them that Michael has been arrested for allegedly investigating Mike’s disappearance, prompting New Mike to refuse time travel despite the urgency. The episode ends with a failed attempt at transport, replaced by a surreal, recursive loop of nonsense phrases—"Nanu nanu"—highlighting the absurdity and emotional weight of their fractured reality. The central theme is the struggle between embracing the present and being pulled back into the chaos of time travel, memory, and hidden conspiracies.