Alias 4.13: "Tuesday"
Written by Drew Goddard and Breen Frazier
Directed by Frederick Toye
In which Sydney is buried alive when a mission goes wrong, and Marshall becomes the only agent available to save her when APO is struck by a biological attack…
Status Report
After proving that the strengths of the writing staff reside within the strength of the season arc, this episode oddly deviates from that logic. Instead of delivering any kind of follow-up to the revelations of the previous episode, a stand-alone installment (once meant to be episode 16) is shoved into the schedule. There could be any number of reasons for that (including post-production issues on the more energetic episodes), but it would be nice to think that the network and producers agreed that a stand-alone episode could use the ratings help provided by a new episode of “Lost”.
As predicted, despite the arc elements, many blame the extensive use of subtitles for the ratings slump. This is not necessarily the problem, though it doesn’t help. Prior to “The Orphan” was “The Road Home”, a terrible episode that gave little reason for the audience to come back for more. Ratings for episodic television often reflect the audience’s opinion of the previous week’s episode. Add to that the competition of the “American Idol” results show, and the effect is that much worse.
So, this is the possible logic: use “Lost” to bolster the remaining stand-alone episode, and then run the rest of the season arc in consecutive weeks to maximize the effect of the ongoing narrative. Nothing in this episode really dictates a specific slot in the episode order, so this is relatively safe bet. It doesn’t hurt that this is perhaps the best of the stand-alone episodes this season.
This shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. Drew Goddard’s specialty on “Buffy” and “Angel” was his ability to give secondary characters a satisfying focus. In this case, he gives Marshall an episode filled with highlights. Marshall gets to retain his personality traits while also demonstrating that his “secret agent” skills have evolved since his last field operation.
The writers do take a bit of a gamble by placing all of their focus on Marshall and his impromptu field op. Sydnye’s mission and its unfortunate turn, coupled with the release of a biological agent in the APO HQ, is nothing more than a setup for placing Marshall in the driver’s seat. Thankfully, the writers didn’t drop the ball in making that setup compelling on its own. While Marshall deals with domestic troubles (fatherhood is tough enough without a secret agent job!), Sydney gets herself buried alive.
It’s great to see Carrie again (she’s gorgeous, and should really be on screen more often), and in many ways, it helps to see Marshall suffering with the same issues that Sydney and Dixon have dealt with in seasons past. The writers don’t linger on it, which is actually a good choice. The plot moves forward at a good pace, so the focus on one character doesn’t result in a lack of action.
From the description for this episode, one might have easily concluded that the biological attack on APO would be a major plot thread. It takes down Dixon, but his condition is never really an issue. It’s all about the fact that Sydney is buried alive and none of the regular agents can get out of lockdown. The agents aren’t used to feeling so helpless, and it gives them all a chance to demonstrate their acting skills. This is especially true since they all have to convey their personal fears and grief while maintaining a stiff upper lip for the rest of the team.
One thing that’s great to see is Sloane’s drive. It’s one thing when Nadia’s life is in jeopardy; by his twisted logic, she’s supposed to be protected. But he’s always felt a certain love and paternal responsibility to Sydney, and it shines through in this episode. When Sloane gets complex, even in the most indirect manner, it gives the episode more gravitas. Sloane is an effective leader in this episode, frightening as the thought might be. He may not be very trustworthy, but when it comes to reaching a goal, he knows how to manage his resources.
Marshall displays a confidence that hasn’t been present in the past, and it’s a lot of fun to see him take his usual frenetic personality and apply it more efficiently to the task. Unfortunately, in the process of displaying Marshall’s ability to improvise in the field, the writers do make a few minor logical errors. For one, it’s hard to believe that APO could change the laws of physics so that Marshall can get from somewhere in Los Angeles to Havana by air, then outside the city, within the amount of time that it would take for Sydney to run out of oxygen. That might have been a double wide coffin (for two bodies to lay side by side), but Sydney had been in that thing for hours before waking up. With only a few cubic feet of breathable air in the coffin, she would have been dead before Marshall got onto his first connecting flight!
Granted, she was more or less dead once Marshall got to her (ignoring the time it would take to dig through all that dirt), and Marshall got to give Sydney some CPR (which looked more realistic than it usually does on TV, though still way off). But he’s also doing this in broad daylight, which poses a reasonable question: why aren’t the terrorists watching to eliminate Sydney’s allies as well? If the point is sending a message for Third Faction, letting Sydney be rescued doesn’t quite work well.
While the first half of the episode allows Marshall to rescue Sydney a little too conveniently, it does work in terms of presenting Sydney in a no-win situation. It reminds the audience (and Jack and Sloane) that no matter what kind of plan they might have, any prophecy can be derailed by simple chance. If Marshall hadn’t been available, Sydney would be dead. No Sydney, no prophecy, no bringing forth of works at vulgar cost. (Unless, of course, one takes the cynical view that Sydney was never going to die since she is “protected” by the prophecy, so it’s not like she was really in danger. Oh, and the fact that you don’t kill your star!)
In contrast to their last mission together, Sydney seems to respect Marshall’s ability a lot more. It’s not just a matter of getting him to do his job while she plays the lead. They work as a team. For that matter, Jack shows a lot more patience with Marshall than he has in the past. No doubt part of it is his role in saving Sydney, but Jack also doesn’t get snippy. He tells Marshall what to do and seems to appreciate that the tech geek is doing what needs to be done. (This is especially true when it comes to the removal of an eye, which involves a “spork”, in one very amusing moment!)
The writers could easily have written this episode so that Marshall shifted into a subservient role once Sydney was rescued. Keeping him in a prominent role provides some strong and welcome character development. Kevin Wiseman is too often left in the office, dispensing technical exposition; his range is seldom utilized. Beyond giving a minor character a chance to shine, one can only hope that this is foreshadowing an expanded role for Marshall later in the season.
Enjoyment of this episode depends entirely upon one’s appreciation of Marshall and his personality type. For those who prefer Marshall in small doses, this is not the ideal episode. For that reason alone, the episode may not be well received by those looking for Sydney in tight, revealing clothes. But for long-term fans who appreciate Marshall and his character evolution, this is a real treat. If it truly is the last stand-alone of the season, giving way to a long and exciting resolution to the somewhat subdued season arc, it’s a solid piece of entertainment.
Final Analysis
Overall, this episode manages to work despite being completely disconnected from the season arc, unlike many of the stand-alone episodes thus far. Developing an episode around Marshall was a bit of a risk, but it pays off in the end, despite some logical errors along the way. While this works as a one-time exploration of a minor character, however, the series needs to find its focus again before the plot arc gets lost in the shuffle.
Writing: 1/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4
Final Rating: 7/10
Season Average (as of 4.13): 7.4
Directed by Frederick Toye
In which Sydney is buried alive when a mission goes wrong, and Marshall becomes the only agent available to save her when APO is struck by a biological attack…
Status Report
After proving that the strengths of the writing staff reside within the strength of the season arc, this episode oddly deviates from that logic. Instead of delivering any kind of follow-up to the revelations of the previous episode, a stand-alone installment (once meant to be episode 16) is shoved into the schedule. There could be any number of reasons for that (including post-production issues on the more energetic episodes), but it would be nice to think that the network and producers agreed that a stand-alone episode could use the ratings help provided by a new episode of “Lost”.
As predicted, despite the arc elements, many blame the extensive use of subtitles for the ratings slump. This is not necessarily the problem, though it doesn’t help. Prior to “The Orphan” was “The Road Home”, a terrible episode that gave little reason for the audience to come back for more. Ratings for episodic television often reflect the audience’s opinion of the previous week’s episode. Add to that the competition of the “American Idol” results show, and the effect is that much worse.
So, this is the possible logic: use “Lost” to bolster the remaining stand-alone episode, and then run the rest of the season arc in consecutive weeks to maximize the effect of the ongoing narrative. Nothing in this episode really dictates a specific slot in the episode order, so this is relatively safe bet. It doesn’t hurt that this is perhaps the best of the stand-alone episodes this season.
This shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. Drew Goddard’s specialty on “Buffy” and “Angel” was his ability to give secondary characters a satisfying focus. In this case, he gives Marshall an episode filled with highlights. Marshall gets to retain his personality traits while also demonstrating that his “secret agent” skills have evolved since his last field operation.
The writers do take a bit of a gamble by placing all of their focus on Marshall and his impromptu field op. Sydnye’s mission and its unfortunate turn, coupled with the release of a biological agent in the APO HQ, is nothing more than a setup for placing Marshall in the driver’s seat. Thankfully, the writers didn’t drop the ball in making that setup compelling on its own. While Marshall deals with domestic troubles (fatherhood is tough enough without a secret agent job!), Sydney gets herself buried alive.
It’s great to see Carrie again (she’s gorgeous, and should really be on screen more often), and in many ways, it helps to see Marshall suffering with the same issues that Sydney and Dixon have dealt with in seasons past. The writers don’t linger on it, which is actually a good choice. The plot moves forward at a good pace, so the focus on one character doesn’t result in a lack of action.
From the description for this episode, one might have easily concluded that the biological attack on APO would be a major plot thread. It takes down Dixon, but his condition is never really an issue. It’s all about the fact that Sydney is buried alive and none of the regular agents can get out of lockdown. The agents aren’t used to feeling so helpless, and it gives them all a chance to demonstrate their acting skills. This is especially true since they all have to convey their personal fears and grief while maintaining a stiff upper lip for the rest of the team.
One thing that’s great to see is Sloane’s drive. It’s one thing when Nadia’s life is in jeopardy; by his twisted logic, she’s supposed to be protected. But he’s always felt a certain love and paternal responsibility to Sydney, and it shines through in this episode. When Sloane gets complex, even in the most indirect manner, it gives the episode more gravitas. Sloane is an effective leader in this episode, frightening as the thought might be. He may not be very trustworthy, but when it comes to reaching a goal, he knows how to manage his resources.
Marshall displays a confidence that hasn’t been present in the past, and it’s a lot of fun to see him take his usual frenetic personality and apply it more efficiently to the task. Unfortunately, in the process of displaying Marshall’s ability to improvise in the field, the writers do make a few minor logical errors. For one, it’s hard to believe that APO could change the laws of physics so that Marshall can get from somewhere in Los Angeles to Havana by air, then outside the city, within the amount of time that it would take for Sydney to run out of oxygen. That might have been a double wide coffin (for two bodies to lay side by side), but Sydney had been in that thing for hours before waking up. With only a few cubic feet of breathable air in the coffin, she would have been dead before Marshall got onto his first connecting flight!
Granted, she was more or less dead once Marshall got to her (ignoring the time it would take to dig through all that dirt), and Marshall got to give Sydney some CPR (which looked more realistic than it usually does on TV, though still way off). But he’s also doing this in broad daylight, which poses a reasonable question: why aren’t the terrorists watching to eliminate Sydney’s allies as well? If the point is sending a message for Third Faction, letting Sydney be rescued doesn’t quite work well.
While the first half of the episode allows Marshall to rescue Sydney a little too conveniently, it does work in terms of presenting Sydney in a no-win situation. It reminds the audience (and Jack and Sloane) that no matter what kind of plan they might have, any prophecy can be derailed by simple chance. If Marshall hadn’t been available, Sydney would be dead. No Sydney, no prophecy, no bringing forth of works at vulgar cost. (Unless, of course, one takes the cynical view that Sydney was never going to die since she is “protected” by the prophecy, so it’s not like she was really in danger. Oh, and the fact that you don’t kill your star!)
In contrast to their last mission together, Sydney seems to respect Marshall’s ability a lot more. It’s not just a matter of getting him to do his job while she plays the lead. They work as a team. For that matter, Jack shows a lot more patience with Marshall than he has in the past. No doubt part of it is his role in saving Sydney, but Jack also doesn’t get snippy. He tells Marshall what to do and seems to appreciate that the tech geek is doing what needs to be done. (This is especially true when it comes to the removal of an eye, which involves a “spork”, in one very amusing moment!)
The writers could easily have written this episode so that Marshall shifted into a subservient role once Sydney was rescued. Keeping him in a prominent role provides some strong and welcome character development. Kevin Wiseman is too often left in the office, dispensing technical exposition; his range is seldom utilized. Beyond giving a minor character a chance to shine, one can only hope that this is foreshadowing an expanded role for Marshall later in the season.
Enjoyment of this episode depends entirely upon one’s appreciation of Marshall and his personality type. For those who prefer Marshall in small doses, this is not the ideal episode. For that reason alone, the episode may not be well received by those looking for Sydney in tight, revealing clothes. But for long-term fans who appreciate Marshall and his character evolution, this is a real treat. If it truly is the last stand-alone of the season, giving way to a long and exciting resolution to the somewhat subdued season arc, it’s a solid piece of entertainment.
Final Analysis
Overall, this episode manages to work despite being completely disconnected from the season arc, unlike many of the stand-alone episodes thus far. Developing an episode around Marshall was a bit of a risk, but it pays off in the end, despite some logical errors along the way. While this works as a one-time exploration of a minor character, however, the series needs to find its focus again before the plot arc gets lost in the shuffle.
Writing: 1/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4
Final Rating: 7/10
Season Average (as of 4.13): 7.4
posted by John Keegan | 15:02
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