24 5.6: "Day 5: 12PM -1PM"

Written by David Fury
Directed by Jon Cassar

In which Jack attempts to get to Walt Cummings before he can aid the terrorists more than he already has, and in the process, uncovers the true motive behind the terrorist attack…


Status Report

This episode was written by David Fury, who cut his teeth under Joss Whedon on “Buffy” and “Angel”. Some fans were somewhat concerned over the idea of a “fantasy” writer coming on board a series like “24”, but it wasn’t the content of his previous material that got him the job. It was the fact that Joss Whedon’s series were highly structured, often incorporating several ongoing plot threads within a relatively self-contained episode. Also, Fury himself had gained a reputation for pulling together a complex script in a matter of days, which is the kind of timeframe that “24” producers apparently consider the professional norm.

When it comes to “24”, it becomes difficult to separate the sins of one episode from the merits of another. One hour can end on a ludicrous plot twist, which then sets the direction for the next hour. In this case, the idea of Jack Bauer hunting down Walt Cummings to answer for conspiracy charges was a bit over the top. It was Fury’s responsibility to make sense of it and carry the story forward.

Logically, both Bill and Lynn object to the idea of exacting revenge on Walt, since that sort of vigilante justice is largely frowned upon within anti-terrorist circles. Once again blurring the lines between lawful action and apparent necessity, the writers present a number of cases where individuals act out of sense of “ends justify the means”. Jack seems to be the good guy in all of this, but without any lawful authority, how are his choices any different from Walt’s choices?

After all, Walt claims to have worked with the terrorists towards the goal of detonating the nerve gas within the terrorist compound and eliminating a global terrorist threat. Consider that in comparison to Jack’s secret operation in the third season, which was also conducted without the knowledge or consent of the President. In that case, Jack wasn’t planning to use the engineered virus to kill Salazars, and he didn’t kill innocent people to get the job done, but he was operating in questionable territory with potentially catastrophic consequences.

More to the point of the episode, Jack is operating without authority to take down someone close to the President. Thankfully, the writers don’t make this some shadow operation. Jack tries to do it the right way, contacting Mike Novick to help get support. Given the extent of the conspiracy to date, it seems a bit foolish to think that cell phone conversations wouldn’t be recorded, but given the constraints, it’s not the worst plot convenience in the world.

In the middle of all this moral complication, there’s the emotional mess that Jack’s return has created. Audrey isn’t sure how to deal with the fact that Jack is back, but happened to be living with someone for six months. Diane is trying to get used to the fact that the man she was beginning to love, a potential father figure for Derek, is unlikely to ever come back. Jack is left with feelings for Diane and Derek, but more importantly, a desire for family and lingering feelings for Audrey.

Of course, when does Audrey decide to discuss her feelings with Jack? Yep, right as he’s planning to meet with Novick. Audrey wasn’t very good with the timing during the fourth season either, so this doesn’t come as much of a surprise. What is surprising is the fact that Jack is rather open about his emotions. Being out of the game has restored a bit of his humanity, which is likely to be an issue when the demands of the day force him to suppress those emotions yet again.

Meanwhile, Walt finds his situation crumbling when orders come down to kill Jack. Not surprisingly, this takes the central question of weighing consequences and transfers it to another level. Walt reveals the scope of his conspiracy to justify a wider American military presence overseas to safeguard oil flow. In other words, Walt was going to use terrorism as a pretext for an aggressive national security policy. (Gee, sound like a familiar theory?)

Initially, Logan is incensed at the idea of killing a former president and bringing his administration into an unlawful action, but then the question of necessity comes up. Walt draws the line between what should be done and must be done in a very different place than Logan or even Jack, and he drapes his actions in the necessities of patriotism. Walt threatens Logan with a disgraced presidency, and sure enough, Logan believes that he is trapped.

As weak and annoying as he may be, Logan is a character with a fascinating and even perfect portrayal. It’s hard to accept a leader who is so easily led by his advisors, but it makes for an interesting character study. Logan is a man in search of dignified legacy, continually struggling to live up to the demands of history. While it often leaves him in a position to be vilified, and rightfully so, it also gives him a haunted demeanor, which the actor portrays beautifully.

Score one for Agent Pierce! He’s been the go-to agent since the first season, a strong and capable supporting character, and he comes through big time in this episode. Like any good agent, he takes note of a situation and the context of orders. Does he step out of operational boundaries by choosing to help Jack? Of course he does, and he offers to fall on his sword for doing so. But he also demonstrates a distinct desire to live up to the spirit of duty above all else, and thus acts out of a sense of necessity, in keeping with the overall theme.

Bill does the same thing when he refuses to follow the order to abandon the search for the nerve gas. He recognizes that something is out of the ordinary, especially since Jack and Novick are out of communication with CTU. When Lynn balks at the idea of violating orders, Bill berates his lack of experience and operates, once again, out of a sense of necessity. Necessity demands quick and decisive decisions, the kind of decisions that Bill has made since the beginning of the season. (Of course, those decisions are also questionable decisions, providing another example of how the road to hell is paved with good intentions.)

Jack, of course, puts Walt to the knife out of necessity, despite the fact that Logan is standing not ten feet away. If any scene in this episode strains credibility (and of course, many do), this is the one. Jack gets the information he needs, but in the process, takes a big step back towards the man who couldn’t have emotional attachments. It seems rather obvious that this is going to be a main focus for the season: which way will Jack go in the future?

Logan doesn’t seem to understand the possibilities. In Jack, he has a person who is apparently dead to the rest of the world, with specialties in counter-terrorism and torture, and is completely at his mercy. Why not find a black ops position for him? For that matter, keep him out of the spotlight until the time comes for activation (each season of “24”, naturally!). That would be the most efficient and logical way to deal with the Jack Bauer crisis!

Of course, Logan is just feeling his way through his presidency, and so he wants every potential problem to simply go away. And in this case, he’s banking on the hopes that the Chinese will never discover Jack’s survival, despite the fact that the terrorist activities currently plaguing his administration will ultimately involve Jack to some degree. Especially since the terrorists have completely uncovered Walt’s attempt at using their fervor against them, and Jack must now prevent the terrorists from using the nerve gas against American citizens.

Considering how the series usually goes, this is not a huge shock. Jack could hardly be involved in an operation that left the local time zone! What makes the episode work, however, is the use of the recurring theme of necessity vs. morality. The theme is not a new one, but it elevates the episode above the average transitional installment.


Final Analysis

Overall, this episode is another strong transitional installment, with a dash of the usual question of necessity vs. morality tossed in for good measure. As usual, some of the plot points don’t quite add up, but in this particular case, the story relies more on solid character work than outright contrivance. The story could still use a bit more philosophical depth, but in general, the season is settling in nicely.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4

Final Rating: 8/10

Season Average (as of 5.6): 7.7

Stargate: Atlantis 2.14: "Grace Under Pressure"

Written by Martin Gero
Directed by Martin Wood

In which McKay becomes trapped underwater in a sinking Puddle-Jumper, and as his colleagues race to find a rescue solution, he begins to hallucinate someone to help him survive…


This is a fairly simple episode, and because it focuses primarily on McKay, enjoyment is directly related to one’s tolerance for the character. Some fans, including myself, have complained about the screen time devoted to McKay and his personality flaws. It felt as though the first half of the season was dominated by the subject. This episode could be perceived as salt on the wound, though in a more objective sense, it simply doesn’t cover new territory.

When it comes to the characters on this show, McKay is the one that routinely bugs the hell out of me but, moments later, reminds me why I like him. It’s very much a moment-to-moment love/hate thing. I’ve found that McKay is most tolerable when he has someone with as strong a personality in the same scene. That’s why Sheppard is such a great match, and why his battles with Weir and Zelenka work on a structural level.

Put him in a bottle and force us to listen to him whine for an act or so? Not so tolerable. Frankly, the episode was a wash for me until the moment that McKay’s vision of Samantha Carter emerged on the scene. Once he had someone to work against, in terms of the scene dynamic, it was a lot less annoying. It didn’t hurt that the writers were able to introduce some ambiguity.

Unfortunately, this also shoved the episode directly into retread territory. Even the producers cite the “SG-1” episode “Grace” as a primary influence on this episode! Granted, after so many episodes within the franchise, the two series will begin repeating concepts, falling into the same problems that the Trek franchise struggled with towards the end. But the “Stargate” franchise, at least, has a better grasp on character development, even without a truly serialized format.

In essence, the idea is that the same situation is viable if the characters involved react in a different manner than the characters in the original iteration. But that’s not what happens in this case; at least, not to the degree necessary to make the episode something more than derivative. There’s some slight hint that the ocean creature was trying to help McKay survive, and thus brought about the hallucinations in some way, but it’s hardly a given.

My other issue with the episode is that it comes on the heels of another crossover with “SG-1”. I don’t necessarily mind that the two series have connective threads, but I do mind when the “SG-1” cast is used as a way to lend credibility to an episode. As logical as this crossover is, it feels like a stunt. I would rather see this series stand on its own, because it can do so with relative ease. Hopefully the next episode will focus more on the cast as a whole and attempt to cover new ground.

Writing: 1/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 6/10

Battlestar Galactica 2.14: "Black Market"

Written by Mark Verheiden
Directed by James Head

In which Commander Fisk is murdered and Lee is placed in charge of the investigation, which puts him in conflict with the leader of a black market syndicate…


This is one odd episode, especially for this series, which has proven time and again how versatile the writing staff can be. The problem is that the intentions are right there on the screen. All the pieces are on the board and there’s even a fairly simple strategy for pulling out a victory. The writers simply don’t execute well enough, and as a result, the final product is muddled, shallow, and more than a little convenient for a series this complex.

I was expecting to listen to the Ron Moore podcast and get some sense of what I was missing. I was sure that a more positive reaction would come with a more informed point of view. Imagine my surprise when Ron confirmed each and every issue I had with the episode, and in fact, added several more to the list.

If the previous episode used the “Lost” format relatively well, with a distinctly “BSG” flavor, then this episode was an example of how it can be applied incorrectly. In fact, this episode had many of the same problems that the less impressive “Lost” episodes exhibit: lack of strong connective threads between “past” and “present” and shallow treatment of a complex point of conflict.

In this case, the idea was to establish that Lee was trying to make up for his unfortunate dismissal of his pregnant lover back on Caprica, just before the Cylon attack, by taking responsibility for Siobhan and her daughter. Lee was supposed to be making serious assumptions about Siobhan’s desire for the same thing. Unfortunately, as hard as the writers and editors try to make it work, it doesn’t quite come together. I just didn’t feel it, and so when the music began to swell in the final act, it felt like empty sentimentalism.

The episode might have been salvaged in large part if Lee’s conflict with the black market might have been more complex. In the end, there is a solid message behind it all. As I’ve said before, the fleet is operating in a situation that defies governance. Civilization is, in many ways, a pleasant veneer that may not go as deep as Roslin would desire. Lee (and perhaps Adama) understands that a certain amount of free trade and barter is necessary, since the basic systems are still being established and fortified. Certainly Zarek understands it, especially since he operates best as the self-appointed spokesman for the oppressed masses.

Ron mentioned a number of ideas that never made it to the screen. For instance, the brothel concept and Gina’s place on Cloud Nine in the previous episode were never connected, though they were meant to be. Zarek’s connections to the black market weren’t clear enough, especially at the end. But far worse was the existence of a crime syndicate so powerful that it could eliminate the commander of a military vessel so easily and with relatively little consequence.

Phelan was written a bit too conventionally, and as Ron himself admits, the entire plot was simply not up to “BSG” standards. Some of the smaller moments were good: the Baltar/Roslin confrontation was quite good, even if Roslin’s reasons for the offer weren’t directly tied to the previous episode’s revelations. Clearly, that subplot is going to have serious consequences for the rest of the season.

Writing: 1/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 1/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 5/10

Stargate: SG-1 9.14: "Stronghold"

Written by Alan McCullough
Directed by Peter DeLuise

In which Teal’c uncovers an outside influence within the Jaffa Council when he pushes for democracy, while Mitchell visits a dying old friend, who has some interesting suspicions…


I happen to find the evolution of the Jaffa from an enslaved race to a more enlightened nation to be full of potential, so episodes like this are always interesting. Granted, the writers still aren’t taking full advantage of the storytelling possibilities available, but part of that could be attributed to the incursion by the Ori. The typical history for revolutionary movements for independence demonstrates how often success breeds civil war.

Sometimes that happens when the original oppressors come along and attempt to control one emerging faction within the new government. In a very mild sense, that’s what Baal attempts in this episode. (Or one of the Baals, anyway!) It’s closer to the truth to suggest that Baal was trying to take control of the entire Jaffa Nation through subversion of its ruling council. What I find intriguing is the fact that Baal is not completely wrong. He identifies a real concern and acts on it, probably with a great deal of self-interest, but if his methods were more reasonable, wouldn’t he be making a very good point?

On the other hand, this also continues to demonstrate how a beaten foe is not a completely docile foe. The Goa’uld will continue to look for ways to rise again, and the rise of the Ori presents them with opportunity. They have already taken a degree of control over human politics and they are making moves on the Jaffa. Resources that might have been devoted to containing and addressing the Goa’uld are now focused on a greater threat.

I was also a bit more impressed with the Mitchell subplot. Unlike “Collateral Damage”, which attempted to give Mitchell depth through a forced storyline that shoved the rest of the cast into the background. This time, however, the writers made the character development part of a more balanced episode, and I was far more pleased. (OK, it was a bit much for Mitchell to drag alien technology into the middle of a public hospital and then leave it there, but I’ll set that aside for the moment!)

What I didn’t buy was the suggestion that Teal’c was actually considering surrender and that he was ever in any compelling danger. I’m not sure if it was the writing or the editing, but it just didn’t gel. Similarly, the battle sequences were just plain wrong. How many times were people exposed, in the middle of the firefight, and not one shot was taken at them? It just didn’t come together very well.

In terms of the Jaffa election, it’s likely that Bra’tac or Teal’c will be heavily involved in the new government, if not elected to the highest positions. If the Ori become enough of a threat to require a stronger response by the Jaffa, then this would make sense. However, even if this episode had some good ideas in terms of the Jaffa/Goa’uld interaction, I still think the snakeheads need to stay well in the background. It just seems better to keep them out of sight until a strong role can be found for them.

Writing: 1/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 1/2
Style: 2/4

Final Rating: 6/10

Angel 1.22: "To Shanshu in LA"

Written by David Greenwalt
Directed by David Greenwalt

In which Wolfram and Hart launch a counter-offensive against Angel to retrieve the Scroll of Aberjian, which means that everything Angel values becomes a potential target…


Status Report

With the first season ending, the finale needed to serve two purposes. First and foremost, it needed to complete the process of setting the stage for the second season, which would delve into the more epic aspects of Angel’s psychological and philosophical universe. Also very important was the need to tie the second season into the concepts introduced at the beginning of the series. This duty fell to Mr. Greenwalt, though most agree that Joss was heavily involved in the process of working the thematic connections.

The writers do make another attempt at making David Nabbitt a worthwhile character, but this time around, it’s more from a conceptual perspective. Nabbitt points out how Angel’s mission is something worthy of remembrance, whereas his own accomplishments are pure materialism with ephemeral spiritual value. The message is simple: Angel cannot let himself forget why he fights. This is something Angel would struggle with throughout the course of the series.

Angel is given two very different “rewards” for his service in the apocalypse. In this case, this early in the series, his role is largely noted as being on the side of the white hats. His apparent reward is death. Oddly, Wesley doesn’t hit upon one of the more obvious interpretations of the prophesy. Many images or references to death in ancient prophetic works and their modern extrapolations are meant to be interpreted as a sign of fundamental change, not literal death. Of course, that is also a possibility, since death is a rather fundamental change, but it’s not necessarily what the use of the term or concept mandates.

The fact that Darla’s raising is tied directly to the Scroll of Aberjian suggests two possibilities, in light of the revelations at the end of the fourth season. One interpretation is that the prophecies are genuine, and that Jasmine, as a rogue Power, twisted the intention of the prophecies to her own purpose. However, since Darla’s resurrection was key to Jasmine’s plan, there’s every reason to wonder if the prophecies were adjusted to serve that purpose. Given that the prophecies were still referenced in the fifth season as being in force, it would be simple enough to assume that Jasmine could have simply added to what already existed, in terms of the destiny for the “vampire with a soul”.

The fact that Wesley interprets “shanshu” as meaning “death” provides a way to connect his reaction to the prophecy to the initial mission statement of the series. Angel doesn’t react to the news that he is fated to die, in Wesley’s estimation, because Angel has once again become cut off from humanity and the world. As usual, this defines one of the central conflicts of the series: Angel needs to become connected to the world to find redemption, but in doing so, he gives his enemies a means of attacking him indirectly.

The writers also bring Kate back into the picture, if only in a limited role, to complete the loop that began with Angel’s first encounter with her in the second episode. Kate is completely hostile towards Angel, very suspicious, but her presence doesn’t serve much of a purpose, other than to remind the audience that she’s still a player and someone who has every reason to question Angel’s claims.

The theme of “isolating Angel” continues with Voca’s plan. First, he eliminates the Oracles, and then he strikes Cordy with an affliction that effectively eliminates her as a source of visions for Angel to use. Then Voca takes the Scroll of Aberjian and takes measures to destroy Angel’s support system (which is one of the more shocking moments of the first season). It’s all designed to place Angel in the worst position possible, to either kill or tempt.

Unlike Nabbitt, who serves an indirect and minor purpose in this episode, Gunn is once again a resource that Angel finds important to have. More than that, Gunn gets to see first-hand how important Wesley and Cordy are to Angel, which helps Gunn see another example of how Angel is not the typical vampire.

The ritual used to raise Darla is interesting because hidden within the Latin is the core principle of the episode and the prophecy for Angel: life and death are simply aspects of the same thing. One could argue that Angel is stuck between life and death, and thus to die in some future moment, he must first be restored to life. As a metaphor, however, it works even better. Is it life and death in literal terms, or the restoration of Angel’s humanity within his soul, the final defeat of the demon within?

It’s also interesting that Lindsey doesn’t bother to think things through. Yes, the prophecies might say that Angel’s connections to the Powers would be severed, but that doesn’t mean that they won’t be restored immediately thereafter. That’s the problem with prophecies, as evidenced in the first season finale for “Buffy”. Prophecy says you die? Never says you can’t come back to life!

In this case, Angel does lose those connections, but they are quickly restored. In fact, Cordy comes out of it with a renewed sense of purpose (possibly Jasmine-induced). She’s willing to go through the pain and discomfort of the visions, if it means that they can help the helpless a little while longer. In a sense, this is the mid-point for Cordy’s character: the moment that the old Cordy transforms completely into the new Cordy.

One more comment on the “shanshu” concept. Wesley reads it to say, as noted above, that in order for Angel to die, he must first be restored to life (assuming, as usual, that he is the vampire mentioned in the prophecy). But how does that directly lead to the assumption that Angel will be restored as a human being? That seems to be something the writers wanted to establish, as a nice way to point to a possible ending for the series, but it’s a massive assumption, given their line of work!

This also sets the stage for Angel’s fall in the second season. The problem with hope is that it may never die, but it can be broken, and Angel becomes a bit too confident in his eventual victory. Hope can be twisted, and that’s why Darla is the perfect weapon to use against Angel. Darla is something that he can try, against all odds, to redeem, ala Faith, which gives him hope, which gives Wolfram and Hart a weapon.

It’s in the process of setting up Angel for failure, at least in partial measure, that the episode succeeds as a season finale. Angel’s original mission is brought into a wider context, hinted at here and there in earlier episodes, and a reward is dangled in front of him. How does he react to that knowledge, and how does he try to be worthy of it? And in essence, that is a very human question, because there’s the general belief in a reward at the end of great lifelong adversity. That’s exactly the kind of question that Joss likes to pose in his work.


Memorable Quotes

WESLEY: “This is an ancient sacred text, not a Magic Eight Ball!”

CORDELIA: “Well, it’s just a prophecy. It’s not like it came from on high!”
WESLEY: “That’s what a prophecy is, Cordelia…”

ORACLE: “I can’t stay long. I’ve been dead a while. So far I don’t like it.”

ANGEL: “Don’t believe everything you’re foretold.”


Final Analysis

Overall, this episode is a strong season finale, linking the original mission statement for Angel to the more epic plot concerns of the second season. While some of the concepts themselves are not explored as deeply as they could (or should) have been, the episode itself brings the first season to a satisfactory and logical close.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4

Final Rating: 8/10

Season 1 Final Average: 6.8

Smallville 5.12: "Reckoning"

Written by Kelly Souders and Brian Peterson
Directed by Greg Beeman

In which Clark decides to tell Lana his secret, but when that leads to her death, Clark strikes a deal to turn back time, unaware that the consequences will be fatal for someone else…


There was a lot of hoopla over the possibility of who would die in this episode. Early projections pointed to Chloe, if only because she’s one of the few non-comics characters on the series. However, it’s become very clear in the past several episodes that Chloe is the new Pete, the one friend that Clark can count on to discuss his unique situation with and get strong advice. That being the case, Chloe simply wasn’t in the line of fire. Instead, it came down to two obvious choices.

The structure of the episode was definitely meant to mirror the ideas in “Lexmas”. Just as Lex let the fear of losing Lana in some possible future lead to a presumably final turn towards the dark side, Clark lets his overwhelming fear over losing Lana lead to the loss of his moral compass. Lana is made even more of a pivot point for the struggle between Clark and Lex, and as each of them deal with personal demons based on possible futures that only they truly understand, the writers get the chance to explore how the two characters diverge from similar roads.

That said, the parallels could have been stronger, and the depth of emotion could have been more obvious. One big problem with this episode is Tom Welling. Usually, I don’t mind his acting, but this time he wasn’t displaying nearly enough pain and suffering, despite the iconic imagery and near-perfection of the funeral scene (love that song by Peter Gabriel!). After Lana’s apparent death, Clark’s reaction was just not convincing enough.

Also, while I am intrigued by how the writers have slowly but surely placed Lana as the central source of conflict between Clark and Lex, I can’t help but wonder if things would have been far more interesting if the writers had killed both Lana and Jonathan. Talk about learning a harsh lesson!

Chloe made a very good point, which is something that Clark will no doubt dwell upon in future episodes: Clark didn’t have to forego telling Lana the truth; he simply had to tell her what he had experienced after revealing the truth, thus giving her the chance to change her own destiny. Clark and Lex both fail to see why they cannot get what they want: neither one is willing to take Lana’s desires into consideration.

To a certain extent, it looks like I’ll get my wish. Jonathan still has a secret that could undermine the memory of his moral character, and thus force Clark to question his own moral code. Clark doesn’t have the best track record for making choices on his own, and he already has a tendency to make choices for people in the name of “doing what’s best”. That’s one of the dangers of power in general: all the good intentions in the world can still lead to megalomania. It may be too easy, however, for Clark to use Lionel Luthor as an excuse for whatever Jonathan was hiding.

Perhaps the most annoying thing about this episode is that the end result is a relatively strict adherence to continuity: Jonathan dies while Clark is still young. That’s not much of a shocker; the writers basically resorted to a trick to show the audience what they probably would have enjoyed (a deviation from expectation), only to slip back into all-too-familiar territory. And that possible accidental death for Lois was just wrong!

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4

Final Rating: 8/10

Invasion 1.13: "Redemption"

Written by Shaun Cassidy and Michael Alaimo
Directed by Bill Eagles

In which Underlay is shot by an unknown assailant, taking him back to the moments after the plane crash, while Russell gets a very clear picture of what is happening…


The writers for “Invasion” must have been taking lessons from the writing staff from “Lost”, because they certainly found an interesting way to reveal some of Underlay’s secrets. As it turns out, it wasn’t so much an alien secret as it was something completely and perfectly human. The writers pull off an interesting philosophical trick in revealing one possible reason why Underlay’s conversion didn’t result in violence: Underlay had his newfound hope in Mariel to keep him focused.

All right, I don’t completely buy it either, but at least they were going for something worthy in the process. One thing I liked about the episode, even as it continued to show too many people being far too calm about the invasion, was how well it took everything revealed to this point and gave it a clear direction.

In essence, Russell now has a mission: to figure out what made the “alien” invasion so successful and how to keep it from spreading. Apparently the military knows all about the “aliens”, and they have their own reasons for letting the process continue in a limited capacity. Of course, that explains why Underlay has been working with the military. And there’s someone else out there who has survived about as long as Underlay, but he’s turned into a killer.

Other interesting items are put on the table. If the human is sick in some way, the “alien” process doesn’t take. That doesn’t account for mental instability, but it does give Russell something to work with. What if a human were to purposefully infect themselves with a disease in order to become immune to the process?

The writers are trying very hard to suggest that Lewis was the one who shot Underlay, but I’m thinking it was Missouri, or whatever the hell Mr. Ex-CIA called him. I think this represents a power struggle between Underlay’s more balanced approach and a the self-destructive and aggressive version of the “hybrids”. But it does reinforce one thing: if the converted human believes in something strongly enough, that can override the self-destruct part of the process.

Which makes me think that Underlay’s plan for an “alien” army is actually meant to be one of defense, not offense. If he expects the military to turn on him and his people, he may be looking to defend his turf and create a mini-nation of his own. It all comes down to protecting family, which is one of the themes of the series. It’s remarkable how the writers continually place Russell and Underlay in opposite corners, only to bring them into common cause when it comes to protecting the ones they love.

I’m baring scratching the surface on this episode, which is the sign of a strong and dense plot structure. Sure, some of the exposition doesn’t quite click, and Larkin continues to be a bit annoying in some of her scenes, but overall, this was a solid episode that kept my interest throughout. If the writers can keep this up, this series could end up being stronger than anyone had anticipated.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4

Final Rating: 8/10

7 Day Forecast: 27 Jan 2006

Now reading:

Babylon 5: The Scripts of JMS: Volume 1
Star Wars: Dark Nest III: The Swarm War by Troy Denning
Babylon 5: The Scripts of JMS: Volume 2
Star Trek: New Frontier: After the Fall by Peter David

106/369...Peter's books always fly by for me, and he's one of my favorite tie-in authors!


Now playing:

Final Fantasy X-2 - about 34% done...no new progress
Xenosaga II - I'm maybe 55% through the bonus levels...this seems to be Brenna's game of choice right now!

7 Day Forecast (through 03 Feb 2006):

1/28: Stargate SG-1 9.14: "Stronghold"
1/29: Battlestar: Galactica 2.14: "Black Market"
1/30: Stargate: Atlantis 2.14: "Grace Under Pressure"
1/31: 24 5.6: "Day 5: 12PM - 1PM"
2/1: Supernatural 1.13: "Route 666"
2/2: X-Files 5.20: "The End"
2/3: Smallville 5.13: "Vengeance"

Lost 2.12: "Fire Plus Water"

Written by Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis
Directed by Jack Bender

In which Charlie begins having vivid dreams about Aaron and impending danger, and his subsequent actions prompt the other survivors to question his sanity and his choices…


Status Report

As with many episodes this season, the focus is less on addressing the larger mysteries introduced in the first season and more on advancing character arcs. In many respects, this is why the series has received a great deal of criticism; as more and more emphasis is placed on specific characters, the audience reaction is compartmentalized based on their own character preferences.

In this case, the focus is squarely on Charlie. Other characters get their moments, of course, but the psychological exploration is all about him. Unlike many expectations, the situation is not cut and dry. Some were expecting Charlie to lapse directly back into addiction in the worst possible way; others were expecting him to be accused of it and show some heroics to regain trust. The path chosen is actually a bit more interesting. Charlie doesn’t choose to resume his addictions, but the temptation to do so undermines his own credibility and his relationships with the rest of the tribe.

The question is: how interesting is this turn of events? Many have accused the writers of retreads when it comes to the flashbacks in second season episodes. Examples like “Adrift” can be frustrating. It’s debatable whether or not the flashback in this case constitutes a retread, but inevitably, there will be those who wonder whether the material reveals anything new. Perhaps this question demands a different way of looking at the information as presented.

The problem with “Adrift” is that it applied the same information, presented in slightly different form, to two very similar situations. In both Michael-centric episodes, the topic was effectively the same: getting Walt back from some interloper. The scale was different, but the underlying concepts were the same.

This episode, however, diverges from what has been shown for Charlie in the past, while remaining consistent with previous flashbacks. Charlie’s first flashback (in “The Moth”) was all about his addiction and trying to find a way to emerge beyond that constricting vice. Charlie’s second flashback was all about his duty to a woman he cares about, and how his own issues have often gotten in the way of doing what he perceives is the right thing.

This time around, it’s about Charlie’s concept of family. The writers reveal that Charlie was the son that was supposed to help the family escape the trapping of their mundane existence. (They may have been relatively poor, but if they could buy a piano as well as all those other gifts, it was more about class distinctions than income.) Failing that, Charlie felt some degree of responsibility to Liam and his new family, to find a way to bring Driveshaft back into the spotlight and make a success. And failing in that, Charlie was left with the guilt of having let his family down.

Take all of that underlying guilt and bring it forward into a situation where Charlie feels an unwarranted sense of entitlement, and things get incredibly disturbing. The writers didn’t back away from the realities of the situation. Charlie has a history, and he left himself open to extreme criticism by allowing himself to be tempted again. He instead acts irrationally simply on the basis of his own psychological issues, which is in fact more dangerous to Aaron and the rest of the tribe. He never figures out that if Aaron is in danger, it’s because he himself is the one putting him in danger.

Charlie’s hallucinations actually bring up an interesting question. If he wasn’t having some kind of delayed effect from standing next to a burning plane filled with heroin, then why was he having such vivid hallucinations? One possible answer could place several previous episodes into a new perspective.

What if Charlie is only the latest survivor to fall prey to the still-undefined “sickness” that Danielle mentioned all the way back in “Solitary”? Weren’t hallucinations part of the alleged symptom list? The idea of a “sickness” was something that was tossed into the background a long time ago, but it’s certainly possible that this is exactly how the writers intended to roll out the effects on the survivors: seeing random images, taking unconscious action, impaired reasoning, etc.

Of course, if that is the intention of the writers, then they are playing it out very well. Specifically, the survivors are doing exactly what one would expect them to do. Are they wondering if they are succumbing to some strange infection or exposure? Not at all! Since the experiences are all very personal and can be explained through personal weaknesses, it’s easy to dismiss. Never mind the fact that Danielle is hardly the poster-child for mental health!

But what makes this possibility interesting is that it doesn’t have to be true for the episode to work. It’s perfectly possible to explain Charlie’s behavior without it, which means that if the writers go another way, nothing is lacking in the story. One can classify this as the effect of stress on Charlie’s mental state. After all, Charlie was using Claire and Aaron, to some extent, as a substitute for his drug addiction. It was something to obsess over, and now that has been taken away from him. It’s not surprising that he’s falling apart without something else to obsess over.

This episode will push Charlie into a very dark place, because now he needs to find something within himself to move forward. The final scene made it clear that Charlie isn’t going to have some quick and easy moment of revelation. Nor is anyone likely to trust him with much of anything for quite some time.

The other character with some interesting moments in this episode would be Locke. Since he was the one who thought he had taken care of Charlie and his addictions in the first place, he was clearly operating out of a sense of disappointment beyond Charlie’s weaknesses. For someone who continually spouts off about the right for people to live free, he has quite the sense of entitlement of his own. He really had no call to beat down Charlie like that, regardless of how perfect the moment was, and he also doesn’t have the right to pass down moral judgment. (Except, of course, that he’s less the philosopher and more the self-styled spiritual guide.)

Still, Locke is continuing with his usual methods, though for reasons that are less obvious as time marches on. So he’s locked up the weapons and heroin behind a door that apparently only he can now open, which seems more than a little ominous. Sooner or later, Jack is going to find out, and it’s almost a given that their growing disagreement on the future of the tribe will hit the next level in the process.

If the “Charlie is suffering from the island sickness” theory turns out to be true, then this episode is not nearly as dismissive of the larger mysteries as one might otherwise assume. And more to the point, there’s plenty of reason to look at this as a transitional complication episode. A number of plot threads get incremental advancement, but they seem to be going somewhere, which is a good thing.

Jack, for instance, continues to work on his idea for building an army, and that seems to be putting him in close quarters with Ana Lucia. Ana still has a bit too learn about subtle questioning, it seems, since it was clear that she was wondering about Jack and Kate for her own purposes. (Also, this episode highlighted one of Michelle’s acting limitations: her voice doesn’t have much inflection to it, which limits her ability to express a wide range of emotion.)

Kate and Sawyer are certainly acting more like a couple. Having that shower in the hatch must be a very good thing, because the women are all looking a lot better than one would otherwise expect after so long. In essence, the survivors are all sharing a hotel room, complete with kitchen, bathroom, and lounge. No wonder they seem to have settled in so nicely since the premiere!

Hurley and Libby have that very interesting scene, which helps to remind the audience that Cynthia Watros is quite the babe. No wonder Hurley was speechless! Of course, her deft dodging of his question was also revealing, since it suggests a rather casual ability for deception. Also, what does it mean that the washer and dryer look new compared to the rest of the equipment in the hatch?

And then there’s Mister Eko. Beyond the fact that the audience is aware of how he became a priest, which makes his baptism of Claire and Aaron even more interesting than it already is, there’s something going on with trees. Just why is Eko so interested in certain trees? Is he just looking for a good place to set up his own camp, or does he have something else in mind? Say, for instance, building a church?

Claire and Aaron play a big part in this episode, though Aaron is mostly notable for being much bigger than he should be at approximately three weeks of age! It should also be noted that this episode has quite a lot of Claire in it, and therefore plenty of shots of Emilie at her best. Emilie is always beautiful, but when she gets that fire in her eyes, it’s a wonder to behold.

The main question that will be asked after this episode is whether or not episodes like this are actually going somewhere. It may seem obvious to most that Charlie’s descent will factor into future plot threads, but some elements of the audience can be impatient. To a certain degree, the writers were taking a chance on telling a story that wouldn’t really work for any other character, and it is the logical progression of that character’s arc. It may not be as compelling as the best episodes of the series to date, but it’s also a solid bit of storytelling.


Final Analysis

Overall, this episode is a solid example of character exploration, and it might even be foreshadowing for similar situations for other characters in episodes to come. While not much is revealed about Charlie’s past that couldn’t otherwise be inferred, there are enough differences to avoid a complete retread. This is very much a transitional episode, which is something that makes this kind of narrow focus easier to justify.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 7/10

(Season 2 Average: 7.0)

Medium 2.13: "Raising Cain"

Written by Craig Sweeny
Directed by Ed Sherin

In which Allison has a dream about a child who grows up to be an anti-social school shooter, and when her dreams also help save the child’s life, she tries to stop the future from happening…


As usual, Allison’s abilities show up in an unexpected but logical way, giving her clues about where Trevor’s life might lead, depending on the resolution of the present situation. There’s the concern about Trevor’s survival as well, since his mother seems to have some odd psychotic religious beliefs. And I don’t mean that as a slam against religiosity…the woman was psychotic above and beyond her religious background.

I was a little worried at first, because in a very general sense, this territory was covered by a fourth season episode of “Dead Zone”. What makes this one a bit more interesting is the fact that Allison is already a parent, and she has a daily reminder of how three lives are directly dependent on her influence. At the same time, that leads to certain assumptions that keep her from seeing the situation clearly until the very end.

All that said, I’m not sure I buy the idea that Trevor was inspired to be a good and moral child because of his near-death and mother’s suicide. The reason that Allison is so shocked by that revelation is that it runs completely counter to the typical trend. Sure, the easy answer is that it’s an atypical situation, thus the whole point of the story, but it doesn’t necessarily address the concern (at least, it doesn’t fully overcome the challenge to my willing suspension of disbelief).

The guest cast was very good. I’m usually a bit worried about child actors, since they tend towards the horrific. But the actor who played Trevor did exactly what he needed to do, and the real coup was the actress who played his mother. She switched from pseudo-normality to psychotic almost too easily!

Beyond that, I don’t have much to say about the episode. It did exactly what it was supposed to do, and it covered the usual ground, and it did so with the typical “Medium” competence and touch. I’m just not entirely sold on the overall direction that it took. I can’t imagine how all those horrible experiences, after a lifetime of psychological abuse, could produce a success story. But this wouldn’t be the first time that I struggled with an episode’s premise based solely on my particular and admittedly subjective point of view.

Writing: 1/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4

Final Rating: 7/10

24 5.5: "Day 5: 11AM - 12PM"

Written by Michael Loceff and Joel Surnow
Directed by Jon Cassar

In which Jack arrives at CTU, only to find that his return is more complicated than he bargained for when his enemies emerge, while Martha must deal with her husband’s lack of belief…


Status Report

As one would expect, coming off a four-episode introductory arc, this episdoe is largely transitional. Even so, the plot threads move forward at a blistering pace. Elements that once would have extended over several episodes, like the search for a possible mole or determining the traitor within the administration, both come to fruition in less than an hour. In a way, this is good, since the writers would otherwise be accused of retread, but it also betrays the casual logic of the story as a whole.

It wasn’t immediately obvious in the previous episode that the nerve gas had been held underground in a building near the terminal where the hostages were held, but it makes a lot more sense for that to be the case. Now the specific location of the hostage incident seems more reasonable. There’s the obvious question, however: how was the floor excavated without anyone knowing about it, and why stage such an intricate plan to divert attention if the wide open space in the empty hanger could be found within hours?

It’s a question that still hasn’t been answered. If the goal is to commit a terrorist act without warning of the scale or timetable, quietly passing on the keycard would have been the better move. Otherwise, it’s just going to bring down scrutiny, which robs the element of surprise. Granted, the terrorists weren’t counting on anyone identifying the keycard swap, but it still doesn’t make sense. Unless, of course, the goal was, for some reason, to bring attention to the site.

The dead rats also bring up a disturbing issue. It probably seemed like a good way to pass that information on to the authorities, plot-wise, but the dead rats are a sign of leakage or exposure. Which, according to the end of the previous episode, was checked for and determined not to be the case. So how were the rats exposed? Wouldn’t that imply, since the canisters were underground, that the chemical agents were leaching into the air and groundwater prior to excavation?

Supposedly the plan is to expose the population of Moscow in retaliation for the Russian occupation of some Slavic nation or territory. All right, that’s all well and good, but it leads to the obvious question: how did Russian terrorists gain knowledge of weaponized nerve gas that wasn’t created and maintained by the US military? Where did it come from, and how did the terrorists know about it?

Martha just can’t catch a break. She’s drugged and assaulted in the middle of one of the most well-secured parts of the planet (thanks to the summit), and still no one bothers to run a blood test or check on her claims in any credible fashion. They just want to ship her off to Vermont. Just what has she done in the past to be dismissed so often? Still, how hard was it to figure out that she would manage to escape?

Walt is not the smartest conspirator on the planet. Then again, neither is his friend Nathanson. Killing Jack in the middle of CTU is not even remotely a smart move, since all it does is expose an asset and prove that the scope of the conspiracy is exactly as big as Martha keeps claiming. It would have been far more logical to wait until Jack left the building, use the “assassin” to monitor the progress of the investigation, and then make the attempt on Jack once he was on the move.

This being a transitional episode, relationships were at the forefront. It’s about time that Edgar’s jealousy rose to the occasion, and unlike some annoying relationships in past seasons, this one is actually a bit cute. They really are made for each other! It’s a bit too easy for Spenser to be the mole, since in retrospect it made his affair with Chloe a bit too convenient, but the main problem is that the actor plays Spenser like Hayden Christensen played Anakin Skywalker.

Lynn, He of the Unfortunate Name, is quite the bastard. Tossing Audrey into the same room as Diane, just to find out how Jack might have been exposed? Deliciously evil. The scenes with Audrey and Diane were cringe-inducing. As much as Audrey was the victim of some unfortunate writing choices in the fourth season, her role this season makes a lot of sense, if only for scenes like this. At least the writers had Audrey admit that she was a complete pain in the ass last season!

As usual, Jack gets his security clearance back more quickly than any bureaucracy would ever allow (getting his actual identity reinstated ought to be a lot of fun…there’s a season unto itself!), which eliminates one of the more interesting possibilities. Why let Jack off the hook so easily? There are still several questions left unanswered about the whys and wherefores of the whole terrorist plot, and why Jack was targeted so specifically. Walt is part of that connection, but why would Lynn assume Jack is completely innocent? (And why hasn’t anyone mentioned the Chinese?)

One of the more amusing (if ridiculous) scenes in the entire episode comes well after Jack’s touching moment with Chloe when he walks in. Once again, there’s the father/daughter vibe. But imagine what he would have thought if he heard her style of interrogation! Bill looked like her head had just exploded! It’s a very good thing that Spenser is a bad liar and Bill’s in a sour mood over Lynn’s arrival. Otherwise Chloe would look a bit hysterical.

Lest anyone think Jack is softening up, there’s that scene at the end. Ignore, for a moment, the elements that will give Jack/Tony slash writers more material than they can handle; Jack’s inner turmoil is written all over his face when he takes his first look at Tony’s condition. The writers balance the manly emotional content with scissors to the throat in a wonderfully excessive moment, so all remains right in the world, but there’s little doubt that Jack continues to tally up the cost.

Spenser caves rather quickly when confronted with a seriously wounded Jack (just how is he supposed to act like his ribs are grinding together for 18 more hours?), but the real leap into the realm of absurdity comes at the very end. So Jack is going to hunt down the Chief of Staff like some kind of vigilante, only hours after a major political event and terrorist attack. Against a Chief of Staff, no less, who serves under a president who was more than happy to toss Jack to the Chinese wolves 18 months earlier.

There’s little doubt that the plot will dwell on the insanity of this little plot twist in the next episode, since events will typically spiral out of control. But is this the first example of the writers flying by the seat of their pants? They’ve already started with the excuses of how impossible it is to plan out the season ahead of time, so one has to assume that the story is already in freefall mode. If this is the level of absurdity that’s already on the table, this could be the most improbable season arc yet.


Final Analysis

Overall, this episode is an interesting mix of the usual transitional elements and some absurdly-paced plot developments. Oddly, some of the relationship scenes are the most disturbing and effective, while the now-standard plot devices are rushed to keep the audience from getting frustrated with repetition. The season is settling in to a familiar rhythm, though there are indications that the pace will be even more frenetic.

Writing: 1/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4

Final Rating: 7/10

Season Average (as of 5.5): 7.6

West Wing 7.12: "Duck and Cover"

Written by Eli Attie
Directed by Christopher Misiano

In which the Bartlet administration must respond to a dangerous nuclear plant accident, while Vinick deals with his connections to the plant and Santos struggles with his own response…


While I’ll admit that the quality of the series has been somewhat variable since the fourth season (and yes, that includes the fourth season!), I can’t find much in this episode to fault. I had my attention from the very beginning, and I found the interplay of all three plot threads to be equally compelling. I’ve been waiting for this kind of moment since the beginning of the season, so it makes sense that it would happen now, at roughly the halfway point of the season.

Taking an incident like this and making it the literal and metaphorical meltdown of the Vinick machine could have been overdone; certainly, some episodes in past seasons would have played it to the hilt. Instead, the president demonstrates much of his old fire while the two campaigns play a wonderful chess game. Each side is waiting out the other, as if playing a schoolyard game of chicken, and a part of me wished that it could go on for another hour.

Perhaps the most important element to the episode is consistency. Vinick’s defense of nuclear power was firmly established in previous episodes, as well as his tendency to speak out of turn. Thus his downfall was crafted very well, allowing the character’s own personality and platform against him. Santos’ camp was completely consistent as well, with a minimum of preaching. Sure, there was no sign of the strain between Matt and Helen from a few episodes back, but this wasn’t the time or place.

Of course, one of the strengths of the scenario, the fact that it threw an unexpected wrench into a campaign season that was effectively static, is the scenario’s main weakness. It’s an accident that just happens to be conveniently tied to Vinick, taking place at the most convenient moment possible for Santos, evening the odds. It doesn’t require anything special of Santos beyond restraint. For critics of the writers, who sometimes deify Santos, this is just another example of letting the character coast towards a victory.

But it’s not as if the incident gives Santos a massive edge; it just takes away Vinick’s invincible lead. It makes it a fair fight, and as I said, something like this was completely predictable. That being the case, I couldn’t let that get in the way of the fun. It was one hell of a chess game, with both sides losing resolve over one pivotal night. Great drama, in my book.

All of which would have been beside the point if the White House plot threads were somehow lacking. But the writers delivered on that element as well. Sheen was at his best in this episode; Bartlet hasn’t been in the spotlight that much in a long time. I was quite pleased, since in many respects, there was a resonance with the better Bartlet moments of the early seasons. This episode made it very clear that the winning candidate will never be Bartlet’s replacement, only his successor, and that made this one of the best episodes of the season for me.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 3/4

Final Rating: 9/10

Stargate: Atlantis 2.13: "Critical Mass"

Written by Carl Binder and Brad Wright
Directed by Andy Mikita

In which the Goa’uld-dominated Trust sabotage Atlantis, threatening the city’s survival, which leads to a hunt for the guilty party, while Teyla deals with the death of an old friend…


This is a very odd episode for a number of reasons, and I’m not really sure what to make of it. I find it hard to believe that Caldwell’s character was always meant to have this kind of encounter or that the whole Trust debacle was meant to have an impact on “Atlantis”. Perhaps it was just the manner in which the crossover took place. There were a lot of things to like about the episode, especially in the final act, but there were also elements that left me wondering how quickly the script was cobbled together.

Let’s cover the bad things first. I’ve never liked the idea of the Trust, since it’s never been well-defined and it seems like a needless way to insert conspiracy into the series after the NID plot threads have been played out to death. Of course, now the Trust is a gateway for the Goa’uld plot to take control of Earth, presumably led by Baal and his many, many clones. That’s all an issue for inferior “SG-1” episodes, however, so I wasn’t particularly thrilled at the idea that the mess had spilled over into this series.

It has, however, and the implication is worse for the overall “Stargate Universe” than perhaps even the writers might suspect. If the Trust can infiltrate the SGC so completely that the commander of the Daedalus is infested with a symbiote without anyone noticing, that’s a serious breach of security. Essentially, the entire operation could be crippled with no possibility of a counter-offensive.

On the other hand, there’s a certain logic to what the Goa’uld were trying to accomplish. If the Wraith do take control of Atlantis, they have the power and the will to invade Earth and begin an incursion of the home turf. This is as big an issue for the human population as it is with the beleaguered Goa’uld. Though even they didn’t consider the more subtle and logical approach: use the Humans as the first line of defense, but then set things up so if Atlantis is breached, the gate will switch to an address in the part of space currently held by the Priors! Deal with both problems at once!

Now, the good. As much as Teyla’s “B” plot was pleasant, for lack of a better term, the music in the final act was quite effective. I could tell that she was actually singing (though it was, of course, dubbed in), and that helped a bit. I’m still not pleased by the fact that other chanting voices joined her, since none of the extras in the scene were singing, but that wasn’t the point. It was a well-orchestrated sequence.

Also, I loved the return of Lt. Cadman to the series. I mentioned back in my review for “Duet” that it was a shame how little she was on screen. It actually looks like she’ll be a recurring character, a possible bone of contention between McKay and Beckett, and I couldn’t be happier. Yay for hot redheads! And between her and Cavanaugh, that gave the whole “traitor” plot thread something to work with.

Writing: 1/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4

Final Rating: 7/10

Battlestar Galactica 2.13: "Epiphaines"

Written by Joel Anderson Thompson
Directed by Rod Hardy

In which Roslin’s impending demise leads to a final order to eliminate the Cylon/Human hybrid, while Adama must deal with the sudden and violent rise of a group of Cylon sympathizers…


As I had anticipated, this episode was a bit of a letdown after the previous installment’s near-perfection. But it wasn’t a complete and total loss by any means. A lot of plot threads are addressed along the way, and the writers put the pieces for the final arc of the season on the board. In fact, one critical piece is dropped right into the center of the board in the final scene, paying off a dangling plot element from early in the first season.

In my review for a recent episode of “Stargate: SG-1” (ep. 9-12), I noted that the episode in question could have benefited from taking the format adopted by “Lost” to explore the past of a main character through flashbacks. This episode actually proves my point. This episode was very much in the vein of “Lost” in terms of Roslin’s flashbacks, and though the circumstances were very different, it allowed events from the past to intersect and influence the present and future.

It makes perfect sense that some segment of the human population would wonder if surrender to the Cylons could be a viable option. It’s likely that they don’t know or willfully forget that surrender was offered during the original attack. Whatever the case, if there were those who were still ready to return to the Colonies and fight back, despite the odds, the opposing point of view would naturally emerge. What’s interesting is how easily they were pushed, presumably by Gina, towards violence.

Of course, that makes sense. With the Cylon fleet now out of the picture, the Cylons within the Colonial Fleet need to take the steps necessary to achieve the overall goal, which means subversion from within. I also expect that these actions will give another Cylon fleet a chance to make a move. (It’s no guarantee that the Cylons don’t already have another fleet in position, but it would make things more interesting if the action focused on the Colonial internal issues for a while.)

Roslin certainly has an interesting past (teachers in a violent strike and sleeping with the President?), but most important, I think, is her memory of Baltar and Six. If she had doubts about Baltar before, she certainly has more of them now! Something tells me Mr. Nice Gaius is going to be a primary focus through the rest of the season, especially his interplay with Gina. Speaking of which, I loved how she reacted to his overtures.

As for the Cylon child and the danger it poses, I can see why Roslon would be so adamant, but exactly what is she afraid of? More importantly, she’s missing something critical. The child is the result of a union between human and Cylon, which means genetic compatibility. Her own restoration is proof enough of that (as convenient, yet inevitable, as it was). Letting the child be born and then studying it is one way to understand the enemy. After all, there’d be a true Cylon (Sharon), humans, and the hybrid…three degrees of differentiation. The real question, morally, is whether or not that study would be on living tissue.

I agree with Ron Moore on one thing. As great as it is to have so many plot threads carried forward in this episode, it just doesn’t come together as well as it could have. For one thing, as the secret leader of the Cylon Sympathizers, Gina is in rather comfortable quarters. Ron says it’s a brothel; there’s nothing in frame to suggest that. It could have been much worse of a letdown, but that said, it’s still a bit of a letdown.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 7/10

Stargate: SG-1 9.13: "Ripple Effect"

Written by Joseph Mallozzi, Paul Mullie, and Brad Wright
Directed by Peter DeLuise

In which several SG-1 teams come through the gate from alternate universes, causing a crisis in the struggle against the Ori, and some teams have members that are unexpected…


Messing around with alternate timelines and alternate universes can be tricky. Generally, on a show like this, trying to make sense of the science behind it is a relative waste of time. This is the problem with having some basic understanding of quantum theory and particle physics. All the right words are there in relatively right order, and it makes Carter sound really, really smart…but it doesn’t really make sense and it’s dense enough to be a little bit dry from scene to scene.

Of course, that’s beside the point. The idea was to bring Teryl back somehow, and this is a fun enough way to do it. But it also brings up a few unfortunate questions. For instance, if the composition of SG-1 changed enough for Martouf and Janet to be part of the team, why weren’t more high-profile characters also part of some of the teams? Like, say, Hammond, Jonas, or…perhaps Jack O’Neill?

OK, there are issues with money and availability and all that, I understand that perfectly, but that’s what the concept practically demands. I’m surprised that the writers and producers didn’t see the issue and try to speak to it. Say, a line of dialogue from someone indicating that Carter had requested that teams with Jack not be let through, since they already noted that some teams had been turned away.

Another problem I had was the final act. It made sense for the whole thing to have been deliberate, since that was the impression I got from the teaser, but I wasn’t impressed by the complexity of the feint and counter-feint. It was over far too quickly. Why spend so much effort to come up with endless dry exposition with technobabble to the hilt, only to skimp on the chance to delve into the psychology of the four main characters? It might have been better to stick with only two teams and their interactions than to shoehorn in a few unnecessary guest appearances?

Well, enough dwelling. If one ignores the level of dry exposition throughout the hour, there’s a fun premise at the heart of it. In fact, the episode shines when it comes to highlighting the differences (and similarities) from team to team. Some of those Carter and Mitchell scenes were a lot of fun. I liked seeing some old faces, even if the writers seemed to find their appearances more meaningful than they really were.

Frankly, my preference would be to stick with the new characters and new dynamic. Some elements of the old mythology make sense to carry forward into new episodes, but the majority of the episodes should stick to the current crisis.

Writing: 1/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 6/10

7 Day Forecast: 20 Jan 2006

Now reading:

Babylon 5: The Scripts of JMS: Volume 1

Yes! Finally finished the last book and moved on to something very different. I really like this book because it presents the original version of the pilot, "The Gathering", which has some interesting differences and omissions. The regular scripts are less divergent, but some early concepts are intriguing. And there's lots of JMS commentary in the front, production memos, photos...great stuff!

Now playing:

Final Fantasy X-2 - about 34% done...I'm in the middle of "Chapter 2"
Beyond Good and Evil - about 20% done...no new progress, what with "24" and all...
Xenosaga II - I'm maybe 33% through the bonus levels, but I also only play this sporadically when Brenna gets tired of FF X-2

7 Day Forecast (through 27 Jan 2006):

1/21: Stargate SG-1 9.13: "Ripple Effect"
1/22: Battlestar: Galactica 2.13: "Epiphanies"
1/23: Stargate: Atlantis 2.13: "Critical Mass"
1/23: West Wing 7.11: "Duck and Cover"
1/24: 24 5.5: "Day 5: 11AM-12PM"
1/25: Medium 2.13: "Raising Cain"
1/26: Lost 2.12: "Fire Plus Water"
1/27: Invasion 1.13: "Redemption"
1/27: Smallville 5.12: "Reckoning"

Smallville 5.11: "Lockdown"

Written by Steven DeKnight
Directed by Peter Ellis

In which Lex and Lana are held captive within Lex’s panic room when two cops demand to see the spacecraft, while Jonathan is less than pleased when he learns about his financing…


As the writers prepare for a number of plot twists in the milestone 100th episode, the story turns out to be a step above filler. Sure, there’s the death of a minor supporting character, which is a bit surprising, but there’s relatively little movement in the overall plot threads and just about none in the character department.

Was anyone surprised by Jonathan’s reaction to learning about Lionel’s donation? What else was that character going to do? It would have been more interesting in the long run (especially if Jonathan is the character about to die) if his implied consent remained intact and his election integrity under at least short-term question. If Clark is destined to emerge with his own set of ethics, why not have him struggle with the legacy of Jonathan’s example?

Anyway, tying the “lockdown” situation, designed specifically to throw a Lex-sized wrench in the Clark/Lana relationship, to the season premiere was a nice touch. In fact, there were quite a few nice continuity references throughout the episode, even if the characters were just doing what the plot required. Lex’s interest in Lana I can understand, looking back on the second season and onward; Lana’s friendship with Lex is a bit more forced.

Clearly the writers are implying that Clark will have to tell Lana the truth if he wants to have any chance at a future with her, and that presents an interesting dilemma. How can she know the truth and survive into the future of the mythos? Perhaps this is going in the right direction after all. Some elements of the mythology should remain intact, but why not firmly establish this as an “alternate” version of the story? All the media presentations can’t hang together, so why not vary from the conventional wisdom in a more pronounced fashion.

Of course, the writers have to continue with the hints that Clark will end up with Lois, which was cute at first, but now has become incredibly tiresome. I don’t mind her as a character in most episodes, but this is a perfect example of something that doesn’t need to adhere to the strict bounds of the mythos. Let Clark end up with Chloe, since the two have far better chemistry, and just accept that this is a story about archetypes, not comic book continuity!

OK, I know that none of that will ever happen, but as much as I like this series and its particular brand of storytelling, some of the constraints get on my nerves. The fact that the ratings are stronger than ever will just give the producers more reason to stick with a “winning” formula, no matter how the story and characters suffer as a result.

Writing: 1/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 6/10

Invasion 1.12: "Power"

Written by Reed Steiner and Becky Hartman Edwards
Directed by Lawrence Trilling

In which Russell and Mariel try to track down Underlay and the children as the area once again loses power, but Jesse and Larkin begin questioning everyone’s motives…


The promos for this episode made it seem a lot more exciting than it was. The whole episode was indeed devoted to a message that Underlay needed to send to Mariel and Russell, but the manner in which that message was delivered was a lot less interesting than I had been expecting. The very end promises a more explosive confrontation in the future, however, and that sparks my interest.

The triangle between Russell, Mariel, and Larkin is getting rather interesting, and not just because the truth about the “aliens” is out on the table. The writers continue to use the “alien” situation as an effective commentary on extended family dynamics. Mariel is in the middle, and Russell is her connection to her old life (her human side). Underlay makes it very clear that the children are the prize, the pieces in play.

Underlay is actually very smart about it. He doesn’t do anything overtly threatening to the children, and his excuse is about as airtight as it can get. But he delivers a clear message by showing Russell and Mariel how easily he can turn their world upside-down. His offer at the end of the episode is very interesting move. He give Russell what he wants, further reminding him of what he stands to lose. And Mariel gets to see what it’s like to be without the children, thus pushing her to accept her new reality.

This is what makes Underlay a compelling character. He’s something of a villain, especially since he’s preparing his “alien” brothers and sisters for a revolution, but he’s also got a point. The only way that things will go well is if both sides learn to live together and find common ground. Whether or not that’s possible is the key point in the conflict. Sometimes it just doesn’t work out, and that possibly remains with this family.

So Underlay all but ensured that Russell and Mariel would be placed in a compromised situation in terms of what they know and how they react. But it also seems as if Underlay has some problems of his own, beyond Jesse’s curiosity and Kira’s petulance. There’s the threatening phone calls, which at this point, could mean anything. That means that there are still some complications left to introduce between now and, say, episodes 14-15, when the season usually begins ramping up to the resolution of a season arc.

Writing: 1/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 6/10

Lost 2.11: "The Hunting Party"

Written by Elizabeth Sarnoff and Christina Kim
Directed by Stephen Williams

In which Michael goes after Walt on his own, forcing Jack, Locke, and Sawyer to form a hunting party to bring him back, but the effort hits a major obstacle when the party finds someone else…


Status Report

This is one of those episodes with very little in the way of forward momentum, but plenty worth talking about. Two aspects of the episode are fairly critical to the overall “Lost” world: the revelation about Jack’s marriage issues and the first face-to-face with the Others. Enjoyment of this episode therefore hinges largely on interest in Jack as a character, since clearly, the revelations about the Others are few and far between.

The flashbacks don’t say much about Jack that wasn’t already apparent: he feels a crushing responsibility for nearly everything, and that means he’s always looking for something to fix or make right. And as his father warned him before his marriage, that can lead to bad decisions, especially when the thing he wants to fix is a person. Much of this episode is devoted to the idea that Jack was lured by the incredibly hot daughter of a new patient, but that’s only the symptom of the disease.

Jack is certain, thanks to his success with Sarah, that he can make another miracle happen. And that is fed by the faith that his patient has in him. His more pragmatic approach to reality is overcome by this desire to make everything better through sheer force of will. That’s never a good combination, because it never ends well. And in this case, it meant longer hours, time away from the wife, who needed more than just physical healing and “fixing”.

The real kicker is that Jack understands that something is missing, but he doesn’t know what it is and so he doesn’t know how to address it. It shows up big time, however, when he finds a very attractive woman with something of an infatuation, ready and willing to show appreciation. He doesn’t take it too far, but it’s far enough for him to realize something needs to change in his marriage to make up for some lack. But it’s too late, because Sarah has already found her own solution.

This is one of those situations where Jack could be seen as a willing fool. He knew that Sarah was with someone else before he “fixed” her, but apparently never considered why she wouldn’t leave him just as easily. The entire situation also reinforces another flaw in Jack: not only does he like to “fix” things, but he also obsesses over controlling them. He doesn’t like it when he “fixes” something and then it changes in unexpected ways.

Hence, his huge issue with Kate. He’s clearly attracted to her, and he feels an amazing amount of bitterness towards Sawyer for having feelings of his own. Yet he could never have a solid relationship with Kate as he is, because she’s not looking for someone to tell her what to do. Even if, to a certain extent, that’s exactly what she needs: someone who’s willing to push her into some form of stability.

For those who prefer to see Locke within the box of the philosopher’s tenets, this episode fits within that category. This is probably because Jack is in serious “control freak” mode, which is not something that Locke particularly appreciates. Locke is concerned, in a general sense, with individual freedom (when he’s not trying to impose his own concept of destiny on the entire camp), so of course he’s more than happy to let Michael do what he has to do. But Locke also pushed Jack into assuming the leadership role, so there’s a bit of hypocrisy there.

While Michael triggers this episode’s events, this episode is all about how Jack finally chooses to respond to everything that has happened since the end of the first season through the confrontation with the Others. Both camps were victimized to some degree or another, and that has finally come to a head. The question is how this will divide the camp and cause internal conflict. Jack doesn’t need a new avenue for his controlling ways, and commanding an army falls into that category.

This brings up some interesting “Lord of the Flies” possibilities. Jack wants to create an army to fight the Others, ostensibly in terms of self-defense, but as history demonstrates, an army means administration/government which means the society needs to contribute and support that function. Suddenly the dynamic changes and some will gain power they don’t necessarily deserve. Hence the comments in this episode that some people are considered more “important” than the rest.

It’s also interesting that Jack turns to Ana Lucia for this effort. Granted, she was involved in a long-term campaign to protect her people against the Others, but Sayid has practical experience within the military. For that matter, Locke has been pushing the tribe into pulling together a defense since the middle of the first season. They could probably get Danielle involved if they played their cards right. But there will be those who dislike any offensive posture, and ultimately, they cannot ignore that Walt was abducted and Michael is now also missing.

How will Jack resolve his “control freak” flaw and find some sense of peace if he’s putting together an army? For that matter, is he destined to fail and become a victim of the island? On the other hand, will this give Ana Lucia something to focus on, above and beyond her own history. Ana’s path to redemption may require Jack to cover some very dark territory.

Considering how important this turn of the story really is, the confrontation with the Others is remarkably weak. Not only does it fail to do much more than draw lines that were already effectively drawn, but it does nothing to add to or subtract from current speculation. The references to the hatch by “Zeke” suggest that there is a connection between Dharma and the Others, and certainly Walt’s “special” nature, but one thing to keep in mind is that “Zeke” is in a position of complete strength and confidence. He doesn’t have to speak the truth or clarify anything, and so anything he says must be taken with a grain of salt.

It is interesting, however, that the Others don’t immediately kill any of the four “hunters”. It suggests that the Others have a purpose for letting them live. This still plays into the speculation in earlier reviews, while giving the main characters something to think about. As will the mention of Alex, which very likely refers to Danielle’s daughter, mentioned more than once in the first season.

As much as this precipitates forward momentum, it’s simply not very substantial. The audience doesn’t know anything new; it’s just the characters that are basically being forced to accept a reality that they have been avoiding for weeks. And the Others make a very good point: the survivors of Oceanic 815 have been on the island less than two months, yet they take action as if they are the ones with the right to all the resources.

Despite all the emphasis on Jack, there’s still plenty of time given to the rest of the cast, even if it’s just one short scene. One thing that’s not as effective as it could have been is the parallel between Jack’s past and Kate’s present. Without previous context, those scenes would have been hard to pin down. Locke was pushing the rights of the one over the needs of the many again, but as mentioned earlier, it’s a bit disingenuous, since he pushed Jack into that leadership role because he saw the need for it.

It’s good to see Sawyer, because he brings something special to the mix with his sarcastic cynicism. When it comes to Jack and Sawyer, Locke slips right back into “shaman” mode, pushing their buttons to get a sense of their motivations. Sawyer, especially, is begging for another episode devoted to his past choices.

One interesting thing is Sayid’s reaction to being left out of the “hunting party”. In the first season, he would have probably been one of the first survivors approached. Now, he seems to be on the outside looking in, and that cannot be easy. Charlie, too, is feeling the isolation. Jin, on the other hand, is torn between his duty to his friends and his duty to Sun. It’s an interesting turn for the character, who has come so far in just 30 episodes.

Charlie’s jealousy over Locke’s rather casual friendliness towards Claire and Aaron now has even more bitterness, but that should become more prominent in the next episode. On the more amusing side, Hurley seems to be very interested in Libby, who will hopefully get herself cleaned up sometime soon. Wouldn’t be interesting if she turned out to be one of the staff at the institution where Hurley used to reside?

Had the confrontation with the Others been more substantial, this would have been a much stronger episode, on the same level as the previous installment. As it was, the character exploration was interesting, but not enough to make up the difference. This wasn’t a terrible episode, but it’s one that certainly didn’t live up to its full potential.


Final Analysis

Overall, this episode had a great deal of potential, but one of the more important scenes didn’t have the necessary impact. The events themselves are fairly substantial in terms of long-term impact, however, and the character in focus could go a in very dark direction as a result. This episode seems to struggle like so many this season: it has the same level of potential, but something in the execution is just not the same.

Writing: 1/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 1/2
Style: 2/4

Final Rating: 6/10

24 5.4: "Day 5: 10AM - 11AM"

Written by Michael Loceff and Joel Surnow
Directed by Brad Turner

In which Jack becomes another hostage held by the terrorists as the anti-terrorism summit comes down to the wire, forcing CTU to stage an assault as management takes a turn for the worse…


Status Report

So far the episodes seem to be wavering between strong storytelling and the issues that have plagued the series since the middle of the first season. Coming on the heels of a very strong episode, it only makes sense that this would seem weaker in comparison. It was still quite entertaining, but it wasn’t on the same level as the third hour.

One of the most immediate problems with the story is the decision by the terrorists to keep Jack alive. While he does have some general value as a means of dealing with the CTU response, but that doesn’t seem to be in mind when the terrorists first take him in hand. Why leave a seasoned counter-terrorism agent in the room when the goal is to pass off a keycard to one of the hostages as quietly as possible?

It would have been more logical, in terms of the terrorist plot, for them to shoot Jack in front of the media. For one thing, he was being used as a dupe in the assassination, and his death would prevent the truth from coming to light. Second, even if the terrorists didn’t care about that anymore, he would have been a high-profile victim, someone to kill to embarrass Logan even more. Leaving him alive, in the same room where the handoff is meant to take place, is an incredibly stupid decision.

The producers seem to find every opportunity to show Jean Smart’s bosom, which is somewhat odd. But they are also dialing back from her nutty side and showing a more calculating and focused individual. Can someone, however, explain why the supposedly mentally unstable First Lady has such light security that Walter can drug and assault her without anyone noticing?

Lynn McGill comes from the “politics is king” school of management. In other words, if it works to make one look better politically within the organization, it’s something worth doing. His attitude with Bill is intolerably smug, but the writers also go to great lengths (in this episode and the two previous episodes) in showing Bill as just a little too willing to accept new information with little or no scrutiny. There’s also the hint that Lynn used to work for Bill, perhaps as a protégé.

For instance, Bill should have been able to tell that Jack was trying to express that he was under duress. Why else would he toss out that line about “Flank 2” time and again? More importantly, why did it take so long for Chloe to remember that it was a term used for this very purpose? It seems a little convenient that the most annoying boss on the planet would figure out, in minutes, what experts on Jack can’t work out in almost an hour. For that matter, why didn’t Beresch figure out that Jack was trying to give CTU a warning? It wasn’t at all subtle, and they knew they were dealing with a seasoned agent.

Logan and Suvarov also fall prey to odd logic. If Logan were to give in to the terrorists and postpone, then he would be sending a message that the terrorists can use the lives of innocents as political capital. If he sticks to his guns, even if the hostages are killed, he sends a message. It’s a bloody and terrible message, but it’s a message. Both men seem way too concerned with the political legacy the accord will bring, more than the reality of what the accord should represent.

Once again, the terrorist plot is in and of itself a possible plot weakness. If the point was simply to cover the transfer of the keycard, why do something so public to get it done? It could have been quietly taken care of in a backroom without any issues. Was it just to ensure that any increased chatter would be attributed to the hostage situation and not the true goal? Or was it complete overkill? Time will tell, but right now, it doesn’t quite add up.

Returning for a moment to the question of Lynn McGill (and could his attitude have something to do with growing up with that name?), his character is very smooth with Bill, but he doesn’t have an ounce of sincerity in his voice. And he’s right too damn often! Letting him be the one to figure out what Jack was doing was too easy, definitely a way to maximize the smarm. Yet his interpretation of Jack’s status was perfectly legitimate and highlighted one of the major issues with Bill’s response to Jack in the past two episodes.

This is likely to bring about something that was predicted in the review for the previous episode: Bill will be taken to task for making pragmatic decisions to achieve success. Lynn seems to be the mechanism towards that goal. And more to the point, there always has to be some jerk from Division who comes in and tries to apply book policy to real world scenarios. Sure, protocol gives direction for a reason, but it doesn’t cover extreme circumstances.

It’s a wonderful change of pace, however, for Jack to concede the necessity of being taken into custody. It won’t last, but it’s a nice change for the character. After all, he’s not an agent anymore, and there are serious consequences that should follow from his return. The writers could spend a lot of time just on the topic of Jack as political hot potato, especially once the Chinese get wind of it all. Granted, those moments will exist only when the terrorist plot needs more time to build organically, but for now, the genie is out of the bottle and the writers have their work cut out for them.


Final Analysis

Overall, this episode has a number of logic problems, all of which are designed to place newer characters in an immediate context and ensure the survival of others. Despite some of the issues with internal logic, there are some good moments, and by the end of the episode, the writers achieve the goal of setting up the new season with a relatively contained mini-arc.

Writing: 1/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4

Final Rating: 7/10

Season Average (as of 5.4): 7.7

Supernatural 1.12: "Faith"

Written by Raelle Tucker and Sera Gamble
Directed by Allan Kroeker

In which Dean is mortally wounded on a case, and Sam makes the difficult decision to take him to a faith healer, but the price for Dean’s life is much greater than Sam realizes…


It’s amazing how this show can pull you into a relatively simple and straightforward story. I was very busy coming into this episode (the “24” premiere week is always nuts for me), so I started the episode while cleaning up. Roughly an hour later, I realized that I had made little progress. Believe it or not, it wasn’t my semi-obsession with Julie Benz, either!

No, this time, it was my fascination with Dean’s enormous feelings of guilt, and how much was running beneath the surface. Sam made a value judgment for his brother that speaks volumes, and I’m still not sure that I’ve considered all the possible interpretations of that decision. It’s rather clear what Dean’s interpretation is, however, and it just might make their relationship more complicated.

There’s some indication that the episodes are being aired out of the intended order, but I don’t think that it’s been as obvious or damaging as it could have been (in the sense of a series like “Firefly”, for instance). I see a fairly consistent progression of the character exploration. Sure, the rift between them in the previous episode might have evolved out of this series of events more naturally than out of “Asylum”, but it all hangs together very well.

More to the point, Sam had come to realize just how important Dean is in his life by the end of “Scarecrow”, and that plays a crucial part in his decision to save Dean’s life through questionable means. Even after the truth about the Reaper was revealed, Sam didn’t show much remorse over the cost to save Dean’s life, though his actions clearly demonstrated a desire to prevent further loss of life.

Dean, on the other hand, demonstrates a very different distinction between the morality for the sake of family and the morality for the sake of strangers. In essence, he buys into the idea that the Winchesters have devoted their lives to fighting the darkness for everyone else, and that means self-sacrifice. Dean is deeply affected by the realization that someone had to die so he could live, and that is likely to have future repercussions.

In terms of the actual plot, as I said, it was very simple. Faith healers annoy me on a scientific level, but I do find that they provide intriguing examples of how faith and belief work within an individual. It was somewhat predictable for the healer to believe in his own ability, while the truth was far more sinister, but I liked some aspects of the lore involved.

One thing that took away from the episode was the somewhat cheesy depiction of the Reaper. It looked like they were going for something like the Gentlemen from the “Buffy” episode “Hush”, and wound up with something more suited to a cereal commercial. That took away some of the enjoyment for me, but as usual, the focus on the brothers’ psychology and mental state is my primary interest.

Writing: 1/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4

Final Rating: 7/10