24 5.10: "Day 5: 4PM - 5PM"

Written by Joel Surnow and Michael Loceff
Directed by Tim Iacofano

In which Logan struggles with the knowledge that Martha may die with the Suvarovs, while Lynn grows ever more unstable at CTU and Jack runs into an old acquaintance following a lead…


Status Report

The previous episode was filled with serious flaws in characterization, designed to mask the fact that the writers, as usual, started working out the plot on the fly once the initial story arc wound down with episode 5.8. It left Lynn on a paranoid power trip in the middle of a national crisis, Logan giving up the Russian president to terrorists, and Jack going dark again for reasons even more inexplicable than usual.

As with past seasons, the trick to reviewing the episodes is understand that each episode will inevitably include plot and character elements from the episode that came before it, and sins of the prior episode should not carry over to those that come after. Still, it makes it difficult to review an episode like this one, where the elements that didn’t work are amplified.

Logan, for instance, is even more willing to sell out every speck of the nation’s political integrity on the chance that the terrorists might release the Sentox gas against American citizens. Even having identified the most likely position for the ambush, he can’t make the call to CTU that would set in motion an effort to find or contain the terrorists.

Part of that is to ensure that Logan agonizes over the choice between Martha and the public, which is all well and good. But it’s drawn out specifically to allow the drama at CTU to unfold and resolve itself. Once again, it’s less a matter of choices having consequences as the need for a big plot point forcing decisions by the characters. Unfortunately, that means that most of the scenes with Logan were beyond repetitive and, over time, more than a little annoying.

Lynn’s paranoia continues to get the best of him, but at the same time, while people are fired for taking phone calls that are related to their job, he completely misses Audrey’s ongoing circumvention of his authority. Sure, he notices that Chloe is away from her desk, but only after Audrey has a long time to get Jack what he needs to infiltrate Omicron. Considering how Lynn was hovering over Audrey and questioning her motives, it seems odd for Audrey to have such latitude.

“Buffy” reference aside, Audrey’s continued ability to work in some dark corner of the CTU building, out of Lynn’s sight and control, really doesn’t make sense once he “catches” her working with Chloe on something he didn’t explicitly authorize. It’s true that Lynn is losing control and getting in the way, but one would expect him to be exerting that level of control more personally and more frequently.

But the point, of course, is to give Jack support just long enough to service that part of the plot, so Audrey gets all the time in the world. Thankfully, Henderson turns out to be smarter than one would expect, given the contrivances of the script. Henderson knows Jack is coming, which is something that Jack conveniently forgets later in the episode. In fact, this is one of those situation where Jack is suddenly struck by the Really Damn Stupid virus. Henderson made such a point to grab that metal file box on the way to a bunker that he supposedly hadn’t been to before. Suspicious, much?

Lynn, however, is not just a member of the Really Damn Stupid club, but also its president. He assumes, with very little information, that the chatter regarding Suvarov is unrelated to the nerve gas. This, despite the fact that the terrorists connected to the nerve gas originally demanded that the anti-terrorism accord with Suvarov be disavowed and despite the fact that they all know the terrorists were stealing the gas intending to strike Moscow. So why does Lynn aggressively dispute such a possibility?

Well, the reason is fairly clear; the writers needed an excuse for Audrey to defy Lynn directly and question his mental stability. The writers don’t completely drop the ball on this one, since Curtis gives Audrey a bit of an argument regarding the legality of the move. But it’s quite clear that Curtis is going to follow through with Audrey’s plan, and while it’s fun watching Lynn completely lose his control.

Not willing to let anyone of true conviction to remain unaffected by his cowardice, Logan resigns himself to sacrificing his wife and then asks Novick to pray with him. Frankly, Novick is equally disappointing in this episode, since his past decisions have never indicated this level of equivocation. But Novick certainly knows that this is not the right thing, even if he’s willing to support it for political reasons.

In a scene that is more satisfying than it has any right to be, Lynn is removed from power and Buchanan quickly undoes as much of the damage as possible. This only serves to underscore the fact that Lynn’s power trip was designed to serve the needs of the plot. Once the story no longer needed Jack to be on his own or the motorcade to be an irrevocable target, all the results of the paranoia are reversed and everything’s back to status quo. It’s more than a little annoying, because it’s something that seems to happen even season.

Pierce was looking like an obvious red-shirt when he joined the motorcade, so it’s slightly surprising to see him survive the assault. That said, the dynamics of the attack are designed to ensure that certain people survive. That RPG should have taken out the armored car with relative ease, for instance. Never mind that the terrorists line themselves up rather conveniently for Pierce to counterattack!

Meanwhile, Jack steps into such an obvious trap that one wonders if he was knocked senseless by that stun gun. Far more questionable, however, is the idea that Jack could use the explosion to open the bunker door while hiding from the explosion under a floor panel. He’s trapped inside a bunker! It’s designed to contain explosives!

Worse is Henderson’s assumption that CTU doesn’t have enough evidence to pin anything on Omicron. Perhaps they didn’t, but killing Jack on their premises using an explosive that is clearly a bomb will all but implicate Omicron in the terrorist plot. And Henderson seems to forget that if Jack was investigating based on some evidence, which CTU still has. However one chooses to interpret it, Henderson should know better than to think he’s in the clear.

By the end of the episode, the situation is essentially the same as it was two episodes earlier, which brings up an interesting question: just what was the point of the past two episodes? Now it’s not Erwich threatening to release the gas on Americans, but is it really any different for Bierko to be making the threat? The one obvious lead has evolved into another obvious lead, and all that’s happened in the meantime is a moral collapse for a questionable president and a mental collapse by a questionable bureaucrat. Since both collapses required the characters to make extreme and illogical choices to service the plot, it all seems like a waste.

But how much of the problem was the status quo delivered by the previous episode, and how much can be attributed to this specific installment? If one takes the situation with Lynn and Logan at face value, then they act more or less consistent with that situation. It’s a question of extremes. More damning, however, is Jack’s inexplicable trust of Henderson and the manner in which he survives. It’s a better episode than the previous installment, but there’s still quite a bit of room for improvement.


Final Analysis

Overall, this episode is an incremental improvement on the previous installment, but many of the same annoying and questionable plot elements remain at the forefront. Some events come full circle, which makes some choices seem pointless in the process, and Jack in particular seems to be out of character. Once again, the lack of planning by the writing staff leads to sloppy storytelling.

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

Final Rating: 6/10

Season Average (as of 5.10): 6.9

Stargate: Atlantis 2.18: "Michael"

Written by Carl Binder
Directed by Martin Wood

In which a man named Michael awakens with no memory of his identity or history, and is told that he was a survivor of a Wraith attack, but troubling dreams and desires tell a different story…


Plot elements from the first half of the season finally come back into play in this episode, and it’s a welcome change of pace. The writers were struggling since the less-than-stellar Lt. Ford subplot last reared its ugly head, and part of that was a lack of focus. If this episode is any indication, the intention is to shake things up a little just in time for the season finale.

If I were going to emphasize the negative a bit more, I would note that the writers chose a convenient time to remember, all of a sudden, that they had been messing with the “cure” to the Wraith for quite some time. After all, it hadn’t been mentioned for several episodes. More to the point, after flirting with several possible leaks regarding the survival of Atlantis, now one appears just in time to force a battle (presumably) in the finale. It’s a bit predictable (and now “The Tower” seems even more contrived as a means to an end).

That said, I enjoy the idea of self-inflicted wounds, because Weir took a morally questionable choice, and now it’s blown up in her face. It takes the story back into the kind of desperate territory that the series was supposed to address, and something that the links to Earth this season may have stripped away. Weir didn’t play it safe this time around, and if anything, the entire team let their defenses down, with the exception of Ronon.

What I like about this is the dangerous quality of the choice. Weir and the team conducted a biological experiment against the will of the subject. It’s morally ambiguous at best and a war crime at worst, especially since the ultimate goal would be to generate a biological weapon to eliminate the enemy. As it is, one cannot predict how Michael’s reintroduction will affect the Wraith. Michael has a lot of reason to hate the humans, but he also seemed unable to treat them as prey anymore.

In a lot of ways, Ronon was the weak link of the plan, and Weir should have done something to keep him away from Michael. If it wasn’t for his hostility, would Michael have tried to uncover the truth so quickly? For that matter, this is where the self-inflicted wounds come into play: it was far too easy for Michael to find the record of his conversion. It’s as if the experiment came along before anyone was properly prepared to conduct it.

A larger question emerges: is the goal of wiping out the Wraith and making them into something more human really a good idea? Especially if the long-term effect would be unpredictable at best? What if the process ended with Wraith characteristics returning, but with the human appearance intact? Then the problem becomes much worse. Of course, it’s already worse, because the Wraith now have evidence that Atlantis is intact and the humans living there are close to finding a way to wipe out the Wraith, possibly for good. The Wraith have every reason to attack Atlantis regardless of internecine warfare, and while that’s a predictable direction going into the finale, I really like how they finally decided to get there.

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

Final Rating: 8/10

Battlestar Galactica 2.18: "Downloaded"

Written by Bradley Thompson and David Weddle
Directed by Jeff Woolnough

In which the humaniform Cylons, based on Caprica, bring together the resurrected Six and Sharon who once loved Baltar and Tyrol, but things do not progress as planned…


This turns out to be the episode where Ron Moore and I don’t quite see eye to eye. Ron believes this is one of the best episodes of the series. I come from two viewings with a somewhat less enthusiastic response. It wasn’t until well after I listened to the podcast that I realized what my issue with the episode really is.

The point of this episode is to show how Caprica-Six and Sharon, based on their long-term relationships with humans, changed so dramatically that they decide to change the course of the Cylons. That’s all very well and good, since C-Six mentions that it’s all about the love and how following God should not mean killing and genocide. Sharon certainly had plenty of experience with the better side of humanity with Tyrol.

But if the episode is about change, and profound change, then the audience should have a solid understanding of where the Cylons were philosophically prior to this change. And that is my problem with this turn of events. The Cylon agenda has never been particularly clear. It’s not clear why the Cylons tried to wipe out humanity, why they pushed Boomer into Helo’s arms to have a hybrid baby, why they’ve let the fleet stay alive all this time (and it is a matter of letting them survive), and so on.

Equally troublesome is D’Anna’s attitude about humans and the treatment of the two Cylons who “went human”. The fact is, that’s what the Cylons programmed them to do, and there’s plenty of evidence from the first season to suggest that the Cylons wanted a Sharon and a human to fall in love for the purposes of the hybrid. And since D’Anna noted in “Final Cut” that the hybrid was the key to the Cylon agenda, why would this D’Anna be so adamant that human emotions were some kind of weakness?

The point is that the Cylon agenda was never clear to begin with, and so it’s hard to see how this movement beginning with C-Six and Sharon is supposed to be a kind of revolution. Such problems litter the episode. While it’s very clever to have C-Six channeling a version of Baltar, it brings up an issue in Ron’s discussion of it. Ron suggests that Baltar is C-Six’s conscience, just as Six is an expression of Baltar’s guilt. The problem, of course, is that Six has revealed information and has acted independently of Baltar on several occasions. If that’s the explanation, then two seasons worth of evidence strongly contradicts it.

Finally, I’m not particular impressed with the response to the birth of the hybrid by Roslin and Adama. For one thing, it would make no sense to kill it, for the same reason that pretending it died is a horrible idea. The Cylons want the hybrid. They have the hybrid. Placing the hybrid in a secure area with plenty of security will force the Cylons to expose their plans, and could also force Cylon models that haven’t been identified to expose themselves. If the Cylons believe the child is dead, instead of with the fleet, and the hybrid was the most important thing…well, why should the Cylons keep the fleet around?

Of course, all of these things could come back into play as the season finale unfolds, so it may be premature to grumble about contradictory plot elements or lingering plot holes. This is one series that typically avoids such pitfalls, so perhaps that faith is not yet unwarranted. Still, this is one with some glaring questions left unaddressed, and if those questions remain unanswered, this will be remembered as the episode where it all began falling apart.

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

Final Rating: 7/10

Stargate: SG-1 9.18: "Arthur's Mantle"

Written by Alan McCullough
Directed by Peter DeLuise

In which activation of an artifact attributed to Merlin sends Mitchell and Carter into an alternate dimension, while Teal’c investigates a problem with the Sodan…


Despite the fact that this is not advertised or officially designated as the first part of a three-part arc ending the season, this is an episode with number of lingering plot threads. The ending is especially annoying, because the episode doesn’t so much end as stop because it was time to stop. Granted, one doesn’t expect a secret weapon that could be used against ascended beings to come into play until the season finale.

Actually, I have to wonder if the writers would take things in a very different direction. After all, the Priors are supposed to be in the Milky Way for the purposes of wiping out the Ancients so the Ori can step in and take control. Finding the weapon that Merlin created to take down the Ancients himself would be useful against the Ori, but it would also be useful to the Priors.

One nice touch is the tie-in to the first few episodes of the season. Previously, the allusions to Arthurian mythology seemed out of place and somewhat gratuitous. It still feels that way, frankly, but at least it’s going somewhere. I didn’t catch any explanation for how Arthurian mythology fit into the story as it stands, but perhaps that will be pulled together before long.

While the “alternate universe” plot thread was mostly a means of slipping in the exposition regarding the Merlin/Arthur’s Mantle concept, I liked that it was interwoven into the Sodan plot thread. Unfortunately, the Sodan plot thread annoyed me to no end. The Sodan were a nice way to riff on the Jaffa while tying them directly into the Ori arc. Now, that’s not possible, because the Sodan are dead. And they were killed by a Sodan warrior turned into an Ori Zombie, which was just a bit lame.

That’s not to say that the episode was lacking in redeeming qualities. The interplay between Mitchell and Teal’c is becoming one of the best features of the show, which will serve as a nice complement, I’m sure, to future Daniel/Vala banter. And though Sam is often the odd one out in such cases, she has a great rapport with Daniel in this episode. I was also amused by Dr. Lee and his usual antics, which could have been a lot more tiresome.

This episode continues to bring the season back in the direction of the arc that dominated the first half of the ninth season, and presumably, the seeds for the tenth season are also being planted. While the producers and writers still talk about loosening the arc structure even more (thus returning to a format that I found tiresome by the fifth season), there’s still enough question about the future of the series to force plot threads to be more prominent and connective.

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

Final Rating: 6/10

7 Day Forecast: 24 Feb 2006

Now reading:

Star Wars: Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader by James Luceno
Babylon 5: The Scripts of JMS: Volume 4

I actually just finished reading through this, which covers up to episode 2.21. The series is getting into the meat of the scripts now, and there are some nice insights into the creative process and the plot decisions. I especially like the candid explanation for what happened behind the scenes that forced "Divided Loyalties" to take place...


Now playing:

Final Fantasy X-2 - about 55% done...I'm slowly making progress
Lord of the Rings: The Third Age - about 12%...this is fun, but I have to play when Brenna's not around!
Xenosaga II - I'm about 67% through the bonus levels...currently on hold

7 Day Forecast (through 03 Mar 2006):

2/25: Stargate SG-1 9.18: "Arthur's Mantle"
2/26: Battlestar: Galactica 2.18: "Downloaded"
2/27: Stargate: Atlantis 2.18: "Michael"
2/28: 24 5.10: "Day 5: 4PM - 5PM"
3/01: Medium 2.15: "Sweet Child O' Mine"
3/01: Supernatural 1.16: "Shadow"
3/02: Lost 2.15: "Maternity Leave"
3/03: X-Files: Fight the Future

My review for "Fight the Future" is going to take a little longer. I'm up to 12 pages and only 2/3 of the way through the film!! What can I say...the film is the linchpin for much of my explanation for the mythology...

Quick Update News!

Another quick programming note...LOL...

I've used this past week with few new reviews, as time has permitted, to complete the revamp of my archival website. There are still some items that need to be revisited, especially the older show-specific pages, but I've organized things a bit more and made it easier to find a lot of the content:

http://www.entil2001.com

Come and take a look!

***

The next step, obviously, will be adding the podcast functionality. I still plan on taking a little time here and there over the next three months or so to get the technology and support in place and determine an initial format. I might try a demo here and there to see if it's really a viable extension of current activities. The schedule still looks good for going live by June 2006, just in time for the summer programming.

24 5.9: "Day 5: 3PM - 4PM"

Written by Howard Gordon and David Fury
Directed by Tim Iacofano

In which Lynn McGill takes full control of CTU, including an order to take Jack into custody, while Logan is forced to choose between Russian and American lives…


Status Report

The writers and producers openly admit that they try to structure the series in thirds. That is the unofficial format for most shows with even a hint of a season arc, and “24” is no exception. However, the seasonal act breaks usually involve a more smooth transition. In this case, the plot shifts focus in a matter of seconds, and the jarring effect on the story makes it hard for the writers to recover momentum.

It was a given that Erwich was a middle-man, but it was still a shock to see him killed so quickly. Apparently the way to move the story forward is to toss out the existing threat of a terrorist attack on Americans and shift back to the Russian plot thread. While there are elements in place that allow for that, it also betrays, once again, the haphazard nature of the writing for this show.

Bierko should make for an interesting villain, if only because Julian Sands is a great antagonist. (Note his creepy work in recent “Stargate: SG-1” episodes.) It makes sense that Bierko would look to eliminate complications in the wake of Erwich’s mess and the revelations about Nathanson. How he learned the truth about Nathanson is unclear, but the fact that Bierko wants the man dead provides the expected means for Nathanson to re-enter the story as a source of information for Jack.

Piled on top of these abrupt changes in the terrorism plot thread are far too many psychological issues related to Lynn McGill. Last season’s short-term CTU boss was bad enough when it came to tossing out accusations and getting in the way; Lynn seems to revel in the consequences of his own incompetence. That keycard is going to become one of those requisite annoying plot elements in the future, if past history is any indication!

So Logan, in his usual mode of covering for his own poor and self-absorbed choices, takes Lynn to task, and the inevitable reaction is paranoid fascism. Rather than let Bauer work with the autonomy that he supposed had, Lynn falls back on the cliché reaction of “arrest Jack!”, which always goes well. And thus begins a somewhat tired exercise in putting Jack on the run, which has been done enough times to make it more annoying than suspenseful.

This triggers a series of remarkably outlandish plot devices, which has a certain level of parallel thematic resonance. Audrey gets a call to do something immoral, which then sets her at odds with Lynn and forces a number of people to make difficult choices with countless lives at stake. Logan gets a call to do something immoral, which then sets him at odds with Novick and forces a number of people to make difficult choices with countless lives at stake. Thematically, does it work? Sure. But getting there is a rather ludicrous exercise.

Chloe’s decision to erase the phone logs, leaving an obvious trail, is a ridiculous plot element designed specifically for Lynn to have an excuse to abuse his power. The whole idea is to hide the call so that it cannot be proven that Audrey called Jack. Erasing the logs in an obvious way eliminates the direct evidence, but leaves whopping indirect evidence that does little more than widen the consequences. If Audrey believes that having Chloe erase phone logs could eventually be justified, she should know the same applies to her personal decision to help Jack.

Logan began the season with one goal in mind: forging a legacy. For him, it’s all about making choices that will give him maximum flexibility for spin control after the fact. So it seems rather out of character for Logan to risk a major international incident, sure to undermine the entire accord signed hours earlier, to protect American lives that might be otherwise saved through CTU efforts. It doesn’t make much sense at all, for someone who screwed Jack to avoid an international incident with China.

Here’s a thought. Why not inform Suvarov of the situation, since he’s already aware of what has been happening, and see if CTU can be aided by Russian personnel on Suvarov’s security detail? Why not give the anti-terrorist accord some weight by working together to resolve a threat that affects both governments? Logan doesn’t even begin to consider the long-term advantages, and unfortunately, the writers make sure Novick doesn’t bring that up either.

On the other hand, Logan does flirt with the idea of using the situation as a setup to foil the terrorists, but he does it incorrectly. If he wanted to do that, why not contact CTU first? Well, that would be too easy, and it might demonstrate competence. It would also distract Lynn from his dictatorial leanings. And of course, once Martha gets wind of it, the situation has to escalate from her actions before anyone else can intervene.

Once Chloe identifies that the chip provided by Nathanson requires DOD passwords and Lynn catches them in the act, the situation becomes a pretext for bringing Secretary of Defense Heller back for a few episodes. He will probably deal with Lynn harshly and then proceed to act with authority that he shouldn’t have under the circumstances, much like the fourth season.

Ultimately the lead sends Jack in the direction of a former acquaintance, while Lynn continues to follow Logan’s demand for swift anti-terrorism response by taking everyone taller than him into custody. This is where the logic completely breaks down. Lynn and Logan want the canisters found. Lynn assumes that Jack is secretly working with people in CTU against orders. Instead of tabling that issue for later and seeing what Jack has managed to uncover, he places control of CTU activities at the top of his list. Lynn is, essentially, a complete and utter moron.

Judging by the end of the episode, things aren’t looking good for Agent Pierce. The writers aren’t going to kill Martha, and killing off the Russian president would be too much to contain in terms of an international incident. So someone needs to die to ramp up the tension again, and Pierce is all too likely a candidate.

The despicable and illogical decisions from Logan and Lynn in this episode are a major contributor to its downfall. The characters aren’t making decisions that are based on existing character aspects; they’re making decisions for the sake of the plot and regaining tension. It is possible, as seen in previous episodes and seasons, for the situations to escalate in a manner that doesn’t betray a cobbled-together creative process. Unfortunately, this episode doesn’t have that quality.

Ironically, this episode was written by Howard Gordon and David Fury. This is not very hard to believe. Gordon has been the writer for many of the more challenged episodes of the series, especially when the writers are in “scramble” mode. Fury is usually better at taking a script and banging it into shape in short order, but the plot demands might have overcome his usual facility with character detail. Whatever the case, this lives up too far too many low expectations for a Howard Gordon script.


Final Analysis

Overall, this episode begins the predictable mid-season slump, as the writers force the story and characters into directions that don’t quite add up in comparison to the first few episodes of the season. In fact, the primary plot thread takes such an abrupt turn that the audience is left wondering what the point of the past few episodes has been. Easily one of the worst episodes of the season.

Writing: 0/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 5/10

Season Average (as of 5.9): 7.0

Stargate: Atlantis 2.17: "Coup D'Etat"

Written by Martin Gero
Directed by Martin Wood

In which Atlantis is contacted by an apparent Genii radical with a plan to overthrow his existing government, but things get more complicated when the true scope of the plot is revealed…


I’ve been hard on the series this season, largely because I’ve felt that the first season practice of weaving a larger story into the stand-alone episodes was far more successful than the haphazard direction taken in the second season. In a lot of ways, this series has suffered the “Enterprise” syndrome. That series began with a relatively average but promising first season, followed by a second season plagued by retreads and a lack of forward progress.

One of the more interesting aspects of the first season was the Genii, a group that added a fresh perspective to the threat of the Wraith and what Pegasus Galaxy inhabitants might do to survive. In many respects, the second season replaced the Genii with Ford’s group, which then failed to gel as a meaningful subplot past “The Hive”. In fact, while some episodes have hinted at elements that will play into the finale, most of the episodes have done little to advance existing plot threads.

This episode doesn’t necessarily address my concerns for the series, but it does revisit one of the better aspects of the first season, so it was more appealing in comparison. I would have preferred a more direct extension of the plot threads from the first season, especially if it would have meant another appearance for Sora, but this was at least a bit less predictable than other recent episodes.

I like the fact that the Atlantis team found itself outplayed by the Genii, and in the end, they did little more than save themselves from an unfortunate end during the coup. I usually dislike episodes that leave the primary cast members as side notes to the real action, but this episode delivered an interesting message. In the end, the Atlantis team is still reactionary, and it is highly vulnerable as a result.

Also interesting was the notion that pictures of specific Atlantis personnel were left on several worlds, all for the purpose of locating and abducting those with the Ancient gene. It occurred to me that this would give the Wraith an interesting clue as to the survival of Atlantis, were they to find those pictures. Granted, the Wraith are now apparently breaking up into factions, but some of them would still be focused on the possibility of new hunting grounds and the promise Atlantis offers.

Hopefully, this episode will not represent the end of the line for the Genii. I’m a little worried about the death of Cowen, but that could have been a concession to Colm’s availability. Radim seems open to a more equitable alliance, but that could always lead to something more complex in the future. One can only hope so, because it was complexity that made this episode work.

I also liked the fact that the subplot with Ronon and Teyla eventually intersected with the Genii plot. The two of them work together, but this episode continues to reveal the main differences between them. While Ronon continues to be little more than the warrior stereotype in action, Teyla shows actual intelligence. And it helps that she looked incredible in that silken top! OK, maybe Teyla wasn’t taken in exciting new directions in this episode, but lately, I’m just happy to see her back in action.

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

Final Rating: 7/10

Battlestar Galactica 2.17: "The Captain's Hand"

Written by Jeff Vlaming
Directed by Sergio Mimeca-Gezzan

In which the current commander of Pegasus defies orders, forcing Apollo to deal with the fallout, while Roslin runs into a delicate political issue when abortion rights are challenged…


Ron Moore wasn’t able to produce a podcast for this episode, which is unfortunate. I’ve found it educational to hear the perspective of the creative minds behind an episode after having seen it and evaluated it for myself. In this case, I enjoyed the episode for many reasons, despite a few things that gave me pause, and it would have been nice to hear what the writers were trying to achieve.

This episode served to remind me that time has been moving in leaps and bounds since the end of “Resurrection Ship: Part II”. This accelerated timeline helps to move some things along while retaining a certain degree of continuity. The writers wanted to bring the election issue to a head at the end of the season, and that needed to be about eight months after “Bastille Day”. That required a quick pace. Also, time had to pass for the Cylon fleet to regroup, send out scouts to find the human fleet, and then bring forces into position.

All of that makes sense to me, especially since it explains why so many internal issues have come to plague the Colonials of late. Decisions are catching up to people, and it’s creating a rift. There’s a growing distrust of the military and Roslin. There’s been a subsequent rise in power for Zarek. The past few episodes may have been flawed at times, but taken in context within the story arc, they set the pieces in place on the board.

One big issue has been the Pegasus, and that is at the center of this episode’s nightmare. Adama was placed in overall command of the military within the fleet by Roslin, which doesn’t necessarily demand the respect of Pegasus personnel. Garner is a mixture of a green command officer thrust into the spotlight too early and all the negativity regarding Galactica and Adama rampant among the Pegasus crew.

It’s far too early to tell if Lee is ready for command, but he demonstrated a sense of politics when he refused to speak ill of Garner, despite his enormous shortcomings. Garner’s end was somewhat cliché, but it was engaging to watch. The timeline ought to give the fleet enough time to repair Pegasus to a sufficient degree, but the real issue will be Lee’s command and how it plays to the underlying distrust of Adama within the fleet.

I found the abortion question in this episode to be perfectly sensible, and Roslyn was all but trapped by the issue. It gave Baltar the perfect opening, especially given the fact that Zarek had the perfect issue to champion (individual rights) as the power behind Baltar’s candidacy. Recalling that Baltar is in league with Gina, who may also be in league with Zarek, the finale could end with an effective coup. After all, the Cylons would benefit greatly from having Baltar in power, thus facilitating whatever their true objective might be.

That said, I was a little put off by how quickly Lee was promoted to command. For that matter, Starbuck was also placed in a command role too quickly, given her recent troubles. That’s a sign of the fleet’s desperation, sure, but it’s also a bit quick for my taste. And while I was impressed by the fact that the Gemenon religiosity demonstrated some disturbing aspects, I was annoyed that Roslin’s apparent prophet status didn’t come up. Still, those were minor issues for an otherwise strong episode.

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

Final Rating: 8/10

Stargate: SG-1 9.17: "The Scourge"

Written by Joseph Mallozzi and Paul Mullie
Directed by Ken Girotti

In which SG-1 is assigned to give representatives from the IOA a tour of the off-world Gamma Site, but things go wrong when a weapon of the Ori is unleashed on the planet…


I found the premise behind this episode to be interesting, especially in terms of how it adds to the methods of the Priory of the Ori. Considering how they’ve used genetically engineered viruses to punish worlds that defy Origin, it makes sense that they would have some other genetically engineered tricks up their sleeve.

Conceptually, I like the bugs. I like that they spread quickly and eradicate a world’s food supply, and then rapidly attack the weakened and helpless population. It has a certain brutal elegance to it, taking Biblical-style plagues and rendering them unto reality. The fact that the bugs even look like scarabs is conceptually fitting.

I’m also pleased that the IOA is getting involved, and that they are becoming as much of a hassle as earlier episodes in the season promised they would be. Once the genie was out of the proverbial bottle, it was just a matter of time before the Stargate Program came under excessive scrutiny. And when it comes in the form of Tamlyn Tomita, well, that’s all the better!

Unfortunately, the episode itself didn’t quite live up to its potential. I was a little disappointed to learn that the IOA representatives were ultimately rather positive in their assessment of the program. Frankly, as annoying as it can be, it’s better when the SGC is under political siege, and Woolsey is a nice link between the latter days of the NID and the current IOA criticisms.

The biggest problem, however, was the eventual treatment of the bug infestation on the planet. It was fine when the bugs were overwhelming the Gamma Site, but once the action turned to the planet itself, it became clear that budgetary restrictions were getting in the way. I can only assume that it cost too much to have the bugs in every scene where they would have worked, but there had to be a better solution than having the cast shoot at the ground.

The writers did what they could with those limitations, but it led to a number of inconsistencies. I was especially impressed when the carnivorous bugs completely ignored Mitchell and Teal’c, even though they were exposed and inches away. And then there’s the fact that sometimes the bugs tracked them underfoot and ate them, tracked them and didn’t eat them, ignored them during miles of hiking, etc. Even taking situational logic into account, it was awfully convenient plotting.

This is one of those episodes, at least for me, which would have been failed utterly without the connections to the overarching plot elements of the season. If it wasn’t for the implications of more success for the Ori and trouble with the IOA (though less than I was hoping for), this would have been a lot more disappointing.

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

Final Rating: 6/10

Cool News!

No review tonight...I had some family visit, and we went out to dinner. I've spent the rest of the night playing catch-up on some items.

One cool thing, though. We're going to be a Neilsen family! The paperwork should be coming later this week, and then our TiVo recordings will be counted in the ratings! So shows like "Invasion", "Veronica Mars", and "Supernatural" will be getting one more guaranteed source of support!!

More tomorrow...

7 Day Forecast: 17 Feb 2006

Now reading:

Moonraker by Ian Fleming
Star Wars: Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader by James Luceno

104/322...oddly, I'm not feeling this book just yet. It sounds a lot more substantial than it's turned out to be (relatively speaking)

Now playing:

Final Fantasy X-2 - about 51% done...I'm slowly making progress
Xenosaga II - I'm about 67% through the bonus levels...shouldn't be long now...
Lord of the Rings: The Third Age - about 8%...I only played now and again

7 Day Forecast (through 24 Feb 2006):
2/18: Stargate SG-1 9.17: "The Scourge"
2/19: Battlestar: Galactica 2.17: "The Captain's Hand"
2/21: Stargate: Atlantis 2.17: "Coup D'Etat"
2/23: 24 5.9: "Day 5: 3PM - 4PM"
2/24: X-Files: Fight the Future

Yes, "24" will run late this week, but next week is going to be very busy and I'll be lucky to finish up the "Fight the Future" review, which has been taking me quite some time to pull together.

Smallville 5.15: "Cyborg"

Written by Caroline Dries
Directed by Glen Winter

In which a young man brought back to life using cybernetic reconstruction becomes the center of a conflict between Clark and Lex, while Lionel helps Martha deal with blackmail…


Like with the Aquaman episode, I’m assuming that long-term Superman/DC fans will get more out of this than the casual fans. I don’t know a damn thing about Cyborg, and frankly, this episode doesn’t make me eager to find out more. Much of this episode is another excuse to dredge up the whole “Clark struggles with the question of telling Lana the truth” thing, which has been done to death. And there’s yet another scene with Lana demanding the truth, railing at Clark for not telling her what she should already know. (Is every staff writer going to get to write their own breakup scene?)

Speaking of which, whatever happened to the fact that she knew someone or something had come down in a UFO during the original meteor shower? Why hasn’t she considered that, especially in light of an episode like this? Clark’s not exactly careful around people in this episode, and if Lana looked foolish before, it’s even worse now that her suspicions are supposedly heightened.

With the Cyborg plot elements being connected to what feels like an endless breakup, I was looking for anything else that might salvage the episode. A few things came to mind as the hour progressed. For one, I love Chloe’s sense of style, especially the conservative yet sexy use of low-cut camisoles under a smart jacket. She may be used for little more than exposition, but it’s highly attractive and distracting exposition!

I also liked the fact that Lex was more overtly sinister in this episode. He has been before, but considering what he’s been like around Lana of late, this is a nice change of pace. The escalated tension between Lex and Clark is also worth the time, since neither of them holds back anymore. I’ve always liked the idea that Lex and Clark started as friends and then slowly became enemies on a personal level, so it’s fun to see this evolving, even in a haphazard fashion.

I’m not sure what to make of the whole Lionel/Martha subplot. It’s becoming clear that Lionel knows the truth about Clark and that it was that information that led to the end of “Reckoning”. Lionel seems to be using the information as leverage to get closer to Martha, which is disturbing, given their previous history. But is it more of a bid to get closer to Clark? And is that confirmation that the connection between Lionel and Jor-El is in some way intact?

Anyway, this wasn’t the worst episode in the world, but since a great deal of the subtext was related to Cyborg and what some members of the audience already knew about the comics character, it wasn’t the most accessible episode of the series. There were some good moments, but aside from the very final scene, nothing special.

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

Final Rating: 6/10

Invasion 1.15: "The Nest"

Written by Julie Siege and Shaun Cassidy
Directed by Lawrence Trilling

In which Christina and Derek return and kidnap Kira, who wants to understand what is happening in the water, while Russell and Mariel make a startling discovery about her biology…


This episode continues to take the series into new and intriguing territory, and I’m very pleased. Initially, I was a bit concerned about the characterization of Christina, since I was more impressed by the calm and deadly version, but over time, it began to make more sense. It all comes down to something I hadn’t considered about the differences between this invasion and the ones that apparently failed.

Underlay and Zura are both unusual in that they have overwhelmed any murderous and self-destructive tendencies through what appears to be a sense of hope or driven purpose. Apparently Underlay has been trying to keep his “people” under control in the wake of the hurricane, but unexpected aspects of the “invasion” keep getting in the way. This time around, of course, it’s his inability to anticipate and control an aspect of the invasion that wouldn’t have come to light until now.

Previous to this invasion, the only long-term survivors were Zura and Underlay. What do they have in common? Simple…they’re men. More than that, they are acutely aware (if Derek’s experience is any indication) that biological compatibility is a big issue between the changed and the unchanged. Male “aliens” have some serious sex drive, but I doubt they could mate with normal humans. No doubt, that was part of the reason he wanted Mariel to be changed as well.

But that also means that neither Zura nor Underlay could possibly know what would happen with women who survived the process. More to the point, since how could they understand the biological mating imperatives of an “alien” species? This is apparently of interest to the writing staff, though they avoid some of the more kinky and psychologically disturbing aspects of the concept.

There are certainly some primal forces at work, especially as it pertains to super-ovulation and the mating imperative. The net effect is not unlike a variation on animal “heat”, though human reasoning does seem to override it to a certain extent. The females have a desire to mate (and that may play into Jesse’s encounter in “Us or Them”), and males of a certain age pick up on the pheromones. The rest is rather obvious.

The implication is also obvious. Once a female is pregnant, the male is most likely to be biologically predisposed to protect the female and the unborn child, whether he’s aware of the reason or not. Christina puts it very simply: Derek does what she says because he can’t help it. It’s more than just sexual; it’s biological.

It all leads to the revelation that the “aliens” are getting ready to mate, and even Underlay can’t predict what will happen as a result. All he can surmise is that the situation is getting out of hand. Christina (played with psychotic gusto by the engaging Elisabeth Moss) and Derek strike on one side, and in a completely different way, Russell and Mariel strike at the other. Underlay has been losing control of events for a long time, and watching him deal with each crisis is the best part of the show.

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

Final Rating: 8/10

Lost 2.14: "One of Them"

Written by Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof
Directed by Stephen Williams

In which Danielle delivers a captive to Sayid, who believes that the prisoner is one of the Others, and he proceeds with a brutal interrogation with Locke’s help, much to Jack’s chagrin…


Status Report

Thus far, this season has been the victim of a few basic issues inherent to the premise and format. While the first season had a relatively simple and discernable arc, the focus was squarely on the character arcs and the evolution of key conflicts. This was accomplished by explaining the psychological underpinning of each major character and demonstrating how that played into their interactions on the island.

The benefit of that format is that it quickly establishes the foundation for the metaphorical aspects of the series. Each character falls somewhere on the redemptive continuum, so to speak, and there’s also a clear basis for conflict. But there’s also an inevitable drawback. Once a character’s background is established and the basic drive of each character is in play, it’s hard to maintain the same level of interest and mystery. Subsequent flashbacks run up against expectation and familiarity.

One of the most common complaints against the second season is that the writing staff hasn’t produced the same level of depth as evident in the first season. This is directly related to the familiarity drawback. It’s too easy to take a flashback that adds shading to the overall picture and assume that it’s a simple retread. This problem has been most evident following “Collision”, as the pieces have been falling in place for serious conflict within the tribe.

In this case, it would be easy to look at Sayid’s flashbacks and wonder what they bring to the table. It should be relatively obvious. In the “present”, Sayid is driven to torture a man who seems to be the enemy, because he might have been responsible for the death of the woman he loves. He believes, to the depths of his soul, that Henry is one of the Others, and therefore, he is justified in his desire to get answers. The fact that revenge is a part of the equation occurs to him, but he doesn’t necessarily recognize how that is affecting his judgment.

The flashback serves two purposes. On the one hand, it shows a time when Sayid overcame his morality to interrogate a superior officer largely through a desire to gain revenge. Sayid was also fighting to survive, caught in the hands of a deceptive enemy, but that merely forced him to make a choice. He could have killed Tariq to prevent his further interrogation or used any number of tactics to stall, but the fact that Tariq was personally involved in chemical warfare against his family became the primary focus. (Thus drawing the parallel between the past and the “present”.)

On top of that, it is revealed that Sayid was introduced to the joys of torture and interrogation not by the Republican Guard, but by the Americans, who fooled him into becoming their puppet. That adds an interesting component to the self-loathing that he attaches to his torturing ways. It’s not just that torturing people goes against his moral code; it’s that his loyalty was so easily undermined in the process of uncovering that part of his soul that enjoys the practice.

Sayid believes that Henry is one of the Others, and as such, he has no problem applying violence against Henry in the spirit of vengeance for Shannon’s death. In fact, though it’s not mentioned directly, Sayid may remember that the Others practically staged the accident to ensure that Ana shot Shannon. Whatever the case, the writers do a very good job of keeping Henry’s status completely ambiguous. At no time does Henry tip off Sayid in any definitive way.

In fact, the most pivotal scene, which is staged as if Sayid is about to break Henry, actually seems to be the breaking point for Sayid. Henry may not rattle off the details of how his wife died and the exact circumstances of burying his wife (both of which are troubling, to be fair), but Sayid reveals the full depth of his anger and resentment in that moment. Note how quickly Henry begins questioning Sayid, turning the tables; that is actually more indicative of his possible “Other” status than anything else.

The fact that the tribe has a possible prisoner ratchets up the overall tension and also serves as another way to drive a wedge between the growing factions in the camp. Jack wants to pull together an army to fight the Others, presumably in a defensive manner, but he doesn’t necessarily recognize how ugly such a situation would become. Yet it makes sense for Jack to balk on the torture now, because he already felt the guilt and shame for asking Sayid to torture Sawyer in the first season.

Locke, on the other hand, seems to go along with Sayid’s plan for less obvious reasons. On the one hand, if he’s against an offensive posture with the Others, for some unknown personal purpose, why let the situation go so far before backing down? The point would then be to convince Jack that he’s not ready for what a war with the Others would require. On the other hand, the fact that he waits so long to relent to Jack’s demand suggests that his agenda is more complex. He wants to get more information about the Others, and he will do what it takes towards that end, but he doesn’t want to tempt fate by attacking the Others before understanding their role in the island’s “design”.

This is an interesting reversal between their normal roles, thus demonstrating how Jack and Locke are just two sides of the same coin. Jack (the man of reason) is the one who balks at the rather pragmatic solution of beating the truth out of Henry, a solution Locke (the man of faith) advocates to determine motivations. Because both of them have an agenda to pursue, as Sayid rightfully points out, they lose sight of the fact that the war has already begun: the Others began it almost immediately.

However, Locke brings up one of the central questions of the series, and one that must inevitably drive the rest of the season (if not beyond). The tribe assumes a great deal when it comes to the Others, and the Others have been less than inclined to explain why they do what they do. Locke makes a very good point in noting that this vague and threatening tag of “Other” is a completely relative term, and it helps to demonize people who may have a very good reason for doing what they’ve done. Henry is the one possible source of information they have. (And that, in fact, is as good a theory as any for why Locke leaves Henry in Sayid’s capable hands.)

Thus, by this theory, Jack sees the Others as a threat to tribal survival (the pragmatic chieftain stance) and Locke seeks to understand how the Others fit into the big picture (the spiritual shaman stance). Unfortunately, Sayid now has a reason to believe that Jack and Locke are going in the wrong direction, giving in to his darkest impulses in the process, and he seems to be pulling Charlie into his orbit. Is it possible that Sayid and Sawyer will end up presenting Jack and Locke with some opposition for leadership of the tribe as the season marches on?

This might explain the purpose of Sawyer’s little adventure with Hurley. On the face of it, it was a bit silly and a waste of time, but there may be more to it than that. Sawyer made a choice in the previous episode to grab control of his own destiny, and that inevitably led to bad blood within the group. But is Sawyer prepared for the backlash? He seems sincerely bothered by Hurley’s harsh reaction to his usual ribbing, though in typical Sawyer fashion, he refuses to make nice. That may put Sawyer in the right frame of mind to ally with Sayid.

In terms of the island itself, the time is coming for another major plot turn (usually around episodes 15-17), and this episode fells like the first step. Certainly the writers dropped an interesting clue or two. The images on the red/black tiles that appeared when the countdown reached zero were hieroglyphics. More to the point, there are two very quick connections that can be made, simply based on the partial information shown.

First, the hieroglyphics shown match a combination that is typically translated as “die”. (Resources are available all over the internet, so this can be easily confirmed.) Of course, there’s always the question of context, so it’s not clear what that actually means. But one of the symbols is also “the arrow” (the final symbol on the right). This leads to an additional theory.

Since there are five symbols and a total of six Dharma stations, are the five symbols also the symbols for the other five stations? The Swan, the sixth station, could represent the “source” of an outgoing signal, which is then sent to the other five stations, with the setting of the tiles roughly representing a signal being sent to each station. The idea is that The Swan might be at the center of the Dharma network, possibly locating completely on the island, and the device triggered by the countdown could require elements at each of the other stations.

Taken in combination with the “translation” interpretation, this might give a clue regarding context. What happens to the meaning if the hieroglyphic for a swan is added to the symbols that translate as “die”? How does that change the meaning? Which symbol would one use, if that were the case? There are variables in play, preventing a clear picture, but it all plays into the theory that everything is designed to convince the occupants of the hatch that exceeding the countdown will lead to the end of the world.

This was the rare example of a second season episode that succeeded despite a narrow character focus. This is a good sign. When the plot and character arcs weren’t moving forward very much, largely due to the widened focus of the first seven episodes or so, episodes focusing on a handful of characters were harder to sustain, since they did not have the same depth. This episode, on the other hand, was very focused with major consequences on the rest of the season. That is exactly what the writers needed to deliver, and if the past two episodes are any indication, this season may finally be returning to form.


Final Analysis

Overall, this episode built on the rising darkness of the past few episodes while adding an exciting new element to the tensions within the tribe. There is a definite sense of movement in the plot and character arcs, and while some may find the flashback less than revealing, that is certainly up to debate. Any worries that the season is aimless should now be a thing of the past.

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

Final Rating: 8/10

(Season 2 Average: 7.2)

Supernatural 1.15: "The Benders"

Written by John Shiban
Directed by Peter Ellis

In which Sam is kidnapped by a rural family with a penchant for hunting human beings, forcing Dean to work with the local law enforcement to find his brother before it’s too late…


I just have to say: I love this show. Even when they don’t quite hit the high mark they’re aiming for, I have to give them credit. This episode was drenched in atmosphere, and while the story was a little thin, it once again boiled down to the psychology of the two brothers. Specifically, in this instance, Dean’s emotions regarding Sam.

For all that Sam annoys Dean to no end, Dean also feels an incredible amount of responsibility for his welfare and survival. From my perspective, this ties back into “Scarecrow”. Dean has a lot of issues with Sam and his notions of duty and responsibility to family, but he’s not about to leave Sam to the dogs. It’s nothing particularly new, but I consider the depth of relationship between Dean and Sam to be similar to the nuanced and complex relationship between Mulder and Scully on “X-Files”.

Speaking of “X-Files”, a lot of buzz surrounded this episode, claiming that it was some kind of thematic follow-up on the “X-Files” episode “Home”. It may be an obvious correlation, but I’m not entirely convinced that it’s correct. Both episodes involve apparent in-bred families with a strong desire to protect family traditions, but beyond that, there are some rather stark differences. More to the point, this episode isn’t simply about shock value, which “Home” was essentially designed to achieve.

There’s an interesting theme to this episode (and really, it keeps coming up throughout the entire series), and it’s all about family. Dean and Sam debate the interests of family duty all the time. In this case, they run up against a family with hunting traditions of their own, but with a distinctly less pleasant impact on the rest of the local population. There’s also the connection between Dean and Kathleen, which is all about protecting a younger brother. Family is at the heart of everything, though attempting to draw parallels between the Winchesters and the Benders is a relatively shallow comparison.

Where the episode didn’t succeed, with the exception of Pa Bender, was in the portrayal of the supposedly in-bred children. Frankly, they looked like relatively pretty people slathered in dirt and grime to look more rugged and uncivilized. Also, considering the fact that the whole point of the exercise was to grab people, hand them a weapon, and then hunt them down, the hunts were rather simple in scope. It was a mild version of “The Most Dangerous Game”, since they did little more than toy with victims that practically killed themselves!

Despite the weaknesses, it was a fun episode with some nice character exploration for Dean. Dean’s genuine emotions don’t come to the surface very often, and as usual, when they do, it betrays just how much that tough and sarcastic exterior is designed to hide. I find it compelling to watch Dean struggle with those emotions, and so this episode delivered on that level.

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

Final Rating: 8/10

Sleeping in Light: Andreas Katsulas

Heartfelt sorrow upon hearing of the passing of Andreas Katsulas, our beloved Ambassador G'Kar. Andreas lost his battle with cancer today. He will be sorely missed, but his performance as G'Kar will endure forever.

24 5.8: "Day 5: 2PM - 3PM"

Written by Evan Katz and Robert Cochran
Directed by Brad Turner

In which Jack attempts to pose as Rossler, but when the terrorists decide to test the remote control over the nerve gas canisters on a local mall, Jack is stuck in the middle…


Status Report

This episode is a perfect example of what this series is all about: on the surface, it’s a thrilling ride, with a constant theme of necessity vs. morality, which is even more apparent this season than in the past. But just under the surface, the logic of each situation is questionable at best and ludicrous at worst. It’s been said season after season, but the fact remains: this is a series where it’s best to stop thinking and just enjoy the spectacle.

For instance, it would be easy to point out that getting kicked in the face hard enough to make one bleed also, by simple logic, should result in serious bruising and swelling. Yet Lynn runs around within minutes of getting pummeled with little more than ruffled hair and bad attitude about the world.

Similarly, it was a little too simple for Jack to answer the phone for Rossler and get the location of the meet. This was, of course, an excuse to get to the meat of the episode, but it could have made more sense than having Erwich simply dump the information without a hint of suspicion! (Sure, Erwich ultimately demonstrated a more cautious approach, but that was oddly contrived.)

The set-up is relatively simple. The chip has a locator beacon which allows the person carrying it to be followed. Erwich is sending out a team to meet with Rossler, but that team is also meant to carry out a quick field test on a local mall. So one canister out of 20 is in play, and if the locator beacon doesn’t get taken to the location of the remaining 19 canisters, the one existing lead is lost. Thus the question is raised: how much can be accepted in the name of preventing future acts? This drives the action of the episode.

Meanwhile, Logan continues to make decisions based on PR and expediency, especially when he can point to someone and say “He told me to do it!”. How many people deal with “leaders” who shift opinion and policy based on the most recent powerfully expressed “advice”? Logan was more than willing to go along with Martha when she was the dominant voice of reason, but now that Novick has a strong point to make, he shifts direction accordingly.

Logan makes two decisions in this episode, and they are of very different character. His decision to go along with Novick’s advice regarding Walt, rather than full public disclosure, is not necessarily the wrong decision. In fact, Martha begins to see that by the end of the episode. Sometimes concealing the truth is less harmful, and from a more pragmatic point of view, there’s still a great deal to be determined and uncovered.

Logan sent out a glowing, positive press release regarding the loss of Walter Cummings, which has the benefit of short and long-term benefits. In the short term, if things do not escalate and the terrorist threat is contained, the matter will be swiftly dealt with by the proper channels. There’s every reason to believe that there’s more to the plot, and Walt could have been a dupe. Should something else happen in the long term, there’s no reason why they can’t turn around and reveal that Walt was implicated.

On the other hand, if all the cards are laid out on the table, there’s no turning back. If new information comes to light, his memory would still be in doubt. More to the point, disclosing the circumstances of the terrorism connection could impede the investigation into the activities currently in play. Logan makes the choice that leaves him with the most options after the fact.

The main thrust of the episode, the incident at the mall, plays out in roughly the same fashion. In this case, Lynn and Bill are the ones pushing for Logan to allow the terrorists to succeed in a small-scale incident in the hopes that the other 19 canisters will be located. It’s about keeping options open. Audrey, on the other hand, focuses on the fact that Logan would be ensuring the deaths of some civilians, all in the hopes that more deaths could be prevented as a result.

This is thematically no different from the disclosure of Walt’s activities, and in essence, Logan makes the same kind of choice. He pushes everyone around him into giving advice with strong conviction, and then takes the direction that leaves him with the most options for the future. In the case of Walt’s reputation, it’s not a bad call; in the case of the terrorists, it’s a lot less defensible.

This is the main issue with the episode. It doesn’t take much to wonder how in the world CTU would support the idea of letting hundreds of civilians die, even if it preserves one lead to help eliminate another related terrorist threat. There are examples of such thinking throughout history, and at times, it can be justified. However, in this case, despite what Lynn might say, there is no guarantee that the locator beacon will actually reach Erwich. After all, Erwich has already deviated from CTU’s understanding of the situation on several occasions.

The irony is that the characters don’t seem to recognize (except, of course, Jack and perhaps Audrey) that this kind of value judgment is exactly the kind of thinking that led to Walt’s covert anti-terrorist operation. Walt was all about letting the terrorists achieve a minor victory in the name of defeating them on their home turf. Logan is willing to let civilians die on the assumption that the locator beacon will then lead to Erwich. There’s a distinct similarity, and thus a direct link to the necessity vs. morality theme.

Jack forces the issue, making the moral choice. He decides to risk the long-term goal of protection civilians to achieve the short-term goal of preventing assured civilian losses. This once again brings up the question of Jack’s autonomy, which was referenced at the top of the episode. If Jack has full autonomy, he should be the one making the call, not Lynn or Bill. And if Lynn is serious about making the decision covert, Logan shouldn’t be involved at all.

The net effect is that CTU loses the one direct lead that knew about, which means it will be that much harder to prevent a large-scale attack. This is especially true because Erwich is aware of the fact that law enforcement is on his heels, this driving him to act more quickly. Yet it’s overstating the situation to assume that there are no leads at all. Walt had a contact, and if that contact was knowledgeable enough to work with the terrorists and coordinate Walt’s gambit, then he ought to have resources to track or contact Erwich.

Does Jack take that into consideration before acting? Perhaps, perhaps not. The fact remains that he has seen options disappear, only to have new leads present themselves in short order. He knew that Erwich might fall into the trap, even if it was unlikely, and so he must also be prepared for the worst.

The real question is whether or not Lynn, having been chastised, will have enough self-awareness to realize that Jack made the only call that he could under the circumstances. Or will Lynn push to have Jack punished for violating a direct order? Will this become another example of a mid-season slump, where idiotic bureaucratic obstacles are dumped in Jack’s path so the terrorists have a few more episodes until the next major beat of the story?

As it happens, this is episode 5.8, which means that this is the first major turning point of the season. Things will necessarily complicate even further in the next 7-8 episodes. That means that something significant will happen around episodes 11-12 and then more significant in episodes 15-16. It’s not quite clear from the plot what will happen, but odds are, Jack will be facing some emotional and political fallout coming into the next turn as the terrorists regroup and make their next move.


Final Analysis

Overall, this episode delves into a bit of complicated and even clever character exploration, continuing with the now-familiar theme of necessity vs. morality. Logan makes two decisions of completely different magnitude, but in the process, he confirms one of the defining aspects of his brand of leadership. Even so, the scenario at the heart of the episode seems a bit overdone.

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

Final Rating: 7/10

Season Average (as of 5.8): 7.3

Stargate: Atlantis 2.16: "The Long Goodbye"

Written by Damien Kindler
Directed by Andy Mikita

In which Weir and Sheppard become possessed by the dying personalities of the last two survivors of an endless war, and they spread their final conflict throughout Atlantis…


In my review for the previous episode, I was less than pleased by the fact that the events were clearly contrived to result in the acquisition of some puddle-jumpers and drones, leaving the actual episode with a spare and predictable plot with little character exploration. Some people took me to task for calling the writers “complacent”; an equal number of comments agreed with the fact that the writers dropped the ball.

Still others, who have seen the episodes earlier than the mainstream US audience, predicted that I would hate this episode even more. After all, this episode seems to have even less to do with the threadbare season arc, doesn’t really delve into the characters in any meaningful way, and follows a relatively predictable plot thread. In essence, many felt that I would have a strong negative reaction to any episode that didn’t fit into what I felt was the “season arc”, and that’s all there was to it.

Well, it’s not that simple. I actually liked many things about this episode. There’s a very big difference between “filler”, which I see no excuse for, and “stand-alone”, which is a perfectly acceptable form of storytelling. Even arc-driven shows have stand-alone episodes (even if the best shows will ensure that the stand-alone episodes fit within the thematic side of a season arc). The “X-Files” had several excellent episodes that had nothing to do with the series’ mythology, after all, and that was a series fraught with consistency issues.

The difference between the previous episode and this episode should be plain, though some won’t recognize it. It has to do with the depth of effort. The previous episode didn’t pave any new ground, didn’t pose an interesting scenario, and then compounded the problem by dumping in a possible long-term plot element into the mix as if it justified the lack of depth in the rest of the episode. This time around, while the scenario itself was somewhat thin, it gave two cast members the chance to play with new material, and no attempt was made to force in a connection to the season arc. It was a pure “stand-alone”, and it worked on that level.

That’s not to say that it didn’t have problems. Even with Caldwell’s objections (which made a lot of sense, given his recent history), the team on Atlantis agreed to the idea of letting Sheppard join Weir in the “possession” situation a bit too easily. I also felt that McKay’s attitude was a little forced, even if it makes sense for him to rail against Caldwell’s assumption of command. The fact is, none of them were in a position to deal with an alien with all of Weir’s knowledge, and Caldwell didn’t screw up any worse than any of the team would have in the same situation. And there was no doubt that Weir and Sheppard would survive; it was just a question of how.

I did like, however, the apparent return of the subtext between Sheppard, Weir, and Teyla. I’ve always said that Sheppard and Teyla were circling each other, whatever else they might have to say about it, and Weir certainly has had her thoughts about Sheppard since the beginning of the series. It might have been better to muddy the picture a bit, so the audience couldn’t be sure who was acting at any given time, but it still touches on character dynamics that have been sorely lacking of late. It’s unlikely that this will ever come up again, except in passing, but this was a capable stand-alone.

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

Final Rating: 7/10

Battlestar Galactica 2.16: "Sacrifice"

Written by Anne Cofell Saunders
Directed by Rey Villalobos

In which a small band of terrorists take hostages on Cloud Nine, including Billy and Apollo, in an attempt to force Adama to hand over Boomer and the baby in exchange…


It seems as though my opinions fall in line with Ron Moore’s own opinions on the podcasts, which is sometimes amusing. I say that because his reactions are far more extreme than my own. He was a lot more critical of “Black Market” than I was in the end, and he was a bit more impressed by “Scar” than I turned out to be. This time around, though, we share a certain dissatisfaction that can’t be completely defined.

There’s a lot that I liked about this episode. Dana Delaney does a very good job with a difficult part. In a lot of ways, this is a follow-up on the concepts brought up by Admiral Cain and her people. As I said then, there’s a certain amount of justification for treating Boomer like a machine. Even she would be quick to point out that she’s not human. And there’s reason to believe that Adama is treating Boomer as if she was the human being he remembers.

But she’s also exactly what Adama mentions: a potential military asset. He would be foolish to listen to everything she says without some kind of verification, but his instincts aren’t completely wrong. Even if the fleet discovered that the Cylons held the hybrid in primary importance, there would be reason to leave Boomer and the child alive, if only to attempt understanding of what the Cylons want. (In fact, one could argue that holding what the Cylons want is a good start towards future survival.)

And so this episode, on the face of it, is structured very well to test the resolve of three very important people in the fleet: Adama, Tigh, and Roslin. I can tell, even without Moore’s commentary, that the intention was to use that as a trigger for the philosophical debate over the value of a military asset over the cohesion of the fleet vs. giving in to terrorism. Underneath it all is the love triangle between Dee, Billy, and Lee, which has been building for quite a while.

The problem for me was very simple. I was able to predict from the very beginning that something horrible was coming for Billy. I had no idea that the actor was in demand and therefore being let go in a memorable way, but the episode began in a way that suggested some final moment to come. But even as that side of the episode was telegraphed, the underlying philosophical debate surrounding the hostage situation never really went as far as I would have liked.

For all that, I’m far more impressed by the brutal escalation of the episode than the final act itself. The botched rescue attempt was notable for the frank bloodletting, and the effect that shooting Lee will inevitably have on Starbuck. The end of the hostage situation should have been equally brutal, but since Billy’s death was expected, it didn’t have much impact. The gambit with the previously killed Boomer was rather obvious as well. The only thing in the final act that got my attention was Roslin’s grief, which struck me as very genuine.

Ever since “Resurrection Ship: Part II”, the season has been searching for some sense of direction. I thought that Baltar’s actions in “Epiphanies” would have been the first step in the next phase of the arc, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. At the same time, I noted that the destruction of the Cylon fleet would inevitably force the story inward, leaving the writers to explore the effects of recent events on the fleet as a whole, and that’s what we’ve gotten. Now that the episodes should be turning back to the arc, I hope the quality will return to a more consistent form.

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

Final Rating: 7/10

Stargate: SG-1 9.16: "Off the Grid"

Written by Alan McCullough
Directed by Peter DeLuise

In which SG-1 is caught offworld when the planet’s stargate disappears without warning, but when SGC investigates, the truth points to a scheme to carve out a new network…


To a certain extent, I like the basic idea at the heart of this episode. Even setting the Jaffa Nation aside, there are a number of issues still remaining in the wake of the defeat of the System Lords. In a way, it reminds me of the primary concept for the Star Wars Extended Universe novels before the New Jedi Order. A lot of the books were devoted to the idea of various powers trying to fill the gaps left by the Empire, including several of the remaining admirals. And of course, that meant trying to rebuild the Empire and prevent the success of the Rebellion from spreading.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the writers were rather familiar with those books (they were rather popular), since a number of the same ideas are being explored in this season. There’s the emerging new threat, the criminals taking control of Goa’uld resources, Baal trying to carve out a new empire of his own (using clones in the process), and the Tau’ri trying to hold it all together and keep the idea of self-determination viable.

Like those novels, however, the quality of each tale can be highly variable. And of course, different fans have different preferences. I took a bit of slack because I didn’t find the previous episode all that interesting. Well, that’s personal preference. I also thought that this episode was hit or miss, scene by scene, and it didn’t really come together for me until the final act or so.

The first half of the episode, dealing with SG-1 running up against the Lucian Alliance, wasn’t quite as interesting as it could have been. As much as I like the idea of rogue humans taking control of System Lord resources and creating a galactic crime syndicate in the process, the implementation of that idea is not always as good as it could be. Sure, it’s fun to have Amanda Tapping in a leather corset top, but it doesn’t cover up mediocre events.

Far more interesting was the idea of Baal stealing stargates to create his own independent network. That’s actually not something I had thought of, but it makes perfect sense. But I was a little put off at the idea that Baal would only be trying this using one group of clones. Obviously, I don’t believe that Baal is gone for good after this episode, since there are several of his clones out there. But did he only have one ship with an Asgard transport device? Seems like it would work better if he had a few parallel efforts to steal gates and set up isolated networks that he could bring online and then link together.

I also felt that the quick introduction of the Odyssey takes some of the thunder from the previous episode. I liked the idea of a relatively self-contained situation having a huge impact on the SGC’s overall operations, but that’s completely undercut by the fact that a much more powerful ship is ready to go online in the very next episode!

Nerus was also a bit annoying. Or rather, Landry’s version of trying to convince Nerus to explain what Baal was doing with the gates. While I understand that the goal was getting Nerus to ingest the locator beacon, it felt like Landry gave Nerus his feast a little too quickly. It’s a minor thing, but it also didn’t give me the feeling that Landry was quite as clever as the writers wanted him to seem.

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

Final Rating: 7/10

7 Day Forecast: 10 Feb 2006

Now reading:

Star Trek: Titan: Orion's Hounds by Christopher L.Bennett
Serenity: The Visual Companion
Moonraker by Ian Fleming

This is the third original James Bond book. I actuallyfind these novels to be fascinating, because thecharacter is portrayed as a lot more psychologicallydamaged than one would expect. Also, since they werewritten as long as 50 years ago, it's an interestinginsight into the cultural mores of the early Cold War,pre-Civil Rights/Sexual Revolution era. Definitely notwhat I was expecting, which is why it was such abargain to find the entire collection for $13(basically, $1 per book!)...

Now playing:

Final Fantasy X-2 - about 50% done...I'm slowly makingprogress
Xenosaga II - I'm about 67% through the bonuslevels...shouldn't be long now...
Lord of the Rings: The Third Age - about 4%...I onlyplayed for about 30 minutes to preview it for afterXeno II

7 Day Forecast (through 17 Feb 2006):

2/11: Stargate SG-1 9.16: "Off the Grid"
2/12: Battlestar: Galactica 2.16: "Sacrifice"
2/13: Stargate: Atlantis 2.16: "The Long Goodbye"
2/14: 24 5.8: "Day 5: 2PM - 3PM"
2/15: Supernatural 1.15: "The Benders"
2/16: Lost 2.14: "One of Them"
2/17: Invasion 1.15: "The Nest"
2/17: Smallville 5.15: "Cyborg"

Smallville 5.14: "Tomb"

Written by Steven DeKnight
Directed by Whitney Ransick

In which Chloe becomes possessed by the spirit of a girl who was killed years earlier and buried behind a wall, leading her friends to believe that she has lost her mind…


Let me get this out of the way first, because it dominates my thoughts on the episode. I’ll watch just about anything with that much screen time for Allison Mack. To sport a cliché, she could be reading the phone book with that smile and those eyes and I would happily spend an hour staring at my screen. Not to mention that she’s getting more attractive as she matures (I actually think the same applies to Kristen as well, though not to the same degree).

I was looking forward to an episode devoted to Chloe for quite some time, because I think she’s a fairly important part of Clark’s life right now. Without Jonathan, Chloe serves as Clark’s conscience, constantly questioning his rationale for each decision, usually in his best interests. Even when she would clearly rather see Clark find happiness with her, despite her protests to the contrary, she focuses on being a good friend and helping him understand what he wants.

So when the writers turn to an episode to focus on Chloe, I’m happy to see it happen. Except, of course, when it turns out that the episode concept is a bit lacking. The underlying concept isn’t so bad, even if the situation with Chloe’s mother hasn’t been referenced much at all over the past five seasons, since it’s always fun to explore the psychological issues of a character. But the writers set up an interesting situation and then force it into a resolution that doesn’t quite make sense.

One thing that really bugged me was the lack of law enforcement response to Chloe’s “abduction” from the hospital. Even if the new sheriff is wet behind the ears, the situation is severe enough that Chloe should’ve been the subject of a concerted manhunt. After all, there’s evidence that she’s experiencing hallucinations, suicidal tendencies, and she’s already demonstrated that she’s a flight risk. Are we supposed to believe that Lex wouldn’t push for full mobilization, especially checks on anyplace where she would reasonably go (like Lois’ apartment)?

Perhaps I’ve also been spoiled by shows like “Millennium” and what not, but this particular killer seemed like a softer version of what the writers were really hoping to describe. And just how did Chloe get her arm free at the very last moment? That felt a little too convenient. Worse, though, was the idea that this killer could do so much research on Lois and Chloe and not know that Lois was supposed to have self-defense training.

Speaking of Lois, if she figured out that this guy was the killer, why did she leave her apartment door unlocked before dialing the phone? And where were her self-defense skills in that scene? It all felt like something cobbled together without much concern for character consistency, which is an old problem that never seems to get rectified on this show. And didn’t Clark and Lana break up in the previous episode?

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

Final Rating: 6/10

Invasion 1.14: "All God's Creatures"

Written by Michael Foley
Directed by Harry Winer

In which Larkin, Dave, and the kids encounter a strange creature, while Underlay investigates his recent shooting and discovers some disturbing issues with Kira and the local pastor…


Apparently things have gone sour for this series in a very short period of time. That’s unfortunate, but not too surprising. The major networks have had a terrible track record with genre shows, and even in the post-“Lost” world where dramas with touches of SF are more acceptable, it still comes down to the numbers.

“Invasion” gets good ratings when taken in isolation, but the real kicker is the ratings drop between “Lost” and “Invasion”, which is significant. ABC is looking for a series that will retain more of the “Lost” audience, and right now, “Invasion” isn’t doing that. Then again, I’m of the opinion that any series is going to lose a huge chunk of the “Lost” audience. “Lost” is a massive hit with a huge following, but that wasn’t a given when the series started. It’s going to be equally rare to find another series, so soon after the fact, with the same level of support on the same night.

It’s the same kind of idiot logic that FOX has maintained regarding Friday nights. They constantly point to “X-Files” as the standard bearer for successful shows on Friday nights, but they also forget two very important factors: “X-Files” wasn’t a major ratings hit until it moved to Sunday nights, and “X-Files” was also a unique situation like “Lost”, a show with a relatively large initial fan base.

As far as I’m concerned, the series was in trouble from the moment that the network pushed the producers to ramp up the pacing. I’m not one to bash on network suits for offering suggestions, since they can be useful in some circumstances, but it’s typically not a good sign if the network is asking for changes to the fundamental nature of the show.

All that said, I thought this was a great episode that carries forward tons of plot and character threads. I think it’s about time that Little Minx Kira finally started wondering what’s in the water and why she’s not good enough for the changes. Talk about taking the “effects of divorce on the extended family” metaphor to new levels. Kira is playing up the “I’m the neglected old family” thing to the hilt.

I was also completely shocked to discover that Underlay was pulling together his little army with the ex-CIA guy who Russell was warned about, which just screams “trouble” in the worst way. So the two people who managed to survive the “replacement” process intact are working together, and Underlay may or may not know what his ally’s ultimate goals are. Yeah, that’s not a recipe for disaster!

I also found the Dave-creature to be incredibly creepy. I’m not one for being freaked out by conventional horror elements, but this was well done! For all that the pacing has been increased, the writers are taking the time to explore some of the less obvious aspects of the premise. With the possible exception of the scenes between Russell and Larkin, which just aren’t as interesting, this was a solid episode that points to some massive plot twists as the season shifts into the “resolution” phase…if the network doesn’t pull the series in a fit of stupidity.

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

Final Rating: 8/10

Lost 2.13: "The Long Con"

Written by Leonard Dick and Steven Maeda
Directed by Roxann Dawson

In which Sun is nearly kidnapped by an unknown assailant, leading to a struggle for control between Jack and Locke, while the real culprit is waiting in the wings to take advantage…


Status Report

It’s been quite some time since an episode focused on Sawyer, and perhaps that was a good thing. It gave the writers enough time to think of a way to emphasize Sawyer’s importance in the scheme of things. While this was not an episode on the order of “Outlaws”, which was a series of gut punches to say the least, this was a competent episode with a very detailed look at how Sawyer can manipulate others into giving him what he wants.

Of course, that is the main question. What exactly does Sawyer want? It’s almost certain that his motivations go far beyond a simple desire to be a bad person. There were a million other ways to assert his predilections in that respect. Instead, the goal is reflected in the nature of the con. If the con is all about getting some possession that someone else has in hand, then this is a fairly simple question to answer.

The flashbacks are a simple enough con: understand the mark, use the mark’s own psychology against her, and then get the money (the purpose of the con). The con on the island followed the same logic, with a little more complexity. On the face of it, Sawyer gained two things from his gambit: material wealth (guns, medicine, etc.) and political power.

One seems more important to Sawyer than the other, of course. Why would he really need to have possession of everything that Locke was trying to hoard? It wasn’t as if Sawyer wanted to raise an army and fight the Others like Jack and Ana. And while Locke’s goals are still hard to pin down, it’s unlikely that Sawyer is operating out of the same psychological desire. So the material possessions are more likely in service to the political gains.

Sawyer’s little speech indicates that he felt like his presence on the island was being taken for granted. Perhaps “presence” is not the best word, but in many ways, once he left on the raft, a lot of people wrote him off and didn’t think he was a power to be reckoned with anymore. Jack and Locke were essentially vying for control of the tribe’s assets, and Sawyer was expected to fall in line like the rest. This little gambit is perfectly designed to ensure that Sawyer will not be ignored in the future. If Jack remains the military chieftain and Locke remains the spiritual shaman (positions that both are being challenged upon by Ana and Eko respectively), then Sawyer has re-affirmed his position as a leader (so to speak) of the people.

By “leader”, the implication is that he’s representing, one way or another, the overall tribe and their lack of confidence in Jack and Locke as a whole. Jack’s way could easily get them all killed, should the Others be just as powerful as they appear to be. Locke’s way is driven by a personal sense of destiny, and he has demonstrated on many occasions a habit of dismissing the needs and concerns of others when they are mutually exclusive to his own. Sawyer is leveling the playing field, effectively making it possible for everyone in the tribe to have access to the same resources.

Of course, the fact is, leveling the playing field also puts Sawyer in the position to abuse that power, and the other members of the tribe now have every reason to hate him. At least Locke was willing to give Jack the combination to the locker, if only in the event that something should happen to him. Sawyer has an ally that is questionable at best, and he could easily move everything to a new location at any time.

The other issue is that the tribe’s defensive and medicinal resources, while currently under Sawyer’s protection, could be accidentally found at any time. And that, unfortunately, includes the Others. Sawyer is no tracker, and neither is Charlie, so there’s every reason to believe that someone could follow them to the stash at some point.

The point is that Sawyer’s gambit has introduced an unstable element to the dynamics of the tribe. Jack and Locke were having enough control and trust issues before Sawyer decided to make a play. Now the two of them could progress in completely unexpected directions. Jack and Locke could find themselves even more at odds as they try to get Sawyer on their side, thus taking the faith/reason dichotomy to new heights; alternatively, they could find a middle ground in the process of trying to bring Sawyer under control.

What’s also interesting is the manner in which characters now reject chances at redemption. Charlie took a turn for the worse in the previous episode, and now he continues to fall into a very negative path. In many ways, his addiction might have been the less damaging downfall; it’s going to be a lot harder for him to crawl out of the bitterness and anger.

Sawyer is now embracing his darkest impulses in his desire to regain relevance. Rather than accept the idea of others having control over his fate, he has placed himself in a far more questionable position. That plays, of course, into his flashback: he is capable of loving someone, but he’s equally capable of betraying his own desires to achieve his goals. Love doesn’t factor into it. Just as he conned Cassidy, he leaves Kate feeling used and abused. He may have been winning in the battle against Jack for Kate’s affections, but he lost a lot of ground in this episode.

The question is whether or not people are willing to change. The deeper subtext of that question, present in the first half of the first season, may not be as noticeable, but it’s still there. Sawyer points to Kate and himself as examples of “tigers who can’t change stripes”. In other words, they are deeply resisting redemption and change. Charlie, Jack, and Locke are also falling into that darker territory, because they are sliding back from the progress they once made.

At the same time, Sayid is once again showing the possibility of a turnaround. He withdrew from involvement in the affairs of the tribe in many respects, but this episode sees some progress. Hurley is actually quite good at that sort of thing, and it was nice to see Sayid making a step in the right direction. He can’t find peace too quickly, since Shannon only died a week or so ago in the island timeline, but this was still good to see.

While the main focus of the episode is on Sawyer, his gambit touches on a number of other characters. Sawyer uses them as pawns, but at the same time, he exposes how Jack and Locke have been using them as well. Sawyer does a very nice job of uncovering what Jack and Locke have been doing in the name of the “greater good”, and it will likely have serious consequences for the future. It could even lead to a break within the tribe between those who want to follow Jack’s reason and those who want to follow Locke’s faith.

For all that the episode accomplished, it wasn’t perfect. For once, this wasn’t necessarily a problem with the writing. While there were a few rough edges here and there in the dialogue, the episode was directed in a rather mundane manner. None of the scenes were particularly thrilling, and even the revelations at the very end were staged in a rather subdued and uninteresting way. This is one of those episodes that has vast consequences on the direction of the season, and it will probably factor into the next major turn around episodes 15-17, yet it just doesn’t have much energy to it.

As it happens, Roxann Dawson has directed a number of television episodes, stemming from her tenure on “Star Trek: Voyager”, and this is has become a trend in her directorial style. It’s not as though her style of direction leads to a discernable flaw, but when an episode seems to be lacking energy, it’s never a surprise to find out that Dawson was the director.

That leaves the episode with a slightly less favorable rating than it otherwise might have gotten. It’s not always enough for the writers and cast to pull out a strong story and performance. It also has to be directed and edited so that the drama is tightly woven. This was a tale with a lot of layers to it, and it simply felt like the full potential of the episode was squandered by a very subdued and uninteresting directorial choice.


Final Analysis

Overall, this episode had a very strong storyline, with events that seriously complicate the situation on the island. Sawyer, as usual, makes for a very compelling lead character, and his role in this episode is particularly unexpected. Unfortunately, a certain energy was lacking from the direction, which took away some of the episode’s power. Still, another step in the right direction.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 1/2
Style: 3/4

Final Rating: 8/10

(Season 2 Average: 7.1)