Sunday, October 17, 2010

Bones - The Body and the Bounty

Network: Fox
Time: Thursdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Emily Deschanel, David Boreanaz, Michaela Conlin, TJ Thyne, Tamara Taylor

Summary: Brennan makes a deal with a celebrity professor to be her new intern after he inquires about hosting his children's science show from the Jeffersonian.  Meanwhile, a dismembered corpse is identified as a bounty hunter, and the team find they're not the only ones looking for a fugitive who is wanted for murder.

Review: I sat on this episode a few days before writing a review because I'm still not really sure how I felt about it.  On the one hand, I was annoyed by the Science Dude, and I found the killer to be predictable.  On the other hand, it may have all been worth it for two scenes: the one where Angela and Brennan discuss the baby's name, and the one where Brennan comes out dressed as a skeleton.

Someone commented in a previous review that the characters were becoming "watered-down caricatures" instead of the complex characters from seasons past, and I'm starting to agree.  The quirky ticks (i.e. Brennan's inability to hold a normal conversation, Hodgins' childlike enthusiasm for everything, Cam's slightly flighty nature) have amped up significantly since the 100th episode, and not necessarily in a good way.  These traits which used to give balance to the characters now seem to dominate, making them more unrealistic.  We've always had to suspend disbelief a little when dealing with the science behind Bones, but now I find myself starting to suspend disbelief when dealing with the characters.

People have told me they don't feel Booth and Brennan's chemistry is as good as it once was, and I can see where they're coming from, though I still enjoy the scenes between them (especially where they were planning the perfect murder in the beginning of the episode, although I feel like they could have done more with that bit later in the episode).  And I do think they would be a little awkward around each other after Booth's confession of love and Brennan's rejection.  That kind of thing changes a relationship, at least for awhile.

I also mentioned last week that the case seemed to be just an excuse to have the characters make jokes, and I feel similarly this week--that the case was just an excuse to set a record for the most "Amazing"s in one hour.  I find this to be particularly sad, since the complex cases were one of the things I enjoyed most about Bones, after the wonderful chemistry between the characters.  How can anyone compare the cases we've seen in the past few weeks with the Gravedigger or Gormogon?  Even before they became arcs, those stories were significantly more intricate and compelling than anything we've seen recently.

I don't want to make it sound like this episode was terrible, because it definitely had its redeeming moments, the best being the scene between Angela and Brennan.  I've always loved their relationship, especially because Brennan tries so hard to be a good friend to Angela, even though she's fairly incapable of normal social interaction, and Angela loves Brennan no matter what.  This scene was probably the highlight of the whole episode for me because their relationship is one of the few that is uchanged throughout the series.  It was the first thing we were introduced to in the pilot episode, and it's something that has always been solid.

Also, the final scene, though incredibly out of character for Brennan, was hysterical.  It may have made the whole episode worthwhile.  Brennan reciting the "Scientist's Oath" was one of the funniest things I've seen on Bones in awhile. 

All in all, I have mixed feelings about this episode, and I'm not entirely comfortable with the path Bones is heading down.  It's always had a strong character focus, which is good because forensic anthropology is not most people's cup of tea, but the characters are starting to detract more from the plot than enhance it.  I enjoyed it while I was watching it, but it didn't have any kind of lasting impression, to the point where I had to struggle to remember the plot of this episode.  Did anyone else have the same problems?  Leave me a comment and let me know.



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Thursday, October 14, 2010

Criminal Minds - Compromising Positions

Network: CBS
Time: Wednesdays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Thomas Gibson, Joe Mantegna, Paget Brewster, Shemar Moore, Matthew Gray Gubler, Kirsten Vangsness

Summary: The team profiles a serial killer who targets married couples.

Review: Despite the fact that I'm still mad at Criminal Minds for kicking off JJ, there was a moment at the end of this episode (right about when Hotch was turning both Garcia and me into goo) where I remembered why I first fell in love with this show.  As interesting as I find forensic psychology and profiling, that isn't the reason I tune in every week.  I don't look forward to seeing how each killer will commit their crimes and why.  The fact that I like the subject matter is a nice perk, but the reason I keep coming back is because of the wonderful chemistry between the actors and the stunning moments where they remind you that they're a family.

What I liked most about this episode was that it focused a little bit on every character.  It was primarily about Garcia and her desire to fill JJ's shoes, but everyone had their moment in the spotlight.  Most CM episodes go one of two ways: they're either completely case-driven and the team works together without anyone being in the spotlight, or they take on a more personal approach where one character is more important than the others.  This episode broke the mold a little, where it blended the crime and the personal, but still made everyone significant.  Aside from JJ's departure, almost all the episodes since the 100th last season have been very case-driven.  It was about time for an episode that made the audience feel good at the end.  I don't know about all of you, but I definitely got some warm fuzzies.

Speaking of the characters, Kirsten Vangsness was totally on her game for this episode.  Every once in awhile, they do a Garcia-centric episode, and I'm always blown away by the vast array of emotions Vangsness exhibits.  Garcia, by nature, is a happy-go-lucky character, despite what she sees everyday.  But in this episode, she ranged the spectrum from quirky to super-professional to overeager to overwhelmed and back again.  It was weird to see Garcia away from her computers for a change (though not for long, since she was still doing her job on top of JJ's), but it made complete sense for her to try to step up this way, almost as if she wanted to lessen the blow of JJ's departure.  And even though Morgan seems to be turning into a Hallmark card, Shemar Moore stepped up wonderfully to create a really touching scene between the two.

I find the cases in CM to be more interesting than most other crime shows, possibly because they don't feel the need to try to trip you up.  The point isn't to be a mysterious as possible and keep the audience guessing until the last minute; it's to show how they reach the conclusion that we (usually) already know.  There are plenty of things about the UnSub that we don't know, and the real mystery is why he committed the crime, not who he was.

I also liked that, despite this being a more character-driven episode, the case didn't play second fiddle.  Most of the episode still revolved around solving it, especially since people kept dying throughout.  It used the characters' personal moments (Reid showing off his interrogation skills, Emily trying to seduce the UnSub) to further the plot, not detract from it.  Not all shows can find a way to blend the two sides, but CM did a particularly good job in this episode.

It's been a long time since a Criminal Minds episode really stood out in my mind, but I think this is one I'll rewatch a few times so I can really appreciate it.  Did you feel the same way?  Leave a comment below and let me know.

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My Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Lie to Me - The Royal We

Network: Fox
Time: Mondays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Tim Roth, Kelli Williams, Brendan Hines, Monica Raymund, Hayley McFarland

Summary: Lightman defends a falsely accused man from an angry mob.  In the course of proving his innocence, Lightman unearths a secret that allows a mother and daughter to begin to heal.

Review: I don't know what's been going on with Lie to Me lately, but I don't like it.  It's like they've taken all the fun out of the episodes, and we're left with cases that aren't particularly interesting and characters that are either too extreme or too flat.  I miss the first season episodes, where Foster and Lightman had a fun banter thing going on, and Loker was brutally honest, and Torres had more than six lines in an episode.  I don't know what happened to those characters, but I'd like them back, please.

I really didn't like any part of this episode.  I'll start with what's been bothering me the most for the last season or so: Loker.  He was so fun in the first season.  His honesty may have gotten him in trouble sometimes, but it was charming in its own way, like when he sang to a class of fifth graders about not telling white lies.  Now it's like his entire philosophy on life has changed.  He lies as much as any of them, and the best part of his personality is missing.  Instead, all he does is whine about how Lightman picks on him (which he does, but Loker used to let it roll off his back).  The acrimonious relationship between Loker and Lightman is driving me crazy.  All I want is for them to sit down like adults and have a conversation to resolve it, and instead they exchange a handful of monosyllabic sentences each episode and talk about each other to Torres and Foster.

That relationship isn't the only one that's being slaughtered.  Foster and Lightman used to be partners in crime.  Foster used to be fun.  Now, all she seems to do is mother Lightman, which he takes badly, and then they sort of fight.  And then they sort of make up.  I think.  Their relationship was never particularly well-defined, but now it just seems to be chaos.

I don't even know where Torres has been lately, besides being a sounding board for Loker when he complains (which is always).  They were really turning her into a cool character last season, but now she's almost disappeared completely.

To top it off, now they've brought in three new characters, none of whom seem to actually appear in the episode for more than a few minutes.  I understand the logic behind shaking up the cast, especially since Lie to Me was (and still is) in serious danger of being canceled, but there's no point in bringing in new characters if they're not actually going to be part of the show.  Right now, it's turning into the Lightman Hour, and all the rest of the characters, even the ones who've been with him since the beginning, are just there to further his plot line.

Even the story in the episode wasn't interesting, especially since Lie to Me has already dealt with the issue of a false rape accusation.  The plot was different enough, and I did feel a little bad for all the players involved, but I didn't find that I was emotionally invested in the outcome.  Maybe I'm just sick of watching Lightman manipulate everyone around him, including the people who are supposed to be his friends.  He's always had this side, but it used to be balanced by Foster, Loker and Torres.  Now that they're not using the other cast members as much, Lightman's unethical side is starting to get a bit annoying.

I loved the first season and a half of Lie to Me so much that it disappoints me how it's fallen apart lately.  I wish I knew why they were making some of these changes, but I hope they fix things soon because I don't know how much more I can take.  Am I the only one feeling this way, or have you been less than impressed by Lie to Me lately?  Comment below and let me know.


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My Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Castle - Under the Gun

Network: ABC
Time: Mondays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Jon Huertas, Seamus Dever, Susan Sullivan, Molly C. Quinn


Summary: Encoded evidence sparks Castle's imagination during the investigation into a bail bondsman's murder, but Beckett dismisses his wild theories.  Meanwhile, Beckett's reunion with her ex-partner turns romantic, much to Castle's chagrin.

Warning: This review contains spoilers for the episode.  Please don't read if you don't want to know.

Review: How have I not been watching Castle since the beginning?  Seriously, why did it take me two seasons to discover how wonderful this show is?

The brilliance of Castle comes across in a few ways.  The first is the writing.  It's witty, it's silly and sometimes it's serious, and it always works.  I can't think of a moment when one of the characters said something that made me wince because it was too goofy or too cheesy.  There's a wonderful give and take between all the actors that makes the writing come to life, and it flows so easily that I can't help but wish people really spoke like that.

Even the best script can be ruined by bad acting though.  Fortunately, Castle doesn't have that problem.  No, they won't all win Emmys, but they're a solid group of actors, and, most importantly, they're all believable in their parts.  The concept behind Castle is farfetched to begin with (face it, the NYPD would never let a writer tag along, no matter how famous he was), but it's easy to buy the premise when the acting and writing creates a world where it all makes sense.  Even cliched lines seem funnier than normal (like Nathan Fillion's spectacularly delivered, "Beckett, you were a girl once," that elicited a very loud and inappropriate laugh).

But there's more that creates great moments than meets the eye, things we don't necessarily notice but affect our subconscious.  This is the first episode where I really noticed how the show is directed, but, upon reflection, it's not the first time the direction has made a good (or sometimes mediocre) moment that much better.  Knowing when to focus on the character who's speaking and when to turn to the reacting character is more of an art than most people realize, and Castle does it better than most, especially since both Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic are such expressive actors.  In particular, I'm thinking of the scene where Beckett was on the phone with Royce after he betrayed her, and they cut to the shocked and horrified expression on Castle's face.  A picture really does say a thousand words.

The only flaw I can find is that the cases are always predictable, sometimes to the point of detracting from the episode.  I know it's hard to have a twist when every character you introduced winds up playing a part in the crime, but it was obvious from the start that they were all involved.  It actually made me kind of angry when Royce betrayed Beckett.  This isn't just something that happens in Castle (in fact, NCIS is the worst culprit), but why is it that when a character who has some kind of history with one of the stars shows up, they always wind up being a bad guy?  For once, couldn't he have just been a guy?  It creates unnecessary drama in a show that doesn't need to be too dramatic.

On the other hand, it did give Stana Katic an opportunity for a beautifully done monologue.

If you don't watch Castle already (and are, for some reason, reading this review), go find the old episodes and catch up.  It's only two seasons deep, and it's definitely worth the watch.  New episodes air on Monday nights at 10pm on ABC.


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My Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad

Monday, October 4, 2010

Blue Bloods - Samaritan

Network: CBS
Time: Fridays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Tom Selleck, Donnie Wahlberg, Bridget Moynihan, Will Estes, Len Cariou

Summary: The Reagans weigh the pros and cons of vigilantism when a man with a police record takes action against a criminal who is terrorizing riders on a subway.

Review: Overall, I was very disappointed by the quality of the new shows this season.  Out of the 35 shows I planned to watch, at least 17 of them werefreshmen.  As of week three, I'm still watching seven.  Blue Bloods is one of them, but I'm not completely sold yet.

I'll start with the positives.  Blue Bloods has a phenomenal cast, and they bring their A-game to each episode.  What's more: they're given a quality script to work with.  This probably wouldn't go on my list of "best chemistry" shows, but they do alright.  I can believe that these people are a family, albeit one with a few issues to work through. 

I also found the case in "Samaritan" to be particularly interesting.  A lot of shows these days focus only on solving murders (and sometimes kidnappings).  Sometimes it's easy to forget that there are other crimes that are also heinous, but not nearly as sexy.  Though there was a murder in this episode, it's not really the main conflict.  Instead, they deal with robbery and gang violence, which occur far more frequently but are reported far less.

Now for the negatives.  To start, I hate the mystery story they developed for Jamie.  I'm bothered by the growing trend in crime shows where the first episode needs to introduce some big mystery that will unfold throughout the season/series.  Jane and Red John in The Mentalist.  Neil and Kate in White Collar.  Even Callen's unknown past in NCIS: Los Angeles.  It works in some shows (like The Mentalist and Monk).  But some shows, like this one, don't need a big complex puzzle to solve.  I haven't yet grown to care about the living characters in Blue Bloods; I certainly don't care about their dead brother.  It's enough right now to develop the characters through episode-centered stories until they're more fully formed.  I like seeing how they balance their family and their jobs (especially since most of the family is working together).  Why does it have to be more complicated than that?

That's the biggest fault I see so far.  I'd like to see Bridget Moynihan's character get a story for herself, but it's only the second episode, so there's still time for that.  I'd also like to see the side characters develop a little better.  Right now, the only one I can identify is Jamie's partner.  I know Frank has both an assistant and a girlfriend, but I don't know which is which when they come on screen (situational clues notwithstanding).  Also Danny has a family and Jamie a girlfriend, but I don't feel like we know anything about them.  Again, this will probably change as the season progresses.

I do like watching Blue Bloods, but I hope some things change and grow as it continues.  The first few episodes of a show aren't always indicative of its future, so I have faith that, given enough time, this has the potential to develop into a really enjoyable program.


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My Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad

NCIS: Los Angeles - Borderline

Network: CBS
Time: Tuesdays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Chris O'Donnell, LL Cool J, Daniela Ruah, Linda Hunt, Barrett Foa, Peter Cambor, Eric Christian Olsen

Summary: Deeks and Kensi partner on a mission to find three marines who disappeared after their Humvee was ambushed in the desert.

Warning: This review contains spoilers for the episode.  Stop now unless you've seen the episode or you don't care.

Review: NCIS: Los Angeles is a show that really started growing into itself towards the end of season one, culminating in a wonderful season finale and a strong two-part premiere.  I was worried when pre-production started that it could never live up to its predecessor, but there are times when I actually think it might be better than the original (not that I don't love NCIS, of course!).

I find this show far more serious than NCIS.  The characters manage to have both a sense of humor and a level of professionalism, and they deal with more international terrorism cases than simply missing or murdered Marines.  They also don't have the "cowboy" quality that Gibbs' team has.  For the most part, they follow the rules.  When they do break them, it's because of special circumstances.

This episode centered around a Mexican drug cartel that had kidnapped two Marines and killed another.  To find the missing Marines, the team split into two groups.  Sam (with Callen as backup) reactivated a dangerous undercover identity to work the drug angle, while Kensi and Deeks tried to track the cartel through the southern California desert.  The humor went with Kensi and Deeks; the drama went with Callen and Sam.

Amidst the case was a lingering mystery... where did Hetti send Nate, and how did he learn to shoot?
The  drug cartel story was done well.  Unlike NCIS, Los Angeles seems to be able to pull off case-based episodes, even when the characters' personal lives aren't in the forefront.  This may be because Los Angeles is newer and hasn't had as much time to use lots of different scenarios.  Or it could be because they don't look for plot twists; the focus of this story was how they got from the crime to the rescue.

The chemistry between Kensi and Deeks was pretty good as well, though Deeks is clearly struggling to find his place in the show.  I liked him when they introduced him, so I'm hoping he eventually settles in.


My biggest problem was the resolution of Nate's storyline.  I understand that the writers and producers are trying to show the audience that no character is safe, but did they really need to write Nate out?  The team was working, and his character provided something that no other offers: the psychological insight into the criminals (as well as the team).  Obviously the show can survive without him, but it's stronger when he's there.  I haven't heard whether or not it was Peter Cambor's choice to leave, nor do I know if this is a permanent move, but I'm bothered by the trend in shows to get rid of the side characters whose jobs are not the main focus of the show.  I hope he'll be back by the end of the season.

Speaking of side characters, I heard rumors that Eric is in for a story of his own sometime soon, and I'm really looking forward to seeing some more of him, considering I think he had about five lines this episode.

"Borderline" was another in a line of solid episodes of NCIS: Los Angeles, but I worry that constantly shaking up the team will turn more people off than the quality writing and acting can keep.  It is only the beginning of the second season, so I suppose the show is still suffering from some growing pains, but I hope they don't do any damage to themselves while they continue to develop.

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My Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad

Sunday, October 3, 2010

NCIS - Worst Nightmare

Network: CBS
Time: Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly, Sean Murray, Cote de Pablo, Pauley Perrette, David McCallum, Rocky Carroll, Brian Dietzen

Summary: The team searches for a kidnapped girl, whose grandfather complicates the investigation.

Review: I continuously have the same problem with NCIS.  I love the show--it's one of my most highly anticipated of the week--but the case-related plot lines have recently started to fall flat.  I started noticing this with the introduction of the Michael Rivkin storyline in season 6, but then it started to pick up again in season 7... until the drug cartel.  There was no need to delve further into what Gibbs did after Shannon and Kelly were killed, no reason to humanize the man he murdered.  I don't know about the rest of you, but I was perfectly fine with him remaining anonymous, and the act simply being a part of Gibbs' past that no one really knows about.

I know that story was (mostly) resolved in the season 8 premiere, but this week's plot wasn't much stronger.  This time, a kidnapped little girl's grandfather turns out to be not what the NCIS team expected, and he gets in the way of their investigation into her disappearance.  It wasn't that it was overly complex or overly simple or anything like that.  It just wasn't that interesting.  Is it possible NCIS is running out of interesting cases, or was this one just a little weak?

But then the cases have never been why I tuned in to NCIS each week.  I do that because I'm completely in love with the characters, and I love to watch them interact with each other.  And, in that respect, this episode was certainly worth the time.  It was intern week at NCIS, and each section of the team had a college student to teach.  Most of the focus was on McGee and his intern Conrad (played by Greek's Zack Lively), who really didn't want to be there.  It was wonderful to see McGee, who's done a considerable amount of growing up since he first appeared on the show, with a probie of his own... even if it was just for now.  Not only did it emphasize the changes in McGee, but it was good to get some fresh blood into the bullpen.  Whether Lively will start making regular appearances seems unlikely, but it might be good for them to introduce a new cast member to shake things up a little.

The intern in the morgue created an interesting kind of story for Palmer, who didn't appear until midway through the episode to find his place at Ducky's side may have been usurped.  The new girl shared Ducky's love for long, rambling stories and Scottish music, and poor Palmer wasn't sure what to do with that.  I was mildly amused by his quest to find a new place at NCIS, but I mostly just felt bad for him.  For awhile I really thought they were grooming him to take Ducky's place, but now I'm not so sure.  Hopefully this episode was an anomaly, and Palmer will go back to being the autospsy gremlin we all know and love next episode.

The final intern was in Abby's lab.  Abby, it must be said, has had some bad experiences with people in her lab, and she was not happy about having an intern... especially one with a little crush on her.  I do love seeing Abby flustered.  She takes her normal level of over-caffeinated and doubles it, and it's always fun to watch the reactions of the people she's talking to, especially Gibbs, who just takes it all in stride and fixes it with a word or two.

The secret to NCIS's success is focusing on personality stories instead of case ones.  When the plot is more centered on what the team is doing, they're engaging, humorous and sometimes dramatic.  When it's more about solving a murder, they tend to come off as a little dry and sometimes trite.  NCIS certainly hasn't lasted for eight seasons by exclusively sticking to one of those methods, but the episodes are definitely more enjoyable when they don't spend a lot of time worrying about creating and solving a complex crime.

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My Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad

Bones - The Couple in the Cave

Network: Fox
Time: Thursdays, 8:00-9:00pm
Cast: Emily Deschanel, David Boreanaz, TJ Thyne, Michaela Conlin, Tamara Taylor, John Francis Daley

Summary: A surprise visit by Booth's girlfriend, war correspondent Hannah Burley, forces Brennan to take another look at her relationship with Booth.  Meanwhile, the team tries to identify a couple whose remains were found in a cave in a national park.

Review: I'm going to come right out and say it: I like Booth's new girlfriend.  And I like her and Booth together.  Booth is so happy with her, and he's so obviously in love.  How can you not like it?  I also really like about their relationship is that Booth is clearly not with her as some kind of twisted ploy to make Brennan jealous (which you may scoff at, but is a fairly typical plot device when two characters are engaged in the "will they, won't they" game that Booth and Brennan are).  He loves Hannah because he loves her, and it has nothing to do with Brennan at all.

This episode was good for several reasons.  First, like I just mentioned, because it introduced Hannah and really showed her relationship with Booth.  Also because the team was solving their first case the way they used to, without any of the awkwardness of having been apart for seven months.  Even Clark was back as an intern... and he was still troubled by the fact that the team brings their personal lives to work with them all the time.  Everything was back to the way it should be.

The case itself was pretty easy to solve, which is a mild detraction from the overall quality of the episode.  I know after awhile there are only so many ways a case can pan out, but it's nice when the writers still manage to trip you up a little.  In this case, I identified the killer the first time he/she walked into a scene.  It loses a little bit after that point, even though it's still enjoyable to watch the team try and come to same conclusion.

It's good to see that a summer off and a new character haven't disrupted the chemistry between our favorite characters.  Booth and Sweets had a few wonderful exchanges throughout the episode, Booth and Brennan were spot on, and even Cam and Hodgins had some fun.  I'm looking forward to more of Hodgins and Angela and the baby story as the season goes on.

This episode did exactly what it needed to: introduce Booth's new girlfriend, establish what her relationship with Brennan would be, and show the audience that, despite the end of season 5, the team is back and just as good as they were when they left.


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My Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad

Nikita - Rough Trade

Network: CW
Time: Thursdays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Maggie Q, Lyndsy Fonseca, Shane West, Aaron Stanford, Ashton Holmes, Tiffany Hines, Melinda Clarke, Xander Berkeley

Summary: Nikita tries to right a past wrong when she posed as a nanny for a government official who ended up dead.  Michael comes to Nikita's aid during her quest, and also begins to question Percy's motives.  Meanwhile, Amanda forces Alex to deal with her claustrophobia after she has a panic attack.

Review: I'm constantly surprised by how much I like this show, and how quickly it became something I anticipate watching.  The writers did a wonderful job creating characters that are likable despite the horrible things they sometimes do, and I find that I am sympathetic towards almost all of them (not Percy, but they really haven't done much to expand his character yet).

Every episode provides a little more backstory into characters' lives, and this one was no exception.  We finally got to see a little more of Alex's life before she met Nikita, and we got just a small hint of Michael's past as well (did you catch that last line?).  We also saw a flashback from when Nikita was first recruited, when she was happy to be working for them, and her hair was messier.  I imagine we'll see more of the chemistry between Michael and Nikita as the series goes on.

As much as I liked the backstories, I wasn't as wild about the present day mission Nikita was trying to pull off.  It stemmed from her first kill, and she wanted to make amends by taking down the group that hired Division to kill him.  But there was a slight twist that I wasn't wild about, since it warped Nikita's reason for doing what she was doing.  I don't want to spoil it by giving anything away, but I like when Nikita has the moral upper hand, and this twist brought her down a little.  That being said, it did create an interesting moment for Michael, who is starting to realize that he has no idea why Percy does anything he does.

I really enjoyed Alex's present-day story too.  She hasn't been doing much but acting as a mole for Nikita in the past few episodes, so it was nice to see her with her own story to carry.  In this case, she has claustrophobia due to a traumatic event from her childhood, and Amanda is trying to "help" her get over it.  We got to see some real strength of character in Alex, not giving Division a win over her, even if she made it look like they did.

Between this episode and the summary for the next, I'm starting to get little prickly warnings about Alex's sort-of friend Thom.  Right now he's pretty gung-ho about Division, and I can't imagine he'd be okay with the things Alex does to help Nikita.  Which leads me to believe that Alex should not be getting as close to him as she seems to be.  I'm curious to see where that road leads.

Like I said, I never expected to like this show as much as I do.  It's ratings are a little shaky though, and I'm hoping the CW doesn't pull it before it really has the chance to develop into a great show.

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My Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad