Summary: The next POI is a hard-working doctor, Megan who Reese discovers is plotting to murder a man, Andrew, who raped her sister and caused her to commit suicide. Carter investigates more on Reese and goes to talk with Finch. Fusco gets involved with drug dealers and needs Reese's help to kill them. Reese doesn't kill them and Fusco betrays him. Reese tries to prevent Megan from executing her plan but he is captured by the drug dealers. Reese breaks out and gets to Megan in time and convinces her not to kill Andrew. Reese debates whether or not to kill Andrew. Fusco is assigned to work under Carter so Reese can keep an eye on the investigation on him.
The Good: This was a stronger episode with better drama. I thought that Reese's investigational skills came off better here and I liked the way he identified who Andrew was, though I would have liked to see how he returned his ID. Furthermore, the complexity of the plot made this episode less predictable and I was delightfully surprised at a few points in the episode. Megan is definitely the most fascinating POI so far and her story held my interest better than any previous episode. I thought the character conflict of a doctor having to make the tough decision of taking a life was pretty compelling and added a layer to this episode that the previous episodes were missing. The climax of the episode was handled very well. I really like that all of the storylines (Carter's investigation, Fusco and the drug dealers, the POI) came together for a suspenseful and exciting final act of the story. It was very fun throughout with a few really good scenes. The highlights were Finch lying through his death like Ben Linus to Carter to save his skin, and Reese debating on what he should do with Andrew at the end of the episode. I approve of the decision to end the episode without giving us an answer for what Reese did, allowing us to try to figure out what Reese would have done, giving us that extra amount of engagement with the story. The Bad: The episode was still badly flawed and far from perfect. Reese remains a very poor aspect of the show. This episode gave more focus to Finch which really highlighted the vast difference in the quality of performance between Michael Emerson and Jim Caviezel. Emerson is terrific and adds value to every line that his character says, whereas Caviezel is devoid of any charisma and drags all of his scenes down with his dry and boring line delivery. It's one of the main reasons that Reese is so boring to me, along with the lack of development the character has had. I'm confident that the only reason I like his character when he talks with Finch is simply because Emerson's performance brings the best out of those around him as well. The drug dealer plot is pretty poorly thought out. I have no clue why Reese doesn't just kill them since it would be convenient for him in every way. It helps Fusco stay in line with Reese helping him out and it also prevents any loose ends for Carter to find while she investigates him. With Reese being so sloppy when dealing with them, it makes him look like a total idiot for getting caught while following Megan. Also, how did the drug dealers find him anyways? I don't recall Reese revealing his identity to Fusco in previous episode. If Meg's plan is so well thought out, why didn't she fill up gas beforehand? I feel like stopping at a gas station with a man in your trunk will cause ridiculous amounts of anxiety. Furthermore, the idea that Megan's excuse to leave work is "I'm taking a nap, don't disturb me", is incredibly dumb. What do the hospital people do when they realize she is gone? A one-way trip from New York to Montauk is four hours long after all, and I don't think anyone naps for that long. The mafia drug dealers were laughably cliché. I was wondering how long it would take for this show to indulge in the cliché mafia characters, but I certainly didn't expect them this quickly. So the reason Finch was forced into the crime scene last episode was so this scene could be possible. While I like the development, surely there are better ways to get from point A to point B. The Unknown: How was Finch injured? What was the surgery for? Is it the reason for his limp? I'm very interested in his past. Best Moment: Finch and Carter's conversation was tense and Michael Emerson shined once more. Character of the Episode: Finch. Conclusion: This was a better episode that improved on little things and moved the plot forward in enjoyable ways. However, the show's flaws still prevent it from finding its footing and being something really great. The potential is there, it's just a matter of the people behind the scenes being capable enough of taking advantage of it. Score: 60
3 Comments
Joe Y
8/14/2020 11:48:14 am
--Fusco knows that Reese is investigating and following around Andrew Benton. He tells the cartel that. Easy.
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Aaronic
8/14/2020 06:17:31 pm
When the show was taking itself a bit too seriously in these early episodes, Jim Caviezel's performance didn't work for me. I grew to really enjoy what he brought to the character of Reese as the show went on. In retrospect, I was too harsh on this episode. It was one of season 1's best efforts.
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Joe Y
10/5/2021 07:13:10 am
I still think "Cura Te Ipsum" is one of the strongest one-offs the show ever did, and is the first real tease of the show's quality. In hindsight, Reese's advice to the doctor only rings stronger when you know his full backstory from "Many Happy Returns". It's incredibly difficult to get emotionally invested in a character who will never appear again. Most procedurals are mediocre for that reason. Hell, some of this show's episodes don't pull it off. (I wish she did, but hey--it's Linda Cardellini). But this episode pulls it off beautifully. That's efficient storytelling. And the final scene is absolutely spellbinding.
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Aaron DhillonJust a university student who loves to watch TV. And analyze it way too much. Archives
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