Summary: Root has been told by the Machine to recruit Shaw but she doesn't know what for. Root takes Shaw around doing random tasks that the Machine has told her to do. Shaw is resistant but eventually decides to work with her. Root has Shaw arrest her and impersonate a CIA agent. Shaw takes Root to a CIA lockup. Meanwhile, the next POI is a man named Sloan who is investigating the mysterious death of his brother Jeremy. Reese and Finch realize that Collier is the one who is trying to kill Sloan. They realize that Jeremy is actually still alive and in a CIA lockup. Root meets with him and reveals she is there to save him. Shaw drives a transport with both of them inside. Root escapes and frees Jeremy. Meanwhile, Collier has captured Sloan and is now going to kill Jeremy. He attacks the truck but Reese stops him. Collier escapes. Root helps Jeremy escape and start a new life. Shaw knocks Root out and she is now imprisoned in Finch's library. Laskey is scarred by HR and begins to open up more to Carter who continues to use him.
The Good: This was an extremely fun and chaotic episode which served as an excellent part 2 to the last episode. This episode, like the last, had several storylines starting the episode and they ended up converging in a really satisfying way which amplified the pacing and provided a thrilling climax. The Root and Shaw story was certainly my favourite of the episode. Their dynamic was really fun as Root was playful while Shaw was cold and vengeful. I also really enjoyed Root's random bursts of knowledge which would lead to a satisfying pay off later. Her random acts and cryptic clues early in the episode (impact, the package, cutting the sewer grates) were a ton of fun and the reveal of what was actually happening was really fun. The team up reminded me of the episode "Dead Reckoning" which featured a similar hero/villain team-up with a mysterious motive which isn't revealed until the end. Some bits of the story provided some awesome moments. Shaw and Root against the man in the apartment was a ton of fun and it perfectly encapsulated the personalities of both characters. Shaw immediately fights the man while Root casually eats an apple on the table, only stepping in to win with a strategic taser. The POI story started off pretty flat, but when it became apparent that the story tied in with both Collier and Root, it became a whole lot better. It got me a little more invested and even got me to care a little more about Sloan and Jeremy. The scenes with Collier were a highlight in the episode. He remains a mysterious and scary villain, and the reveal of Vigilance was really cool, making Collier seem like even more of a threat. I'm excited for the inevitable moment when Vigilance learns about the Machine, the ultimate disruptor of privacy. That would put Collier and Reese's group at odds in a big way. The tie-in in the middle of the episode was great. When Jeremy was brought right next to Root, it was an immensely satisfying moment that made a lot of things clear. Root cryptically telling him what to do was enjoyable and I thought that their conversation was extremely well written. What I really appreciated was that this scene actually explained in more detail why Collier targeted Kruger. It was a surprising piece of continuity. Carter and Laskey's scenes were also quite strong. We get a better understanding of how HR is recruiting these new cops and why they are seemingly never-ending. They have been infiltrating NYPD with corrupt Russians who work for Yogorov. The story nicely built to Laskey with this reveal and the show also did well to make me sympathize with Laskey after he is forced to bury a friend. Another "Lost" casting with Nick being the same actor who plays Essam. The Bad: The pacing is so fast early one, it's ridiculous. It's just intense scene after intense scene, with no chance to breath. While it's a fun experience, some of the story doesn't quite stick like it should. Sloan and Jeremy are also a total afterthought for most of the episode and their storyline kind of gets lost in the shuffle. The climax wasn't done very well. The action was messy, the music took me out of the moment and I thought it didn't quite live up to what I was expecting after all of the hype earlier in the episode. The Unknown: When will Vigilance discover the Machine? How? Will they look into Reese now since they have encountered him twice? What is Collier's goal? He mentions another revolution, so is that his long-term plan? Does Jason have a role to play still? Surely the Machine saved him for a reason. What happens now with Root imprisoned in the library? Is she actually isolated from the Machine? Is this the Machine's will? Why would the Machine want Root imprisoned? To get her to work with Finch? Or is Finch working against the Machine like Root was suggesting? Best Moment: I'll go with the fight scene in the apartment. The way both Root and Shaw were handled was superb. Character of the Episode: Root. Conclusion: This was an excellent episode that was just as great as the last one. While it didn't have as much of an emotional edge to it, it was an exciting hour of drama and had me completely invested the entire time. A great example of an episode built on drama. Score: 73
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
Aaron DhillonJust a university student who loves to watch TV. And analyze it way too much. Archives
March 2024
Categories
All
|