What a treat to see Summer Glau on the show and as usual, playing a kick-ass young woman.
Of course, Alphas are like everyone else in many respects. They want a good job, a happy family, a job that is fulfilling and challenging. Working for the NSA if you are an Alpha is probably not the best choice, but I bet they pay well. And where else would you get the kinds of materials you need to build whatever you want? The downside is, it is very difficult to quit. Skylar has decided to leave the employ of the NSA and they aren’t too happy about it. They are even using the machine she created, “Bob”, to track her. They don’t want her to quit, they want to lock her up in a room and coerce her into making things. As Sullivan says, they will compensate her very well. Does the government have the right to take away someone’s liberty just because they need them? Not much of a free country if you ask me. The Alpha team seems to agree with me.
This Week’s Superpower
We got two for one again, and apparently the Alpha genes can come out stronger in the second generation. Skylar can see how anything is put together. She can take it apart and make it into whatever else she wants, very quickly. She created a stun device from easily available parts in under ten minutes. Her daughter, Zoe, has an analytical mind that can solve any equation and create a super encryption code that is unbreakable--and she is only a child. I loved the flying robot insects and the walls full of equations. I don’t blame Skylar for trying to hide her daughter.
The Alpha Team
This episode was about the Alpha team starting to question their mission. Skylar was one of their “catch and release” Alphas. Each Alpha is tested and, if not a danger to themselves or others, is released “into the wild.” But it seems that you can also be taken to Binghamton if you prove useful. As Nina says, if they can take Skylar, who will be next, one of the team? Nina was trying to do the right thing and be true to her beliefs. This was a major breakthrough for someone who was working with a flexible morality around the use of her gift. I was thoroughly annoyed at Rosen when he completely missed that and tried to tell Nina that she was being immature.
I enjoyed Bill’s storyline as well. His wife wants children but he knows now that their children are likely to be Alphas. It doesn’t appear that he has told his wife about his abilities. He starts the episode wary of what bringing a child into the world might mean but seems to have changed his mind at the end. I was surprised. Zoe and Skylar aren’t going to have much fun on the run.
Gary’s mom is terrified for him. Last week’s adventure with Bill showed how dangerous this work can be and no one wants their child to be in danger. Gary is growing up, though, and he won’t be bossed around anymore. It is obvious that his work with the Alpha team has been good for him. And he can obviously get to work on his own even if it takes a really long time and an $800 cab ride.
Sullivan is a better minder than Wilson but she is still “on the job”. It was amusing to watch her and Rosen flirt with each other over Moroccan take-out, but it was even better to see that Sullivan had not fallen for Rosen’s charm.
Bits and Pieces
Rachel's senses are pretty sophisticated. She knew that the attackers were an assault team and that people were hurt, but not fatally. She could also turn off all her senses so that the stun device didn’t affect her.
I enjoyed Klause Kripke and his Klauswerks. Down with the man!
Dr. Rosen is a psychiatrist. We could have assumed that before now, but we didn’t really know.
I loved that Skylar and Zoe ran off to Toronto, Canada, which is where Alphas is filmed. It was nice to see the Toronto skyline rather than another inserted shot of New York.
Quotes
Skylar: “Later, flunkies.” I really wish she had said something cooler than this.
Clay: “Misjudged another patient, Doc. You gotta work on that.”
Nina: “I didn’t help Skylar because I wanted to be reckless. I did it because we promised that we’d help her. I did it because it was the right thing to do and it felt good. Maybe you should try it some time.”
Uncle Wesley: “Who the hell are you?”
Gary: “I’m a secret agent.”
Gary: “You don’t tell your mom classified stuff.”
Gary: “Mom, I’m a secret agent now, okay? And I am happy.”
Sullivan: “That’s on vacation, Lee, this is work. Did you really think some take-out Moroccan was going to change all that?”
Just a tiny little nit, Rachel didn't actually shut down all her senses. Her senses are all normally stronger than most people, and she can further supercharge one of them at the cost of disabling the others. If I remember this episode correctly, Rachel said she shut all her senses down except taste in order to avoid the effects of the stunner.
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