Episode Report Card Manimal: B | 1 USERS: A YOU GRADE IT Spirit
By Manimal | Season 1 | Episode 10 | Aired on 12.15.2001
Yet another pointless flashback to Jack and Vaughn. Did the writers see Memento a few too many times, or what? Oh, right -- except that in Memento, this shit worked. Vaughn then performs the Austin Powers fake-out -- he says he compared the Russek transcript to the CIA one, and they don't match, so he knows Jack altered it. Jack then rips him a new one, basically telling Vaughn he's not man enough to question anything Jack does, and suggesting that if Vaughn is appointed as his handler again, that he kindly decline. Vaughn says flatly that Russek never made a transmission, and that Jack fixed it. Jack snaps that of course he did, and if Vaughn had the SD-6 transcripts, he'd know that. Vaughn then does the Alias version of "I didn't know that, baby -- you just told me." Why, God, why? Why is this show so dumb? Couldn't Vaughn have just said, "I know you fixed it so Russek took the fall for Sydney, and I have the papers to prove it," and then Jack could've denied/confirmed it? How many precious moments of my not-so-young-anymore life have been wasted listening to crap being drawn out when it could've been much more succinct crap? And I know some of you out there are saying, "Physician, heal thyself," but to you I say, "Well, you may have a point." Also, I think Jack is way too smart and wily to fall for that tired old trick. Anyway. Jack looks askance, for once. He points out that he just found out his daughter was about to be tortured and executed, and that he had no time to go for help.
Yet another pointless flashback. We see Jack, this time in detail, doing what we already know he did -- faking a transmission from Russek. There's lots of cuts from the servers' room to Jack in the conference room. He fixes everything, then walks out to see Sydney talking to Sloane. There's maybe three miniscule twitches in Jack's face, but somehow Victor Garber registers total relief.
Back to Jack and Vaughn in the van. Jack tells him that he knows the truth, and that he can judge all he want, but he doesn't give a damn. Hey, Vaughn? Somewhere, on The Island Of The Total Weenies, the natives are planning to crown you king.
Sydney's Apartment Of Snowshoes. Will, holding a glass of wine and wearing said snowshoes, enters Sydney's bedroom. They banter about the snowshoes as Will hands Sydney the wine. Will spots Vaughn's gift and asks about it, clearly curious. Sydney tries to fend him off. Will suggests that "the guy" who gave her the gift likes her. Sydney gets flustered, then neatly turns the tables by saying he doesn't like her the way Jennie likes Will. She says -- semi-snidely -- that Jennie looked good in his snug shirt. Just as they're about to get into it, Francie calls for Will.