Episode Report Card Erin: A | 1 USERS: B+ YOU GRADE IT Papa, can you hear me? No, seriously. PAPA?
By Erin | Season 4 | Episode 18 | Aired on 05.03.2005
"Dr. Atticus Liddell," says Sloane, showing a picture of Michael McKean on the Big Screen TV Wall Of Infamy. Twenty-five years ago, Dr. Liddell developed a radical thesis on the treatment of genetic mutations. In 1981, he left the States to pursue his theories and worked with patients devastated by an undisclosed nuclear accident in the Soviet Union. Unfortunately, it was the Cold War, and the Soviets became convinced that Liddell was a spy. "Which he was," says Sloane. Vaughn asks if they killed him, but Sloane says that one of Jack's handlers informed him of the Soviets' suspicions and Jack was able to extract Liddell before the Soviets could act. Jack then changed Liddell's name and gave him a new identity.
Syd surmises that there must then be a record of Liddell's new identity and location somewhere. You'd think, huh? But no. Things are never that easy in the Land of Cloned Roommates Who Never Die. In the old days, Jack and his handler had a strict policy of never keeping any written documentation of something as sensitive as the relocation of Liddell. Syd pipes up that they have to get hold of Jack's handler. Nope. Dead. Died eight years ago. Dixon wonders aloud why, if Jack knew where Liddell was, he didn't just contact him as soon as he got sick. "He thought he did," says Syd. "Wow," chuckles Marshall, "Mr. Bristow hallucinated the one man who could save his life. Even his delusions are lucid." Hee. Vaughn doesn't seem to think Liddell could just disappear. Syd thinks he could -- if her father hid him.
Later on, Syd's standing in front of her father's empty office when Nadia walks up and asks if there's anything she can do. There isn't. Nadia says she's sorry. Syd thanks her and says she's going to sit with her father for awhile. Nadia asks if she wants company, saying she'll cancel dinner with her Evil Auntie Elena. Syd doesn't want her to. Because then Evil Auntie Elena couldn't hack into Nadia's computer. Nadia tries to comfort her sister, but, even though they've hugged in the past, there's no hug now, which…I was kind of hoping for, actually. No, not because I was looking for some mild girl-on-girl action or anything. It just…it seems like a hug would be appropriate right about now. But there isn't one. Nadia just touches Syd on the shoulder and leaves.
Barbie Penthouse. Nadia and Weiss enter. Evil Auntie Elena has prepared a magnificent feast. She flirts shamelessly with Weiss, hugging him heartily, then comments that what's happening to Jack is awful. There's some general back and forth about Jack and losing a parent and blah blah blah; then, finally, Evil Auntie Elena takes their coats and bags and whatnot and hauls them off to Nadia's room. Before she gets there, she turns and tells Eric that she so excited to meet him. "Nadia says the most beautiful things about you," she says, turning away with one of those pursed smiles that only female relatives can give you when they've just embarrassed the shit out of you. Weiss turns to Nadia. "Reaaaaally?" he crows at her. Heh. "She asked me if you were tall, dark and handsome," Nadia says, moving closer to him. "I told her you were tall." Heh. They laugh and have a quick kiss and, personally, I thought that little moment was adorable. But I'm a sucker for Greg Grunberg. It's a problem. Back in Nadia's room, Evil Auntie Elena puts the bag down and shoots a look at Nerdy McSpyBoy, who's back in the shadows. She leaves, and he immediately gets to work on the computer.