Episode Report Card Couch Baron: B- | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Taste My Soup!
By Couch Baron | Season 3 | Episode 8 | Aired on 11.10.2008
Oh, because we have to relive the scene where Nathan's wife Heidi gets paralyzed. So the twist is, of course, that it was Arthur who was trying to have Nathan killed and Linderman was just the go-between, and as we already knew, Nathan's power manifested at just the right time to save him (possibly fueled by adrenaline, I feel unwillingly compelled to say). Later, at the hospital, Nathan's parents show up, and Nathan wastes no time in snarling at this father that it was Linderman's guys that ran him off the road. Peter drags Nathan off to make out (no, seriously, watch the scene), but not before Nathan tells Arthur that he's going to hurt Linderman. "And when I do, if you're standing next to him, you're gonna get hurt too." I guess his aim isn't very good. Nathan tells Arthur it's time to choose a side, and then Peter yanks him away by the pants as Angela looks confused and worried. There'll be more of that coming...
...right after the commercial break, as Angela comes into the bedroom and tells Arthur that Heidi's spine is broken in three places before bringing Linderman up. Arthur dismissively says that Linderman wouldn't dare go after Nathan on his own, but Angela's got his number: "No. He wouldn't." Arthur points out that Nathan's prosecuted countless criminals, any of whom could have been responsible, and Angela agrees, but still needs to hear him deny he ordered Linderman to kill Nathan. Arthur firmly does so, and Angela apologizes and tells him she loves him. He reciprocates the sentiment while mentally putting her name on his list right below his eldest son's. Seriously, though, this episode was the chance to really make Arthur interesting, and it roundly failed -- he's just a one-dimensional Bad Guy with unclear motivations. Bleah.
In a shantytown in Austin (Lord, we can assume it's still one year ago until you tell us otherwise, chyron) Creepy Eric Roberts and Meredith spot a balding, bearded gentleman that Eric Roberts says is their target. Meredith asks if he wants her to "light him up," but Eric Roberts tells her this is just a training mission for her, and she should watch and learn. "No powers, unless I give the order." They approach the guy, "Danny Pine," and Eric Roberts adopts a friendly demeanor as he spins a yarn about being with the VA and affordable housing and blah, but Eric Roberts didn't bargain for there having been a real VA rep out just the week before, and despite Meredith's smooth attempts to cover, Pine turns his fist to metal and decks Eric Roberts. Meredith, however, enterprisingly takes that as the signal Eric Roberts was talking about as she flames up Pine's hand and then, while he's reeling from her attack, grabs the taser off Eric Roberts and takes Pine down. Meredith looks unexpectedly pleased with her battlefield prowess, and Eric Roberts manages a smile through his headache: "Welcome to The Company."