Episode Report Card Sobell: B | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT When Take Your Fiancee to Work Day Goes Off the Rails
By Sobell | Season 1 | Episode 13 | Aired on 03.25.2010
of crows, they have proven consciousness via the mirror test, there's that mysterious structure there ... he implores, "I spoke to a team leader at Red Panda. They fly in and out of all there all the time safely." Wedeck replies with, "Bird-watching in Somalia? How am I going to sell that to Washington?" Vogel then voices one of my guiding life philosophies: "You don't. It's better to ask forgiveness than permission." Mark is all, I could be persuaded to like you, now that you're giving me what I want.We then see a swanky SoCal manse and get Aaron leaving a message on Mark's voicemail: "Some pretty deep stuff has gone down and I need you to run a background check on that guy James Erskine, the head of Jericho. Get back to me as soon as you can. Thanks, buddy. I appreciate it." Not that I don't doubt Aaron's general line of inquiry, but has it not occurred to him that a) the Bureau will probably keep records of whatever inquiries their agents run, and b) if Jericho is truly some all-seeing evil megacorp, they'll have someone already monitoring federal databases for any inquiries that are relevant to them, so c) Aaron may be endangering Mark or alerting Jericho that he's out there?
Anyway, we have a new scene to set: fake Lloyd Wright exterior, tons of DWR furniture and blank spaces in the interior. We immediately know James Erskine is no good because nearly all TV and movie villains tend to gravitate toward midcentury modern design. Aaaand then the power goes out. Because Aaron's just turned it off. Never, ever mess with a man who's fluent in infrastructure. He will cut off your utilities and end your cushy 21st-century life. Aaron then introduces himself to Erskine as a DWP flunkie, trots out a story about power surges and thereby gets access to the property.
And now Zoey's met Alda. Alda tries to get in digs about sending condolence cards, but Zoey keeps her cool. She's been going over Alda's transcripts, and she suspects Alda knows more than she told the FBI. "I think what you do know is somehow related to Demetri's death." Alda contemptuously asks, "And you think I'd give up that information to you because I'm a believer in true love?" No -- she'll do it because she's a believer in predestination and, as Zoey points out, her flashforward does not show her in prison, so she's probably going to cut the deal. Guess who's now representing Alda against the Feds?
We cut to Aaron breaking the news to Erskine that "I'm not here to fix your power. I'm here to get my daughter back." Erskine, unsurprisingly, does not immediately quake in his boots. But once Aaron leaves, Erskine does whip out a phone and tell someone on the other end that someone needs to get rid of Aaron.
At the FBI office, Vogel is breaking the news to Mark that he does not get to go to Somalia. "And it isn't because you're irrational, erratic and frequently stupid," he adds consolingly. No, it's because even Mark's perceived antagonists must assuage his ego: "You're essential. I don't like you, but I need you. Janis, Demetri ... if they don't make it back, it's a tragedy. But if you don't, it's a catastrophe. The truth is, Mark, this entire investigation hinges on what's in your head, and I'm here to make sure you don't lose it before April 29." Mark protests, "In Hong Kong, you said Mosaic was bigger than me." Vogel sits on the edge of Mark's desk and says cheerily, "I lied. I'm CIA. I do that." (And that is the moment when I began to like Vogel.)
Since Aaron had tapped Erskine's phone, not only does he know that he's about to be taken out, he knows that Jericho needs Tracy alive and they have her in Kandahar. And when the call comes in to Mike to take Aaron out, Aaron heads to the back of his truck (ringing cellphone in hand) and grips Mike's throat as he says, "They're calling you to kill me, Mike. Too bad you've got places to be."
Vogel left Mark's office telling Mark that he really didn't care if Janis and Demetri trusted him; he only cared that they did what he said. And in this scene, we find out what Vogel wants Janis and Demetri to do. Step One: Impersonate Red Panda mission workers. Step Two: Access the remaining satellite tower from the 1994 experiment/anomaly and see what's so darn special about it. Janis points out that impersonating relief workers violates a lot of treaties, and asks, "Do we want to go down that road?" Vogel replies, "This is CIA jurisdiction. It's my ball to call." Simon materializes out of nowhere -- still filthy from last week's misadventures, by the by -- and asks, "Great! When do we leave?" That answer is classified, but I'm thinking the answer is "Sometime around 8 p.m. EDT on Thursday, April 1, 2010." Simon basically talks his way into the expedition, but Vogel seems very amused by this. This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Or an unholy alliance that will leave the FBI office a smoking ruin, with Wedeck standing in the middle of it asking, "What in the hell just happened?" Or both! Why should it be an either-or, huh?
Cut to Zoey breaking the news that she's repping Alda Herzog. Demetri is not exactly thrilled by this news and shares his feelings at the top of his lungs. But Zoey admits she's scared, which is why she's doing this, and that diffuses his temper. He grabs his jacket and tells Zoey to come on -- there's something he's got to take care of.
Cut to a darkened garage, and Aaron calling Mark one more time: "Just calling to let you know things have escalated a bit with Tracy's 'friends.' But it's okay. I'm good. Things are happening just the way they're supposed to." By the way, Aaron was evidently "supposed" to strip Mike and leave him hanging, head-down, in the Erskines' clear glass walk-in fridge. Which his little daughter sees first, thereby having the kind of formative experience that will lead her to forever associate buttercream frosting with S&M imagery and her dad. (You make the call as to whether this leads to an unorthodox yet fulfilling life of sugary adventures with the Gimp or years of intensive therapy.) Aaron concludes his phone call with, "I'm going to be going off the grid for a while. If you need me ... sorry. These people went too far, and I'm not going to lay down. It's my time to make a move. I'm in this thing all the way to the end. So long, buddy." Aaron stares at Tracy's knife, briefly recalls seeing his daughter again in his flashforward, then drives off for parts unknown.
It turns out Demetri's going to destroy Mark's weapon in front of Zoey, the better to ensure her peace of mind, and it's all love and laughter until the property clerk comes out and says heavily, "It's gone. The box is here, the slip is here ... but it's gone." Dun-dun-DUN! Who in the FBI is working with the alpha group to make flashforwards come to pass? (My money's on Vreede. It's always the quiet, unprepossessing ones.) Who took the gun? We'll find out -- or not -- next week.